Adapted From Seventeen Magazine
The April, 1961 issue of America's most popular magazine for teenaged girls carried a feature which clearly illustrated the prevailing attitude that wearing a girdle was essential in order to look one's best. The metaphor of an arithmetic lesson conveyed this message in a form sure to be understandable to any schoolgirl.
Today, "The Arithme-Tricks of Shape-Making" provides an extraordinary glimpse into the attitudes of the early Sixties. The equations convey a message that underwear and outerwear must work together; coordination is essential.
The garments suggested for teenaged girls are not wispy "training girdles," but substantial figure-shapers. Of the six girdles shown, only two would be categorized as "light control." Instead, the captions extol the benefits of such items as "a strong long-legged panty girdle of two-way stretch Lycra," and "a long-legged panty girdle of nylon elastic net with a tummy-flattening satin elastic front panel and a firm waistband."
Scholars will note that, at least in the pages of Seventeen, the panty girdle has completely displaced the open-bottomed style as the garment of choice for young ladies.
Now, begin your lessons:
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