Rudi Gernreich's Popular Lingerie Analysis

Diverting from the glamour of the 1950’s, the 1960’s and 1970’s featured lingerie that celebrates the natural female body. “Many women of this decade [1960] burned their bras as an act of defiance and non-conformity, and even those who didn't still enjoyed a more liberated sort of lingerie that embraced the natural female form (Lindig & Ogunnaike 2016).” Popular lingerie at the time included, Rudi Gernreich’s suggestive “no-bra” bra (shown right). This bra was a, “wireless, padding-free style that adapted to the natural shape of the breasts (Hill 2014).” It was available in numerous shades of sheer nylon that were intended to blend in with the wearer’s skin (Hill 2014). Additionally, “the especially short hemline of Gernreich’s half-slip was

In fact, Victoria’s Secret was founded in 1977, “corresponding to renewed interest in ultra-feminine lingerie styles (Hill 2014).” This was a time when women were commanding power, and having the choice to wear feminine lingerie under power-suits, or risqué bodysuits on stage, solidified this power. Cher, famously debuted a sheer bodysuit (shown left) in concert, encapsulating the 1980’s idea of sex. Soon after, “lingerie had officially gone back to the one-piece, or teddies (Saggese 2016),” which resembled Cher’s iconic look. Moving into the 1990’s, Victoria’s Secret commodified lingerie in a way that had never been done before, by introducing Victoria’s Secret Angels, and hosting the inaugural Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Madonna also brought lingerie back to the stage when she wore Jean Paul Gaultier’s iconic cone bra. Lingerie in the late 1990’s became androgynous, and this was famously exemplified by Calvin Klein’s controversial ads.

Even though he was technically selling clothing, his models often wore no clothing at all, challenging ideas of nudity and the connotations of sex that go with them. In addition he created the unisex Calvin Klein waistband to prove that sexuality didn’t always have to be determined by gender. (Saggese

The film also stars Peter Sellers as Dr. Kabir, and follows Loren’s character – a spoiled London heiress named Epifania Parerga – as she attempts to win Dr. Kabir’s love under unusual conditions outlined in her deceased father’s will. In arguably the most well-known scene from the film, Epifania visits Dr. Kabir because she wants to buy his building. When a nurse mistakes Epifania for a patient, she informs her to undress. Epifania does so, and reveals a black corset with black garters. The garment (shown above), was designed by Pierre Balmain, and strongly represents the topic of lingerie and social change in the late 1950’s. Through its design, the black corset embodies femininity of the time. As mentioned previously, women of the 1950’s were portrayed as being the complete antithesis of men: glamorous, buxom, and objects of desire. The resurgence of the corset emphasized these feminine ideals. This piece was also chosen for further analyzation, because it appears in a film that parallels the society in which it was released to. In the late 1950’s, Sophia Loren had just skyrocketed to international fame, and the fact that she was costumed in nothing but pearls, gloves, a sunhat and an alluring black corset – designed by a world renowned designer like Balmain nonetheless – speaks