• Pale Blue Silk Bed Jacket With Lace Trim & Bow Tie, c. 1930s. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice.

    Pale Blue Silk Bed Jacket With Lace Trim & Bow Tie

    Pale Blue Silk Bed Jacket With Lace Trim & Bow Tie Date: c. 1930s Origin: Unknown Fabric: Silk satin, machine lace Brand: Unknown   The bedjacket is a short cut jacket style designed to be worn whilst reclining or sitting in bed. Early examples can be dated to the 19th century, but the style was…
    June 28, 2022
  • Collection Of Jacquard Weave Corsetry Fabric Samples, c. 1930-50s, Great Britain. The Underpinnings Museum

    Collection Of Jacquard Weave Corsetry Fabric Samples

    Collection Of Jacquard Weave Corsetry Fabric Samples Date: c. 1930-50s Origin: Great Britain Fabric: Cotton & Rayon Blends Brand: Unknown   A factory sample collection of tightly woven fabrics intended for corsetry and foundationwear. They are all likely a blend of cotton and rayon fibres, and the shades are all a variance on the light…
    June 27, 2022
  • Tea Rose Geometric Brocade & Elastic Girdle By Kestos, c. 1930s, Great Britain. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice

    Tea Rose Geometric Brocade & Elastic Girdle By Kestos

    Tea Rose Geometric Brocade & Elastic Girdle By Kestos Date: c. 1930s Origin: England Fabric: Cotton & rayon blend brocade, elastic Brand: Kestos   The Kestos lingerie brand was founded in 1925 in London by Rosamond Lilian Klin. The brand is best known for the ‘Kestos’ style bra (patented in 1926, and arguably one of…
    January 6, 2022
  • Cut Away Black Satin Bra, c. 1930s, Switzerland. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice

    Cut Away Black Satin Bra

    Cut Away Black Satin Bra Date: c. 1930s Origin: Switzerland Fabric: Rayon satin, cotton voile Brand: Unknown   A bra in black rayon satin with a slightly sheer cotton voile top cup. A band of satin at the underbust has pieces of steel boning stitched inside vertically for a more secure fit, with the band…
    November 22, 2021
  • Ice Blue Rayon Satin Child's Corset, c. 1930s, USA. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice

    Ice Blue Rayon Satin Child’s Corset

    Ice Blue Rayon Satin Child's Corset Date: c. 1930s Origin: USA Fabric: Rayon satin, cotton twill Brand: Unknown   A corset intended for children in ice blue rayon satin, lined with cotton twill. This garment was intended as a supportive piece of foundationwear (echoed by the fact that it fastens with buttons, a fastening method…
    October 27, 2021
  • Floral Printed Rayon Kestos Style Bra, c. 1930s, USA. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice

    Floral Printed Rayon Kestos Style Bra

    Floral Printed Rayon Kestos Style Bra Date: c. 1930s Origin: USA Fabric: Rayon Brand: Unknown   A soft cup style bra based on the ‘Kestos’ bra of the late 1920s. The original design was patented in 1926 and the bra was arguably one of the first commercially produced bras with seperated cups. It marked the…
    September 19, 2021
  • 'Hi-Front Nu-Wa Pantlet' - Celanese Rayon Anti-Chafing Knickers, c. 1930s, USA. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice

    ‘Hi-Front Nu-Wa Pantlet’ – Cellanese Rayon Anti-Chafing Knickers

    'Hi-Front Nu-Wa Pantlet' - Celanese Rayon Anti-Chafing Knickers Date: c. 1930s Origin: USA Fabric: Cellanese Rayon Brand: Nu-Wa   A pair of cutaway knickers, intended to reduce chafing at the thighs, offering full coverage at the crotch and inner thighs whilst leaving the hips uncovered.  The garment body is made of a stretch rayon jersey…
    June 19, 2021
  • Floral Silk Appliqué Kestos Style Bra By Maryvon, c. 1930s, France. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice.

    Floral Silk Appliqué Kestos Style Bra By Maryvon

    Floral Silk Appliqué Kestos Style Bra By Maryvon Date: c. 1930s Origin: France Fabric: Cotton bobbinet, silk satin Brand: Maryvon This bra is a luxurious and detailed interpretation of the 'Kestos' bra style. The base of cotton bobbinet tulle is lavishly embellished with floral and botanical motifs, appliquéd in silk satin. The shoulder straps are…
    May 5, 2021
  • Ivory Silk Satin Embroidered Kestos Style Bra & Appliquéd Tap Pants, c. 1930s, Great Britain. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice

    Ivory Silk Satin Embroidered Kestos Style Bra & Appliquéd Tap Pants

    Ivory Silk Satin Embroidered Kestos Style Bra & Appliquéd Tap Pants Date: c. 1930s Origin: Great Britain Fabric: Silk satin, cotton bobbinet Brand: Unknown, likely custom made   A soft cup style bra based on the ‘Kestos’ bra of the late 1920s. The design was patented in 1926 and the bra was arguably one of the first…
    April 13, 2021
  • Bias Cut Satin Camisole With Lace Appliqué, c. 1930s. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice

    Bias Cut Satin Camisole With Lace Appliqué

    Bias Cut Satin Camisole With Lace Appliqué Date: c. 1930s Origin: Unknown Fabric: Rayon satin, machine lace Brand: Custom made   A cropped camisole top in rayon satin. Machine lace is appliquéd along the neckline and decorative machine embroidery following the lace motifs. The shoulder straps cross over at the back, and the body of…
    November 18, 2020
  • Tea Rose Elasticated Crochet Bra By Karis, c. 1930s, France. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice

    Tea Rose Elasticated Crochet Bra By Karis

    Tea Rose Elasticated Crochet Bra By Karis Date: c. 1930s Origin: France Fabric: Cotton yarn, elastic Brand: Karis   With greater emphasis on a shaped, lifted breast in the 1930s, a change from the minimizing bandeau silhouette popular in the 1920s, brands and home sewers began to experiment with ways to create a rounder shape.…
    September 20, 2020