Discussion: vintage nylon lingerie

Luna Junction

Luna Junction

VFG Member
Just thought a few people might want to add some informative details.
Say you have a nightgown. Good quality nylon tricot (sheer, lightweight), 40s or 50s, short or long, no labels. The styling varies a lot on the older ones. Most have waist yokes, spaghetti straps or straps that "fan-out", pin tucks, accordion pleating. How do you tell the difference between 40s and 50s styles? They all seem so similar, that the lines are difficult to draw.
Any tips or tricks?
 
I have 2 of those right now (History of Underclothes and 1000 Dessous), among a few others.. They didn't help. The lines are just too close to draw! Without a label to look up, it's really tough to tell the difference between a ruched bust from the 40s and one from the 50s.
 
The other way Sunny- is to find some time to go through VFG members Lingerie listings on etsy, eBay and Ruby Lane.
Doing some research that way may help you learn about dating and details :)
 
I've been doing that on the VFG team on Etsy. The nightgowns in the styles I mentioned are similar. Some are stated to be 40s and some are stated to be 50s. Without the guidance of a label I thought it would be a great discussion to talk about how one knows the difference.
Oh and "1000" of Dessous, and you want to laugh? Not ONE nightgown in there! :)
 
I presume you've looked at our lingerie guide? There is a specific entry on nightgowns, but you will probably find tips in the entries for the other garments that will also apply for dating purposes.

Things to keep in mind;
If you know the country of origin of the garment (because it was handed down through one family etc.) Was the material it is made of available at that time? The materials available changed throughout WWII and after due to supply and demand, rationing, new materials being invented and it varies by country.
You can find wartime garments are made up of pieces of older garments - sometimes more than one.
 
Just, if it helps, I've been specializing in lingerie for about 10 years. I'm just getting pickier about details and how I date things. I hate putting "40s/50s nightgown" on a listing when eventually, I HAVE to decide between the two. As for country of origin, if there are no labels (and I know that if there's a stub, the location of that stub is very telling) it's very difficult to discern which decade to put the gown in. Since nylon was being used as early as 1938, I know that some 40s nightgowns are made of nylon. When I see tapering straps, I tend to think that it's a 40s gown because of the "Harlow-esque" influence. However, I see some gowns with tapering straps in my old Sears catalogs from the 50s! I'm speaking of long nightgowns in particular. When I get a short, fitted nightgown, I always put it in the 50s or early 60s. When a long gown has a ruched bust and a waist yoke, then I get thoroughly confused.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top