50s pencil skirts

[L.A._Gardenia]

Hi Ladies,

I have a few casual 50s wool pencil skirts, and some have a very exaggerated type hip - fitted at the actual hip and waist but overly wide in between. I've found this area tends to puff up when I sit down, and wrinkle like crazy when I've sat for awhile.

Somewhere I know I've seen period photos of women with this wrinkling across the front of the skirt, but it doesn't seem very common.

Has anyone else had this problem? I hate to change the design but I wonder if I should just take them in a bit there.

 

[Tourbillion]

I've seen photos of 50's women who fill out those pencil skirts perfectly.

It seems to me that my 50's girdle shapes my hips so that they would (in theory) fill in that wider part. Maybe you just need to get period undergarments?

 

[pdxvintagette]

The thing about pencil skirts is posterior. A PROPER girdle helps - it must be period, with a nipped waist, and most control on the front panel, less at the sides and back. A 40's one won't work - wrong shape. The fact is, the very curvy pencil skirts work best for women with a little um, junk in the trunk. Porportionately to their size. I definitely have this ... issue ... and so most pencil skirts fill out well. Every so often I find one that has the trouble you're describing and simply pass it up. Keep searching, and you'll find ones that fit you properly. But remember the girdle - flat in front, less control at the rear.

 

[MarieAnne]

I don't have enough derriere to fill a pencil skirt. It's either too big on the bum or too small at the waist. I did some waist training and that helped. I've also seen some padded underwear though I've never tried those.

I had that wrinkle in one of the pencil skirts I made. I had to release the two center darts at the front. The taper at the front of the skirt was two extreme for my body. The proportions on the skirt changed (hip:waist ratio) but it fit me better and the wrinkle was gone.

 

[Lillemor]

My 50s pencil skirts are too large on me actually so they fit more like classic straight skirts. I haven't noticed what they "do". I don't need to wear girdles with mine but a belt isn't out of line. I only have one bell shaped skirt that I'm a bit conscious of how I move in but the wool is very heavy. It's longer than 50s style though. It falls to just about my ankles, I'm very short though.

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

The thing about pencil skirts is posterior. A PROPER girdle helps - it must be period, with a nipped waist, and most control on the front panel, less at the sides and back. A 40's one won't work - wrong shape. The fact is, the very curvy pencil skirts work best for women with a little um, junk in the trunk. Porportionately to their size. I definitely have this ... issue ... and so most pencil skirts fill out well. Every so often I find one that has the trouble you're describing and simply pass it up. Keep searching, and you'll find ones that fit you properly. But remember the girdle - flat in front, less control at the rear.

Hm, one of the problems I have with my girdles is that they squish my butt and hips too much. Is anyone making a good repro 50's girdle?

 

[L.A._Gardenia]

Thank you for all the input, I really appreciate it!

I do not have any 50s girdles (yet!).. I have fairly period measurements, 24w/37h, so normally I have been able to go without, although at times my posture could probably use the help.

After looking a bit I found a photo from a '52 Mademoiselle showing this style, you can see the skirt on the right is quite wide right up to the waist where it nips in, creating a more boxy than curvy look.

My best fitting pencil skirts have a less artificial curve, following the line of the hip for the most part. They are also from the late fifties - at first I thought this was the explanation, the evolution of the pencil skirt/undergarments, but I have since found this boxy style in late fifties magazines too.

Maybe this is a more high fashion style not suited for normal wear? Or some ladies are just much better at avoiding wrinkles?

 

[Mary]

Please post pics! I thought I knew what a pencil skirt was, but I haven't dug into the subject like this!

 

[ShrinkingViolet]

I think the thing with girdles nowadays is that many women don't want their bum flattened - today it's all about perkyness, whereas in the 50s and earlier the point was to create a mono-butt instead of two separate discernible mounds, right?

Do you think this girdle could substitute as an original 50s one? I like the fact that it does the waist nipping without flattening the bum.

 

[Tourbillion]

I think the woman in your pencil skirt photo is wearing a corset girdle.

I have one that is marked "full hip" and that is what you would need to get that figure. I can't wear it at the moment because I'm too heavy, but when I was thinner that is exactly what my waist/hips looked like in it.

 

[Goldfish]

The thing about pencil skirts is posterior. A PROPER girdle helps - it must be period, with a nipped waist, and most control on the front panel, less at the sides and back. A 40's one won't work - wrong shape. The fact is, the very curvy pencil skirts work best for women with a little um, junk in the trunk. Porportionately to their size. I definitely have this ... issue ... and so most pencil skirts fill out well. Every so often I find one that has the trouble you're describing and simply pass it up. Keep searching, and you'll find ones that fit you properly. But remember the girdle - flat in front, less control at the rear.

Your description of an appropiate girdle sounds logical, I have never thought about that before and also not seen a one (repro, I haven't looked at vintage girdles yet) which fits that description. Do you have more info, links?
I have a pear shaped body, 28/29 waist and 38/39 hips (-widest part of me, yay), my measurments should work with 50s pencil skirts, right?

When looking for a pencil skirt, how do you find the best one for you measurments? Like, when I find a nice looking one on ebay, should I ask the seller to measure the waist and at widest point of hips and should they be like an inch larger than my actual measurements?

 

[pdxvintagette]

Well, my girdle that fits the bill is vintage, and probably dates c. 1958. With your measurements, it wouldn't be hard to find one that fits. The best ones for pencil skirts rise just above the waist (on to the ribs just high enough not to roll) and have a hard nip at the waist, a powernet/mesh/satin panel at the front, and less "umph" at the backside. I've just looked ... mine is a "Sheer Joy" (hahahah) by Bien Jolie in a size 28 - this is perfect for me, as I have a 29/30 waist. It has side hooks and a sturdy zipper that keeps everything in check. Pencil skirts and 50's wiggle dresses are the only things I use this for, otherwise I generally use my mid 40's all in one or my fab early 50's strapless all in one. I'd take photos... but I'm lazy. (After all, I take photos all day for ebay. I get sick of it!)

 

[Goldfish]

Maybe I am too blind to see the obvious, but I can't figure this out.

Ok, I understand the front pannel part, but all the girdles I have seen seem to have the same fabric on the side and at the back (which confuses me, I thought the fabric/construction on the back would be different), so how can the mold the figure (love handles?!), but give less control at the backside? To me, the look like the girdles that have been worn in the 40s, except they are usually shorter and might have more waist control...?

 

[KittyT]

Do you think this girdle could substitute as an original 50s one? I like the fact that it does the waist nipping without flattening the bum.

I have tried wide, shaping garter belts that have this same shape across the rear and the problem is that, even with a slip, they leave a nice line across your rear if you're wearing a very slim skirt.

 

[dgenevieve]

This might sound sacrilegious, but I wear Spanx under my pencil skirts and wiggle dresses (Hi-rise Body Smoother). I've never tried vintage or reproduction girdles, and would probably only do so for a special occasion like a wedding or a photoshoot. They look spectacularly sexy, but I have my doubts about their comfort level.

I do a lot of dancing and general moving around in my daily life, and Spanx are just so damn comfortable. I have fairly regular measurements (31-43), but rather big thighs, so the longer mid-thigh length is perfect for me. I feel totally confident and secure in them. Not binding or constricting in any way, and NO riding up. Of course, not so sexy when it comes to undressing in front of your man, but if you've been dancing all night, you're probably not feeling too sexy anyway!

 

[*martini*time*]

This might sound sacrilegious, but I wear Spanx under my pencil skirts and wiggle dresses. I feel totally confident and secure in them. Not binding or constricting in any way, and NO riding up. Of course, not so sexy when it comes to undressing in front of your man, but if you've been dancing all night, you're probably not feeling too sexy anyway!

I agree! I got this really awesome dress for my man's xmas party last year and it would not have been nearly as sexy if i didn't have my spanx on. They hold you in and do what they promised to do while being comfortable. No shifting or anything!
They do however, remind me of a sausage casing and are not sexy at all...my boyfriend just laughs at them and wonders why i put myself through that...then, i remind him of his favorite red dress.

 

[Inky]

ditto the hi-rise mid thigh Spanx here too. I have a nude and a black pair and I wear them when I want a smoother line. I've worn them swing dancing plenty of times, under skirts and pants. And no, they're not sexy at all, especially when I say honey, is this thing tucked under my bra in the back properly, hahaha.

I am just not the type to wear a girdle/stockings, but they do look lovely and are very sexy indeed.

 

[dgenevieve]

Oh good, I'm glad I'm not alone in my Spanx devotion.

As far as getting out of them, I try to spare my man having to watch that spectacle, and pull the whole "Let me just slip into something more comfortable" routine. Batting your eyelashes helps.

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

My experience with Spanx is the tights that I wear in the winter. I guess if I only wanted a smooth line they would be fine, but usually I want to be cinched in at the waist too, so Spanx aren't enough. They are very light control, anyway.

 

[dgenevieve]

My experience with Spanx is the tights that I wear in the winter. I guess if I only wanted a smooth line they would be fine, but usually I want to be cinched in at the waist too, so Spanx aren't enough. They are very light control, anyway.

I often use a big cincher belt outside my clothes to nip my waist in.