• Lace & ruffle silk ribbon boudoir headband, c. 1920s, GB. The Underpinnings Museum. Photo by Tigz Rice

    Lace & Ruffle Silk Ribbon Boudoir Headband

    Lace & ruffle silk ribbon boudoir headband Date: c. 1920s Origin: Great Britain Fabric: Lace and silk ribbon Brand: Custom made   This circa 1920s boudoir headband is unbranded, handmade, and composed of lace and ruffled silk. A boudoir cap is a style of lingerie headwear, commonly worn from the nineteenth into the early twentieth century.…
  • Cotton & Overlocked Elastic Panel Underbust Corset By Thomson's Glove Fitting, c. 1921, USA. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice

    Cotton & Overlocked Elastic Panel Underbust Corset By Thomson’s Glove Fitting

    Cotton & Overlocked Elastic Panel Underbust Corset By Thomson's Glove Fitting Date: c. 1921 Origin: USA Fabric: Herringbone cotton coutil, elastic Brand: Thomson's Glove Fitting by Langdon & Batcheller   This cotton and overlocked elastic panel underbust corset, referred to as the “Thomson’s Glove Fitting” range by Langdon and Batcheller, dates to circa 1921. Constructed…
  • Ivory Velvet Beaded Evening Gown By House Of Worth, c, 1920, France. Photography by Tigz Rice. The Underpinnings Museum

    Ivory Velvet Beaded Evening Gown By House Of Worth

    Ivory Velvet Beaded Evening Gown By House Of Worth Date: c. 1920 Origin: France Fabric: Silk velvet, silk crepe, glass beads Brand: House Of Worth   This ivory velvet House of Worth gown exemplifies the height of 1920s fashion through its modern silhouette, haute couture construction, and luxurious materials. Its undefined waist is characteristic of this decade,…
  • Silk Front-Lacing Corset With Lace Trim By Gossard, c. 1920s, USA. Photography by Tigz Rice. The Underpinnings Museum.

    Silk Front-Lacing Corset With Lace Trim By Gossard

    Silk Front-Lacing Corset With Lace Trim By Gossard Date: c. 1920s Origin: USA Fabric: Silk satin, woven cotton, machine-made lace, steel bones Brand: Gossard   This 1920s front-lacing corset with lace trim is made by the American undergarment brand, Gossard. The corset is made of silk satin, coutil (a durable, tightly-woven fabric made of cotton),…
  • 'Hip Flare' Featherbone & Bobbinet Panniers By Warren, c. 1920s, USA. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice.

    ‘Hip Flare’ Featherbone & Bobbinet Panniers By Warren

    'Hip Flare' Featherbone & Bobbinet Panniers By Warren Date: c. 1920s Origin: USA Fabric: Cotton bobbinet, cotton twill Brand: Warren   A set of panniers made of cotton twill tape, cotton bobbinet tulle, and 'featherbone'. 'Featherbone' was a stiffening tape made of feather quills encased in a cotton twill casing, and was typically used to…
  • 'Gain & Keep Those Youthful Lines' Advertisement By Kestos, 1928, Great Britain. The Underpinnings Museum.

    ‘Gain & Keep Those Youthful Lines’ Advertisement By Kestos

    'Gain & Keep Those Youthful Lines' Advertisement By Kestos Date: 1928 Origin: Great Britain Brand: Kestos   This circa 1920s British advertisement by lingerie brand Kestos, depicts a seated young woman with waved, coiffed hair, wearing a strappy two-cupped brassiere, and what appears to be a sheet or towel draped over her legs. Her image…
  • Girdle & 'Paraknit' Brassiere Advertisement By Treo, c. 1920s, USA & Canada. The Underpinnings Museum

    Girdle & ‘Paraknit’ Brassiere Advertisement By Treo

    Girdle & 'Paraknit' Brassiere Advertisement By Treo Date: c. 1920s Origin: USA/Canada Brand: Treo   This early 1920s advertisement for Treo’s Girdle and Brassiere reads, “The Treo Girdle is made entirely of surgical elastic web. Combines style with grace with comfort. Gives freely to every movement of the body, yet firmly holds figure.” It also…
  • Boué Soeurs 'L'Heureuse Journée' Advertisement, 1924, France. The Underpinnings Museum.

    Boué Soeurs ‘L’Heureuse Journée’ Advertisement

    Boué Soeurs 'L'Heureuse Journée' Advertisement Date: c. 1924 Origin: France Brand: Boué Soeurs   This 1924 advertisement is for the French brand, Boué Soeurs (“Boué Sisters”). Translated from French, the large cursive text reads, “The happy day,” followed by a short copy describing the elegance of the “charming young women” pictured. The background, which appears…
  • Woolen Underwear Catalogue & Sample Cards By D. H. Evans & Co., c. 1920s, Great Britain The Underpinnings Museum

    Woolen Underwear Catalogue & Sample Cards By D. H. Evans & Co.

    Woolen Underwear Catalogue & Sample Cards By D. H. Evans & Co. Date: c. 1920s Origin: Great Britain Fabric: Wool Brand: D. H. Evans & Co.   This catalogue of woollen underwear, from the 1920s, was produced by British brand D. H. Evans & Co. The undergarments, trademarked “Pesco,” are made of Scottish wool and…
  • Beige Cotton Tulle Boudoir Cap With Ribbon & Machine Lace Trim, c. 1920s. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice.

    Beige Cotton Tulle Boudoir Cap With Ribbon & Machine Lace Trim

    Beige Cotton Tulle Boudoir Cap With Ribbon & Machine Lace Trim Date: c. 1920s Origin: Unknown Fabric: Cotton bobbinet tulle, machine lace, silk ribbon Brand: Unknown   A boudoir cap with a base of beige bobbinet cotton tulle, embellished with a cream machine lace trim and ivory silk ribbon ribbonwork. An oversized rosette trims the…
  • Chemical Lace & Orange Silk Ribbon Boudoir Cap, c. 1920s, Custom Made, USA . The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice.

    Chemical Lace & Orange Silk Ribbon Boudoir Cap

    Chemical Lace & Orange Silk Ribbon Boudoir Cap Date: c. 1920s Origin: USA Fabric: Chemical lace, silk Brand: Custom made   A boudoir cap made of panels of beige chemical lace, with a gathered orange silk ribbon encircling the head, and a lining of dark beige silk crepe. The cap is embellished with two fan-like…