lingerie in your hand....

Ramm ND is a designer with influences from American and Japanese pop culture. A link posted at The Lingerie Post led me to his website. I really bad at Cyrillic so can't present much in the way of biography or background on the artist. Just can say that it was interesting to look at his designs--graphic artists may find a contemporary here.

These designs are not available for purchase on your favorite beer....

Holeproof--Austrialian Socks & Underwear

"Who we are and what we do
Holeproof is a leading Australian manufacturer and marketer of high-quality socks, underwear and sleepwear, capable of producing over 80,000 garments per day. Our range includes many prominent Australian brands for men, women and children.

Holeproof began in the late 1920’s originally as a hosiery manufacturer and has continued to develop, expand and adapt to the changing needs of consumers. Today the company is one of the leaders in the Australian and New Zealand clothing and textile industry."

Underwear products include:

• Antz Pantz

sexy, sheeky YouTube commercials (like this one) can be found easily.

Former Miss Universe contestant Erin McNaught appeared in the Hot in the City lingerie show at the Rosemount Australian Fashion Week show in Sydney for the new Antz Pantz range (with images and video) from news 9msn 21st August 2009. For a little more coverage on the show....

• Nothing--"Designed to disappear under fashion, Holeproof Nothing features a unique no panty line leg finish, gusset shaping and back seam to help prevent ride up. Made from soft, stretchy and slinky fabric for added comfort"
• Love Kylie--The famous 2003 lingerie range designed by Australian icon Kylie Minogue.
• Underdaks (for men)--check this link for a view of the product from a designer.
  

The site includes a company history.
Proof that a hosiery company selling under the brandname Holeproof can be found in a December 1923 issue of photoplay magazine. Thanks to the Glam Guide blog for the 20th Nov 2007 post.

Bra Fit--get your size right for the best & comfort

Apparently, even with--and maybe because of--all the attention paid to breast size & bra fit over the past few years, there is no post about getting the right size on this blog. Well, time to change that.

Let's start with a quick pointer to "Top Five Bra-Sizing Myths"

Pasties--a "how-to"

Ran across this article on Nipple Tassles & realized that it makes an excellent companion for my previous introduction to pasties.
Too bad that post is old (March 2007) & many links are broken; the Internet moves pretty fast & server space is limited. Try these:

• Craftster tutorial on pasties. The pasties and tassels she made are fun. Just a couple quick steps: "i made a pattern with card stock, a little bit bigger than a nipple, and cut out a triangle, to make this little pac-man shape, so the felt will be a cone shape when its glued...trace the pattern on the felt, and hot glued the edges together..and decorated them...(sequins, feathers, lace...)"

• Quarter Cup, or shelf, Bra

  In certain situations where are regular bra just won't cut it, but breast support is required. For example, wearing a dress with a very low neckline exposes a regular bra. A solution is the quarter cup bra. Covering only about a quarter of the breast (the name is obvious) leaving the nipples and areole completely uncovered. The best thing about 1/4 cup bras is that it can streamline a lot of your looks. They are best worn under plunging necklines; however, if the neckline goes lower than the breasts themselves, a plunging bra works better.
  
  Making clothing look better isn't the only reason why quarter cup bras are popular. They are also sexy. Leaving the nipples exposed provides room to cover or accentuate the nipples using pasties. Like this "mudflap quarter cup vinyl bra shown with the on leash leather collar, cuff and pasty set".

notes in the early hours

It's Summer & the bikini is having a birthday party. This is a great time to update some links and add a few notes--especially when the dogs woke me up while others are sleeping.:

• check out Bridgett Bardot, "The Bikini Girl", in her 1950s style from Entertainment Weekly's list of 18 Iconic Bikini's.
• June 9, 2009: Underwear: a history of hidden assets The exhibition Undercover: the Evolution of Underwear, at the Fashion and Textile museum in London looks at bras and briefs through the ages. A better gallery from the same exhibit.
• Stella McCartney lingerie
• Beneath It All: '50s and '60s Underwear presents a gallery of ads and images
• Rudi Gernreich's political fashions on display on the University of Pennsylvania's Institute of Contemporary Art website and Kent State University installation and in the Glamoursurf catalog (a No-bra Bra) and some biography at Fashion Encyclopedia

monokini

Gernreich’s monokini consisted of a black knit suit that extended from the midriff to the upper thigh, employing two thin black straps to hold it in place over the shoulders. According to folklore, the model, Peggy Moffit, had only agreed to model the extremely controversial garment if her husband photographed it.


Laetitia Casta (right)wears a vintage 1967 Greneich monokini for Sports Illustrated in 2000.

Ancient Egyptian and Greek art showing women in water scenes wearing short cotton skirts that were waisted just below the bust and held up by the same two straps present early versions of the modern monokini. There have also been a number of much earlier undergarments and tummy control devices that look identical in outward appearance.

The Traditional Monokini

The traditional monokini has a rather interesting history. It emerged in an era of American history when the country was on the turning point between the placid, conservative 1950s and the turbulent, explosive 1960s.

Into this climate, European designer Rudi Gernreich presented his new swimsuit design in June of 1964 to mixed review from fashion critics, government officials, and church dignitaries. What he did was suggest wearing the total outfit to make a political statement.

Rudi Gernreich's intention was to 'free' the female breast in an age that forced breasts into unnatural shaped cups. While not often considered, the other part to Gernreich’s monokini principle was simplicity. A garment should have minimal construction and detailing to ensure the body remains the focal point.

Gernreich invented the name, and the word monokini is first recorded in English in 1964.

Despite the reaction of fashion critics and church officials, shoppers purchased the monokini in record numbers that summer, though very few monokinis were ever worn in public. By the end of the season, Gernreich had sold 3000 swimsuits at $24 a piece, which meant a tidy profit for such a minuscule amount of fabric. It was not very successful in the USA, but took the rest of the world by storm in the early 70s.

As a side note: Gernreich also credits himself with having invented the thong, something else that is shown in the art of many ancient societies and was at the time a current Japanese undergarment.

The Modern Monokini

Arguably the modern monokini is regarded as the sexiest swimsuit a woman could wear. It looks nothing like Rudi Gernreich’s 1964 monokini (see image) which, while astoundingly controversial, was technically nothing more than a maillot cut off just below the bust with a couple of supporting straps. The term monokini refers to a bikini bottom held in place by two straps which, at least partially, cover the breasts.

Like all swimsuits, the monokini bottom portion of the swimsuit can vary in cut. Some have g-string style backs, while others provide full coverage of the rear. The bottom of the monokini may be high cut, reaching to the waist, with high cut legs, or may be a much lower cut, exposing the belly button. The modern monokini takes its design from the bikini, and is also described as ‘more of a cut-out one-piece swimsuit’ with designers using fabric, mesh, chain, or other materials to link the top and bottom sections together, though the appearance may not be functional, it can certainly turn a few heads!

While none dare like the original, sex still sells.
Summer 2009 features the monokini in a variety of over the shoulder and cut-out versions.

girdle care

Slip of a girl's blog passes along these washing instructions for your circa 1941 elastic girdles.

"soak in cold water for 20 minutes. wash in lukewarm water, scrubbing gently with a soft brush dipped in a solution of 2 tablespoons first-quality soap dissolved in a cup of hot water, then cooled. Rinse in 2 or 3 waters. Roll in a towel to remove excess water. dry away from heat."

There's a time-costly exercise in hygiene.