Reader Query - Proper Undergarments for 1960s Shift Dresses

In addition to yesterday's question about the proper undergarments for a low-backed dress, reader Tara also inquired about the correct foundations for 1960s shift dresses. Are a bra and panties enough?

I love this dress on you Tara! And you've asked another great question! The fact of the matter is, shift and sheath style dresses from the early to mid 1960s were designed to be worn with a girdle and women still considered them a necessity during these years. It wasn't until the later 1960s, with the advent of knits, pantyhose, and pants for day wear that the girdle loses favor with younger women.

Girdles from this time do become sleeker, though, with fewer seams and newer innovations in stretch fabrics.

And you'll find foundations in brighter colors and prints start to appear. The nice thing about the dresses from this era is that modern body shapers will probably give you the sleek look you want, so it's not necessary to search for vintage foundations.

Most importantly, though, you should wear a slip over your foundations to allow your dress to glide smoothly over them. Here's an earlier post of mine about the importance of wearing a slip.

Tara, while your 60s dresses look great, try wearing them with a body shaper and see if it makes a difference in how they fit. I think you'll like what you see! Thanks for your questions. And if anyone else has questions, please feel free to post them in comments or email me through the website.

Reader Query - Proper Undergarments for Low Back Dresses

Reader Tara writes, "I have a 1950s dress with scoop neck and a low V-back (point of the V ends at my waist), and I'm planning to wear it for graduation in June. What sort of bra would I wear with it? Or would a corset-type piece be better?"

Tara says that her graduation dress is cut lower than her green lace 1950s dress. First of all, Tara, congratulations on your graduation! You look beautiful in this dress.

If you don't normally wear a girdle, then a long line bra with a low back or a bra with convertible straps is what you want. Neither one of these is going to be easy to find and you'll probably have better success going to a high-end lingerie shop with a professional bra fitter on staff than searching online. Most importantly, be sure to take your dress with you for the fitting! A good bra like this is not going to be inexpensive and you want to make sure you get one that doesn't show!

Below are some images from the 1950s and 60s of the types of bras we're talking about.

Gossard Longerlyne bra.

Hollywood V-ette with low strap that wraps around the waist.

Jantzen Showback bra.

If you normally wear a girdle or corset, you'll probably need to find a strapless option with a low cut back. You might try a bridal store for this type of foundation garment if you don't have success in a regular lingerie shop.

Flexees Bare-bac Bouffante strapless corset.

Here are a few modern options from online shops if you can't find anything locally. The trick here will be to ask questions about how low the back drops on these foundations to make sure they'll work with your dress. Please note: Couture Allure does not receive compensation from any of these sites for promoting their products. I have not purchased any of these products, nor have I used any of these sites and cannot vouch for them. These are simply examples of what to look for.

Dominique Long Line Bra from HerRoom.com

Le Mystere Low Back Convertible Bra

Va Bien Backless Strapless corset

One last tip: Clothing adhesive tape is great for ensuring that there are no gaps in that low backed dress. It sticks to your skin and the fabric of your dress without leaving a sticky residue. Do a search this type of product, as there are many options available online.

What to Wear Under a Low Back Dress - 1957

We've talked alot about the proper foundation garments to wear under your vintage dresses on this blog. With the holidays fast approaching and all the parties that come with them, it's time to think about the dress you'll wear and, more importantly, what foundation garments you'll wear under that dress. After all, there's nothing worse than putting on a dress an hour before a party and finding your bra shows!

This red satin dress by Anthony Blotta is from 1957. But what does our party-goer wear under that low-backed dress to get the proper shaping?

The dress was featured in an ad for this Warner's Merry Widow that has a matching low cut in the back. She still gets the bust support and slimming effect at the waist and hips while showing off that delicious bare back. (I can't figure out why the garters are shown on the outside of the crinoline slip. My guess is that it is for the advertising image to show that the Merry Widow comes with garters to use if you want to, but the slip would have to go on top.)

Also shown in the same ad was Warner's "Flexible-U" Merry Widow. The wire between the cups is flexible and you could simply press the U together or apart for any degree of decolletage.


The Flexible-U Merry Widow would have been perfect to wear under this Luis Estevez dress I recently sold with it's deeply cut slit in the front. By the way, both of these Merry Widows retailed for $25.00 in 1957 (about $190.00 in today's dollar). Proper foundations are not cheap!!

You'll notice that I've changed my banner to match the new streamlined and minimalist look at the Couture Allure website. How do you like it?

Modern Foundation Garments to Make Your Vintage Dresses Fit Correctly

I had a lot of requests for suggestions about where to find modern foundation garments like the vintage styles I featured yesterday. Jenifer is correct when she says that the elastic and fabrics of most vintage foundations have degraded with time and do not support as well as they once did. And Gladys is spot on when she says you can't find this type of foundation garment in most stores today. No matter what others say, Spanx is just a body smoother, not a proper foundation that controls and supports.

I've been doing some research for you this morning, and have found several modern foundation garment manufacturers that look like they will meet the needs of those of you who want to wear vintage clothing.

First, and perhaps best known, is Rago Shapewear. Rago offers many styles in various control weights from light all the way up to extra firm. In business for over 50 years, Rago produces garments with exceptional attention to shaping the female form.

Other manufacturers to look for are Custom Maid, Grenier, and Crown.

So, where can you buy modern foundation garments from these manufacturers? There are lots of online shops that offer them. I have not purchased from any of these online sites, so none of my recommendations can be considered a personal endorsement, but in doing my research this morning, these sites carry the best selections, and most have customer service numbers so you can get help with fitting and questions:

A Slip of a Girl sells lots of vintage lingerie styles on Amazon, including this open bottom girdle by Rago

Girdle Bound offers a huge selection of new foundation garments in vintage styles. They will also custom dye your piece in any color you chose for an added fee.

Secrets in Lace has been in business since 1984, and offers a wonderful selection of foundation garments in regular and plus sizes.

American Shapewear carries the entire Rago product line.

If you prefer to shop in person, check your local yellow pages for "Foundation Garments". Keep in mind that most lingerie stores, like Victoria's Secret or Fredericks, will not carry the type of girdles you're looking for. You want to find the store that's been around for years and years, then look for the older woman who has worked there forever. She knows what you want. You can also try your local Sears or Macys, but you'll be on your own, as most sale clerks there won't be trained in fitting you.

Best of luck in finding foundations that work for you! Please let me know how it goes!

Foundation Garments to Make Your Vintage Dresses Fit Correctly

Buyers of vintage clothing often wonder why these garments don't fit as well as they would like. The answer? Foundation garments! Prior to the late 1960s, every woman had a complete wardrobe of various foundations, because her figure was as much a part of the fashion as her dress. In fact, vintage garments were designed and constructed with the understanding that the woman who wore them would be wearing the correct bra, girdle, and slip.

Here are four looks from 1950, with the foundation garments that should be worn underneath for precise control where the style required it.

1950 Simplicity Designer Pattern 8207

Essential for the long fitted jacket and straight skirt is firm derriere control. Flexees girdle with Lastique net over hips and small of back to give suport and suppleness, while a satin lastique panel flattens the derriere. Maiden Form brassiere.

1950 Simplicity Designer Pattern 8252

A sheath dress calls for extra attention to the waistline and thigh. Jantzen girdle has a high waistline to control the diaphragm, while the long length controls the thighs and hips. Maiden Form strapless brassiere for the low cut neckline.

1950 Simplicity Designer Pattern 8224

The sculptured line of a slim basic dress requires the smooth control of an all-in-one corset. This Warner Bros. boneless style has a separate lastex section for diaphragm control and special abdomen, derriere and hip sections with an attached bra.

1950 Simplicity Pattern 2722

The smooth front and flared back of this dress demand the firm abdomen control and fluid movement given by a Playtex all Lastex girdle. Perma-lift low cut brassiere for a deep neckline.

Why Should You Wear a Slip?

This week, we've been looking at the correct foundation garments to wear under your vintage dresses. You've seen bras, corsets, girdles, waist cinchers, and other types of shapers. But we haven't talked about another important layer in your undergarment wardrobe - the slip.

Van Raalte Lace Bouquet lingerie wardrobe.

Fact is, you shouldn't wear all those controlling foundations without a slip between them and your dress. A slip will slide over your bra and girdle and provide a smooth layer over them. A slip will keep your dress from catching on the edges of your foundations. A slip will keep your dress from clinging or riding up in unattractive ways.

Barbizon Satin de Lys slip with French lace and embroidery

Slips fell out of fashion in the 70's when pants became more popular as everyday wear. Many stores don't even carry slips anymore, as there is just no demand for them. But I urge you to give a slip a try. You'll be pleasantly surprised how it changes the look of what you're wearing. You can find authentic vintage slips online, and they are so much prettier than modern made ones.

A Rogers Satin Glo nylon tricot slip with scalloped lace matches and was worn over...

...the Formfit Romance bra and Skippies girdle.

Try it! I bet you'll like it!

The Correct Foundation Garments to Wear Under Your Vintage Dresses #3

Dear readers - I am feeling rather blah with a nasty head cold. This week, I will be republishing one of my most popular series regarding the correct foundation garments to wear with vintage dresses. This series still gets hits on a weekly basis, so I thought it would be useful to publish it again.



Today's focus is on smooth hips required when wearing a dress with a lowered waist. "Shimmy bodices that drop their waists down to hip-level...or lower, then meet rippling, flounced skirts. The silhouette-makers needed: hip-firming girdles, rounded bras."

The dress on the left has a gathered flared skirt below a dropped waist. It is by Youth Fair and sold for $15 in 1958 (about $112 today). The model wears a Castlecliff pin on her collar.

Under this dress, she is wearing a Hollywood Vassarette open bottom girdle with double panels of power net at the back and sides and a front V-shaped panel of nylon satin overlaid with point d'esprit lace. The Hollywood Vassarette bra is in nylon with lace cups.

The dress on the right, by Teena Paige, has a dropped waist, permanent pleated skirt and a sailor collar. It sold for $18 in 1958 (about $135 today) and was available at Altman's, New York and Macy's, San Francisco. The model wears a Castlecliff pin on the collar.

Under this dress, the model is wearing a Peter Pan panty girdle of nylon power net woven in elastic stripes. The Peter Pan cotton bra has contour cups.

The Correct Foundation Garments to Wear Under Your Vintage Dresses #2

Dear readers - I am feeling rather blah with a nasty head cold. This week, I will be republishing one of my most popular series regarding the correct foundation garments to wear with vintage dresses. This series still gets hits on a weekly basis, so I thought it would be useful to publish it again.



Continuing the series on the correct foundation garments, today we have two party dresses from 1958. The focus on today's spread is the tiny waist needed with fuller skirts. "Take a look at the luscious, jewel-toned dresses. See how their sculptured bodices and dome-shaped skirts show off your middle? They call, obviously, for a trim mid-section of your own."

The green satin dress on the left is a "princess sculptured" dress with self-fabric roses at the neckline and hem by Parklane, which was offered at Franklin Simon, New York and Jordan Marsh, Boston. The dress sold for about $30 in 1958 ($225 today).

Under the green dress, the model is wearing a Formaid of Boston torso bra that molds from bosom to hips. With that, she wears a Saramac petticoat. Note that the petticoat has a flat panel from waist to hips and the long-line bra is worn over it.

The blue jacquard dress on the right has a "closely carved bodice and dome skirt that opens in a back pleat". This dress is by Carol Rodgers and sold for about $13 in 1958 ($97 today). The skirt of this dress likely has the stiff Pellon interfacing, as the model is not wearing a crinoline under it.

Under the blue dress, the model is wearing a Sarong Two nylon girdle that trims the waist with a high elastic waistband. Crisscross front with open bottom gives walking ease. Power net sides and satin elastic back. She is also wearing a Perma-lift strapless cotton contour bra.

The Correct Foundation Garments to Wear Under Your Vintage Dresses #1

Dear readers - I am feeling rather blah with a nasty head cold. This week, I will be republishing one of my most popular series regarding the correct foundation garments to wear with vintage dresses. This series still gets hits on a weekly basis, so I thought it would be useful to publish it again.


If you've ever purchased a vintage dress and wondered why it doesn't fit correctly, maybe you're not wearing the proper foundation garments. Prior to the late 1960's, clothing was styled and cut with the understanding that women would be wearing girdles and shapers underneath. In the October 1958 Seventeen magazine, there is a wonderful editorial spread photographed by Francesco Scavullo that illustrates what type of foundation garments work best with several dress styles. I'll be featuring the photos and information from this spread this week.

The magazine is referring to these as "shaft dresses" (never heard that term before). "Newest shape for a shaft to take - the high-rise Empire waist, which looks prettiest over a softly rounded bosom, asks just supple control from there down."

The red dress is by Lanz in a lined rayon crepe. See that band across the bust? The magazine calls this a "bosom yoke" and it drops to a V-neck with a bow in the back. The dress sold for $40 in 1958 (about $298 today). The model is wearing red DeLiso Debs shoes.

Under the red dress, the model is wearing a Formfit nylon bra with circle-stitched lace cups and a Formfit nylon elastic net panty girdle with a wide waistband and satin elastic vertical stretch panels front and back.

The model on the right in the top photo is wearing a blue wool jersey "shaft dress" by Jerry Greenwald. The front is gathered into a satin band at the Empire waist. In back, the dress is slit from V neckline to hem, revealing a satin underslip. This dress also sold for about $40 and was available at Saks Fifth Avenue. That's a long, skinny brooch by Castlecliff pinned to the center of the satin band and the shoes are by Capezio.

Under the blue dress, the model is wearing a Lovable "lightweight all-in-one for a long, slim line with easy control." Made of Helance nylon yarn with embroidered cotton broadcloth cups. This appears to be an open-bottom style.

The Correct Foundation Garments for 1950s Dresses #4

The final post in our series on correct foundation garments ends with a focus on sleek thighs. "Study the liquid lines of the dresses - they're newest in soft, covered-up wools for day-into-party wear. The brilliant red colorings (not for the timid) and subtly revealing cut (nice for the shapely) demand the firmest sort of discipline for hips and thighs. Pretties to aid and abet: long-legged panty girdles to comfortably coax and wheedle you into the willowy-wand shape that's needed."

The dress on the left has a flounce skirt in a printed wool/orlon jersey. The dress, by California Girl, sold for $30 (about $228 today) was sold at Hahne & Co., Newark, and Haggarty's, Los Angeles. Her long necklace is by D'Arlan.

Under this dress, the model is wearing a Youthcraft panty girdle with red stripes on white and a Madenform cotton bra.

The solid red dress on the right by Jonathan Logan is in wool crepe. This dress sold for $15 (about $115 today) and was available at Lord & Taylor, May Co., and The Broadway. She wears a Coro necklace.

Under this dress, the model is wearing a Jantzen panty girdle of nylon and Lastex with a Jantzen cotton bra.

I hope you've enjoyed this series of articles. Remember, these photos all came from Seventeen magazine - so proper foundation garments were expected to be worn by young girls, not just grown women. Can you imagine wearing a girdle to high school?

The Correct Foundation Garments for 1950s Dresses #3

Today's focus is on smooth hips required when wearing a dress with a lowered waist. "Shimmy bodices that drop their waists down to hip-level...or lower, then meet rippling, flounced skirts. The silhouette-makers needed: hip-firming girdles, rounded bras."

The dress on the left has a gathered flared skirt below a dropped waist. It is by Youth Fair and sold for $15 in 1958 (about $112 today). It sold at Abraham & Strauss, Brooklyn and Rich's, Atlanta. The model wears a Castlecliff pin on her collar.

Under this dress, she is wearing a Hollywood Vassarette open bottom girdle with double panels of power net at the back and sides and a front V-shaped panel of nylon satin overlaid with point d'esprit lace. The Hollywood Vassarette bra is in nylon with lace cups.

The dress on the right by Teena Paige has a dropped waist, permanent pleated skirt and a sailor collar. It sold for $18 (about $135 today) and was available at Altman's, New York and Macy's, San Francisco. The model wears a Castlecliff pin on the collar.

Under this dress, the model is wearing a Peter Pan panty girdle of nylon power net woven in elastic stripes. The Peter Pan cotton bra has contour cups.

The Correct Foundation Garments for 1950s Dresses #2

Continuing the series on the correct foundation garments, today we have two party dresses from 1958. The focus on today's spread is the tiny waist needed with fuller skirts. "Take a look at the luscious, jewel-toned dresses. See how their sculptured bodices and dome-shaped skirts show off your middle? They call, obviously, for a trim mid-section of your own."

The green satin dress on the left is a "princess sculptured" dress with self-fabric roses at the neckline and hem by Parklane, which was offered at Franklin Simon, New York and Jordan Marsh, Boston. The dress sold for about $30 ($225 today).

Under the green dress, the model is wearing a Formaid of Boston torso bra that molds from bosom to hips. With that, she wears a Saramac petticoat. Note that the petticoat has a flat panel from waist to hips and the long-line bra is worn over it.

The blue jacquard dress on the right has a "closely carved bodice and dome skirt that opens in a back pleat". This dress is by Carol Rodgers and sold for about $13 ($97 today). This dress was available at Burdine's, Miami and Altman's, New York. The skirt of this dress likely has the stiff Pellon interfacing, as the model is not wearing a crinoline under it.

Under the blue dress, the model is wearing a Sarong Two nylon girdle that trims the waist with a high elastic waistband. Crisscross front with open bottom gives walking ease. Power net sides and satin elastic back. She is also wearing a Perma-lift strapless cotton contour bra.

The Correct Foundation Garments for 1950s Dresses #1

If you've ever purchased a vintage dress and wondered why it doesn't fit correctly, maybe you're not wearing the proper foundation garments. Prior to the late 1960's, clothing was styled and cut with the understanding that women would be wearing girdles and shapers underneath. In the October 1958 Seventeen magazine, there is a wonderful editorial spread photographed by Frencesco Scavullo that illustrates what type of foundation garments work best with several dress styles. I'll be featuring the photos and information from this spread this week.

The magazine is referring to these as "shaft dresses" (never heard that term before). "Newest shape for a shaft to take - the high-rise Empire waist, which looks prettiest over a softly rounded bosom, asks just supple control from there down."

The red dress is by Lanz in a lined rayon crepe. See that band across the bust? The magazine calls this a "bosom yoke" and it drops to a V-neck with a bow in the back. The dress was about $40 (about $298 today), and was sold at Bonwit Teller, New York, Vandervoort's, St. Louis, and The Crescent, Spokane. The model is wearing red DeLiso Debs shoes.

Under the red dress, the model is wearing a Formfit nylon bra with circle-stitched lace cups and a Formfit nylon elastic net panty girdle with a wide waistband and satin elastic vertical stretch panels front and back.

The model on the right in the top photo is wearing a blue wool jersey "shaft dress" by Jerry Greenwald. The front is gathered into a satin band at the Empire waist. In back, the dress is slit from V necline to hem, revealing a satin underslip. This dress also sold for about $40 and was available at Saks Fifth Avenue. That's a long, skinny brooch by Castlecliff pinned to the center of the satin band and the shoes are by Capezio.

Under the blue dress, the model is wearing a Lovable "lightweight all-in-one for a long, slim line with easy control." Made of Helance nylon yarn with embroidered cotton broadcloth cups. This appears to be an open-bottom style.