above: Alberto Vargas
above: Gil Elvgren
During our search for images, we found more hosiery ads than anything and a lot of adds for seamless shapewear...something we are still trying to perfect today (it looks like Spanx isn't so original after all)!
It was actually a bit challenging to find images of lingerie from the 1940s (and every decade for that matter, now that we're doing this). It turns out that many of the ads that we originally thought were for lingerie, ended up being for swimwear. Almost every celeb during that time was photographed in a swimsuit, but not so much in a bra and panties. Granted, we're talking about a time when it first became acceptable for women to wear pants.
It seems like the hot lingerie items of the 1940s were slips, girdles, stockings and peignoir sets (which is typically a long flowing robe and chemise combination for those of you who have no idea what that is!).
Okay, next post is lingerie of the 1950s!!!
