Right mood underwear

If you search the Internet for the exact definitions of the words and phrases "Retro", "Vintage", "Retro clothing", and "Vintage clothing", you would come across this definition/delineation from Wikipedia: "Generally speaking, clothing which was produced before the 1920s is referred to as antique clothing and clothing from the 1920s to 1980 is considered vintage. Retro, short for retrospective, usually refers to clothing that imitates the style of a previous era." In other words, a workable definition of the phrase "Vintage underwear" would be "underwear produced between the 1920s and up to 1980." In this discussion, we will talk about the appeal, drawing power, or mystique of vintage underwear, and some of the reasons why a lot of women today would prefer to have a piece of them.

You might wonder, "What is the appeal or allure of vintage underwear and why is it so desired or sought-after by avid collectors?" Perhaps we begin by looking at the important role underwear, or, more elegantly, lingerie, played in recent fashion history: Women in the 1940s and up until the early 1960s took great pride in their femininity and would never step out of their houses without being impeccably dressed. Underneath their carefully chosen garments, they donned an intricate array of 'foundation undergarments' to complete a smooth, polished appearance. Often, bras, panties, girdles, slips, and even stockings were worn on a daily basis. This was always true, whether the person was a career woman or just a plain homemaker; she always looked her best, no matter whether in the office, just at home, or while shopping.

For instance, girdles and/or corsets provided excellent molding power for achieving the coveted 'hourglass' figure. Circle-stitch bullet bras earned a reputation of giving the bust a perfect, uplifted silhouette. Panties and slips were often adorned with ruffles or frills, with matching appliqués, made of materials such as lace, ribbons, and chiffon. As Lycra, pantyhose, and Spandex were unavailable back then, stockings in silk, rayon, or nylon were unobtrusively fastened to the garters of a garter belt or a girdle, to prevent 'bagging' when the woman stood up, thereby 'detailing' the shapeliness of her legs. At home after hours, our woman would enjoy her relaxing evening dressed in a flowing peignoir set in silk, rayon, or chiffon.

Back then, top-notch manufacturers, such as Barbizon, Lily of France, Lorraine, Lucie Ann, Vanity Fair, Van Raalte, and Warner's, among others, also took great pride in creating lingerie and foundation undergarments for their very appreciative and discerning women customers. Underwear, or should we say, lingerie fashion design, was elevated to an art form in terms of the style, construction, and materials used, a lot of which cannot be duplicated by today's supposedly more-advanced manufacturing processes. Sensuous nylon fabrics were lustrously sheer and buttery soft, woven on old-world looms that are nowhere to be found today. Lace trims were exquisite, and lavishly adorned on lingerie. Quality and attention to detail were the hallmarks of major lingerie manufacturers of those decades, commanding utmost importance than the price of the lingerie piece itself.

In those long-forgotten times, women reveled in being truly women, and men were equally delighted beholders and admirers/adorers. Many 'modern' ladies would seem to prefer the styles of the mass-marketed lingerie available today, simply because they haven't seen what the past has to offer. If they only knew! But those who are 'in the know' and want to achieve the unique look of the elegant movie stars or sexy pin-up girls of the '40s, '50s, or '60s would be wise to quietly add special pieces of these vintage lingerie to their under dressing repertoire to make it stunningly beautiful and 'otherworldly'. Women who are constantly in search of that 'perfect' bra, slip or girdle would be advised to 'look to the past' and not the future! So it would seem that the whole experience of exceptional quality, sensuous feel, and unique designs of the gorgeous underpinnings of long ago are just part and parcel of the magical appeal or allure that vintage underwear (or 'lingerie') has to offer. But if you want more compelling reasons for acquiring these vintage lingerie, here are some not-so-obvious facts about them. Just reading about them and 'thinking them through' would probably be enough to sway your feelings towards these 'neglected' masterpieces:

* 'Unique' or 'almost unique': Some items were custom made in small, old-world shops and looms which are no longer present today, and many were manufactured in small quantities.

* Exceedingly great quality: most vintage clothing were designed to be worn for years and passed on to other family members, so they were made of robust materials, well cut and well made, with generous seam allowances and hems which allow for alterations and custom fit. Although panties are not supposed to be 'passed on' from family member to family member and generation to generation, those very same 'robust' qualities of other vintage clothing have found their way in the panties, slips, corsets, girdles, and the like. It's like, each 'item' during those times was simple 'engineered' to be of the highest quality, whether they are panties or whatever.

* Fine materials: Unbeknown to most of us (but with some exceptions), many of these unusual, older fabric types are no longer manufactured today, or are now very prohibitively expensive.

* Value for money: These might surprise you, but vintage clothing generally sell for a cost far below similar new modern garments. Often, their faded, sometimes 'rusty' look would seem to belie their 'real' value. Even those who ran the 'thrift shops' where these are bought are mostly oblivious to the 'real' value of these historical masterpieces!

* History: Wearing these vintage undergarments would offer you a glimpse (and an appreciation) of the past, the roles of previous generations of women wearers, and the skills of the respected designers of these undergarments!

* Detailing: Hand-finishing, unusual buttons, hand-embroidery, handmade lace, crochet, appliqué, beading and other techniques. These are just some examples of the hallmarks of these long-forgotten 'masterpieces' of the past!

* Style: We seldom realize it, but vintage clothing has always been the favorite of 'creative' personalities because they offer an enormously wide range of exquisite, old-worldly imaginative styles. As they say, 'quality never goes out of style!'

* Investment. Perhaps you might underestimate the value of these vintage undergarments, but consider this: some people buy to collect, rather than to wear, and increasingly, good quality vintage garments and undergarments, especially items by well-known designers, are most sought-after by collectors.

So what are you waiting for? Off you go to your nearest 'thrift' or 'antique' shop, ask for vintage underwear (or happily 'rummage' for them yourself), then haggle like a beggar! You'll be amazed at how dirt-cheap these 'neglected' masterpieces go, but when you go home, soak them in low to medium strength powder soap, carefully hand wash them, then lo and behold! Once you'll discover the beauty in these clothes and undergarments, you'll probably go back for more!

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