In our brick and mortar shop in San Francisco we often see full busted women who, after a fleeting look around the store announce unhappily, "This is all so cute, but I bet you have nothing here in my size!" They must be used to the disappointing range of sizes available in some of the mainstream lingerie stores and it makes our day to defy their assumptions by quickly prompting them over to the several styles we do carry in a wide range of cup sizes. One of the most popular of these is the lovely Barbados collection from Whimsy, a brand specializing in bras in the full cup range.

This best selling bra comes in sizes 32C through 38G, fitting all sorts of busty babes. Not only does it offer excellent fit and support, the design also has great styling for an especially sexy look. Soft nylon Lycra fabric is trimmed with black stretch lace with a rhinestone at the center gore adding a hint of glamour. The matching pantie is both cute and comfortable. Boy short bottoms provide full coverage with flirty styling and an incredible, no-ride fit you will instantly fall in love with. Best of all, the set is completely affordable, proving all women can have a fantastic everyday bra and pantie set without having to choose between fit, sex appeal, or price. Take your pick of classic black shadow stripe or playful leopard or get both fetching colorways for the same amount you'd expect to pay for a single set elsewhere.

See the listings for more details.

The longline is a classic bra style which first gained popularity in the late 30s. As changes took place in fashion, bras evolved from the gossamer nothings worn by the flappers to more supportive and structurally complex designs. In contrast to the straight garcon lines of the 20s, the typical 30s silhouette was much more tailored and fit to the curves of a woman's body. The new styles in outerwear dictated corresponding changes in foundations and women began to expect more support and shaping from their bras. Longline bras not only offered improved lift to the bust, they also smoothed the waist and fit all the way to the top of a girdle for a complete and sleek fit. Early longline styles often were sewn with metal hooks or loops which could be attached to matching girdles creating a flexible, full foundation garment.

A 1938 ad for Maiden Form's Intimo Longline bra.

A stunning vintage 40s satin longline from our collection. The loop along the bottom hem allows the piece to be attached to a girdle.

As technologies advanced and materials like nylon and elastic became available for lingerie construction, the shaping power of the longline bra improved. The wasp waisted fashions of the time were designed to fit a woman slimmed by her foundation garments and the glamour gowns and definitive party dress of the 50s were almost always accompanied by a longline bra. The style was typically fashioned with materials similar to those used for girdles with spiral steel boning, power mesh and no stretch panels strategically sewn in to create an elegant bust line while smoothing and contouring the tummy.

For a "Sweetheart of a Figure," wear Formfit's "Life" Longline Bra, 1950.

Formfit's 1953 longline style.

The longline continued to be a popular bra into the 60s. As women took to the work force they began to wear practical styles for all day comfort and shaping especially important under the fitted knits and wiggle skirts of the time. The contouring bras gave the wearer the perky sex kitten bosom and a smooth, body conscious line from the bust to the hip particularly when worn with the elastic waist band tucked into a girdle.

Silhouette's 1965 Stretch Strap bras. For the mod girl on the go!

Modern gals tend to over look the longline styles. These days women seem to wear them only under formal dresses and bridal gowns, when specific undergarments are deemed necessary. However, no matter how fancy the function or dressy the attire, the proper undergarments are always an important part of an outfit. If you want to emanate the 50s hourglass silhouette or the shapely sex appeal of the 60s it's crucial to start from the inside out with a nice longline bra and a shaping girdle.

A typical 60s look complete with Hollywood Vassarette longline bra and girdle from our archives

In addition to serving a foundational purpose, longline bras also give an edgy look as outerwear. Pairing a sexy style with a jean jacket or bolero makes an adventurous fashion statement. Or wear a vintage longline bra under a sheer shirt for a flirty look, giving slightly more coverage than a basic bra without the bulk of a full coverage camisole.

The bullet bra is a vintage hallmark. It defined the silhouette of an era and represents a golden moment in American fashion when exaggerated femininity reigned supreme and breasts defied the laws of gravity.

It is difficult to trace the exact origins of the bullet bra but we do know it appeared on the scene sometime in the middle to late 30s - confirmed by photos published during the decade. After a generation of women had attempted to compress their chest, striving for the svelte flapper look, the women of the 30s desired a more shapely form with more emphasis on their bust. Hollywood glamour seeped into the national conscience and the busty sweater girls of the silver screen, like Lana Turner and Carole Landis, set the standards for sexy.

The buxom sweater girl Carole Landis.

A 1930s corsetlette with circle stitched cups. Note the comfort and flexibility, you can even play tennis in heels and garters!

As breasts became more defined in clothing, new bra construction methods were developed to accommodate the look. These precursors to the circle stitch bra included the lattice and crescent stitch designs whose reinforced stitching along the bottom part of the cup provided support and definition. Although the bust shape of the 30s was markedly different than that of the 20s it retained a natural rounded look.

Vintage 40s satin lattice and crescent stitch bras.

After the allied victory in '45 the austere attitude and focused vision imposed by the war efforts exploded into a feeling of optimism and exuberance for the American public. Women of the 40s who had lived rationed lifestyles during the war wanted to be sexy again. A new exaggerated femininity rocked the fashion world with ample breasts, slender waistlines and curvaceous hips wiggling down runways and through glamour magazines. New bras were invented to give additional lift, depth, and an eye popping, pyramid like shape, hence the creation of the bullet bra. The circle stitch was one such design, unlike the previous styles which lifted bust lines from below, the full on circle stitch created more projection by compressing the breast all the way around, forcing it forward with a gravity defining perk.

Many lingerie companies dedicated themselves to this new bra technique. One of the earliest of the circle stitch bras was the V-ette Whirlpool style designed by Hollywood Maxwell in 1941. Advertisements from the time describe how the clever "whirlpool stitching molds the bust into youthfully accented curves with well defined separation." The V-ette model had a cross seam at each cup with circle stitching around the breast, delivering serious volume and dangerous points.

A Hollywood Maxwell Whirlpool bra from our collection.

Another famous bullet bra manufacturer was Peter Pan. Their aptly named Merry Go Round line specialized in circle stitched styles especially designed to accentuate a pert bosom. One of our very favorites in the line is the Low-N-Behold. This ingenious 1949 style was made to be worn under the most plunging gowns without compromising support, lift or the emblematic torpedo shape of the era.

A 1949 ad for the gorgeous Low n' Behold bra.

We are lucky to have one in our archives.

Ooh la la!

Exquisite Form also produced a stunning circle stitch dubbed the Circl-o-Form. The design was constructed with a circumscribed cross seam breaking the cup down into four separate sections, it also featured forked straps and an elastic insert at the bust, delivering a particularly pointy shape while maintaining a comfortable fit.

A vintage 50s ad for the Circl-o-Form bra.

And the same vintage 50s Circl-o-Form from our archives.

Perhaps the most well known of the bullet bras was Maidenform's Chansonette style. The Chansonette bra was an instant success from its very beginnings and became the company's best selling style of all time. Over 90 million were sold in 100 countries since its release in 1949 until they retired the bra in '78. Much of the style's success can be attributed to the genius "I dreamed..." ad campaign which spotlighted the design for years. See the previous blog about Maidenform's advertisements for more images and info.

The famous Chansonette by Maidenform.

As new technologies like elastics and underwires changed bra construction the genius of the circle stitch bra lost its initial appeal. However, today it seems to be making a comeback. Haute couture designers like Zac Posen, Sonia Rykiel, Dolce & Gabanna and Jean Paul Gaultier, have recently been working the style into their contemporary designs breathing new life into the vintage fashion.

Check out Gaultier's fabulous bullet bra with shoulder pads as featured in Elle magazine.

We have a variety of sweater girl worthy bras available in our online catalog.