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Girdles: the 20th century descendant of the corset, beginning in the 1920s.
Girdles have progressed from boned, open-end, control garments of coutil, to lightweight elastic roll-ons, with or without legs.

One distinguishing feature is that the girdle confines the body below the waist. Their function was to both smooth and control the body and hold up stockings through attached garters/suspenders.

Their heyday was the 1930s – 1950s. As the looser, freer fashions of the 1960s took hold and as both pants and pantyhose made great gains with the public, girdles faded in popularity.

The girdle’s practical successors seem to be the decorative garter belt for those who prefer stockings, and the all-unboned Lycra smoother/shaper undergarments, often without garters.

Styles include the long or short open elastic roll on girdle, panty girdles in satin or elastic stretch, and long line girdles that come down on the thigh. “ Foundation garment” usually refers to an all-in-one that combines the bra and the girdle, either open bottom or panty style.

Written by Hollis Jenkins-Evans/pastperfectvintage.com


Vintage Sarong zip panty girdle - Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Sarong zip panty girdle

Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Girdleiere - Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Girdleiere

Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Grenier girdle - Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Grenier girdle

Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Pool Garter panty girdle - Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Pool Garter panty girdle

Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Gossard Short panty girdle - Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Gossard Short panty girdle

Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Biflex panty girdle - Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Biflex panty girdle

Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Secret Lady 1950s panty girdle - Courtesy of sewingmachinegirl

Vintage Secret Lady 1950s panty girdle

Courtesy of sewingmachinegirl

Vintage Secret Lady packaging - Courtesy of sewingmachinegirl

Vintage Secret Lady packaging

Courtesy of sewingmachinegirl

Vintage Sears  panty girdle - Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Sears panty girdle

Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Playtex rubber panty girdle - Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Playtex rubber panty girdle

Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Playtex rubber panty girdle garter  - Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Playtex rubber panty girdle garter

Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage panty girdle - Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage panty girdle

Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Stride Eze open bottom panty girdle - Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Stride Eze open bottom panty girdle

Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage psychedelic Vanity Fair panty girdle - Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage psychedelic Vanity Fair panty girdle

Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage 1960s mini girdle - Courtesy of sewingmachinegirl

Vintage 1960s mini girdle

Courtesy of sewingmachinegirl

Vintage 1960s roll on mini girdle - Courtesy of sewingmachinegirl

Vintage 1960s roll on mini girdle

Courtesy of sewingmachinegirl

Vintage Schiaparelli panty girdle - Courtesy of thespectrum

Vintage Schiaparelli panty girdle

Courtesy of thespectrum

Vintage Grenier all-in-one - Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Grenier all-in-one

Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Warners merry widow - Courtesy of thespectrum

Vintage Warners merry widow

Courtesy of thespectrum

Vintage Grenier all-in-one girdle - Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Grenier all-in-one girdle

Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Grenier all-in-one girdle - Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Grenier all-in-one girdle

Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Grenier all-in-one girdle - Courtesy of gilo49

Vintage Grenier all-in-one girdle

Courtesy of gilo49