Midcentury Lingerie; From Artemis to Warner

Vintage lingerie from the 1940s to the 1960s reflects an era of evolving femininity, glamour, and innovation in undergarment design, marked by several iconic brands and styles that continue to inspire modern lingerie.

1940s Vintage Lingerie
The 1940s focused on elegant yet functional lingerie, shaped by wartime needs and fabric rationing but still very feminine. Key pieces included soft French knickers, gentle cup bras, classic suspender belts, girdles, and slips made with new fabric technologies that allowed some comfort despite the structured shaping. The decade is famous for the emergence of the bullet bra, which created a moderate pointed shape, emphasizing natural bust lines with circular stitching. Falsies or bust pads were widespread to enhance bust shape. Girdles with flexible boning created the ideal hourglass figure, especially after Dior’s 1947 “New Look” popularized voluptuous curves and cinched waists. Prominent brands offering quality garments included American brands known for shapewear and luxury lingerie.

1950s Lingerie
Postwar glamour transformed lingerie into ultra-feminine, colorful pieces made possible by the widespread use of nylon. The bullet bra reached peak popularity with an exaggerated point, and peignoir sets and high-waisted panties (granny panty) dominated. Bright colors and sheer fabrics enhanced femininity, blending comfort with allure, continuing the hourglass ideal.

1960s Lingerie
This decade marked a shift from structured glamour to more playful and relaxed styles. Lycra and stretch fabrics introduced more comfort and burst of psychedelic prints and colors became popular. While shapewear remained important, bras became less pointed, and the rise of pantyhose eliminated the need for garters.

Overall, vintage lingerie from these decades remains a symbol of timeless elegance, combining functionality with beauty. Collectors and enthusiasts continue to seek authentic pieces from iconic brands or high-quality reproductions that honor mid-century craftsmanship and style

The 1950s and 1960s were pivotal decades for lingerie, marked by a transition from structured glamour to more playful and comfortable styles, with several notable brands shaping the market.

The 1950s embraced glamour, femininity, and the perfect hourglass silhouette, driven by Hollywood stars like Marilyn Monroe and Lana Turner. The lingerie of this era focused on enhancing curves with structured pieces:

Frederick's of Hollywood (est. 1947) emerged as a key American brand delivering bold, sexy lingerie including bullet bras, push-up bras, and waspies, which evolved from girdles to accentuate hips with delicate lace and brighter colors visible underneath clothing.

Playtex (est. 1947) revolutionized women's lingerie with innovative bras featuring elastic straps and cups shaped to push breasts up and inward, creating the iconic pointed "bullet" shape popular in the '50s.

Lise Charmel (1950s), a French luxury lingerie house known for delicate lace, sheer fabrics, and elegant designs that fit the decade's penchant for boudoir glamour.

Maidenform (est. 1922) remained influential in the 1950s for its pioneering cup designs that offered lift and shaping, contributing to the era's ideal silhouette.

Brands like Rago Shapewear specialized in shapewear that offered firm control with flair, helping women contour their waist and hips with comfort and elegance.

Materials shifted from thick wartime fabrics to sheer nylon and flowing silks, enabling colorful, playful prints and luxurious peignoir sets. The era introduced novelties like the inflatable "bag bra" and accessories such as "The Secret Friend" to enhance the derrière, reflecting a joyful embrace of sexuality and fun.

 

1960s Lingerie: Comfort Meets Color and Innovation

The 1960s witnessed a move away from rigid silhouettes to more relaxed styles with stretch fabrics like Lycra, allowing for new fits and prints:

Brands such as Berlei and Exquisite Form offered bras with softer shapes and improved lift, moving away from the exaggerated bullet bras of the previous decade.

The rise of pantyhose significantly reduced reliance on garter belts, changing the functionality and design of lingerie.

La Perla (est. 1954), an Italian luxury brand, rose to prominence with sophisticated, sensual lingerie combining innovation with exquisite craftsmanship, often using lace and fine fabrics to complement the youthful, freer styles of the 1960s.

Lily of France and Leonisa emerged internationally with designs that balanced shaping and comfort, catering to changing tastes globally.

Gossard / Atremis
Famous for launching the original Wonderbra in 1968, Gossard’s designs became iconic for creating dramatic cleavage and were popular with women seeking fashionable undergarments.

Psychedelic prints and bright colors became fashionable, reflecting the cultural shifts of the 60s—lingerie was no longer only about function but also a bold fashion statement.

Throughout the 1960s, lingerie brands balanced shaping with comfort and embraced new materials and technologies, reflecting the social changes as women’s fashion moved toward freedom and self-expression.

Brand	Country	Noted For
Gossard	UK	Wonderbra, cleavage-enhancing bras
Twilfit	Sweden	Sweater-dress-friendly bras
Lovable	US/Int’l	Comfortable, popular bras
Silhouette	UK	Innovative, Lycra-based designs
St. Michael (M&S)	UK	Accessible, quality lingerie
Miss Mary of Sweden	Sweden	Supportive, stylish lingerie
Chantelle	France	French elegance, fine details
Lisca	Slovenia	Quality, affordable pieces
Olga	US	Soft, supportive shapewear
Dorothy Lord	UK	Well-made, classic lingerie
Bali	US	Durable, comfortable bras
Vassarette	US	Fashionable, accessible styles
Warners	US	"No-bra bra," body stockings

 

These brands, alongside the previously mentioned ones, define the rich diversity of 1960s lingerie, blending tradition, innovation, and the rise of comfort-focused design.

Summary Table

Decade	Key Brands	Notable Innovations	Style Characteristics
1950s	Frederick's of Hollywood, Playtex, Maidenform, Lise Charmel, Rago	Bullet bras, push-up bras, waspies, nylon, inflatable bras	Structured, hourglass shaping; sheer & colorful materials; peignoirs & boudoir glamour
1960s	La Perla, Berlei, Exquisite Form, Lily of France, Leonisa	Lycra/stretch fabrics, pantyhose, softer bra shapes	More relaxed fits; bright psychedelic prints; emphasis on comfort and playful style

 

The Pillow Tab Revolution:

The "Pillow Tab" is a distinctive design detail commonly found on vintage half slips and lingerie pieces, particularly from the 1940s through the 1960s. It typically refers to a small squared or rectangular fabric flap or tab sewn at the waistband of slips or skirts. This tab was used as a functional and decorative element.

Significance of the Pillow Tab:

Functional Purpose: The pillow tab was often used to secure suspender clips or garter belts, helping keep the slip or undergarment in place beneath dresses or skirts. It provided an anchoring point that prevented slips from riding up or shifting during wear, which was especially practical given the frequent use of suspenders and garters in mid-century lingerie.

Design and Style Detail: Beyond utility, the pillow tab added a signature vintage charm and visual interest to lingerie pieces. Its squared-off shape and neat stitching contributed to the refined look expected of quality lingerie in these decades.

Era Indicator: The presence of a pillow tab is often a useful signifier of mid-century vintage lingerie, especially in nylon or acetate half slips from the 1950s and 1960s. Collectors and vintage enthusiasts recognize it as a hallmark of authentic period lingerie craftsmanship.

Material and Comfort: Typically crafted from matching or complementary fabric, the pillow tab was designed not to irritate the skin, blending comfort with practicality.

Example:

Listings of vintage half slips, such as the 1960s Maidenform, Vanity Fair or Lorraine lingerie slips, frequently mention the pillow tab in descriptions to highlight authenticity and period-specific detail. These tabs particularly appear in slips made of glossy nylon or acetate blends with side stretch panels, embodying the era’s emphasis on both fit and style.

The pillow tab is a small but meaningful element that balances functionality and vintage aesthetics in mid-20th-century lingerie, serving as both a practical fastening aid and a defining hallmark of classic slip design.

My personal favorite vintage lingerie is the Van Raalte brand.  My collection has many pieces from gloves to nightgowns and everything in between.

Van Raalte is a notable vintage lingerie brand with deep roots dating back to the early 20th century. Founded by brothers Emanuel and Zealie Van Raalte in 1913 as the E & Z Van Raalte Company, it originally specialized in fine gloves before expanding into nylon stockings and lingerie.

By 1919, the Van Raalte brothers acquired a mill in Saratoga Springs and diversified their production to include silk gloves and lingerie products. Despite the challenges of the Great Depression and wartime fabric shortages, they adapted by shifting to women's mesh hosiery and then nylon undergarments as synthetic fabrics like nylon became widely available. At its peak, the Van Raalte operation was substantial, with multiple mills across the U.S., producing over a million garments annually and distributing to thousands of retail outlets nationwide under the memorable slogan: “VAN RAALTE: Because You Love Nice Things.” Their product line included nylon slips and lingerie made with their signature “Petalskin” fabric, popular from the 1940s through the 1950s.

By the latter half of the 20th century, Van Raalte transitioned into an in-house brand for major retailers such as Sears, before eventually disappearing towards the century's end. Today, it remains a beloved name among vintage lingerie collectors, prized for its quality nylon slips and undergarments that epitomize mid-century American lingerie craftsmanship.

Van Raalte's significance lies in its role bridging traditional silk lingerie production with the rise of nylon and synthetic fabrics, mirroring technological and fashion shifts from the 1930s through the 1960s. Its broad distribution and iconic status during this era make it an essential brand in the vintage lingerie landscape.

These brands and innovations defined the mid-century lingerie landscape, bridging classic elegance and modern sensibilities that continue to inspire vintage enthusiasts and designers today.