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PIN-UP

~FROM CHEESECAKE TO PIN-UP~

Before we dive further into the roots of luxury lingerie, it is a delight to also write about the skimpy clad and gorgeous Pin-up girls of the 20th century…
First of all, you can of course easily guess that the name or word “Pin-up” comes from the notion to pin an image, photograph, or illustration of a sexy Pin-up girl to the wall.
But as the word and depiction of a Pin-up was still quite a taboo in the earlier 20th century (and the late 19th century), they would be called Cheesecake, so as to not make it obvious that you were talking about a scantly dressed, sexy, and glamorous girl.

~GOOD LUCK SEX SYMBOLS~

Even though they were already trendy earlier on, Pin-up girls would be all the rage in the ’40s and especially during WWII.
And one of the most famous Pin-ups of the ’40s (and the ’50s) was Betty Grable and Bettie Page.

A Pin-up could usually be seen dressed in the likes of a bathing suit, a revealing dress, negligee, sexy lingerie, a corset, or in army gear, but certainly and vérrry seductively so, showing an ample amount of skin.
Next to photographs of Pin-up models and glamorously sexy actresses, they would be illustrated and this of course gave artists the freedom to draw the girls in any sexy pose they wanted.

Tons of magazines, posters, cards, etc. depicting Pin-ups would be sent across the world to the lonely soldiers, but it was not only and just about the sexiness of the Pin-ups keeping the boys warm at night, they were also often used as a kinda good-luck charm and considered to be inspiring female patriots.
For example, Pin-ups could be found as “nose-art” and being glamorously shown off on the front of bombers and fighter aircraft during the Second World War for good luck, inspiration, and of course, it looked damn ravishing too.

One of the most famous Pin-up artists was Joaquin Alberto Vargas y Chávez, the Pin-up girls he created were called “Vargas-girls”.
And defo worth a fabulous mention is Olivia De Berardinis, she was the woman behind Pin-up art of the likes of Betty Grable and Bettie Page (even more so in the ’50s).

~THE CLASSIC PIN-UP SHAPE~

The shape of a Pin-up was definitely a reflection on the shape of a lady in the ’40s: More boob, flat tummy, and the showing of a bit of hip, we’re talking about the classic hourglass figure.
This feminine hourglass form was achieved with i.e. the help of girdles, bullet bras, and waist cinchers…
These items in the luxury lingerie realm would definitely be your friend in the ’40s.

But…as women took over their men’s jobs during wartime ( as these men were overseas fighting the war), and ladies were emancipating far and wide, they had to have more freedom when it came down to the undergarments-department.
So how did they pull that off on the luxury lingerie-front in the ’40s?