1950s Petticoats, Stockings & Stocking Adverts

1950s Petticoats, Stockings & Stocking Adverts
C20^th Fashion History

The Second World War saw the use and development of new materials like nylon.  This fact combined with utility restrictions on usage of materials and improved methods of mass produced factory clothing techniques was instrumental in revolution. 

Along with freer, more liberal attitudes choice in undergarments changed radically so that women began to wear much less under their top layer of clothing. 

One real development throughout those war years was the rise of the light and very fine sheer nylon stocking.  This superbly informative advertisement, shows some of the stocking varieties available in 1953 and explains about gauge and denier, terms fairly new to the population.

Right - Informative Nylons Advert -1953 

Nylon was being used in all sorts of new ways from toothbrushes to bowls to lace although most people in the early days thought of it only in terms of hosiery.  Early adverts were informational and used to inform people of the latest use of the nylon material. 

This advert below shows an explanation and comparison of seamed and seamless stocking which were slow to take off in the 1950s. The lack of seam line on a leg was associated with bare legs. Bare legs in the 40s and 50s were considered undignified and common.  Gradually women adopted the seamfree stockings.

1950s Petticoats

1953 Petticoat Slip by Gossip

By 1953 petticoats were often made from this new wonder fabric nylon which had been around for years, but was production and distribution restricted during world War II. 

Many petticoats still continued to be made from good quality cotton poplin or broderie Anglaise cotton.  Cotton could be boiled to help it stay white, whereas early nylon had a tendency to yellow quickly and that was reinforced by most individuals drying their laundry in sunlight rather than using an indoor drier or drying indoors on a hanger.  Sunlight attacked the molecular structure of nylon and caused it to yellow.

Nylon also created a static build up, something quite new to users previously unaware
that natural fibres holding so much moisture helped body static leak away easily.  Even so the use of nylon revolutionised underwear, making it easy care for the masses.  The advert right for Gossip underwear offers styles in pure silk, nylon and rayon.

The petticoat has slowly lost ground.  So much ground in fact that they form only a very small section in any lingerie department compared to exotic bras, panties, strings and camisoles, bustiers and bodysuits/teddies.  Usually now they are available in limited. very basic ranges of black, white and natural flesh tone Tactel bias bound slips.