Part Two: What Girdles Mean to Women -February, 1966
2-1. The Facts of Girdle Ownership
In this, the second consecutive installment of a marketing report commissioned by the Flexnit Corp. and released exclusively to Intimate Apparel, the opinions of 70 women respondents are condensed into a concise but diversified statement on how women react to and feel about the girdles they own and the ones they might buy. The women range in age from 25 to 65, and their interviews are perhaps the most comprehensive ever undertaken on this subject.
Women buy a variety of girdles depending for a variety of uses. The average woman owns between five and ten girdles, but some are worn very infrequently. In general, the older girdles are used for home and casual wear while the newer ones are used for occasions of social importance.
Girdle ownership varies with income. Women in the lower income groups often owned just two girdles (one new and one old) while some women in the upper income groups owned dozens of girdles, most of which were purchased at the slightest excuse or on casual whims. The number of girdles owned does not appear to have any direct relationship with the number of different brands owned. Respondents ranged from purchasing one brand exclusively to great experimentation with a variety of different brands.
A major pattern among consumers is to buy particular brands for certain occasions and purposes. The more expensive girdles are purchased for evening wear and for formal occasions. Women turn to the popular priced girdles for everyday wear and for occasions where casual dress is appropriate. More care about appearance of the girdle, and of the woman while wearing it, typifies the purchase of the "better" girdle. Comfort, support and durability typify the features desired of the inexpensive everyday girdle.
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Originally Posted April 20, 1997