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Frederick’s of Hollywood was established in 1946 by Frederick Mellinger. His first store was opened in 1947 on Hollywood Boulevard, and he also sold by mail order. Mellinger intended to bring a sexier look to American lingerie, somewhat along the lines of what he had seen in Europe during the war. His association with Hollywood boosted the image of the company, which in the 1940s was responsible for such lingerie innovations as the padded and push-up bras.

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Fredericks placed ads in the backs of magazines, and mail order was a very large part of the business. During the 1980s, a move was made to downplay the overtly sexy look of the advertising and the lingerie itself, as Frederick’s went mainstream and opened up in shopping malls across America.

Written by fuzzylizzie


from a late 1940s dress   - Courtesy of mags_rags

from a late 1940s dress

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from a late 1940s suit

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from a late 1950s dress

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from a 1970s lace catsuit

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from an early 1980s leotard

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from a 1980s dress

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from a 1995 dress

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from a 2000 corset

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