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Rock and Roll

By the early 1950s rock n' roll had swept the world, its followers dressed in full skirts and petticoats that had their origins in Christian Dior's New Look of the late forties.

Bras and girdles exaggerated the feminine form and to achieve this new look girdles were extended over the waist, almost to the bra line. Bras had never been so elaborate or promised so much. The sweater girls had had their own 'whirlpool' stitched bras and the 'living bra' of the 50s was all womanly flesh. However it was Jane Russell's ''Cantilever'" bra, designed by Howard Hughes, which drew the most attention, when she wore it in the film The Outlaws in 1957.

Lingerie manufacturers began to launch their own brand names to build customer loyalty. For example Warner developed the "Merry Widow", a combination of an elasticised satin girdle and wired bra, designed to go beneath evening wear.

Despite the shape and tension of the bras, a popular selling point was that; they were so comfortable you forgot you were wearing it and so beautifully made, it would be a disservice to hide them. (Models at the time were frequently pictured in their underwear in the street)

The teenage revolution had started, and with a more casual lifestyle on the horizon, casual clothes, and the lingerie to accompany them were not far away.

Pre Twentieth Century

The 1900's

A New Era and a New Look

The Roaring Twenties

The Depression & Hollywood Glamour

The Age of Austerity

Rock and Roll

The Age of Aquarius

Disco Fever

Power Dressing & Designer Labels

"Hello Boys"

A New Century