Lingerie
Filed in: Fashion, Links, Secondhand
During some quiet time at work today I suddenly figured out that I want to start collecting vintage underwear. There´s something about those high waisted panties and pointy bras that I just adore. I started searching eBay and found a lot of great stuff, especially at Vintage Opulence. Some of the panties come with tags and are unworn, so you don´t have to wear somebody else’s old underwear. I am however not sure how the sizing works to have them fit properly and they seem to be quite popular and run fairly high in price.
So I went on and searched the web for retro underwear. There are quite a few shops out there, but for some reason, they don´t have the same innocence as the true vintage ones. Don´t get me wrong, I love the pin-up look as well, but I was thinking of getting a collection that would work for every day wear. I ended up getting the chocking pink frilly knickers at Pandora´s Choice though, just for fun.
After thinking things through I said to my husband that what I really want for my upcoming birthday is a lingerie set from Agent Provocateur. Their underwear have a lot of that retro feeling as well, maybe not that innocent either, but the quality is impeccable.
On my way home I stopped by H&M´s lingerie shop. I´ve never been a fan of their underwear, but I love the bras that go by “our perfect bra”. You really do get a lot for the money and I especially love the nude tones. I intended to buy an extra set as I´ve worn the old one so much. I discovered that they had launched an improved version of the underwear, so all my old favorites were sold for a fraction of the price. I ended up getting 4 bras and 11 panties for about $30!
It has been a day filled with underwear in other words, but my journey has just begun… My plan is to have a huge and beautiful collection of retro/vintage goodies so that I don´t have to opt for those old ugly ones that are always left at the bottom of the drawer before laundry day…
Leave a Comment or Trackback
30 Comments
February 20th, 2008 at 12:49 am
you’re not really saving closetspace with these ideas ;)
but i can imagine them being pricey(especially with tags!)
and i love the frilly ones you got! :D
February 20th, 2008 at 12:57 am
Those rose hues are beautiful.
February 20th, 2008 at 1:29 am
Ow, I love Agent Provocateur!!
February 20th, 2008 at 1:36 am
I love H&M’s “our perfect bra” line too. I hope the H&M here have the old stock on sale as well!
February 20th, 2008 at 4:16 am
nice! take a look at the gorgeous http://www.lafilledo.com - hope you like them too
February 20th, 2008 at 5:22 am
Agathe: I’m a freak for gorgeous underwear (retro, modern, sassy, sexy, prim) and I love Agent Provocateur. Very smart to hit the husband up for it. Not only is it educational :-) but that stuff is pricey! K
February 20th, 2008 at 6:01 am
the top 2 are beautiful. i am looking for slips.
February 20th, 2008 at 6:24 am
i think i disagree about AP. design aspect aside, i don’t find their stuff to be any more high quality than mid-range lingerie… totally not worth the price. the bras don’t really have a very flattering fit and tend to lose their shape after a few wears. they do have a lot of cute stuff but not worth the money.
if i were to splash out, i would definitely go for some of the boutique lines… some of my favs are mimi holliday, sista shei, and what katie did. check ‘em out! i have to admit i don’t own anything by these brands so i can’t vouch for quality, but love the look.
February 20th, 2008 at 7:15 am
In Spain, huge panties are called “bragas de cuello vuelto”.
February 20th, 2008 at 10:20 am
Claudia, don’t worry, the idea is to chuck out all the old stuff! :)
Rachel, I looked everywhere for underwear for my wedding and AP was the only place I found something nice enough. Maybe it’s the selection in Norway there’s something wrong with, but I do love the AP set I already have! Thanks for the tip. I’m not sure I’ll find it in Norway, but it’s worth a shot!
February 20th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
And I thought I was the only one with the lingerie-obsession…
@Claudia - indeed, closetspace is the main issue when storing more than your average need (in anything.. since I’m abusing scarfs, belts, shoes, lingerie) so I had to make two extra boxes for lingerie and one extra box for scarves and belts. For the underwear section it’s really useful because I change numbers when pregnant and then come back to my favorites pieces when slimming but I do have a looooot of lingerie that I’m not really wearing (some of them authentic vintage for which I spent years of searching)…
February 20th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
It’s the other way around with the H&M stuff for me - Their regular stuff fits great, so I have a lot of those for day-to-day use. But their ‘perfect bra’ range doesn’t fit me so well: I had to go for an entire cupsize larger than my usual size (which is tiny) and it’s still not very comfortable (but very invisible underneath my clothes, which was the point).
I love the pinks of vintage undies too. I’d like a dress in old English rose shades.
February 20th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Kpriss, any tips from an experienced vintage lingerie shopper? Sounds like you have an amazing collection!
Kim, that’s so strange, but I too love it for being unvisible.
February 20th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Vintage undies look da bomb, not sure I would like the idea of second had undies tho. The AP stuff looks cool, really sexy looking, I love it. Personally I’m not one for pricey undies, I’m more of a shoe person, I prefer to spend money on things people can see, but I guess I can see that undies have the potential of making the wearer feel good. Oh well, to each their own.
I know h&m sing praises for that t-shirt bra, which is meant to be invisible, i got it and before long the inner padding went all wrong, so I cant wear it without looking like I have wonky boobs. Hope their new and improved version does exactly what it say on the tin, coz I don’t rate its predecessor.
February 20th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Tanya, I got my “perfect bra” more than half a year ago and have been wearing it alot. Although the fabric shows slight sign of wear, I haven’t seen any change in the shape. I’m not sure what they have changed on the new ones, but if this is a common problem, I am sure they have fixed it now!
I feel like I’m giving a lot of undeserved attention to H&M with this post cause this is the only lingerie from them I really like - and I keep defending it. :)
February 20th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
This makes me want to invest in some pretty underwear. I’m sure it would change my attitude from the underneath out!
February 20th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
I love retro underwear…I’ve often thought of buying some but I’ve never done it, it always seems expensive online when you’re not absolutely sure it’ll fit or be comfortable…so let us know how you get on with your search!
And Agent Provocateur!!! I love the stuff. I dream of owning some! I’ve promised myself if I ever get married I’ll buy a set. Despite my lingerie aspirations my underwear drawer is actually very boring and practical!
btw I’ve linked to you on my blog, hope thats ok!
February 20th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Be careful, Agathe! My friend’s sudden interest in vintage lingerie turned into a complete obsession with 1950s style! Soon, she redecorated her house, room by room: Out with the new, in with the old!
Last acquisition: turquoise cabinets!
February 20th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Sorry, but those panties aren’t sexy.
February 20th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
I love the pink fluffy one, they are so cute. I wear vintage style lingerie because I think that it is more comfortable and chic
February 20th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
TheClothesHorse, that´s exactly why I feel it´s worth to put a little extra thought into the underwear!
Missmilki, I will let you know about my experieces. I am really confused about these old sizes. On my way to check out your blog!
Suzanna, haha, I totally get that obsession. If I had the patience I might have fallen for it myself. :)
Lela, that´s exactly what I think they are! ;)
Zory, ahh, let me in on your secrets! Where do you buy your lingerie?
February 21st, 2008 at 12:55 am
I saw some really lovely vintage underwear at a vintage fair recently (unfortunately I was feeling poorly so a bit distracted) but I can certainly see the appeal it’s lovely stuff, though I’m not sure about wearing the pointy bras :/
February 21st, 2008 at 4:02 pm
its not from Internet, there is a local store for kind of vintage lingerie in there.
February 21st, 2008 at 4:36 pm
great dessous. I chose some of them as well for a valentine-special in my blog http://www.stylesyoulove.de
February 21st, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Vintage Lingerie is actually a great bargain - the nylons and satins they are made from are not even available anymore in most cases and the detailing is always amazing. I have a vintage collection that has its own small chest of drawers! I have also had some amazing pieces in my Ebay Store during this past Valentine’s Day (I could send you pictures, if you like) and I am getting ready to list some more. If you would like more info on the sizing/brands to look for, etc. I would be happy to help out!
http://stores.ebay.com/EZpickinz-Vintage
February 21st, 2008 at 8:26 pm
I got turned onto Agent Provocateur by noticing their super hot pieces popping up on JuliB.com. Not a bad valentine’s day gift at all!
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:11 pm
What Katie Did in the UK (www.whatkatiedid.com)make great reproduction 50s’ bras and pantied, some of them are pin-up-y, but they also have plain whie, black, pink and pink satin and some super cute gingham bras and knickers.
Triumph’s “Doreen” bra has had the same shape since the 50s too and can be found at both Lindex and Åhlens and it’s not more expensive than ordinary bras (especially if you’re an F-cup like me, then it’s in the cheaper range in fact).
February 22nd, 2008 at 5:26 pm
I was mostly on corsages but since I moved, I keep them all in a box, unopened, so I won’t get tempted. It was a two years obsession and I took almost everything that fell into my hands and once in awhile I was doing the inventory. I must admit to something - a year and a half later I’m feeling completely healed and (maybe it’s my pregnancy too) vintage lingerie virus has left me for I don’t see it practical-side. Sure, vintage lingerie is eye catching and has a certain charm to it, but I realized I didn’t need any of that to feel pretty or charming myself.
However, this message is not meant to disarm you in any way! By all means, if you have this passion, follow up! It’s charming, as I said :) . Me I’m just getting a little too round these days to think about lingerie ;). Promise that I’ll get back to thinking after giving birth!
April 1st, 2008 at 9:36 pm
I love this look. I keep trying to add a few pieces like this to my collection, but I can never seem to find them, when I’m out shopping.
April 5th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
check out: what katie did