Vintage slip - info on Gilbreath?

R

roostersinmyroses

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I'm looking for info on a vintage slip. It's a beautiful lipstick red with lots of lace and metal sliders on the straps. Two tags say 'Styled by Gilbreath' on one side and the back sides read '32' and '100% nylon'. That's it - no RN or other tags to research. Haven't been able to find anything about Gilbreath in the resource materials. Any help would be appreciated!
 
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Nice slip! Red isn't a very common colour and I wouldn't mind one like that - what size is it? Oh damn, just read the 32.

Sometimes people put a big tuck around the skirt to take them up, is that what's happened here? I think I can see a big seam a few inches above the hem. If it is, I would date as '50s, if it isn't (and this is the full length) I would date as '60s.

No information on the manufacturer, sadly, but a lot of people were making these. Interesting that the seamstress sewed two labels in: are they both the same?

Nicole
 
I thought the two labels was interesting, also. One has the size on the opposite side, the other has fabric content. The seam appears to be by the manufacturer. It's too perfect - very straight with nice mitered corners at the split. Can't find anything about the Gilbreath maker but I'm thinking this is early 50's?

Now on to researching a night gown by Sans Souci .....
 
In a quick search, I found the following...

-- A 1949 classified ad in a Dallas paper solicited a lingerie salesman: "Wanted to carry old-established quality line of panties, slips, gowns and negligees in nylon, rayon, cotton, crepes and satins in Oklahoma and Arkansas. Many established accounts. Straight commission basis. Non-conflicting lines permissible. Send references first letter; Gilbreath Mfg. Co.; Waco, Texas"

-- A 1952 store ad for lingerie noted that they sold "Quality styles--Carters--Faerie--Gilbreath."

-- Gilbreath's father was a cotton buyer in 1920 and the young Leo was working as a bookkeeper at a bank at that time.

-- In 1954 Leo A. Gilbreath (b. 1896/7-1983), Truett K. Smith, Barbara M. Smith, and Mrs. Olga(?) K. Maris were co-partners d/b/a Gilbreath Manufacturing Co. in Waco Texas.

-- A 1959 ad noted that Gilbreath Manufacturing Co. was at 320 Factory Drive in Waco and were "manufacturers of lovely lingerie."

--A very hard-to-read 1959 article about Gilbreath Manufacturing Co. noted that they more than doubled the size of their Waco plant and "Gilbreath Manufacturing Co. has moved to its spacious new plant in the West Waco Industrial District and now occupies ??,000 square feet. This is an increase of 3,000(?) square feet over quarters the firm formerly occupied. Gilbreath Manufacturing Co. increased its payroll by 15 percent after expanding and now has ?? employees. Truett K. Smith is president of the firm which manufactures lingerie."

-- A 1960 Dallas newspaper article noted that "Gilbreath Manufacturing Company, born in an old Waco feed store loft in 1946, is moving into a new $75,000 WID plant. Its owners expect to double its $400,000 lingerie sales to almost double that figure."
 
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