The Missing Stay

Delving back into Yours magazine's 50 Years of Fashion I learned something about the transition from corsets to girdles.

In the article "The Hidden Support" it claims that corsets were banned during World War 2, except by medical prescription. I haven't heard that before, and I have a reproduction of Make Do And Mend (which might also be in a box in my parent's shed) that mentions cleaning corsets, so it's possible that it wasn't that all corsets were banned, just that new ones weren't allowed, which does make sense as the steel used for the bones would be needed for the war effort.

After the war, in came roll ons, zip girdles and plastic boned corselettes instead, and both the article and my grandma mentioned that these were pretty uncomfortable to wear, so I figure that this must be where the idea that actual corsets are uncomfortable comes from.

The small inset article underneath mentions a few discrete things women would say to each other if they spotted that someone's petticoat was showing such as "It's snowing down south!"

I feel like it would be fun to revive that saying for Lolita wearers!

Latex

Another advert pulled from Scarlet magazine that made it onto my inspiration board

I've been intending to buy something from Atsuko Latex (who later went on to make the latex gown that Lady Gaga met the Queen in!), but I've never really had enough cash to be able to justify it yet.

I have been doing some major oggling at their latex leggings and heart shaped eye patches  recently though, so who knows, maybe once the wedding is paid for!

Be Gorgeous - Be Glamorous - Be a Goddess

Continuing the theme of "stuff from 2008 I found in a box in my parent's shed".

I used to have this on my note board in my room in first year, it was the back page of a magazine I used to buy called Scarlet (which was unfortunately cancelled when I was in second year :( ).

In amongst the articles I bought it for that introduced me to the concepts of Female Domination as more than just a comedy trope, puppy play and boot worship (I was 19 and living on my own for the first time, I was kind of a curious kitten about sexuality), there were often full page adverts for The Plus Size Lingerie Lounge and they were one of the first times I encountered plus size women presented as anything other than the comic relief or someone who must deep down hate themself.

As a fashion student who was plus sized herself this had a huge impact on me, and for a while I actually considered going into underwear design.

I Am A Fan Of This Look

And terrible at puns

A look from a 2008 issue of Asiana magazine, a fashion magazine aimed at Asian Brits that I used to buy when I was at uni because I was often inspired by the colour palettes and use of accessories in their editorials.