Any history of women's underwear requires good reference materials. Going to the library or the museum is part of the job in getting the research done—making up stuff is fun, but not credible. Because the number of reference books available is almost none and collections are only found in urban settings my research is limited to the Internet.
What I've found is an array of sources. However, most of them do seem to be making up stuff; at best, the authors water down watered down information until it is meaningless. It can be like trying to understand the Bible from one of those tracts that appear in big box bathrooms sometimes. The few impressions that come through are so stilted and vague to not resemble religion.
So, I've begun to develop my own resource library—a dynamic museum for the development of modern underwear. There are a few scholarly collections scattered around, and a few researchers out there. Writers, those so far discovered, have two topics through which they trace this history: fashion and sociology/anthropology. (There are some who are collecting out of nostalgia.)
However, the bulk of the material for my collection is from the online collections of vintage lingerie retailers. The resulting linkdump is a compilation of web-based retailers of vintage underclothes. A list of shopkeepers stocking contemporary articles is beyond my scope. I also refrain from new items inspired, or even made from patterns, by vintage clothing. Although I would add a site listing patterns. Much of the material is for sale—and therefore dynamic. What is there today may be gone tomorrow.
These sites are listed in the order of when they turned up in my browser. I have tried to give brief description when it crossed my mind. If you know about other sites that could be listed drop an email & I'll check it out. I am not building a soft porn website and will not put up any listings that range into that area.
- Vintage Pastelle
- Dandelion Vintage
- Sleek-n-Chic
- Babylon Mall
- Vintageous
- Vanity Treasures--this site has lots of advertising and packaging materials as well as clothing items. Includes lingerie boxes and stockings still in the graphite boxes.
- Petticoat Dreams–this site is focused on the petticoat around 1950 in the UK. It does have some historical images and magazine articles (the kind touting current fashion).
- Another Time Vintage Apparel
- Glorious Vintage –a website featuring clothing for gals, some of which are foundation garments.
- www.wickedlady.com/collectables/lingerie.php
- Ad Classix –this is the website of a retailer of vintage advertising. This link is to the fashion & lingerie index
- online exhibit hosted by Kent State University
- Google Directory of lingerie history-related sites
- ”antique” bras & panties for sale
- Vintage Chikana vintage slips
- Glamour Gurlz
- Heavenly Vintage Lingerie
- Pink Girl Vintage Lingerie
If you do not wish your site to be listed, or I've broken your copyright rules, let me know & down it will come.
last updated 20 April 2008.
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