At The 1940s Lingerie Show

During the 1940s photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt was assigned to cover the Corset and Underwear Review for LIFE Magazine. The photos from the show depicts the models both backstage and on the runway, and I love that the girls aren't all tall, young and skinny, like in most of today's fashion shows. The models range from young, slim and small busted, to older, curvier women - which I think is the perfect way to show off that your designs fit everyone! Love these photos...

Source

Marlene...

If you like vintage clothes - and vintage lingerie - you probably know about the retro lingerie company What Katie Did. I've already blogged about some of their fabulous stuff before, but as I love them, here we go again! One of their styles is called Marlene, and this is the set I lust mostly for right now...

Marlene comes in red and peach, or...

...Black and peach, with a bullet bra, panties, and garter belt. I don't own a bullet bra yet, so maybe it's time to get one, to wear under 50s sweaters. They're great for poking peoples eyes out if they stare too much! Haha!

If you want to shape your waist a little, there are also color-matched, art deco inspired Marlene girdles. They are high waisted, with medium control and hooks in the side. As it's soon my birthday, I think it's only right that someone gets these for me! Right?...

For more of What Katie Did, visit their website here, or just click on the banner below. I will not be held responsible for anyone spending too much money on their stuff though! Hehe...

Beneath The Surface...

In the middle of Stockholm lies the Hallwyl Palace. After the Hallwyl family stopped living here, it has now become a museum - both in itself, with it's beautiful interiors and collection of art, and as a venue for showing different exhibitions.

From March 8th - June 9th they have an exhibition called Beneath the surface - the Unmentionables and other Sweet Taboos at the turn of the 20th Century. As you can imagine this was something I had to see! So here are some of the goodies that were on display! 

I love this old bra! It was during the 1930s cup sizes were given the letters ABCD, that were supposed to be equivalent to the sizes of A - half a lemon, B - half an orange, C - half a grapefruit, and D - half a melon.

Behold! The very practical combinège - with a very convenient butt-flap!

Bathrobe and swimsuit from the 1890s.

The Hallwyl Palace is equipped with many modern luxuries. Like for example this bathtub...

...and this very comfortable indoor toilet! Wow...

Instruments used for gynecological examinations. Nice...

And this is what women used for their once-a-month "inconvenience"...These are from the 1920s, and are crocheted in two layers, with an opening in one side where they put some kind of absorbing material.

Pregnancy girdle. Worn to support the belly and the back.

Nipple protectors in glass, from 1866. For nursing mothers.

Beautiful wedding dress from 1865. Closest to the floor the with of the skirt is 5,5 meters!

Closeup of the bodice with its intricately hand tied network, fringes and tassels.

White shoes and red slippers from 1865.

This was my second visit to the Hallwyl Palace, and if you go to Stockholm I highly recommend paying it a visit! Even though you might not be interested in the current exhibition, the palace is a museum in itself. I have actually decided to move in there! So you're all welcome to my new home for a cocktail or two! Sort of...

What Katie Did Review

I just realized I have never done a whole post about the fabulous vintage style lingerie brand called What Katie Did! If you have followed this blog you probably recognize the name though. What Katie Did produces lingerie that looks and feels like underpinnings did during the 40s and 50s, and for someone like me - who like to look vintage from the inside out, so to say, I was so glad when I discovered this brand!

The things I will show you here, are items I own myself, but of course they have many other products, in different colors, and different styles. Let's start with corsets, of which I own two from What Katie Did:

The Cabaret Velvet Sophia Corset and the Cabaret Sheer Sophia Corset. As you can see they are both the same design. I loved the first, red one, so much, I decided to get the sheer one in peach in the same style, when I was looking for a good corset to fit into a burlesque number I was working on. All people who wear corsets know they press your body together. But I mean, that's what a corset is supposed to do. These though, are really comfortable in their "squeeziness". They really mold to your body and pulls everything in in an even way, without giving you the discomfort over the ribs or hips, like some other corsets I have tried on do. But now to the garters - or suspenders, as they are called in English english!

Of these I have the Harlow Deep Suspender Belt in peach, with matching panties, and the Maitresse Suspender Belt and the Maitresse Narrow Suspender Belt in black. As I have said before, the right way to wear a garter belt is underneath the panties. I do this with the narrow belt in the bottom picture. The two bigger ones I wear over my panties though, but as they are scooped up in a half-circle in the back, this makes going to "powder my nose" an easy task! They all have six straps - with metal clips - which make them perfect for everyday use, since they are actually able to keep your stockings up, and don't fall off like the four-strapped garter belts with plastic clips that some other brands produce...And now to the stockings!

What Katie Did offers a wide range of both stockings and tights. From modern, stretchy ones that still look vintage, that doesn't hurt your wallet too much, to fully fashioned, non-stretch, stockings made on the same old machines that produced stockings for women back in the day. The ones I use mostly are:

The 15 Denier Contrast Seamed Stockings in nude with black seam. These are non-streach, but made on modern machines, which means they are a bit cheaper than the fully fashioned ones. They both look and feel like vintage stockings though!

The Retro Seamed Stockings, in nude. Even though What Katie Did's stockings hold well if you treat them well (hand wash, good storage, and handled by glove-clad hands while being put on and taken off), I still go through quite a few pairs every year. These ones in the picture above are modern, stretchy stockings, and so come at a very good price - but still with a back-seam! A few of my crinolines and dresses have a tendency to ruin my stockings. So when I wear one of those, these are the stockings I wear underneath! 

Then we have the Fully Fashioned ones - the "real deal" so to say. A bit more expensive, but if you only wear them for special occasions they are well worth their price! What I also like about What Katie Did's stockings is that they all have a fitted heal. This keeps them from twisting into the wrong position on your foot when you walk, and so also makes the seam stay in place!

I also got a pair of the Retro Metallic Seamed Stockings, in nude with gold seam, last Christmas. Perfect for adding some extra sparkles to your legs! They also come in black with silver seams.

So. This concludes my review of the things I have bought from What Katie Did - so far. As they make such good stuff I guess I'll be placing more orders in the future...To see what else they have to offer - and it's a lot - just follow this link! I will not be held in response for any over-shopping though!

All pictures from What Katie Did.