Retro Stage Expands Vintage Swimsuit Collection with Iconic Styles from the Past Retro Stage refreshes its vintage swimsuit line with new styles inspired by iconic trends from the 1930s to the 1980s, offering both nostalgia and modern functionality.

Retro Stage Expands Vintage Swimsuit Collection with Iconic Styles from the Past #USA #Monterey #Retro_Stage #Vintage_Swimsuits #Fashion_History

Close up of white cotton garment - my finger & thumb are holding back the fold / flap of fabric that conceals the button fastening down the front of the bodice. One laundry button (they were simple metal things covered with white fabric and could be laundered … wouldn’t be damaged by soapy water - I think they could go through a wringer and even be boiled) The stitches through the centre of button are visible. The buttonhole is hand -stitched & the stitches are uneven. Some lace and pun-tucks to the right of the buttoning I’m wearing blue-grey nail polish

Here I’m showing off the tiny pin-tucks Honestly I use pins that are thicker than these tucks. White cotton garment and my fingers for scale. 2 sets of tucks on an angle (garment is on the angle - I was trying to be artistic) 3 tiny tucks per set - this is the bodice front Some lace visible in the top left corner - in the other corner is the button concealing fold / flap of fabric - it’s about an inch from 1 set of tucks - about 4cm of plain fabric then the other set of tucks and my fingers and blue-grey nail polish

This is the frill at the hem of one of the legs. White cotton and lace on background of floral upholstery fabric From the top there’s : a set of 3 tiny pin-tucks A band of cluny lace (details of this lace see alt text from photos 1&3 of previous ‘post’ reply ) Another set of pin-tucks Embroidered ribbon (has sweet simple flowers in raised stitches) Then slightly gathered, very wide (2” 5cm) broderie anglaise lace (details as for the other lace) Then right on the edge - a very thin simple cotton lace with van dyke design

This is the back view White cotton garment in need of ironing is laid out on a wooden seat with floral upholstery. The back looks much like the front except the bodice is a little plainer. Back neck is a little higher, there is just as much lace as the front but no tucks and no fastening. Hope you have enjoyed this long thread of posts (Flutters?) all about these Combinations.

3. Last part of my Ted Talk about the cotton Combinations c 1890s.
4 laundry buttons down front bodice, hand stitched buttonholes. Tiny pin-tucks on bodice & legs. At the waist - eyelet lace which would’ve had a ribbon or tape drawstring. Last photo is a back view. More in alt text #fashion_history

Bodice of the cotton Combinations lying on floral upholstery fabric. White and unironed - square neckline with 5 rows of lace - top & bottom are very thin, then 3cm wide broderie anglais (fine cotton fabric with machine embroidery (white-on white) tiny holes, this barely fits the definition of ‘lace’) between 2 bands of the b.anglaise is creamy coloured, 1.5cm wide Cluny lace. Design is alternating diamonds in cloth stitch (looks like fabric) and daisy type flowers - the ‘petals’ are what tell me this is hand made - bobbin lace in the ‘Cluny family’ - the shape of the petals (properly called Leaves, Tallies or Point d’esprit) and that this lace is made of cotton thread tell me that it was probably made in the Haute Loire, France. 🇫🇷 Embroidered ribbon and more b. Anglaise lace round the armholes. The bodice fastens down the front (concealed buttons) and there are tiny pin tucks.

White Lacey garment on floral upholstery fabric - we see part of the bodice. (For details of the lace see alt text of 1st photo) To show the shape of the armhole I am holding out the lace at the underarm … (I have blue-grey nail polish) Compared to a modern armhole this one extends out at the side more - giving extra fabric (and broderie anglaise lace) in the underarm. A modern wearer might find this uncomfortable but it was quite normal for underwear of the 1800s. I think the extra fabric acted as a dress shield - to minimise armpit moisture going onto the outer garments. Cotton undies were washed (perhaps even boiled in a copper) after every wear but the outer garments of wool or silk (depending on the wearer’s wealth) - those were difficult to launder - often could not go into water (lady’s maids had lots of dry cleaning methods ) anyway - you wanted to keep the outer clothes as clean as possible - hence - layers of underwear.

White Lacey garment - background is floral upholstery. To show you the lace I’ve put my hand into an armhole, my fingers are under the lace. My hand is pink & a bit wrinkly (I’m not young) There is very thin lace on the edges, bands of 3cm wide broderie anglais (fine cotton fabric with machine embroidery (white-on white) tiny holes, this barely fits the definition of ‘lace’) between 2 bands of the b.anglaise is creamy coloured, 1.5cm wide Cluny lace. Design is alternating diamonds in cloth stitch (looks like fabric) and daisy type flowers - the ‘petals’ are what tell me this is hand made - bobbin lace in the ‘Cluny family’ - the shape of the petals (properly called Leaves, Tallies or Point d’esprit) and that this lace is made of cotton thread tell me that it was probably made in the Haute Loire, France. 🇫🇷 Embroidered ribbon and more b. Anglaise lace round the armholes.

Here we see inside - of all the lace round the square neckline and the beautifully sewn seaming and joining of the bands of lace. Enclosed seams - very thin A lot of skill here For descriptions of the lace pls see alt text for photos 1&3

2. Combinations cont. looking at the bodice part.
Square neck with lots of lace, broderie anglaise & hand made Cluny bobbin lace, tiny pin-tucks. All beautifully sewn.
More in the alt text for each photo #history_of_fashion #fashion_history

On an upholstered seat a white unironed cotton garment is laid out. Combinations look a bit like a playsuit / pantsuit with short legs - a combination of a chemise and drawers - this undergarment went under the corset - the first garment a lady put on (unless you put your stockings on first) Sleeveless, square necked, a drawstring at the waist (this is missing) then split drawers long in the crotch - knee length. Lots of lace at neck and leg ends.

Any #Fashion_History nerds here?
In the past I’d have posted on IG & FaceBoo but I’m trying to avoid those now. So here goes. A Thread 🧵 of posts about one of my treasures.
Cotton Combinations c. 1890s not ironed (don’t want to damage them) alt text for more info 🪡