Crushing on vintage lingerie

Doesn't MTV VJ and sometime model Ruby Rose look gorgeous in this vintage bra, courtesy of Sydney's The Vintage Clothing Shop. She appears in an editorial, photographed by Todd Barry, in the April issue of Aussie Vogue.

I honed in on this image immediately as my interest in vintage lingerie has been piqued, just as underwear as outerwear has exploded on the international catwalks.

Some months ago I purchased a brand new corset to wear under my wedding dress but - thankfully for my ribs - I've managed to lose a few kilos in recent months and, provided I can avoid too many cakes over the next fortnight - I think I can discard the corset and spare my frame.

But during my dress rehearsal last weekend I noticed there was still something not quite right about my silhouette. The reality is that vintage clothes often call for vintage lingerie and the bust on my beloved dress is somewhat torpedo in shape, in line with 1950s fashion. So at the eleventh hour I went hunting for a bullet bra, which aren't that easy to find.

Here is the one I did find however, and have ordered from Ballyhoo Vintage. The one saving grace is that it is relatively easy to find small sizes in vintage because, despite all genetic evidence to the contrary, I have grown up with nary a bosom in sight.

Nothing screams 1940s or 1950s quite like the bullet bra as by the 1960s the style was well and truly on the out. Fingers crossed this fairly subdued example gives me oomph in all the right places. Ballyhoo Vintage stocks a heap of new old stock, so if you are a little bit squeamish about wearing someones discarded smalls but like vintage styles, they are worth checking out. I absolutely adore the classic peach pink colour of vintage lingerie, which you can see in these examples from the 30s and 40s.

And this blue satin teddy looks like it would feel absolutely luxurious between sheets.

Slips are having a renaissance this season, the likes of which hasn't been seen since the 1990s. To me a classic negligee or cami never goes out of style, and the no fuss lingerie of the past appeals for its femininity and simplicity. Well, except for some of those pelvis crunching girdles.

One modern label that has caught my fancy with its retro sensibility is Lonely by Lonely Hearts. Lonely Hearts is a quirky fashion line from New Zealand, and their second collection of yummy silk lingerie has me salivating. Their bras are very 1930s in look and come in pastel ice cream shades that would look great under a sheer blouse.

Check out these great editorials from Oyster, 1am and Harper's Bazaar.

Meanwhile I'll keep you updated on my bullet bra experiment. I'm not expecting to look like Jane Russell or Jayne Mansfield. Maybe just Lana Turner lite ... with a breast reduction.