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What's on Top - Bras, panties, garter belts, slips, & stockings

LizzieMaine

Bartender
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33,755
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Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
Cotton stockings in the Era were usually made from a mercerized lisle fabric -- flat knit, with a dull finish, and almost completely opaque. The texture is very smooth, and there is usually no ribbing. Full-fashioned cottons are made the same way as full-fashioned sheer hose -- from a flat piece which is then seamed, with a keyhole loop at the welt. There were also "seam effect" cottons, which were knit seamless, and then had a fake seam stitched up the back.

There were also cotton-blend stockings -- rayon/cotton blends had a shinier surface, while wool/cotton blends were thicker and heavier.

The most common colors were tans, taupes, and browns, but black and white also existed, the latter sold mostly to nurses.

They're extremely durable, and are very easily darned or mended when they finally wear out. They were the Golden Era housewife's first choice for everyday wear. You could still get them at JC Penneys and Sears and other such places well into the '70s, but they started disappearing after that. The last place I knew of that sold them was Vermont Country Store, and they disappeared from there about five years ago. They do turn up on Ebay fairly often though.
 
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Deleted member 12480

Guest
ah thankyou ladies, so not the horrid shiny thing we have now - would you say sort of like a pair of giant socks? [huh]
 

LizzieMaine

Bartender
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33,755
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Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
deleteduser said:
ah thankyou ladies, so not the horrid shiny thing we have now - would you say sort of like a pair of giant socks? [huh]

Sort of -- but without the elasticity. They were woven without any kind of spandex/lastex type fiber, so the only stretch they have is the kind of stretch like any cotton knit. The tops don't have stay-up, either, so they require garters.

They sort of feel like very thin cotton leggings with feet, if that makes sense.
 

Fleur De Guerre

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,056
Location
Walton on Thames, UK
Sunny said:
Has anyone tried the CC09 bra from What Katie Did?

It's supposed to be a specifically 1940s bra, so not a true bullet bra, but still pointier than modern ones. The sizing also appears to be slightly different from that of their bullet bras.

I've been searching this thread and the whole PR for a while and haven't found much info on the CC09. But it looks like more WWII events are in my future, so I'm willing to plunk down the money for this one if it's all it's supposed to be.

I find it to be very pointy, but not as cone-shaped as a bullet bra. It looks very pretty though!
 

annet

One of the Regulars
Messages
149
Location
Antwerp, Belgium
has someone here tried the non-bullet bras by what katie did? i like this one a lot:

http://www.whatkatiedid.com/public/product.php?fes_prd_id=515

i can't seem to find any review on this. right now i wear bras by esprit and princesse tam tam and the fit is good, but the look seems to clash with what i wear over them :eek: i do like my boobs round instead of pointy though...

so if anyone can tell me something about the fit and quality i'd be a happy gal!
 

Black Dahlia

Call Me a Cab
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2,493
Location
The Portobello Club
annet said:
has someone here tried the non-bullet bras by what katie did? i like this one a lot:

http://www.whatkatiedid.com/public/product.php?fes_prd_id=515

i can't seem to find any review on this. right now i wear bras by esprit and princesse tam tam and the fit is good, but the look seems to clash with what i wear over them :eek: i do like my boobs round instead of pointy though...

so if anyone can tell me something about the fit and quality i'd be a happy gal!

I have that exact one, brand new, for sale on here. That /style/fit didn't work on me at all. It, ah..flattened me out..to put it crudely. Looked quite awful, which is really too bad as it's a sweet bra. It looks great on the models, so perhaps it works better for smaller cup sizes - I dunno.
X
BD
 

annet

One of the Regulars
Messages
149
Location
Antwerp, Belgium
Black Dahlia said:
I have that exact one, brand new, for sale on here. That /style/fit didn't work on me at all. It, ah..flattened me out..to put it crudely. Looked quite awful, which is really too bad as it's a sweet bra. It looks great on the models, so perhaps it works better for smaller cup sizes - I dunno.
X
BD

thanks for replying! ah, the flattening... that's what i was afraid for. i have a c cup so i think it would be the same for me!
 

Sunny

One Too Many
Messages
1,409
Location
DFW
Fleur De Guerre said:
I find it to be very pointy, but not as cone-shaped as a bullet bra. It looks very pretty though!
Hmm, that's intriguing. I'm having a hard time visualizing it. It sounds somewhat like a couple of seamed lace-cup bras I got last year. They're underwires with a very firm mesh band, but the cups are only lightweight lace and fine net mesh. (Lots of mesh means as cool as possible, very important for 6 months out of the year here.) The seaming means they're more pointy than a soft-cup bra, but the lace and net isn't stiff at all so there's no cone shape. Looks fine under button-front shirts, slightly dodgy under modern tees. Is that the same sort of effect?
 
D

Deleted member 12480

Guest
LizzieMaine said:
Sort of -- but without the elasticity. They were woven without any kind of spandex/lastex type fiber, so the only stretch they have is the kind of stretch like any cotton knit. The tops don't have stay-up, either, so they require garters.

They sort of feel like very thin cotton leggings with feet, if that makes sense.


ah i see -thankyou. i may have to get me a pair of those ones from sockdreams!!
xxx
 

~Kate~

New in Town
Messages
43
Location
Ontario, Canada
I just bought 17 pairs of vintage stockings at my local antique market ($20 for the lot and some are in their original bags/boxes!!). They were all wrapped up so I couldn't inspect them before buying them, but at that price I decided to take a chance.

Some of them are seamed and some are seamless. Although most of them are in good condition, there are a few pairs that have snags in them. I tried on one pair to discover it had several runs which unfortunately I made even worse :( Any suggestions on how to prolong their life? They are really pretty and I would hate to have to throw them out.

Also anything specific I need to know about caring for vintage stockings (I read back a few pages but got a little overwhelmed by the length of this thread. Sorry if this has already been discussed)?
 

LizzieMaine

Bartender
Messages
33,755
Location
Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
It's important to rehydrate vintage stockings before trying to wear them -- give them a good soak in a mild soap, blot them dry between towels and let them dry thoroughly before wearing. *Very important:* If you have any rayon stockings in the lot, let them dry a full 48 hours before wearing. Rayon is very delicate when wet, or even slightly damp, and if you try to wear them before they're thoroughly dry, they'll pop into runs almost immediately.
 

Lady Day

I'll Lock Up
Bartender
Messages
9,087
Location
Crummy town, USA
I use hosiery mate (google it) for my stockings. Its a solution you dont have to rinse off after you soak your stockings. Yeah, trying on stockings after 40+ years of being in a box is like trying to balance a coffee cup on a saltine. Its gonna brake.

Sounds like a good score! Post pics! :D

LD
 

Black Dahlia

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,493
Location
The Portobello Club
Gossard has some lovely things! Love the 40s inspired items:
catoohlala_main_img.jpg

X
BD
 

KnoxvilleRoxie

New in Town
Messages
41
Location
Sussex UK
In my opinion What Katie did is always the best palce to go, I've tried all sorts of brand but either the suspender belt straps always pop off or the stockings don't look retro enough for me.
I recently did a shoot with Tony for the Glimpse Magazine:http://www.glimpsemagazine.co.uk/

Which has a suprise up it's sleeve for the next issue (out in 2 weeks)
I got 2 free WKD sets out of it and I was dead chuffed!
http://www.whatkatiedid.com/public/product.php?fes_prd_id=340
The complete lulu bullet bra, pants and suspender set in pink and black.

I find the bullet bras from WKD don't support enough without the inserts although I cheat and use chicken fillets sometimes as I find them more comfortable.
I did however find

http://www.whatkatiedid.com/public/product.php?fes_prd_id=60
http://www.whatkatiedid.com/public/product.php?fes_prd_id=464

These two bras are comfy, if you pull the straps up tight enough they give the curved pointed shape rather than the madonna look.

If you want What Katie did but think it's too expensive, try the discount What Katie Did on ebay, search for What Katie Did and you should find it, discounted stuff they are getting rid of.
Also their yearly sales at War and Peace show or online are fantastic! I go every year and run to the stall to be the first to get everything for £10!
 

kamikat

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,794
Location
Maryland
Does anyone here wear tap pants (are french knickers the Brit term?) for every day? Can they be worn under trousers? Are they comfortable for every day?
 

zombi

A-List Customer
Messages
491
Location
Thoracic Park
I've just bought the cc09 bra from WKD -- I hope I got the sizing right. I've been wanting it for a while now, and I guess now was as good a time as any!

I guess we'll see, right?
 

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