FashBlog.com

Does it seem to any of you ladies over 40, that girls today don’t view undergarments the same way we did? I know that my generation certainly didn’t see the same way as my mother’s. There is one distinct memory of being with my aunt-who at the time wasn’t even 28 yet-and seeing her girdle. I asked why she was wearing that on such a hot summer day, and she said something to the effect that no lady would be seen in public with a “wiggling” fanny. Hmm, thought I…why not just do whatever it takes to not have one that wiggles? But even I, at the ripe old age of 5, knew better than to say that to her. I also have vague memories of seeing garter belts in department stores. It never occurred to me that they could be difficult, uncomfortable, and allow bumps to show through thin material; young girls thought they were sexy long before knowing why. As an older teen of about 19, I remember reading in Cosmo that gals should ditch the pantyhose and replace them with a garter belt and hose to really impress, and of course I bought into that. (Now it seems rather silly, but I think you all know how that goes.) The only thing good I can give this arrangement is that you can adjust the belt so that it’s a lot more comfortable around your waist than panty hose, and if one stocking gets a run, you just pair it with another.

Remember slips? I actually have a half slip in case I need to wear something fancy, silky, or transparent, but I don’t think it’s been taken out of my dresser for years. In my relatives’ day, a lady had “full slips” and “half slips”. The first were the originals, but as time went on, they became useful only with thin blouses. When I started working, dresses with slits were in vogue, and I remember actually cutting my half slips to get slits wide enough so they didn’t show. However, invariably the slip would twist anyway and I’d still be walking around with a swath of beige going up my leg. (One of the cardinal rules was that beige was the best underwear color of all because it didn’t show up, even under white.)

The idea of having underwear that could be seen was an unthinkable embarrassment. Therefore, I remember girls actually pinning their bra straps so they wouldn’t slip. In my high school days, thongs weren’t around, so panty lines weren’t even an issue; they were simply accepted as being there. But, during the whole Brook Shields era of saying that nothing came between her and her Calvin Klines, girls would scrunch up the backs of their undies so that it looked like they weren’t wearing underwear…and we think this younger generation is vain! If my mother could see these kids wearing colored bras through thin white tops, and thinking nothing of exposed straps, she’d be shocked beyond words.

With the advent of going bare legged (see my article, “Are Bare Legs the New Fashion Accessory?” from late January) and lined dresses and skirts, we’ve managed to eliminate a good bit of the lower half of our lingerie needs. In one way, it’s kind of sad, as I do remember those pretty lacy garments making me feel very feminine. But I doubt we’ll ever rid ourselves of the top half. Has anyone noticed the unbelievable array of bras and camisoles? The former selection seems in competition to see how much padding and uplifting can be built in, while the latter gets sportier every year. Does anyone remember the lines outside of stores at the introduction of the Miracle Bra? I guess it’s as understandable as the lines inside any Victoria’s Secret during the month of December. Namely, it’s because women want their underwear to make them feel good and look better. Too bad the majority doesn’t ever seem to fit well, moves, pinches, rides up, and is not made of the user-friendliest materials. But it could be worse; we could still be wearing bustles and layers of petticoats over long bloomers. We’ve come a long way, baby. There’s not much more to eliminate.