Reader Query - Proper Undergarments for Low Back Dresses

Reader Tara writes, "I have a 1950s dress with scoop neck and a low V-back (point of the V ends at my waist), and I'm planning to wear it for graduation in June. What sort of bra would I wear with it? Or would a corset-type piece be better?"

Tara says that her graduation dress is cut lower than her green lace 1950s dress. First of all, Tara, congratulations on your graduation! You look beautiful in this dress.

If you don't normally wear a girdle, then a long line bra with a low back or a bra with convertible straps is what you want. Neither one of these is going to be easy to find and you'll probably have better success going to a high-end lingerie shop with a professional bra fitter on staff than searching online. Most importantly, be sure to take your dress with you for the fitting! A good bra like this is not going to be inexpensive and you want to make sure you get one that doesn't show!

Below are some images from the 1950s and 60s of the types of bras we're talking about.

Gossard Longerlyne bra.

Hollywood V-ette with low strap that wraps around the waist.

Jantzen Showback bra.

If you normally wear a girdle or corset, you'll probably need to find a strapless option with a low cut back. You might try a bridal store for this type of foundation garment if you don't have success in a regular lingerie shop.

Flexees Bare-bac Bouffante strapless corset.

Here are a few modern options from online shops if you can't find anything locally. The trick here will be to ask questions about how low the back drops on these foundations to make sure they'll work with your dress. Please note: Couture Allure does not receive compensation from any of these sites for promoting their products. I have not purchased any of these products, nor have I used any of these sites and cannot vouch for them. These are simply examples of what to look for.

Dominique Long Line Bra from HerRoom.com

Le Mystere Low Back Convertible Bra

Va Bien Backless Strapless corset

One last tip: Clothing adhesive tape is great for ensuring that there are no gaps in that low backed dress. It sticks to your skin and the fabric of your dress without leaving a sticky residue. Do a search this type of product, as there are many options available online.

New at Couture Allure - 50s Full Skirted Dresses and Hats

New at Couture Allure this week are more 50s dresses for day and evening and some marvelous vintage hats for spring. Be sure to check our What's New page to see all the new items.

We now have the largest selection of 1950s full skirted dresses we've ever offered! At this writing, there are 31 available on the site in a variety of sizes.

1950s Emma Domb black tulle and lace party dress.

1950s blue satiny faille party dress.

1950s peach cotton sun dress.

1950s Anne Fogarty beige embroidered cotton dress.

1950s charcoal gray cotton dress in a larger size.

1960s tall white leather hat from Wilson's Beverly Hills.

Weekend Eye Candy - Lanvin-Castillo, 1960

I'd venture to guess that you can't sit down when you wear this gown by Lanvin-Castillo from 1960. An explosion of tulle covers the full length overskirt. I'd venture to guess that the overskirt is also removable, so you can wear the shorter dress on it's own.

Teeny Bikini, 1959

Yes, 1959! Are you surprised? I sure was! Like most of you, I would have guessed 1970s. Perhaps more suprising, this image is from an American fashion magazine! The magazine used this photo as a tickler for a spread on swimsuits called, "South: The Rebirth of the Body." It suggested a woman might dare to wear this bikini "to bathe from a lonely beach in a great empty ocean....or for....a deserted early morning hour on the beach, a trip to an uninhabited cove."

The Darlene green Ban-Lon bikini sold at Bonwit Teller.

Of course, the magazine realizes the reality for the American woman....." she will no doubt be less abandoned and poetic. Trimming her sails to social propriety, she will pull on one of the dashing but more modest bathing suits" like this one. Sea B's elasticized Orlon maillot in black and white. It will be another 15 years or so before the teeny green bikini will become accepted as the norm.

Guess the Date

For St. Patrick's Day, the wearing o' the green. Can you guess the date of this swimsuit? Answer tomorrow!

Awful 80s Fashion #9 or "Oh Yes We Did!"

It's been quite a long time since I posted an installment of Awful 80s Fashion for you. If you'd like to see the first 8 posts, simply type "awful 80s" in the search box down there in the left column.

Yes, my friends. We really did wear this stuff. If you're too young to have lived through the 80s, have a laugh at our expense. If you did live through it with me, let me jog your memory a bit. Lest you think these styles were only worn by "youngsters" or only sold by trendy shops, all these images came from Summer 1985 mail order catalogs sent out by Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Bonwit Teller. Oh, yes. Yes, we did.

I confess. I had several of these sets that consisted of "cutesy" oversized t-shirts worn over matching "cutesy" tights. No, I won't show you a picture. You can't make me! This set by James Berry had a fish print tee with cropped tights printed with fish scales. Sold at Bergdorf Goodman in 1985 for $106 (about $217 in today's dollar.)

If you weren't wearing a t-shirt over your tights, you were wearing a huge plaid shirt with linebacker shoulder pads. And ankle socks. And jazz shoes. Admit it, yes you were. Both pieces by Diane B. Sold at Bergdorf Goodman in 1985 for $148 (about $303 in today's dollar.)

In 1985, we wore flowered pants with elastic waists and tapered legs. Diversions cotton separates. Sold at Bonwit Teller in 1985 for $34 (about $70 in today's dollar.)

We wore jumpsuits.....big oversized jumpsuits. We wore them with scrunchy socks and Keds. Pure white would do, but blinding neon colors were better. It was not easy to go to the bathroom wearing these things. And how many times did you drop your sleeve in the toilet, hmmmm? Both jumpsuits here by Naf Naf. Sold at Bergdorf Goodman in 1985 for $98 (about $201 in today's dollar.)

I shudder to remember this. Weren't we sexy in our stretch lace catsuits? I don't think I need to elaborate. Lily of France stretch nylon lace unitard. Sold at Saks Fifth Avenue in 1985 for $25 (about $51 in today's dollar.)

Claude Lalanne Jewelry for Yves St. Laurent, 1976

French artists Claude Lalanne and her husband Francois-Xavier Lalanne are best known for their large metal sculptures. He preferred to sculpt animals, while she used botanical references in her work. Yves St. Laurent was a great admirer of their work and had several pieces in his private collection. Claude Lalanne designed jewelry and belts for Yves St. Laurent as early as 1971, but I especially like these pieces that she made in the spring of 1976.

Above, a fantastical copper headpiece consisting of branches and flowers with a large butterfly at the front.

A romantic choker necklace with large butterflies both front and back.

And here, a small image of the gorgeous cuff bracelets, which look like ginko leaves that curve around the arm. Click on the photo for a larger view.

Lalanne also designed furniture. Above, one of the bronze chairs that was commissioned by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation for the courtyard of the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum.


This is a view from above of a 1996 bronze ginko leaf patio table that came with 6 chairs. The set sold at auction in 2008 for $314,500.

If you're lucky enough to be in Florida, you can see many of the outdoor sculptures of the Lalannes at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden this year.

Tall, Tall Hats of the Early 60s

Miss Dior, 1961

In the early 60s, tall hats became all the rage. This was also the time when hairstyles started to get big. A tall hat gave the illusion of big hair without all the teasing, hairspray, and work involved. I think these hats are extremely elegant and they say "High Fashion" to me. What do you think? Would you wear a hat like this?

Nina Ricci, 1962

Lanvin-Castillo, 1962

Pierre Cardin, 1962

Who could forget the very brief cameo role of Carolyn Jones (right) on season 4 of Mad Men? Her entire outfit, including the very tall hat, just blew me away!

If you said, "Yes!" to wearing tall hats, I just listed this early 1960s version in white leather at Couture Allure. Made by Wilson's House of Suede, it originally sold at their Beverly Hills store. Isn't it fabulous?

New at Couture Allure - Vintage Dresses and Handbags

This week at Couture Allure I've listed lots of vintage dresses and some fabulous vintage handbags from my personal collection. Be sure to check our What's New pages for all the latest additions to the site!

1950s Soure embroidered straw handbag.

1950s python print vinyl purse.

1970s embroidered caftan.

1960s tan shantung suit.

1960s pink shantung dress and jacket set.

1960s op art print day dress with ruffle sleeves.

Weekend Eye Candy - Claudette Colbert, 1932

Claudette Colbert starred as Empress Poppaea in Cecille B. DeMille's The Sign of the Cross, 1932. The costumes were designed by Mitchell Liesen, who was also the Art Director for the film. As you can see, this film was released before the Motion Picture Production Code, or censorship, was enforced beginning in 1934. Colbert's costume has a low decolletage, bare midriff, and cut outs at the hips. In this scene from the film, you'll see her cavorting in a milk bath and another suggestive costume worn by Vivian Tobin as Dacia.

Couture Evening Gowns - 1950

It's been awhile since I showed you evening gowns. Let's just pretend we all have a grand affair to attend this weekend for which we need an over-the-top gown. How about these couture creations from Spring 1950? Which will you choose?

Christian Dior

Jacques Fath

Mme. Grés

Christian Dior

Lucile Manguin

Dupont Orlon and Paris Couture

Yes, Dupont, the company that brings you "Better things for better living...through chemistry" took out a multi-page advertisement in the spring of 1969 featuring it's Orlon acrylic blend fabrics used by Paris couturiers.

The 1960s were known for technological advances and the use of synthetic materials in avante-garde fashion. We saw the use of vinyl, mylar, and other synthetics. By the late 60s, the traditional couture client was becoming a thing of the past. Ready-to-wear was experiencing an explosion of popularity. Dupont seized upon the opportunity to promote it's man-made fibers to the couturiers and to benefit from the status that link provided. And, no doubt, money exchanged hands as part of the deal.

Here, Paris couture from the spring of 1969.

Castillo navy and white plaid 3 piece suit in wool and Orlon acrylic blend.

Jeanne Lanvin black and white glen plaid coat in wool/Orlon acrylic blend.

Jean Patou white and yellow jumpsuit and jacket in double faced gabardine in a blend of Orlon acrylic and wool.


Madeleine de Rauch pink coat in double faced gabardine in a blend of wool and Orlon acrylic.

Phillipe Venet white and navy plaid 7/8 coat in double-faced gabardine of wool and Orlon acrylic.