"Coming the next Morning to bring his Chocolate, as he had order'd, he catch'd her by the pretty Leg, which the Shortness of her Petticoat did not in the least oppose; then pulling her gently to him, ask'd her, how long she had been at Service" pg 14
Social commentary: The petticoat for Fantomina functions as another part of her mask, or her ability to hide her identity from her lover. Beauplaisir is the typical rake of the time, loving many women at the same time. Fantomina's deception represents the fear that people can hide themselves behind outrageous fashions. Her short petticoat also represented an invitation for intimacy, one that allowed Beauplaisir to grab her leg. The vices of the aristocracy are on display in Fantomina as she tricks her beloved into believing every one of her deceptions, even as she is with child.
Modern crticics, such as Margaret Croskery have noted the themes of seduction as a part of the female narrative: "It thus poses not only a playful alternative to the Restoration paradigm of male and female sexuality, but it also provides a serious alternative to your own modern psychoanalytic interpretations of the semiotic anature of sexual desire" (Croskery 70). Fantomina shows how fashion can function as a representation of desire, and the 18th century audience could relate to such an awareness.
Other Clothing References: "The dress she had order'd to be made, was such as widows wear in their first Mourning" (Haywood 40).
"...And the Advantage of a great Hoop-Petticoat, however, her Bigness was not taken notice of, and, perhaps, she would not have been suspected till the Time of her going into the Country..." (Haywood 85).