Undergarments

More Information: Prior to 1914, women were expected to wear heavily boned corsets with tight laces, shaping their bodies to the fashionable silhouette of the period. Metal shortages during World War I led to more flexible and freeing options of corsets and undergarments. This trend continued into the 1920s, and the bandeau brassiere, a precursor to a modern bra, acted as a breast binder, flattening the upper body into the straight, youthful, and androgynous silhouette fashionable for flappers.

As hemlines rose and dresses became slinkier, full cotton, split-leg bloomers shifted to “French knickers” - elongated shorts with a closed gusset between the legs made from chiffon, georgette, or other types of silk. These shorts not only acted as underwear, but made it easier for girls to play sports.

The combination of a bandeau bra and tap pants became one of the most common types of undergarments in the latter half of the 1920s. The thin silk combined with minimal lace and ribbon decoration highlighted the slim tubular silhouette without adding bulk under a short and thin chiffon dress.