I recently rented and enjoyed the 1931
Barbara Stanwyck film "Night Nurse." It's a "pre-code" film, so is dirty and silly with prohibition-era drinking, implied lesbianism, gangsters and child murderers. Good times!
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| Barbara Stanwyck |
There's the lovely heroine standing up to the bad guy. What has inspired me is the great lingerie looks from this movie. Just as an excuse to show undressed ladies, our heroine and her nurse companion are always changing into and out of their clothes.
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| bralette |
This silky, lace embellished bralette is totally fab, right? If I were smaller busted I'd be making myself one of these right now. This is just a taste of the lingerie looks I will feature (more to come).
One important thing to note is that the fastener/ stretch fabric situation back then was vastly different.
Modern underwear was just beginning development. For starters, no zippers! And sparing use of elastic and stretch fabric. The bloomers in the movie are fastened with a button. Bra fastenings appear to be modern but the nurse uniform in the movie is fastened with buttons at the back.
Meanwhile, here are some patterns that I could totally see in a bedroom scene on the silver screen.
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| Butterick 5152 |
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| Vogue 7837 |
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| Kwik Sew has a variety of lingerie patterns |
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| pattern repro |
