Girdles

Here is a cute little girdle with a side front closure.  The maker tag is gone.  It is still very stretchy, although a very small size.  It probably was not used to hold in as much as hold up.

Now this one is more substantial!  The tag is gone, but you can see it fits on my larger dummy, though I adjusted the hips a bit.  This is a beautiful peachy cotton with a fan design woven in.  There are stretchy panels on the sides, at the bottom front, and the top back.  A left side closure.

Here is the back.

A view of the inside.  There are more of those plushy strips at the bottom edge where the suspenders are sewed on, but the most interesting feature is the two-part back.  The upper part is separate from the bottom part so one can bend over without the stockings popping.

This next one is from the 1960's and is made of a lightweight mesh.  It "washes like a hanky".  Again, more made for holding up the stockings than controlling excess flesh.

Since I have not been getting any comments on this series I will start a new one that may be more interesting to some of you.  I still have lots of underpinnings left, so will be showing them later.

Everything's Under Control

Still organizing my closet and rediscovering wonderful things I forgot I had.  This two-piece beauty was bought for only $6.00 at an estate sale.  It doesn't look like it was ever worn.  You would put on the girdle first and then the bra and then hook it together.  No muffin top or skin squeezed between long line and girdle.  I think it is made of nylon or some other miracle fabric.  Just imagine the creaking and clinking sounds when the wearer bent over or sat down.  Kind of like a ship in full sail.

First we'll look at the inside of the bra.  There is underwire around each satiny pointy cup and, on the inside, a soft pink furry plushy fabric.  This fabric is also on the inside of the straps.  Comfy!

Note the straps are not adjustable.

There is a sweet string of appliqued flowers on the front, and folded nylon edging.

The girdle is boned and zips up the side front with more of that plush on the underside of the placket and around the upper inside edge.  Hooks and eyes fasten before the zipper so no tender flesh is caught in the zipper.

Here is the back.

Elastic panels on the sides  and bottom front and a few gussets at the top of the girdle.  Of course, hanging suspenders for the stockings.  These would have to be the extra long stockings.
I would date this set from the 1950's when slinky dresses closely followed the New Look, when girdles like these would not be necessary under those gigantic circle skirts and crinolines.  You did need a sturdy waspie, however.  I don't have one of those.

I Need Support!

This post will cover support from top to bottom.  First up:  the brassiere.  In the 'teens and 'twenties these garments were for flattening, not enhancing and were mostly just strips of cloth with hooks or buttons, shoulder straps, and sometimes a hook to fasten to the front busk of a corset to hold it down.  The chemisette went on over this to hide it and provide coverage under the mostly sheer blouses of the time.  There were also slips--either colored to go under same color dresses, or white.  These sometimes took the place of the brassiere and chemisette if they were of sturdy fabric and you weren't too buxom.  Later on the bra developed (ha!) into more of a support garment when the full corset went out of fashion and pretty slips started to get some shape into them as well.  Elastic was still being developed as a woven fabric and there was no spandex (thankfully!--I hate spandex!), so these garments were made of non-stretchy fabrics, as well as the straps.   When they wore out you just made or purchased a new pair and buttoned them on.   That's the "adjustable" part on the card below.  You sewed several buttons on the straps and had matching buttonholes in the slip.  Someone used the straps from this card, but didn't need the buttons.

Here's a modern set made of oooooohh  Nylon!  And a buckle.

These straps are "Perfection"!  You sew them on and they are adjustable.

Heading south, here are some elastic hose garters.  I think they are for a woman, as the men's version is usually more complicated.  These went on either above or below the knee and could become quite uncomfortable if too tight and you were on your feet all day.  I have some elastic roll garters that I have worn, but don't know where they are right now.

Here are some Trolley Supporters.  Trolley Supporters?  That sounds so British!  I am not totally sure why they are called this except for the fact that they hang from the bottom of the corset like a trolley hangs from its electric wire.  If anybody knows the origin of the name, let me know.

These sound more American.  Hose Supporters.