Latex to Dunlop's Lastex to Elastic
Although rubber had been around some time it needed to be transformed into a textile fabric for use in clothing. By the thirties bra history was to change forever when Dunlop chemists were able to transform latex into reliable elastic thread in all sorts of dimensions. The yarn was knitted or woven and eventually made into washable Lastex fabric.
Early crossover front panel pull on girdle
Lastex was revolutionary. Heavy boning and lacing were soon replaced in corsetry by Lastex. Figure control was soon under elastic fabric panels. A longline girdle called the ' Gossard Complete ' was a boneless firm foundation garment worn with backless evening dresses of the 1930s. It was advertised as not requiring the help of maids as it fastened with side hooks and bars.
One all rubber garment that women over 50 can always recall is the rubber Playtex girdle of the late 1950s early 1960s. It left an imprint of tiny spots all over the buttocks. The spots were from the evaporation holes in the girdle rubber. Yes, it was totally rubber. Cream rubber. Think of a very thick rubber glove or windsurf suit with pinhead size holes. After wearing the girdle for an hour the buttocks appeared to have developed a rash akin to German measles.
A neater everyday girdle commonly called a roll-on was a directional stretch garment much the shape and size of a pair of waist high panty briefs, but sometimes with legs that covered the thighs. It was worn up until the 1960s in place of a suspender belt. It gave tummy control and held up stockings. It's interesting to see that lots of ladies panties now have in built Lycra that performs in a similar way when wearing slim skirts or trousers.
Perhaps if tights had not been invented the roll on would never have gone away. But tights themselves have helped reintroduce a modern version of support with control panels built into this disposal item. Silkies in UK sell pantyhose which lifts and slims the thighs and rear and performs many of the functions women expected from older style roll ons.
Bras after 1930
After 1930 all the names we know well in lingerie and corsetry today began manufacturing bras with quite separate cups. They used quality cotton lace and net.
One famous bra designed in the 1930s was the Kestos bra and later the Kestos Utility Bra shown right. Its simple seaming looks classy and could be effective today.
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Warners Introduce Cup Sizing 1935
Bra history took on a new dimension when in 1935, Warners introduced four cup sizes called A, B, C and D, but it was well into the 1950s before Britain followed this American standard. The British corset manufacturers were still using coy descriptions like junior and medium to describe breast fullness.
Bosoms were dethroned and separate breasts were really acknowledged.
Utility Bras 1940s
Fashion history is always affected by material shortages during and immediately after wars. In the war era after 1940, bras were made from minimal fabric when they bore the Utility mark. Utility bras were serviceable bras using broche, a cotton backed satin or drill and often peach pink in colour. Supplies were very limited and were best ordered. Twilfit manufactured utility bras and Twilfit were a household name for roll-ons and bras in the 1950s.
Women also made their own bras from paper patterns or magazine guidelines for making bra and French knicker sets. The fabric they used was sometimes parachute silk, parachute nylon or old satin wedding dresses. Once the 1950s arrived changes in textile technology saw new developments in all underwear items, but particularly in the costume history of bras.