Category: Retro Lingerie

1930s girdles and foundation wear examples

Retro Lingerie

1930s Girdles: Shaping the Modern Silhouette

October 14, 2025 / 643 / 0

Introduction: The 1930’s Girdle The 1930s marked a profound transformation in women’s fashion, signaling a departure from the slender, boyish “flapper” aesthetic that characterized the 1920s. This new decade ushered in a preference for a more natural, yet meticulously sculpted,... Continue reading

the main differences between corsets, corselettes and basques

Retro Lingerie

What is the Difference Between a Corset, a Corselette and a Basque?

September 17, 2025 / 771 / 0

When it comes to vintage-inspired lingerie, few garments cause as much confusion as the basque, the corset, and the corselette. These structured undergarments all shape the figure and add an element of glamour, but each has its own unique history,... Continue reading

Sleepwear and loungewear of the 1940s and '50s

Retro Lingerie

1940s & 1950s Women’s Loungewear and Sleepwear Styles

September 16, 2025 / 687 / 0

When we think of vintage lingerie and nightwear, it’s often glamorous images of satin robes, pin-up models, and playful babydolls that spring to mind. But what did women really wear in the 1940s and 1950s when it came to loungewear... Continue reading

Retro Lingerie

1950s Lingerie Trends: Shaping the Feminine Silhouette

September 6, 2025 / 705 / 0

The Hourglass Silhouette At the heart of 1950s lingerie was the desire to sculpt the perfect hourglass figure. Christian Dior’s famous “New Look” of 1947 had a lasting influence, with its cinched waists, accentuated busts, and full skirts. Women sought... Continue reading

Retro Lingerie

The Golden Age of Girdles 1930s – 1960s

July 25, 2025 / 804 / 0

The 1930’s Girdle 1930s girdles replaced the rigid, heavily boned corsets of previous eras and tended to feature angled seams, hidden boning, and side hook-and-eye fastenings. Materials like cotton twill, linen, cotton twill tape, and various elastic fabrics were used,... Continue reading

1950's bullet bras - the ultimate guide to wearing a bullet bra

Retro Lingerie

The Ultimate Guide to 1950s Bullet Bras: Style, Fit & History

July 21, 2025 / 1360 / 0

At Swanky Pins, we love the bullet bra – if there’s one piece of vintage lingerie that truly captures the essence of 1950s glamour, it’s this. With its pointed silhouette, structured shape, and unmistakable retro appeal, this bra defined a... Continue reading

Retro Lingerie

Wearing a Vintage Girdle

December 3, 2018 / 23558 / 50

Vintage Girdles – The Benefits & How to Wear One Women have been wearing a girdle for 100’s of years although they were more commonly called corsets until earlier this century. Originally they were fairly heavy and difficult to get... Continue reading

Retro Lingerie

What Lingerie Looked Like Back in The Day

August 6, 2017 / 2928 / 0

Swanky Pins’s insight: This type of vintage lingerie may well be a far cry from what we buy today, with tight girdles and rigidly boned corsets being constrictive and uncomfortable to wear, but the glamorous retro styles recreated in today’s... Continue reading

Retro Lingerie

Lingerie for Valentines Day

January 20, 2017 / 2049 / 0

Only just recovering from the Xmas break which we spent in New York and already Valentines Day is almost upon us. It seriously has taken this long to get over, going back to work actually felt relaxing after 2 weeks... Continue reading

Retro Lingerie

Lingerie Gift Ideas

December 3, 2016 / 1803 / 0

5 Lingerie Gift Ideas – Either as a treat for yourself or for someone else As we are die-hard fans of the retro styles, obviously we think they are the best choice for all ladies :) Modern suspender belts for... Continue reading