threads of the sixties
Early 1960's
1960's Baby-doll peignoir set
Material: nylon
Donor's story
Carolyn McClurkan, resident of Bremerton, WA.
McClurkan grew up in Memphis and met her husband, pediatrician J.M. (Mike) McClurkan, when she was in graduate school at Tulane University in New Orleans and he was attending there as a medical student. She earned a master’s degree in Spanish, which helped launch her interest in history and culture. While her husband served as commanding officer of the Navy hospital in Guam, she began working at the Micronesian Area Research Center at the University of Guam. Later she earned a second master’s degree from the University of Washington in Library and Information Science and became a member of the Academy of Certified Archivists. She has archived many interesting collections, including those of Dorothy Stimson Bullitt, founder of KING-TV in Seattle.Â
Description
Red nylon short baby-doll style matching peignoir lingerie set. Jacket has balloon elbow-length sleeves bearing red applique lace, round collar, and no waist. Sleeveless gown has empire waist bearing a string tie and red applique lace on bustline. Gown has scoop neckline front and back. Label: “Vanity Fair, made in USA, size 10.”
Baby-Doll lingerie history context
Baby doll lingerie is seductive bedroom apparel which is lacy, loose and very short. Contrasting with full-length gowns and peignoirs, baby doll lingerie comprises apparel with an empire waist, a skirt ending well above the knee, and often bearing lace, frills, or bows on the hems, seams, or straps, giving it a feminine seductive look. The style is credited to clothing designer Sylvia Pedlar who created super-short nighties in the early 1940s as a response to World War II fabric shortages. Before this time, women’s nightwear was generally long and voluminous. Baby doll lingerie was especially popular in the 1960s which enjoyed a new sexual freedom inspired by the newly reliable contraception of The Pill.Â
Baby doll lingerie balances cute and sexy and has a definite sassiness. The flowing skirts float out from under the bust to a very short, seductive length. During the 1960s Baby doll lingerie was often made of several layers of sheer fabric in jewel colors with lace embellishments. Usually they were made with nylon, chiffon, or silk making them flirty and feminine.
