Jazz Up Your Lingerie!

Underwear for women these days is so boring. A bra and a thong? How lame. Bare legs year round? Doesn't seem very wholesome. Whatever happened to the good old days when women actually made a conscious effort to doll themselves up underneath it all? Well, I for one was fed up with 'my era' and wanted to take a step or two backwards. For any women who's ever fantasized about wearing retro lingerie under their daily wear, I am here to guide you toward the path of beautiful, feminine, fun lingerie from a bygone era!

I have been wearing vintage and vintage inspired lingerie for well over a decade now. I had always been enamored with fashions from the past, and the underpinnings were no exception. Lingerie from the early to mid 20th Century was functional, practical, and dreadfully sexy to boot! Women in those days wore garter-belts and stockings on a daily basis, and would fill their circle skirts out to the hilt with layers and layers of frilly slips and rustly petticoats. The underwear was just as important (if not more) than the outer ensemble, and no lady would ever leave the house without being completely 'packaged' :)

First off, if you want to 'jazz things up', start off by buying several pairs of lacy, boycut panties (also known as 'tap' panties). These are made in the same style as panties from the 1940s and 1950s and are very flattering to the figure. Any lingerie store such as Victoria's Secret or Frederick's of Hollywood carries these, and make sure you pick up some bras in the same color to match your panties (I for one have to have EVERYTHING match). It looks prettier and will make you feel more 'complete', inside and out. One bit of advice however, if you are just starting out with vintage lingerie, avoid buying any panties or bras from that era unless you are sure they are DEADSTOCK (i.e. never been worn and with tags). It's never a safe idea to wear these kind of intimates if you are not 100% certain you know where they came from (or who had them before you).

Your second step in vintage lingerie-dom (and in my opinion, the epitome of the 'Golden Era' of undergarments) are a garter-belt and stockings. Sure, you see these all the time for sale around Valentine's Day, or for bridal showers, but a true vintage diva knows that this is perhaps the most fundamental part of your wardrobe. Now, as much as I love the fine modern lingerie chains, the truth is their garter-belts are designed strictly to be taken OFF, not for functional everyday wear. Also, the straps are always pencil thin, and I much prefer the thicker straps (these are historically correct as well) with metals clasps. My best suggestion for a vintage inspired garter-belt would be to go online and search for the shops that sell reproductions of the real thing. Secrets in Lace is a fantastic site that sells functional (and very beautiful) garter-belts in all sorts of colors and styles.

Vintage stockings...just the phrase alone makes my old fashioned heart skip a beat, as these are the most beautiful, delicate, sweet little things that you could ever wear. Many of the online vendors that sell the aforementioned garter-belts also carry reproductions of fully fashioned seamed nylon stockings, however, I would strongly advise you hunt down the GENUINE article. Vintage seamed stockings are almost always sold deadstock, and come still packaged in the sturdy, stylish boxes that they were sold in back in the day. The best place to find deadstock vintage stockings would definitely be ebay, however, once in a blue moon you might hit the jackpot at an antique store and find a whole slew of packaged stockings sitting in a dusty corner (which is what actually happened to me this past summer when I went out antiquing). Vintage stockings are usually always sold according to shoe size, so say you wear an 8 or 8 1/2, you would want stockings that are 9.5. Remember, vintage sizes run at least a size or two smaller than modern, as people were usually shorter back then and smaller in stature. Just a heads up, vintage stockings that come in their original packaging are becoming HIGHLY collectible, and while you can usually find some great deals on ebay, just be prepared to get into bidding wars with like minded second hand sweethearts who appreciate the finer things in life :-)

Now that we've got the basics down, it's time to really have some fun and explore the world of slips and petticoats! These are another great love of mine, as they are so pretty and feminine, not to mention downright FUN! Since dresses and skirts nowadays usually have a slip already built in, very few women any more wear genuine slips, therefore many stores no longer carry them. Again, your best bet to find really pretty slips and petticoats would be online. Ebay is my favorite place (as of course, it is the world's largest flea market) and you will find a plethora of half slips, full slips, crinolines, etc. etc. in many assorted colors and styles. My favorite aspect of vintage slips are the intricate attention to detail and the quality with which they were made. I personally love the feel of having just a hint of delicate lace peeking out beneath my dress or skirt, and believe me, if a man even catches just a glimpse of something frilly his head will definitely do a double take and you will receive some very sincere and flattering attention!

It's a sad shame that most young women these days have no clue what a 'petticoat' even is, much less have ever worn one (although I've seen them slowly try to make a comeback in the fashion world under the name of 'layering skirt' Gah!) But these are probably the most fun, flirty undergarments ever invented! You can find petticoats of all styles and colors just about anyplace online, but the most beautiful and playful ones (not to mention my personal favorites) are the fluffy chiffon pettis, which were every 1950s teenage girl's wardrobe staple. Secrets in Lace carries some GORGEOUS chiffon petticoats which are made in the same style as the ones made back in the 1950s. Trust me, if you walk out of the house with a petticoat on under your circle skirt, you will turn more than a few heads *wink*

Also, If online shopping really isn't your cup of tea, try thrift stores, flea markets, or even garage sales. I have found some truly fabulous pieces in the most unlikely of places so always be on the look out for something pretty anytime, ANYWHERE!

Alrighty then! Now that I have given you a basic guide and heads up as to what sort of pretty underthings exist other than cotton thongs and nylon pantyhose that come in plastic eggs, you are ready to take the next step! The next time you are getting ready to attend a wedding, or a family reunion, or even a day at the office, take a little extra time getting dressed in the morning. I mean, how fun is it to put on seamed stockings and a garter-belt and slide a pretty satin slip over it? Believe me, you will feel uber feminine and wonderful all around, all day long! After all, every gal nees a little Va Va Voom in her everyday life in this mundane world!

Oh one more thing, PLEASE be careful with your vintage stockings! They are extremely fragile and delicate and WILL snag, so wear them CAREFULLY!

Cheers!