Susan Smith, Fay Stevens, Pam Johnson

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They’re All Wearing Them

To cope as cutely as possible with the embarrassment a mini-skirt can cause a girl when she sits in a low chair or gets into a low car, they’re all wearing Long Johns or jazzy reach-me-downs or colourful D.K.’s.

SUSAN SMITH is wearing them in white.

FAY STEVENS is wearing them in pink trimmed with white.

PAM JOHNSON is wearing them in red trimmed with white.

It's one way of covering up. And to think we once thought that post-war New Look was sensational. Have you seen any old news reels lately—the ones depicting that New Look? Even the girls of seventeen look like old maids in it. Marvellous, when you come to think about it.

Susan Douglas

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How Do They Really Look?

Girl who wants to know how the modern equivalent of Amelia Bloomer’s reach-me-downs look on her is our inimitable SUSAN DOUGLAS.

We don’t want to publicise our own bias in the matter.

We leave it to you.

You say.

Brenda North & Jane Rennie

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The Modern and the Married

For the traditional modern look, which is a kind of lovingly irreverent regard for sartorial non-conformity whatever that may mean we recommend BRENDA NORTH. She’s long-legged, black-sweatered, rain-coated and really as sweet as you can wish.

For the happily-married look, which is a kind of I’m-tickled-to-death-I-did-it look, who is a better example to set before you than JANE RENNIE who was wedded some months ago and still thinks everything’s absolutely divine? She may seem more interested in her long underwear, but strictly on the level her main hobby now is hubby.

Brenda has no thoughts of getting married herself yet. Well, at just eighteen everything, even time, is on her side, and there is the world to discover and all its excitements to explore. Who wants to get married? (It’s absolutely stinking the way that boy next door dives under his car whenever he sees me, he knows I’d love to help him change his tyre).

For that hap-hap-happy look, how about Jane, our dimpled delight.

Janette Goodman

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It Can’t Be True

No, the fact is we didn’t think fashion model JANETTE GOODMAN would really go for these old-fashioned longs, no matter how much they’re currently being worn by those in the know. We really thought it couldn’t be true when Janette popped up in them, but as they say in the best technical tomes, the camera simply doesn’t lie.

Janette herself seems uncommonly tickled by them — figuratively, that is (we presume), not literally.

Well, she looks all right. They may be terribly old-fashioned, but Janette exudes no atmosphere of grandmother’s day. Maybe she needs a bustle for that.

Maybe a tall bonnet would also help. Janette doesn’t think so. The longs are back in fashion, she says, but not bustles or bonnets. So there.

Jackie Murray & Nancy Crawford

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Facing the Fact

The fact of the matter is this long underwear is back in vogue after being lost in the midst of the crazy twenties, and JACKIE MURRAY, left, and NANCY CRAWFORD, right, decided there was nothing to do about it but get into the swing of the fashion themselves.

April Somers

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Oh Well, Anything For A Laugh

It was quite by chance that APRIL SOMERS found some odd knickers. Odd is used in the bizarre sense and not because one leg was longer than the other.

They were what mother wore years ago.

"Oh well, anything for a laugh," said April, trying them on.

Well, fancy that, she thought, fancy anyone wearing them for serious. But they did, as mother subsequently told her, and they were considered ravishingly sexy and provocative.

"You could have fooled me", said April.

"Ask your dad, then," giggled mother.

"You saucy thing," said April to dad.

The funny thing was, April lounged around all day in them, and wore them for work the next day. They were just the job. April is a steeplejack.

Susan Douglas

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The Silly Season

Now that winter is here the girls are going in for all kinds of bizarre garments.

A bizarre garment is a garment designed to keep a girl looking kooky and feeling warm. Fashions are at their kookiest at the moment, as you know, what with feather boars and hats like the cowboy’s wear.

Amongst the kookiest girls it's the silly season.

SUSAN DOUGLAS, who is among the most elegant and well-dressed models we know, is also among those who go in for long pants—these are indeed very kooky but marvellously warm.

You can't take umbrage at the dears when they make life so exciting for us. You can always look forward to the time when the silly season is over and they've exchanged their feather boars for parasols and their long pants for bars of chocolate.

Helen Milligan, Anne Scott, Dawn Grayson, Julie Lane and Jane McKay

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Cold Weather Girls

Long Johns are a must for girls who feel the cold weather, such as HELEN MILLIGAN, ANNE SCOTT, DAWN GRAYSON, JULIE LANE, and JANE McKAY.

Directoire Controversy

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Directoire Controversy

Dear Rosemary,

Letter No. 77 by Escort caused quite an argument in our private club the other evening. It was mentioned that he had said that directoire knic­kers were only worn nowadays by schoolgirls and old maids. Several of the girls present heatedly denied this and were led in their arguments by Helen, who is about as glamorous a girl as anyone could wish to meet. She agreed that some directoire knickers, and especially those of the 1920’s were too full and didn’t emphasize the figure sufficiently, but maintained that modern knickers, if tastefully chosen, could be equally glamorous as the French type. She said that they were much more comfortable and warmer on cold winter days because of the elastic around the legs, and that she herself wore them frequently. The majority of us replied, that, although we certainly couldn’t accuse her of being either an old maid or a schoolgirl, we thought that the flowing lines of the French type were much more glam­orous. Helen grew quite excited about the subject and declared that she was wearing directoire knickers at that moment, and that if one of the girls who was wear­ing the French variety would volunteer to help, she would show us her own and let us decide on the spot. After some hesitation among the girls, Jean blushingly promised to help her out.

Read More

Startling Statistics

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Startling Statistics

Fads and Fancies No 4 (1950)

Dear Rosemary, 

I have been trying to compile a census of what types of undies women and girls I know are wearing and I have now got together sufficient figures to provide what should be an in­teresting few paragraphs for fellow-readers of Fads & Fancies.

Of the 40 females who agreed to give me the information I wanted, 14 preferred French knickers, 12 cami-knickers, 9 directoire knickers, 3 short briefs, and 2 tight fitting trunks. I found that in really hot weather no less than 13 of these left off anything in the way of underwear round her hips. I did not find a girl who never wore knickers of any description.

The ages of the girls and women were from 16 to 37, and the distribution of the types of underwear was interesting. Of the class 16 to 23, 2 wore French knickers... 2... cami-knickers, 5 directoire knickers and 2 tight fitting trunks. Of the 24 to 30 class, 5 wore French knickers, 4 camiknickers, 3 directoire knick­ers and 3 wore trunks. Of the 31 to 37 class,7 wore French knickers, 6 camiknickers, 1 directoire knickers. 

From these figures it would seem that the younger girls have to wear, or prefer to wear the more tightly fitting underwear; while the older girl who can choose for herself. Prefers the looser garments which I personally prefer.

During this investigation, in which I found most of my friends very co-operative, a few interest­ing facts emerged. About half the girls wore brassieres, mostly the younger girls. The others pre­ferred the bosom to be free and unrestricted, generally because of the pleasure produced when silk or satin blouses were worn im­mediately over it.

Suspender belts were of the tiny type meant to do no more than keep stockings up, unless the figure was such that a corset was essential. Some belts were dainty, trimmed with a little lace, but most were the pink satin or bro­cade type.

My own choice for an attractive girl is as follows. Sheer nylon stockings, suspender belt in black lace, with three suspenders to each leg. Brassiere of the same material, and very wide legged cami-knickers in flame colored satin, flared at the hips; with black lace insertions at bust and hips. Trimmed at the bust and legs with white lace one inch wide. Black satin frock, tight at the bust, with zip fastener to the waist, down the front, very wide skirt to the frock.

I hope other readers will submit the results of their investigations, and I hope you will publish all of general interest.

Yours truly,      PETER.



Adrienne Ross

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It's a Long Story

Ulster model ADRIENNE ROSS has a ‘long’ story to illustrate in her new-style old-style underwear, and the theme is clinging comfort.

Either you like the theme—or you wouldn't be seen dead in it. Other than that, there's very little to say. Which makes the ‘long' story very short indeed!

Sonia and Jill

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Fashionable Twosome

As far as blonde SONIA and brunette JILL are concerned, what's fashionable is what’s warm. Until the summer comes they prefer longs to shorts!

Acting as lady's maid. Jill dresses Sonia's hair. We can’t decide whether the short skirt is superfluous or the longs too long. Can you?

A preview of summer fashions in lingerie for these two lovelies reveals a somewhat slinkier look. This, we consider, is glamour all the way!

Brenda North

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In Mod Tradition

Modern in every outlook, BRENDA NORTH goes for the long underwear that’s all the rage with Mods.

Carol Burdette

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It Must Be the Weather

It was all right at the time of going to press. In fact, it was rather enjoyable and we were able to mow the lawn and clip the dog.

Mrs. Harriet Sprog from next door came around and asked who the devil had had the nerve to make her prize Airedale look like a newly-shorn lamb and whoever it was was going to be sued for a million, even if Mr. Sprog had to mortgage the house to raise the money for lawyers’ fees.

It was only then that we realised we hadn’t got a dog.

We assured Mrs. Sprog it must have been the weather, but Mrs. Sprog never notices the weather and is never influenced by it. She can’t understand why it should influence other people and the only time she was chased round the garden in spring by Mr. Sprog was 10 years ago. She soon put a stop to that caper by dumping him in the compost heap. We don’t know what’s going to happen now. Our only excuse is the weather. It’s the weather that induces cute CAROL BURDETTE, chemist’s assistant, to don her longs. The sun was shining, we told her. She said yes, but you can never tell what it’s going to do tomorrow.