These 1947 advertisements suggest panty girdles for young girls and for those occasions when women wore trousers. L-R: Permalift; Olga; Slackees; Chique.

Panty girdles of the 1950's tended to be plain, with minimal ornamentation. Garters usually extended from the bottom of the leg cuff, but occasionally were affixed outside the leg. Far left: Formfit; others unknown.

Aiming for a youthful market. L-R: Vassarette, 1961; Formfit 1956; Flexees, undated.

Panty girdles were less likely than open styles to "ride up"- an advantage amusingly demonstrated by this early 50's Permalift campaign.

With the advent of the 1960's, new fabrics, most notably Dupont's Lycra, provided shaping that was firm, yet lightweight. L-R: Kleinerts, 1963; Warners, 1964; Scandale, 1967.

Mid-60's styles- trimmed with ribbon and lace, garters discreetly hidden inside the panty leg. L-R: Bali, 1967; Surprise, undated; Peter Pan, 1966 (2); Carnival, 1965 (2).

Though the panty girdle was widely considered to offer superior comfort and convenience, some women found the long legs constricting. Several manufacturers attempted to address this concern. L-R: Youthcraft, 1966; Flexees, 1966.

By 1965, the panty girdle was the control garment of choice for most American women. L-R: Treo, 1965; Fortuna, 1965; Kayser, undated; Kayser, 1968; Fortuna, 1966.

The low-priced Lovable range was sold in several countries. Note the variety of lengths available in the leftmost picture. L-R: 1962; 1963; undated; 1969.

An American innovation, the panty girdle's popularity eventually spread overseas. L-R: French, 1965; French, 1969; Italian, undated; German, 1976.

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The Image Gallery is presented in hopes of preserving a small bit of a vanishing cultural resource. All material is posted for educational purposes only.

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