Drawer Three
Contents
A People Watcher
Some very interesting celebrity photos in the September 15, 1997, issue of People magazine. The photos can be found on page 149 (Kristen Johnson of Third Rock From the Sun, what is that under her dress?) and page 151 (Glenn Close in what the caption states is a firm foundation).
It looks like we are not alone and even Hollywood is getting into the act!
-Newt
A Retailing Update
I'll let you decide if this article from Discount Store News is of general interest. It's more than a year old, but a general sign of the times
-Tim
Go Figure: Shapewear Sheds Inhibitions
Discount Store News; May 6, 1996
There's been a top-to-bottom change in intimate apparel. Last year, the trend in innerwear was to lift and accentuate the bust with the push-up bra. While that style still has a place at some retail outlets, this year the bigger news is in body-shaping panties.
As the style focus shifts from the bust to the bottom, mass merchants are making a concerted effort to capitalize on the wave. They are working to build on the lion's share of the panty business they already hold. According to the NPD Consumer Purchase Panel, discounters captured a $650 million stake, or 39 percent, of the $1.7 billion panty market in 1995. That marks a 16 percent increase over their position in '94.
In the scheme of intimate apparel, retailers view shaping panties as a huge opportunity for them to increase that share. "We're experiencing phenomenal success with shapewear," reports Phyllis Epstein, buyer of shapewear, foundations and panties at Bradlees, pointing to Cupid, Playtex, Truform's Sarong label and Lovable Co.'s Love Lines label as top resources. "Shaping panties is a high-margin business for us, and we're able to put advertising dollars behind it to let customers know about its benefits," she adds.
Bradlees operates Shape Shops, in which panties play the largest role of all the offerings. The chain has initiated a program to bring in trained specialists to work in 100 of its intimate apparel departments to aid consumers in finding the best fit and style for their needs.
ShopKo has only in the past six months begun to give shapewear the attention it warrants. "Since we've made shapewear a priority, by segmenting it from regular panties and signing it, it's turned out to be a huge, emerging business," says Skip Chustz, ShopKo's vice president and general merchandise manager.
ShopKo recently doubled intimate apparel's floor space within its prototype outlets, a move Chustz links to the swift success of shapewear from Hanes Her Way and Just My Size plus items.
"Shapewear is currently the strongest business in our intimates complex," says Bernie Wise, divisional merchandise manager of ready-to-wear and cosmetics at Venture Stores. "We see it as a force that will drive intimates into the future. We've expanded the business and created dominant presentations in all stores using the back wall and body forms," he adds, noting the selection includes Cupid, Lovable, Hanes Her Way and Just My Size.
"Lightweight, moderate control briefs are our strongest sellers, with waist control briefs growing in importance," says Wise. Retail prices for control panties at Venture start at $4.
One way manufacturers and their retail partners can grow the shaping panty business is by helping to change the public's perception of the category.
"The stigma of wearing shapewear is disappearing. It has become cool, if you will, for women of all ages to wear shapewear." -Phyllis Epstein, Bradlee's, Inc.
According to a study commissioned by Lycra maker DuPont Fibers last September, female wearers of control-top pantyhose (ages 25 to 49) said they like the support control hose affords them, but they have generally negative views of shapewear. They associate shaping items with older customers and with discomfort, and would only consider wearing shapewear with special occasion outfits that may require more tucking and tightening. Overall, most women don't consider shaping panties as part of their everyday intimate wardrobes.
Aggressive efforts by specialty chains and department stores to communicate to female consumers that shaping items are fashionably acceptable are helping to dispel those notions. Victoria's Secret and Cacique, for example, showcase cotton/Lycra and nylon/Lycra panties with pretty accents like lace trim in a palette of basic and fashion colors.
The upstairs campaign has also benefited the mass market. "Our business has been able to go forward like it has in large part because the stigma of wearing shapewear is disappearing. It has become cool, if you will, for women of all ages to wear shapewear," says Bradlees' Epstein.
Discounters have followed the leads of specialty and department stores with their own assortments of contemporary shapewear, but prices in the mass market are much lower. Shaping panties start at $4 at Bradlees, while Playtex Secrets' highest-priced panty sells at Target for about $14. Playtex' department store panties run as high as $17, while Body Slimmers by Nancy Ganz and other such offerings often exceed the $20 mark.
Consumers are responding very favorably to shaping panties' range of price points, and retailers are basking in the knowledge that they can move high price tags and get high margins from shaping panties in an era when regular panties have become so promotional. Manufacturers are improving their value-oriented offerings to lure the growing cross-shopper to the mass market.
The Protection Factor
A web page called Survivor Stories tells this harrowing story of a woman whose girdle helped her avoid date-rape on a trip to Barbados:
He had my skirt pulled up now, and was tugging at my girdle. It was a heavy-duty super-duper panty girdle, that enclosed my fat hips, tummy, and legs like armour. For the only time in my life, I loved my girdle. He could not budge it! He lifted up, and changed his angle to get a better grip on the slick strong rubber. He let go of my arms, too, so he could use both hands on that stubborn girdle. That gave me a chance! I wrenched both arms from behind my back, and tried to scratch him. He easily evaded my efforts, and sat on my chest to hold me down so that he could tug at the girdle.
The man on my chest left me gasping for breath, but it freed my legs! I kicked out, desperately, trying to get him! I missed him completely. Instead, I kicked his rearview mirror. It broke, and came off the windshield, to land with a tinkling of glass atop my midsection.
"You bitch! You broke my mirror!" The man was devastated. "My mirror!" He stopped struggling with the girdle, and picked up the mirror. He got off me, and shoved my feet out from under the steering wheel, to give himself a place to sit. I landed on the floor in front of the passenger seat, gasping for breath, and watching him warily. "You broke my mirror!" he said again. He was still staring at it in disbelief. I pulled my bra down from around my neck, while he was distracted, and put it where it was supposed to be. I found my blouse, and put it back on.
"Take me home," I said.
I was shaken by the attempted rape, but the strange thing was that I did not feel victimized. Instead, I felt like giggling. I felt empowered. I had successfully defended myself! No longer did I have to think of myself as a stupid victim. I had met the enemy, and emerged victorious!
More Girdles on TV
Wanted to pass along what I saw on Oprah the other day. Had a few actresses on talking about aging, including Lauren Hutton. She is in her early fifties and still thin as can be.
Anyway, she was asked about what to wear to keep looking young and good and the first thing she talked about was wearing a panty girdle. She even held one up for the whole audience to see!
The best part was there were no laughs or resistance from the crowd or Oprah when she talked about wearing one. Even one of the guests asked who the garment was made by.
Way to go Lauren! Hope there were millions of women watching and will take her advice.
-Norman
A reader kindly pointed me to this Usenet discussion of a recent episode of the soap opera, As the World Turns:
Highlight of the day: Lily again accidentally forgets to put her clothes on over her underwear and again everybody is too embarrassed to say anything, especially since she seems to be operating under the delusion that not only is she wearing a dress, but she is wearing a really amazing dress!
Pam is leafing through a glossy mag as her poor niece wanders into the room wearing her camisole top and a leopard print girdle. Pam acts like Lily is wearing a dress, but since Lily is accustomed to Pam`s level of talent, she doesn`t catch on-- she thinks she really is wearing a dress. Pam is cruel-- she then proceeds to steer her naked niece out the door. In an almost humorous (were it not so depressing) moment, Lily mutters ``stand up straight`` as the two women head for the door. Pam giggles but does not take the advice.
The Yin and the Yang
Herewith, two quotes from women who are certain they know exactly how every other woman should dress:
From "Betty Cornell's Teen-Age Popularity Guide," 1951:
I am firmly of the opinion that every teen needs a girdle...don't turn your nose up at the idea of wearing these modern aids to figure beauty. The reason I am so adamant about girdles is that I know of no other way to keep a figure well in hand. Even a teen with a trim figure needs to coax her curves a bit when it comes to wearing slim skirts and slacks. To me there is nothing more repellent than a protruding fanny or a bulging tummy marring the outline of a narrow silhouette.
From a Web essay by NPR commentator Bernadette Noll, 1996:
Last Monday morning, I was sitting at the kitchen table in flip-flops, easing into the day with a coffee and the local paper. And then all of sudden I was wide awake and staring at a full-page ad for women's girdles. Not girdles as in sexy fun lingerie, but real fifties-style, full-body, knee-to-breast, hold-the-flab girdles. I choked on my coffee.
I sat and stared at the gigantic ad for gigantic girdles. It bugged me. It baffled me. I couldn't believe that in 1996, over twenty years after the proverbial bras were burned, women were once again suffering and sweating in these contraptions.
I sat down to work but still my mind was on those girdles. What do they say about a woman's role today? What do they say about what we have to say? Are we not worth as much if we have a belly or breasts that don't protrude as bullets? Aren't we over that?
If you know a woman who has given in to the fashion world by encircling herself with a too-tight piece of elastic, stop her. Do her a favor and gather her with a bunch of other women. Show her that it is a rare woman indeed who holds the Barbie physique. Sing to her the chorus of "Please Release Me Let Me Go," and don't stop until she lets it all hang out.
Sounds like she's suggesting the sort of "self-criticism session" once so favored by Mao's Red Guards, doesn't it? "Admit that you are a class enemy! Give up your girdle and repent!"
Spare me from fashion fascists of every sort.
-Virginian
A Girdle Experiment
Found on the Web: fascinated by girdles, the charming Axella decides to try one for herself.
A Post-Modern Woman Relives the Girdle Experience
I had bought a girdle at a thriftstore. The tags were still attached, so I suppose that its previous owner wasn't tempted by its cute little tricks. I pictured a mother buying it for her rebellious daughter in the late sixties, who in turn rejected it, and then pantyhose came and girdles went.
Anyway, this was a very lightweight girdle compared to what is pictured on this page, and what, no doubt, the author of the teen guide was referring to. I wore it under a skirt from the early sixties--the kind that was cut to fit a woman wearing a girdle, with the waist disproportionate to the hips.
Right after I put it on, with the skirt over it, I was very pleased with the results. "Well, no wonder they wore these things!" I thought, " what an easy way to be a size smaller." I felt nicely tucked and trimmed away.
This appreciation was not to last much longer. As I went about my business that day, the girdle started bothering me in several areas. One was my waist, where the waistband was digging into my skin. Another area was around the leg openings, which also were cutting into me. By the time I got home that day, I couldn't wait to get the thing off.
I came away from my little trial marveling at the women who actually wore girdles all day, everyday, year after year. Not only this, but they had to deal with the stockings that the girdles held up, as well as the other undergarments that were not considered optional by most American women.
Reprinted by permission.
Hey, at least she gave it a fair trial! Visit Chez Axella. It's well worth it.
A Model's Story
I am fifty-three and clearly remember the days before pantyhose. I modeled from ages 17 to 33, which was during the transition away from stockings and foundation garments, around 1967 to 1970. The shorter skirt styles that started to enter the scene circa 1965 were obivously a real problem when bending or even sitting down.
One rather humorous modeling experience in that year, 1965, comes to mind. although I am sure I didn`t think it was very funny at the time. I was twenty-one and had been working as a showroom and print model for about three years. My agent at the time, Carl, phoned me in a panic, early one Saturday morning. It seemed that one of the three models that was scheduled for a product rep and buyers' showing was deathly sick and couldn`t make it.
I was supposed to go for a sail with my boyfriend that afternoon, but Carl pleaded with me to model and assured me that the whole business wouldn`t take more than forty-five minutes, and "Oh, by the way, be sure and wear a girdle, honey!"
It seemed that there was a brand-new, very sheer, supposedly non-run stocking that was being marketed. I put on my black turtle neck sweater, straight skirt, and heels and rushed down to the hotel where the reps and buyers were staying (it was lingerie buyers' week ) The showing was to take place in one of the larger banquet rooms. we were to use one of the bathrooms to change in.
I knew one of the other models Teresa, a beautiful red head who must have been 5' 10". and was introduced to Laura, a very attractive and classy brunette. As a blonde with a bouffant do, and at 5' 9", I completed the group.
Carl brought in some boxes of stockings and told us to put a pair on and to walk by the tables while the manufactuer extoled their sheer non run virtues. I had the "secretarial look" skirt and sweater, Teresa had on a very smart suit, and Laura a lovely print dress. All of the hemlines were at or just above the knee, which I thought gave a fine view of the product.
Please keep in mind that at that time all of the buyers were men. And this group was partcularly flirtatious! I was the first one to return back to the changing area and Carl came running in, in his usual panic. The manufacturer was upset that "not enough of the product was showing". Carl was adamant. "Stefi, honey, you have got to take your skirt off so they can see the whole stocking. It`s no big deal- you`ve modeled corsets in the showroom before"
"But Carl, that was in front of women customers, not in front of 150 (by this time semi-drunk) men!"
"Please, Stefi, please. After all you are a professional and I do have more work for you!"
That was Carl, all right! So I put on a brave face, took off my skirt, and ventured into the room in my turtle sweater, white stretch lace open-bottom girdle, high heels, and those sheer stockings. I put on one of my fake model "I am not really here" smiles.
There was a noticeable silence as I bravely made my way to the first group of tables until a voice from the back of the room blurted out, "I'll take 50 dozen if you throw in the blonde!"
Apparently this group had not seen a girl in a girdle and hose for a long time or were just a little tipsy ( it was the last day of their week on the town and decorum be damned) because the men in the back stood up for a better look and started calling for me to come over to their tables. And where were Teresa, and Laura, and Carl! (As it turned out, arguing in the bathroom about going out in girdle or garter belt in front of what was now a group of very happy campers.)
I quickly found myself surrounded by buyers who now wanted a closer look at the "product." I kept my smile pasted on and tried to continue circulating through the now standing crowd. Suddenly I felt myself being lifted onto a table. A big Texan decided that the boys would have a better view if I was elevated and standing on the table! Of course with an open-style shorty girdle and sheer white panties the boys got a great view.
Finally Carl and the girls came to my rescue to a chorus of boos. Carl sent me two dozen roses the next day and I did model for him again, but with a full wardrobe ever after.
-Stefanie
PS: I wonder if I can still sue? At that time sexist behavior was accepted as quite normal. The feeling was "boys will be boys," and of course there was a lot of societal pressure to be sweet and demure to men. This was especially true of modeling where sexism was especially rampant. We girls got our revenge though: we simply wouldn't date any of the rude, crude types.
I Sing the Body Elastic
The March 19, 1998 issue of the New Haven Advocate featured this article in which a "gal reporter" (her term, not mine) decribes her encounters with figure-molding underwear. The article relies heavily on material borrowed from Zona, so I'm sure the Advocate folks won't mind my printing this excerpt!
Saturday Night, Beacon, N.Y., 1968
"Laugh now, sweetie," my mother said, cramming her scented body into a flesh-toned girdle. "Someday you'll understand."
Saturday Night, New Haven, Conn., 1997
"Feel my ass," squawked Dora to her girlfriends at her 30th birthday party. "Go ahead, pinch it."
We poked and cupped her derriere like sailors on weekend leave. Four gals with the gift of gab were speechless.
Dora's arse -- resplendent in a Mamie Van Doren-esque cherry-red floor-length number -- was impenetrable by bazooka, bayonet or the French Foreign Legion. Dora's rump was curvier than the Pacific Coast Highway and firmer than a Dale Carnegie handshake. It was as if an invisible orchestra followed her around playing "The Girl Can't Help It." Her secret lay not in a Thigh Master or slimming program. Dora's bottom -- a fine specimen to begin with -- was temporarily molded into pin-up perfection by a brand-spankin' new Smoothie foundation garment.
Being the only one at the party not born on Connecticut soil, I was unfamiliar with this thing called a Smoothie. "You know that old factory on Olive Street that says Smoothie in big letters on the side of the building that you pass by every day," barked a smart-alecky pal. "That's Smoothie. They've been around for ages."
My interest was piqued -- not only by the old girdle factory, but by the notion of women my age dancing cheek-to-cheek with ovary-crushing contraptions again. Some of my girlfriends (not the body-conscious gym types) admitted to occasional one-night stands with slenderizing garments. We're the control-top pantyhose generation, hardly born under the sign of the Playtex 18-hour girdle. The closest I ever came to putting on a girdle was wearing two pairs of Slenderalls under my Calvins.
Dora was held in by a something called a Waist Eliminator Brief by Smoothie. It's kind of a sleek, high-waisted bicycle short made of shiny Lycra/Spandex. Dates with nookie in mind would need a sandblaster, but the results were impressive. Dora's foundation wouldn't earn any blue ribbons for pizzazz, but it was far better than our mothers' flesh-toned, zippered monstrosities.
I guess you could say I fell off the turnip truck when it comes to foundation garments. If I gain weight, I just buy clothes with more material and no waistband. I've become the Flax queen -- the women's clothing company name says it all. (Flax has the same ring to it as "ooze.") The image of my mother wiggling into her girdle, cursing like a truck driver, sticks in my head. I always felt she was a fashion prisoner.
One by one, my friends spilled their guts about the contents of their underwear drawers. "I have the Tummy Eliminator," whispered one. "Yeah? I can beat that, Toots. I got the mother of all girdles -- the Body Re-Former IV," belted another. "It's a Smoooooothie."
I asked them if they were all losing their minds. After all, we like, vote.
"Look, you have a kid and see what happens," said one. "I don't wear the damn thing every day, but I'm not gonna give up wearing something sexy once in a while. It makes me feel good."
"Hey, we're all chow hounds, and who here is going to get up at 6 a.m. and jog," said another friend, cramming a fistful of chips in her mouth. "So what if we cheat and get a little outside help."
The next morning, after four slabs of leftover bacon and a curled-up slice of pizza, I decided to look into this girdle craziness. My Harriet the Spy juices started to flow. (OK, so I admit I became a reporter 'cause of her nifty spy belt.) If there were behinds out there, I wanted to pinch them. If there were girdles out there, I wanted to flush 'em out. I wanted to get to the bottom of Smoothie, of the old building, and why the hell my friends are shoving two pounds of bologna in a one-pound sack.
I took out a fresh notebook and labeled it The Case of Dora's Butt.
-Collen Van Tassell
Want to know what happens next? Read the article on the New Haven Advocate web site.
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Originally Posted April 20, 1997