Reader Query - Proper Undergarments for 1960s Shift Dresses

In addition to yesterday's question about the proper undergarments for a low-backed dress, reader Tara also inquired about the correct foundations for 1960s shift dresses. Are a bra and panties enough?

I love this dress on you Tara! And you've asked another great question! The fact of the matter is, shift and sheath style dresses from the early to mid 1960s were designed to be worn with a girdle and women still considered them a necessity during these years. It wasn't until the later 1960s, with the advent of knits, pantyhose, and pants for day wear that the girdle loses favor with younger women.

Girdles from this time do become sleeker, though, with fewer seams and newer innovations in stretch fabrics.

And you'll find foundations in brighter colors and prints start to appear. The nice thing about the dresses from this era is that modern body shapers will probably give you the sleek look you want, so it's not necessary to search for vintage foundations.

Most importantly, though, you should wear a slip over your foundations to allow your dress to glide smoothly over them. Here's an earlier post of mine about the importance of wearing a slip.

Tara, while your 60s dresses look great, try wearing them with a body shaper and see if it makes a difference in how they fit. I think you'll like what you see! Thanks for your questions. And if anyone else has questions, please feel free to post them in comments or email me through the website.

Reader Query - Proper Undergarments for Low Back Dresses

Reader Tara writes, "I have a 1950s dress with scoop neck and a low V-back (point of the V ends at my waist), and I'm planning to wear it for graduation in June. What sort of bra would I wear with it? Or would a corset-type piece be better?"

Tara says that her graduation dress is cut lower than her green lace 1950s dress. First of all, Tara, congratulations on your graduation! You look beautiful in this dress.

If you don't normally wear a girdle, then a long line bra with a low back or a bra with convertible straps is what you want. Neither one of these is going to be easy to find and you'll probably have better success going to a high-end lingerie shop with a professional bra fitter on staff than searching online. Most importantly, be sure to take your dress with you for the fitting! A good bra like this is not going to be inexpensive and you want to make sure you get one that doesn't show!

Below are some images from the 1950s and 60s of the types of bras we're talking about.

Gossard Longerlyne bra.

Hollywood V-ette with low strap that wraps around the waist.

Jantzen Showback bra.

If you normally wear a girdle or corset, you'll probably need to find a strapless option with a low cut back. You might try a bridal store for this type of foundation garment if you don't have success in a regular lingerie shop.

Flexees Bare-bac Bouffante strapless corset.

Here are a few modern options from online shops if you can't find anything locally. The trick here will be to ask questions about how low the back drops on these foundations to make sure they'll work with your dress. Please note: Couture Allure does not receive compensation from any of these sites for promoting their products. I have not purchased any of these products, nor have I used any of these sites and cannot vouch for them. These are simply examples of what to look for.

Dominique Long Line Bra from HerRoom.com

Le Mystere Low Back Convertible Bra

Va Bien Backless Strapless corset

One last tip: Clothing adhesive tape is great for ensuring that there are no gaps in that low backed dress. It sticks to your skin and the fabric of your dress without leaving a sticky residue. Do a search this type of product, as there are many options available online.