Short answers, pulled from the story.
The word petticoat emerged from Middle English in the 14th century as a term for a small coat or cote. Both men and women wore these undercoats during that era, often padded or quilted for warmth against cold months.
By 1585, the practice of wearing petticoats as visible outer garments was well established in England. The original design meant to be seen hung open with gowns rather than hidden beneath them.
South Asian petticoats rarely fall shorter than ankle length and always hang from the waist down. These garments may also be called inner skirts or inskirts within their cultural contexts.
Christian Dior revived petticoats through his full-skirted New Look collection released in 1947. Tiered ruffled stiffened petticoats remained extremely popular throughout the 1950s and 1960s decades.
President Andrew Jackson's administration became beset by a scandal known as the Petticoat affair. The 1936 film The Gorgeous Hussy dramatized the historical Petticoat affair surrounding Andrew Jackson.