I really like girdles.
I mean, really like girdles.
I even made Catherine from Kiss Me Deadly this, which is my reaction when I recieve her girdles.
There's something very attractive about showing one's stocking tops and suspender straps. At least, there is to me, but I imagine I probably have a 1920s mindset.
Girdles are magical things, and are such a strong representation of the emancipation of women at the beginning of the 20th century.
We all know how the Victorians loved their corsets and bustles, but there was such a drastic change in fashion in just 20 years. World War One brought about the need for women to take on roles that were not traditional to their gender (and you thought the '50s was sexist central...). Such an active lifestyle required a new undergarment, something that allowed freedom of movement.
Corsets and crinolines were abandoned, with corsets often being donated to the war effort, so desperate was the need for steel. Girdles covered the waist to the upper thighs, which opened doors for the invention of the bra. However, these were still not a world away from corsets; often featuring a metal busk and lacing (god how I love fan lacing).
Fashion has always been fickle, and by the end of the 1920s the girdle briefly fell out of favour. Flappers preferred individual garters worn above the knee; the stocking rolled over the top to ensure it all stayed put while they danced. And boy, did they dance.
Here is my dream team list of girdles (or.... items with garter straps on), in which I would also dance.
Kiss Me Deadly's Peacock Longline Girdle or... How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Teal Lingerie.
I had never really worn much teal, or similar shades, but now, I approve. I also have this in black, plum and red, so you could say I really fucking love this girdle. I could also see the Peach version working well in a flapper outfit.
Playful Promises Vamp Corselette Dress
Alright I'm probably quite biased, because I DID take this photograph. But I normally wouldn't go for something like this, because I wouldn't expect the cups to fit me. Well, I was wrong, and it fits so damn well. I think I might even customise it somehow (shiny things!) and wear it out as a dress with a kimono over the top.
What Katie Did Marlene Girdle
I don't own this... yet, so I can't comment on the fit. But it's on my wish list. I LOVE the deco design. The only thing I'm not sure about is the side hooks... It's also named after Marlene, so, that's bonus points.
Lascivious Roxy Bodysuit
This is my love/hate relationship. I bought it in a sale a few months ago, because just look at it! I love fringing, and I am even more obsessed with gold and black. I bought a small, because I am, at the most, a size 10, and according to the Lascivious fitting guide, I should be a small. Imagine my disappointment (and feeling too fat for the first time in my life) when it arrived and didn't fit me in the slightest. The main issue was the length, and given that I'm no taller than their models, this was a surprise.
I had it exchanged for a medium (don't get me wrong, their customer service was brilliant, and so quick), and while this was a slightly better fit, I still had to keep yanking it up, and had the straps so tight they dug into my shoulders. Evidently, whoever fitted the first samples was particularly short.
Unfortunately, I didn't learn, and I was enticed by the new sale and ended up buying the Roxy Highwaist Knickers. These were a whole different issue regarding fitting. Bizarrely, the boning in the sides of the knickers bends in a strange angle - as if I need more meat on the sides of my hips to fill them (I assure you, I don't need more meat for a size small). Friends of mine also had the same issue. Luckily though, these are wearable, and I have worn them under shorts with the fringing poking out the bottom.
As for the bodysuit, I'm unsure whether to sell it or hold onto it. It is so pretty, but I'm just not sure if it flatters my body type. And if it doesn't make me feel sexy, surely it isn't doing it's job?
Are you a girdle fan? What are your favourite girdles?
