tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post1454841156232780336..comments2024-03-14T16:03:32.434-04:00Comments on Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing: Retro Foundation Garments: Yea or Nay?Gertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314542159287533507noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-24092279162815042372013-07-10T08:46:44.619-04:002013-07-10T08:46:44.619-04:00Posture and Foundation Garments a Research Paper D...Posture and Foundation Garments a Research Paper Done by Cornell Univerity: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Posture_%26_Foundation_Garments<br />I found this article very interesting and even though this research article was done a number of years ago it applies very much to today and the postive and health benefits of daily wearing a well fitted girdle has on posture. <br /><br />If you like to discuss girdles and corsets please go to http://www.voy.com/224381/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-7682146942211177022010-08-25T11:31:41.767-04:002010-08-25T11:31:41.767-04:00What an interesting discussion! I came across thi...What an interesting discussion! I came across this blog while doing a search for retro underwear and foundation garment sewing patterns. I see pattern companies making retro dresses and such, I wish they would make patterns for girdles, bras, longlines, all-in-ones, and so on. It would probably make these undergarments more flattering and comfortable if we could make them ourselves.Amandanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-52096212597796879642010-01-12T03:15:35.004-05:002010-01-12T03:15:35.004-05:00I love wearing foundation garments, but not every ...I love wearing foundation garments, but not every day, just a special occasion. I can wear a tighter pencil skirt with a girdle and my naturaly round tummy disappears temporairly disappears (but I'm always happy when she's back)!Sunny Buickhttp://sunnybuick.typepad.com/mon-blog/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-48461245864572279122010-01-08T11:15:52.970-05:002010-01-08T11:15:52.970-05:00I havent started making clothes to wear yet, as I ...I havent started making clothes to wear yet, as I am still in the proccess of altering my slopers to fit perfectly, but I have been designing some of the clothes that I will make to wear and many of the designs have vintage roots. I am even considering someday making a cute 1950's swimsuit with a 'puff' skirt that I saw on the internet.<br />When it comes to foundations, I do find vintage concepts to be more flattering than modern shapes, even under modern clothes. A pointy bra is a no no for me as it would look rediculous on my large breasts but the longline feature is perfect. Also something about modern underwear that I find frustrating is the rise of the knickers. often they reveal too much of the fleshy stretchmarked reality of my stomach, and unfortunately sit below the 'ledge' at the bottom of my stomach. The higher rise (just below or on the bellybutton) is much more flattering and reduces the appearence of my stomach, so despite being berated by a (rather slim) friend for wearing 'enormous granny pants' I will stick to the theory that a little mystery is sexy. I don't think that a girdle is a could idea though, because what is squashed down must come out somewhere and cause more horrific bumps than before. Instead pants of a sturdy fabric that skim over my irregularities are the best for comfortably disguising unwanted bumps under clothes.<br />Grr, my friend has had 2 children and still has a firm stomach, but I grew so fast during puberty that I have never had one insted my skin was literally stretched to its limits, and from the waist down I have a figure like I'm the one who has had kids. We're both 21, wheres the fairness in that?<br />Grumble over, someday I will have the money to pay for a youthful stomach for the first time in my life. ;)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-87120588603378687102010-01-03T07:43:55.999-05:002010-01-03T07:43:55.999-05:00Wonderful blog!
I'm always amazed at the vehem...Wonderful blog!<br />I'm always amazed at the vehement opposition to vintage styled underwear! Is it simply that we have got so used to lycra and laziness? Looking around me that habit certainly hasn't done our shapes any favours. I'm also stunned that anyone could prefer the stuffed sausage effect of something like Spanx, which lets face it are pretty ugly, to the various attractive styles and designs of longline bras, merry widows, cinchers and girdles. I'd much prefer some satin and lace to repellent big fleshtone lycra pants!<br />Now obviously vintage styled undies aren't essential for everyday wear or casual wear and noone is going to twist anyones arm! But if you want the silhouette and look you love (if you love vintage) then you have to get the structure right before you drape a frock on top of it :) It doesn't have to be uncomfortable, not if it fits! Trouble is so many of us try to squeeze into the wrong size, and sometimes so did our grannies for that matter! <br />I'd recommend Rago. They still run a few styles they've used for years. They do black and the quality is good.Crikey Aphrodite!https://www.blogger.com/profile/07367690440444423865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-87410233194285756612009-12-31T11:19:18.824-05:002009-12-31T11:19:18.824-05:00Hi everyone, I have been wearing head to toe vinta...Hi everyone, I have been wearing head to toe vintage for about 5 years now, but apart from stockings and suspender belts, vintage underwear has alluded me, manly due to my size, I'm 5 foot with a 24" waist and a Uk 30D bust line, so finding vintage undergarments to fit me can be a challenge. I have tried Ebay and numerous vintage stores and markets to no avail. Does anyone know of any modern company that make vintage underwear in small sizes, without costing a complete fortune (I'm a student). I think I'm going to give up on looking for the genuine article and settle on the next best thing <br />thanks everyone, Gertie your blog is amazingharrietta hendersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02940865436185091846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-69865249632490776352009-12-29T21:47:20.422-05:002009-12-29T21:47:20.422-05:00I totally used to wear vintage foundation garments...I totally used to wear vintage foundation garments under my vintage fashions when I was younger and had the "shape" for wearing the styles.<br /><br />My new post-baby body isn't vintage-fashion freindly. So, my new attitide is to wear vintage inspired styles that fit my body and are comfy - sans constricting foundation garments.Erika Mulvennahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02754785341905724718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-36328927788280135262009-12-27T21:07:58.970-05:002009-12-27T21:07:58.970-05:00oh yes...I forgot to mention, I received a 1957 Se...oh yes...I forgot to mention, I received a 1957 Sears catalogue for a Christmas present this week. Oh, how I wish I could place an order!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-16662818081254325522009-12-27T20:56:30.369-05:002009-12-27T20:56:30.369-05:00I've got the girdles but am looking for a bra ...I've got the girdles but am looking for a bra that enhances. I've got plenty (38C)...but I guess I want a bullet bra. I'm tired of having the round, soft silhouette. <br />However, someday when I get married I'll need the flat bra as I'll wear my grandmothers 1925 dress. <br />but for now, I'm looking for the bullet bra--and always telling my nieces to wear proper foundation garments.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-53829443238885113432009-12-24T00:02:23.152-05:002009-12-24T00:02:23.152-05:00If you are wearing vintage and you want to help yo...If you are wearing vintage and you want to help your garment last as long as possible, a proper foundation garment will help take the strain that aging and worn fabrics usually cannot, no matter how gently one tries to wear them.<br /><br />Also, one has to consider bust and waist darts and other shaping - just as one cannot wear 40's suit jackets without shoulder pads, one cannot achieve a wasp waist or high pointed bust without similar foundations.SewDotCoehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12577069486267706714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-16551266755507245962009-12-23T22:05:58.169-05:002009-12-23T22:05:58.169-05:00This is a really interesting discussion and I'...This is a really interesting discussion and I've enjoyed reading the responses. Personally, I love the vintage look but I don't think I'll be wearing vintage underwear anytime soon. Where I live, it's uncomfortable wearing regular bras and undies in warm weather so this kind of foundation garment would probably kill me. I haven't tried things like spanx but I know some ladies swear by them. Even though the fabric is modern, I'd still find it too hot to wear in the subtropics. Living in a place where clothing covers very little, I have had to resort to a lot of gym work and accepting my imperfect shape. Having said all of that, I do rather fancy a long line bra. Several readers have mentioned posture and I must say that is something I never thought of. Modern women do not sit the way women in the 40s, 50s or 60s did. I can see how these vintage foundation garments would make you sit correctly. Maybe I could try them in winter? Thanks for an interesting and thought provoking post.Carolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11274649006496918800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-30872473690774102992009-12-23T20:27:53.674-05:002009-12-23T20:27:53.674-05:00Everyone needs to make their own decision about th...Everyone needs to make their own decision about this, but personally, I love girdles. I first encountered them when I was in a play set around 1964. The wardrobe mistress insisted that all the women in the play wear real long-leg panty girdles as women in the period would have worn. Her argument was that the girdles would give us not just the right look for the period, but the right posture and body language as well. At first, we did a lot of mumbling and grumbling, and at first, to be honest, I found my girdle very tight and confining and not something that I would have wanted to wear on a regular basis. But then eventually I and most of the other women in the play got used to them. And I loved the feeling of getting used to them. I found that my girdle made me feel ladylike, elegant, and dignified in a way I like, and it gave me a spectacular figure in the dresses and suit I wore in the play. After the play, I become interested in wearing vintage and now wear it much of the time and I choose to do so with a girdle and stockings. To me it feels right, and very feminine. But I definitely think it should be a matter of individual choice. However much I love them now, I do breath a sigh of comfortable release when I get undressed at the end of a day.Karennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-27704942269265883972009-12-23T18:48:57.413-05:002009-12-23T18:48:57.413-05:00I've actually been thinking how handy a retro ...I've actually been thinking how handy a retro girdle would be right now, I need the old-school, heavy-duty shaping!Denise @ Swellehttp://www.theswellelife.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-44307673250609293282009-12-23T16:31:00.136-05:002009-12-23T16:31:00.136-05:00Dotted Lines- I am a 38DD and I get all of my long...Dotted Lines- I am a 38DD and I get all of my longline bras from the online store ladygrace.com and they cost between $25-30, which is cheaper than some regular bras. Plus, if you sign up for her newsletter she'll let you know when she is having a sale. <br /><br />The one I use a lot is the Bali longline bra. I am shorter waisted so I wear the bra under the girdle (as opposed to on top as seen in most vintage pics) so it doesn't flip up.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01855413111142257771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-62960742291389428092009-12-23T16:06:45.125-05:002009-12-23T16:06:45.125-05:00For the ladies who do vintage dressing almost ever...For the ladies who do vintage dressing almost everyday or as part of historical re-enactment, I think they personally enjoy going one step beyond the "call of duty" and putting themselves in the same shoes (or undergarments) that the women they try to emulate would have worn.<br /><br />If you don't like them or don't have the money to spend on them, there shouldn't be any pressure to conform to that standard. Every person who wears vintage or sews from vintage patterns does it for different reason and has different intentions, and should wear whatever bra or stockings (or go completely without) that suits their purpose.reillyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12776283905130149324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-33552244312563318542009-12-23T14:46:01.476-05:002009-12-23T14:46:01.476-05:00Yea, for special occasions. I have a waist cinche...Yea, for special occasions. I have a waist cincher (from Frederick's of Hollywood, but totally not tacky!) that I wear when I want a slimmer, firmer waistline under my 1950's dresses. I got it to keep my post-baby belly contained so I woudn't have to make/alter my dresses for a waist size that is only temporary. <br /><br />I like the way my cincher reminds me to maintain good posture. The improved posture alone makes the whole dress look better.<br /><br />I also like the security of knowing that I'm not straining the seams of my dress when I go for a second piece of pie.<br /><br />Structural undergarments do the same thing that silky undies do for me, they whisper a little reminder that I'm a sexy beast underneath whatever I'm wearing. The reminder changes the way I feel and the way I carry myself. <br /><br />I know that at the end of the night it will be a treat for my DH to see my fancy undie ensemble. Being seen in sweaty Spanx does not have the same effect.<br /><br />I prefer the waist cincher over a girdle or longline bra for the same reasons I make dresses instead of buying them: I can find something that fits either my bust or my waist or my hips but not everything at once. Even if I do find something that works size-wise, the vertical intervals are never right because I'm tall. A separate bra and waist cincher under a full skirt works for me!Jennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10408008074242523257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-59275044792868837452009-12-23T11:32:54.129-05:002009-12-23T11:32:54.129-05:00Darn work filters... I can't see the longline ...Darn work filters... I can't see the longline bra because, <br /><br />URL request denied by SmartFilter. (content_filter_denied) Your request was denied because of its content categorization: "Online Shopping;Provocative Attire"<br /><br />I wear Spanx (or rather, the cheaper Target alternative) nearly every day. Aside from having to take Prilosec every day to counteract the intense GERD they cause, I love them! I have not tried longline bras or traditional girdles but I am in favor of wearing shaping undergarments on an every-day basis and would like to experiment with them more.<br /><br />I guess that makes it a conditional "Yay" for me.<br /><br />Thus ends my first comment on your blog though I've been reading and back-reading rather obsessively for a few weeks now!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-79503192462502781892009-12-23T10:34:33.551-05:002009-12-23T10:34:33.551-05:00Just like modern garments sometimes require differ...Just like modern garments sometimes require different types of undergarments, so too do vintage styles. When reproducing a dress from Vintage Vogue circa 1954, I could not wear a modern bra without looking frumpy. Instead of going full fledged vintage underwear, I bought a low backed modern corset that gave me the correct upper body shape. It was comfortable and looked fabulous. In the end, I think it depends on the clothing, the body, and the overall desired look. Sometimes a hybrid of vintage and modern looks better on a body than just one or the other. Also, ones' attitude greatly affects the look - If I believe I look great, I do! I also swear by the spanx doctrine!Mavgraunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-55360348987739385412009-12-23T07:18:46.899-05:002009-12-23T07:18:46.899-05:00I wrote a 4-part series on girdles(it was supposed...I wrote a 4-part series on girdles(it was supposed to be 5, but it seems that I never posted the final part!)back in June. It's aimed at those who have never worn one before. Here's the link:<br />http://www.brabarella.blogspot.com/2009/06/almost-everything-you-wanted-to-know.html<br />If you have any questions, never be afraid to ask!Brabarella Lingeriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13454808976550660524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-52260733644849438962009-12-23T01:42:06.724-05:002009-12-23T01:42:06.724-05:00Gertie would you bind your feet to fit into cute C...Gertie would you bind your feet to fit into cute Chinese slippers? I think you'll perceive my answer is a resounding NAY!Gailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00622769905155059570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-91725984753884927692009-12-23T00:25:23.088-05:002009-12-23T00:25:23.088-05:00Interesting feedback--thanks for a great discussio...Interesting feedback--thanks for a great discussion, everyone! <br /><br />Brabarella (or others!), can you reccommend a good basic foundation girdle for those who have never worn one before?Gertiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04314542159287533507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-18268875899617040132009-12-22T23:25:50.919-05:002009-12-22T23:25:50.919-05:00Proper period foundations are essential to create ...Proper period foundations are essential to create a true vintage look. But if you're just having fun with an outfit why bother?Shayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16527241089629026268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-31996047812216798052009-12-22T22:00:05.572-05:002009-12-22T22:00:05.572-05:00I fall on the Yea side of foundation garments. If ...I fall on the Yea side of foundation garments. If you want a period accurate silhouette you need them. That doesn't mean you must wear them to enjoy period clothes though. I have plenty of vintage dresses that I wear with regular modern bras, it just means that the end shape is slightly different that what it was when the dress was made. And new versions of vintage patterns are drafted with modern figures, and that means foundation garments, in mind. I think the big problem with them is the same problem that exists with regular foundation garments today, miracles are expected of them and they are often not fit correctly. Plus we modern women are used to complete freedom of movement so they can take some getting used to. But foundation garments are half the fun of vintage looks!Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16621589278068001456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-50167653380041520742009-12-22T18:58:40.566-05:002009-12-22T18:58:40.566-05:00For people who aren't skilled in pattern alter...For people who aren't skilled in pattern alteration, or those who buy vintage clothing, I think foundation garments can be really helpful. I have quite a small bust, and I find that wearing a bullet bra helps me fill out a dress much better than a smooth cup would. I wear a suspender belt everyday because I hate having to constantly pull up or adjust my tights at the front. I have a girdle but haven't worn it out yet so I'm not sure what that will do for me - but as another poster commented, I hate the double-butt look that comes from wearing hipster briefs. <br /><br />I'm not a vintage purist at all, however. I just like pretty lingerie! I'd rather wear a girdle than spanx because mentally, I feel less frumpy, and I'll carry myself differently.Miss Emmihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07251628463640473391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-14610895161616463732009-12-22T18:17:43.970-05:002009-12-22T18:17:43.970-05:00The 1294 is a popular girdle, but may not be the b...The 1294 is a popular girdle, but may not be the best choice for someone who has never worn a traditional girdle before – it’s one of the firmest on the market. We’ve had a vintage clothing site for years (although it’s much smaller now due to our focus on intimate apparel) and I modeled hundreds of vintage dresses over the years. It didn’t take long to realize that proper shapewear was a must, especially with those hour-glass side zip dresses. The difference was very surprising. I’ve also worn dozens of styles of girdles. Some were (and are)perfect and flattering, others made me look worse that not wearing one at all. Personally, the 1294 is not one of my favorites, but we have many customers that love it and it works for them.Brabarella Lingeriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13454808976550660524noreply@blogger.com