Old Undies are Ugly

contrary to popular belief

Glamorous.

You hear that word associated with the 1950’s. Looks like this one would have us believe that:

That’s Joan Crawford in her home as she is about to exit to do who-knows-what in that glamorous ensemble.

The people in the 1950s didn’t have the many many mini-medical treatments that take 10 years off of our skin.

Ms.Crawford getting gooped. I'm seeing ice, gauze, butter, one woman and a poodle in this intense beauty regimen. ...no lasers, razors or electric jowl shocking equipment.

The makeup was not as good, either.

Ms.Crawford painting on her famous eyes, eyebrows and lips. hmmm....so little is god-given when we look closely.

Add color and it gets even more real.

all the artifice exposed, and the word glamorous still applies.

My impression is that the 1950s were all about the end result. And accepting artifice. That’s why the underwear of the period looked like this:

uuhhhh....not pretty. Pooch prevention is serious, unpretty business.

Yes, I am turning a 2020’s eye onto a 1950s silhouette and saying, ‘no thank you’. Nowadays, wrapping a character’s hips in powerful nylon that flattens the body on every side from high thigh to bellybutton would be a strong statement. You would either have to do it to everyone, or decide that was a big choice for one actor.

It’s a beautiful look. Just very particular … maybe not the right look for this 1957 show. What do you think of Ms. Crawford’s hang…