Retro Lingerie

They say that fashion comes in waves and that whatever was once fashionable decades ago will come back round to once again have its day in the sun. Yet whilst this is certainly true of fashion as a whole, this theory also applies to lingerie. In recent years there has been a huge revival in 1950s inspired lingerie, with retro cuts and fabrics popping up all over the place. Yet when you take a closer look at the lingerie styles typical of the 1950s it is not difficult to see why they are suddenly back in vogue. After all, who wouldn`t want to look like a 1950s pin-up?

Many would argue that the 1950s was the decade in which women`s fashion and tailoring was most perfectly suited to compliment the female figure. This was a time when the hourglass silhouette was celebrated and every girl wanted to look like voluptuous screen goddess Marilyn Monroe. Fashion of the time reflected this in its nipped-in waists and alluring styling, making this without doubt the most glamorous and feminine decade of the 20th century. Unsurprisingly then 1950s lingerie was designed to help create and extenuate this curvy ideal, whilst also bringing with it a rather decadent element of glamour and elegance that had certainly been absent during the previous war years.

The styles of lingerie in the 1950s were rather different to what we are familiar with today. When most women think of retro 50s lingerie the first thing that comes to mind is the corset, or more specifically the corselet. A corselet is a structured foundation garment (similar to a corset) that would cover a woman from her breasts down to her thighs. Popular styles of the time featured a plunging V to accommodate dresses with low-cut necklines, as well as detachable suspender straps. Both corsets and corselets were extremely popular during the 1950s as they pulled in the wearer`s waist whilst pushing up the bust, thus helping to create that gorgeous hourglass figure.

Of course many women who like to indulge in retro styled lingerie today opt for a corset rather than a corselet, as they are slightly less restricting. There are a huge number of corsets available, though the main difference lies in whether on not you choose to have a corset that is over on under the bust. Over the bust corsets both cover and push-up your breasts, meaning they are worn without a bra. Depending on your tastes there are many different styles of over the bust corsets to choose from, including those that are straight across the top and those which have a more heart shaped neckline to individually support each breast. Under the bust corsets are worn with a bra, meaning you can wear them with a matching set of lingerie so that they cinch in your stomach to give you a smooth hourglass silhouette.

Other retro lingerie items that find their origins in the 1950s are suspender belts (with seamed stockings, naturally), conical bullet bras, large briefs and everybody`s favourite – frilly French knickers.

Not only were there certain styles of lingerie that were popular during the 1950s, there were also fabrics, colours and patterns that were particularly prevalent. Lingerie in the 50s was all about being sumptuous and decadent, so unsurprisingly silk and satin underwear was rather popular, especially in delicate shades of peach, pink and ivory.

But that is not to say that all retro lingerie was pale and interesting. The 50s was also a time when lots of people had the hots for polka dots, which is why you will always be able to find a great deal of retro inspired designer underwear made from polka dot printed fabric, especially in combinations of red, white and navy blue. Similarly a great deal of retro 50s lingerie incorporates leopard print fabric, as this wild and indulgent print fits perfectly with the glamour of 1950s lingerie.