While I'm away, I've asked some friends of mine to do guest posts on here. Today's post is by Elide Endreson who is the skilled creator and owner of Previously. Elide made my wedding garters, my custom hankies, and many of her other designs grace my legs most days of the year. She does an immense amount of research when creating her designs, so I asked her to bestow some of her knowledge onto us.
This post contains ladies in lingerie, so it may be NSFW, depending where you work.
- - - - - -
Clockwise from left: Margaret, Ep. 5; Lucy, Ep. 2; Gillilan, Ep. 9; Four Deuces Prostitute Ep. 8
After almost two years of hearing about the 1920s costumes on Season One of Boardwalk Empire, I was finally able to watch it for myself when it came out on DVD. As a fan of 1920s lingerie, it did not disappoint. I really enjoyed how the arc of the characters could be seen in their clothing. Unfortunately, the lingerie doesn’t get much screen time and it’s difficult to see details during the episodes. So I found myself looking for examples in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Collection of 1920s chemises, teddies and ‘step-ins’. Although not all the pieces I found in the collection were dated 1920 (some were dated a few years later) it does give a better sense of the craftsmanship of the era.
Margaret, Ep. 3
Early in the season we see Margaret in her plain bloomers and chemise. She could not have afforded the silky pieces seen on the other characters. I like that her lingerie is clearly a hold over from the previous decade.
Brassier, 1915-20
Madame Jeunet at Belle Femme, Top: Ep. 5 Bottom: Ep. 9
The scenes in Belle Femme were also noteworthy as they carried a lot of pretty underpinnings. I particularly liked seeing the stacked boxes of stockings in the glass display case!
[Left] Silk Chemise, 1920s; [Right] Silk Teddy, 1920s
Lucy at Belle Femme, Ep. 3
Lucy, who has the best lingerie wardrobe of all, frequents Belle Femme. This dialog pretty much sums it up:
Lucy: “Why does anybody buy underwear?”
Mme Jeunet: “Some women wish to hide. Others wish to reveal.”
Lucy: “Well I want it in lights. Something vampy. And sheer.”
[Left] Silk Teddy, 1920s; [Right] Silk Chemise, 1920s
Pearl at the Four Deuces, a brothel in Chicago, episode 4.
Silk Brassier, 1920s Silk Tap Pants, 1920s
More ladies from the Four Deuces, left Episode 6; right Episode 8. Most of the women in these scenes rolled their stockings.
Silk Lingerie with Cotton Lace, 1920s
Episode 6
One of the few examples of garters in Season One, at a brothel in Atlantic City. Although difficult to see in the above image, her stockings are rolled above the garters.
Silk Garters, 1920s
