A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

by Emma Sun Dec 03, 2023 10:16 am

A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip. You can see how the folds follow each gore at the hem. What's a gore? I've included an explanation...

A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip 1f609

A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip 60s-vi10

A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip Img_9110

A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip Signs_10

Emms x

by Slipaddict Sun Dec 03, 2023 11:16 am

Thank you for the photos and explanation. It makes a lot of sense, especially how the goes help accentuate the female form. Slips are the best things.

by Betty Mon Dec 18, 2023 2:23 am

I'd imagine the fabric would be very difficult to sew and make production a lot slower.

by Emma Mon Dec 18, 2023 2:35 am

Exactly - the slip would have a superior fit, but the extra work to make it would bump the slip’s price up accordingly

by sliplover46 Sun Jan 28, 2024 12:28 am

Wow! Love your little lesson on slips, Emma! I presume Gore applies to nylon slips as well. I also suppose it affects the ability of the slip to smooth out the dress that's over it.

I have lamented the loss of tailoring in slips since the 60's. I could tell the fabric just didn't have the shape that the slips of the 50's and 60's did. The straight line, no tailoring slips of today just don't look as elegant.

Could you give us a course on denier as used in nylon slips? I know "heavy" denier is a thicker material, but not sure beyond that. Here in the USA, all I have seen on denier is the term heavier, while in Europe, I've seen values (numbers) attached to denier. The higher the number, the heavier the denier (and the heavier the slip).

by Betty Sun Jan 28, 2024 5:14 am

sliplover46 wrote:Wow! Love your little lesson on slips, Emma! I presume Gore applies to nylon slips as well. I also suppose it affects the ability of the slip to smooth out the dress that's over it.

I have lamented the loss of tailoring in slips since the 60's. I could tell the fabric just didn't have the shape that the slips of the 50's and 60's did. The straight line, no tailoring slips of today just don't look as elegant.

Could you give us a course on denier as used in nylon slips? I know "heavy" denier is a thicker material, but not sure beyond that. Here in the USA, all I have seen on denier is the term heavier, while in Europe, I've seen values (numbers) attached to denier. The higher the number, the heavier the denier (and the heavier the slip).

From what I remember a gore is part of a garment that is ether cut straight or with a curve and forms a specific shape when sewn together. You can get the same effect by sewing darts into a jacket or dress, mainly just above the hips when ladies had a more slim figure.

by Emma Sun Jan 28, 2024 12:41 pm

sliplover46 wrote:Wow! Love your little lesson on slips, Emma! Could you give us a course on denier as used in nylon slips? I know "heavy" denier is a thicker material, but not sure beyond that. Here in the USA, all I have seen on denier is the term heavier, while in Europe, I've seen values (numbers) attached to denier. The higher the number, the heavier the denier (and the heavier the slip).

That would be my pleasure, sweetheart x.

This is from an article I wrote on the subject, primarily about stockings, but the same applies to slips too. The trap most people fall into when it comes to denier is to ignore gauge. One has a direct effect on the other. Here is the link to my article: https://nylonnostalgia.com/nylon-stocking-info

What does Denier mean in nylon stockings?
The Denier scale is a very important factor when choosing stockings. Denier is a French term which refers to a calculation of the thickness of the thread. Stockings and pantyhose come in various fabrics such as pure nylon, nylon/lycra blends, polyester, viscose, wool mix, lace and in order to establish their level of transparency, denier count is important. A single denier is the measured thickness of the nylon fibre based on the benchmark standard of 1 gram for every 9000 metres of fibre. A stocking with a 10-20 denier has transparency aspects while a stocking knitted with a higher denier i.e. 20 or more, will be less sheer and usually more durable. Stockings 40 denier and above are opaque. The sheerest practical stockings or tights on the denier scale are 7 denier, which is so wispy sheer that it literally disappears on the leg while the most popular denier is still 15 denier which gives a nice compromise between sheerness and durability. When thrown in the air, a 7 denier stocking will gently glide down to earth like a feather.

"If you want sheer nylons in the fifteen-denier fifty-four gauge variety, you can't expect them to stand up to hard wear" - 1953 quote from a nylon stocking manufacturer.

What is the Gauge of nylon stockings? Why does this matter?
The two most common gauges in fully-fashioned knitting were 51g and 60g. 60 gauge stockings have a smoother, denser look and feel and were highly prized! 51 gauge stockings were easier to knit as the machines had fewer needles and ran more efficiently than the 60 gauge. These stockings were still highly desirable but slightly less expensive.

I hope this helps! Emma x

by Betty Sun Jan 28, 2024 3:48 pm

I'm a 5 denier girl, well woman; I don't want to look like Nora Batty xxx

by sliplover46 Sun Jan 28, 2024 9:42 pm

Ladies, thank you both!

Emma, I don't remember the manufacturers tags saying anything about the denier or gauge on them. They just read (back in the day), "100% Nylon Tricot, exclusive of decoration". It was obvious that there was a difference in the weight of the slips. Some were filmy, while others heavier, yet both were tricot!

Betty, that was what I figured, from Emma's diagram. New slips rarely have gores, so there is no shape to them. It would seem to me that would affect it's ability to smooth out a dress. If the slip is rumpled under the dress, it would affect the smoothness of the dress (depending on the lining, if any?)

Do you suppose the stockings that Liz Taylor put on in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof were the 7 denier?

Thank you both for this tutorial.

by Emma Mon Jan 29, 2024 1:45 am

sliplover46 wrote:Ladies, thank you both!

Emma, I don't remember the manufacturers tags saying anything about the denier or gauge on them. They just read (back in the day), "100% Nylon Tricot, exclusive of decoration". It was obvious that there was a difference in the weight of the slips. Some were filmy, while others heavier, yet both were tricot!

Being ex-lingerie industry I can answer this one easily! Denier and Gauge are only ever mentioned on stockings but hardly ever on body fabric such as that used to make slips, because they are fibre values and not fabric values. A lady picking up a pair of stockings in packaging can't handle the goods because the packaging is firmly sealed and must remain so, but she needs to know if they are 'service' weight (thicker/stronger) that she can wear all day without laddering, or 'sheer' stockings of low denier that she can enjoy wearing on a night out or whatever. Ladies at the time bought both, usually. Armed with the knowledge of whether, say, a pair of stockings were 7 denier or 20 denier she could then make an informed choice of strength vs. sheerness. That's why stockings usually show the denier/gauge on the packet as a guide. In the case of slips, however, shoppers can 'touchy feely' before they buy and so therefore denier isn't relevant and might even cloud a buyer's judgement. So they didn't put it on slip labels because it would just confuse buyers. As a fabric specialist for an undie company we would have all the technical information on the lovely fabrics we used, but we'd never publish it!

Another factor with slips is that density (thickness of fabric) has nothing to do with surface properties. For instance, Charnos made wonderful half slips that are highly prized by aficionados even to this day and they were made from rather heavy weight, opaque, and thick fabric yet were beautifully buttery silky soft to feel and wear. I have one in stock at the moment and although it is a silky soft dream to wear it weighs a lot more than any other half slip I have. I don't need to look at the label - I can tell its a Charnos just by picking it up!!!

Emms x

by Betty Mon Jan 29, 2024 6:54 am

I never had a slip actually ruffle up under my dress or skirt, but I have had a half slip slide down because of my movement, the waist elastic wasn't the best. It reminds me that my mothers half slips actually had zips in them. I've had slips bunch up in folds if they were more full than my skirt as I like to wear a tight pencil skirt. I wear a heavier full slip like a vest (not very sexy) in the winter, and a lighter one in the summer if my dress is sheer. I presume that means nothing to men who have a slip fetish and like the feel of them over anything else. As a woman they do feel pleasant but I quickly get use to the feel when distractions happen.

I like five denier stockings for aesthetical reasons, but being five denier they don't last long when my grandchildren grab at my legs for attention, so I usually leave my legs bare if it's warm enough.

by Emma Mon Jan 29, 2024 7:33 am

Betty wrote:I never had a slip actually ruffle up under my dress or skirt, but I have had a half slip slide down because of my movement, the waist elastic wasn't the best. It reminds me that my mothers half slips actually had zips in them. I've had slips bunch up in folds if they were more full than my skirt as I like to wear a tight pencil skirt. I wear a heavier full slip like a vest (not very sexy) in the winter, and a lighter one in the summer if my dress is sheer. I presume that means nothing to men who have a slip fetish and like the feel of them over anything else. As a woman they do feel pleasant but I quickly get use to the feel when distractions happen.

I like five denier stockings for aesthetical reasons, but being five denier they don't last long when my grandchildren grab at my legs for attention, so I usually leave my legs bare if it's warm enough.

I know, Betty. I don't go below 7 den with stockings as that's sheer enough for me. As for slips, I wore a fairly tight shift dress for a meeting last week and made the mistake of wearing an ordinary nylon full slip under it. There was so much slip compared to dress that the slip was wrapping itself around my legs as I walked around. Fetishists might think that's fantastic but I can tell you it was a nightmare, especially when it started riding up. The solution? Easy. I got a late 40's vintage stiff noisy rayon 'pencil' half slip out of my stock and wore that instead. I just put the half slip on, then just stepped into my dress and it just slid into place. Perfect! If I'd have worn a floaty summer dress then the first slip would have been fine but a 'pencil' sheath slip will always behave itself under what amounted to a 'pencil' shift dress. I didn't have a single moment's hassle for the rest of the day!

Emms x

by sliplover46 Tue Jan 30, 2024 12:06 am

Thank you both for this. It's fun hearing the practical side of wearing slips. I knew there was much more to it than just full or half slip. I can speak to the "tactile" properties of the various fabrics used in slips, but you also have just given a glimpse of the practical side of different fabrics.

Makers like Van Raalte had slips in their own private label (I presume), such as opaquelon. I found this in a quick search. The label states this piece is made with Opaquelon fabric - an opaque nylon tricot fabric developed by Van Raalte. The bust of the slip has a double layer fine floral lace over sheer nylon tricot.

Not many went to that length to use a different nylon blend. VF seemed to like to just double layer, and maybe a shadow panel. Any other examples?

by sliplover46 Tue Jan 30, 2024 12:34 am

Betty, you are not the first to have elastic problems with half slips. As an usher in our church over the years, I have seen many mostly older ladies have slip malfunctions, usually half slips that the elastic in the waist is shot! Yes, I enjoyed the view. If you ladies didn't want us to look, then they shouldn't be so pretty!

by Betty Tue Jan 30, 2024 3:26 am

sliplover46 wrote:Betty, you are not the first to have elastic problems with half slips. As an usher in our church over the years, I have seen many mostly older ladies have slip malfunctions, usually half slips that the elastic in the waist is shot! Yes, I enjoyed the view. If you ladies didn't want us to look, then they shouldn't be so pretty!

In all honesty I have no issues with men looking at me, it's a compliment, even if I'm removing a half slip in public wearing high heels. You men should try it some time (in private!).

by Emma Tue Jan 30, 2024 6:55 am

sliplover46 wrote: Makers like Van Raalte had slips in their own private label (I presume), such as opaquelon. I found this in a quick search. Not many went to that length to use a different nylon blend. VF seemed to like to just double layer, and maybe a shadow panel. Any other examples?

During the 1960s especially there was a tendency for lingerie manufacturers to invent fancy names for their nylon in an attempt to appear unique or different. Opaquelon is just tricot nylon really, but it made shoppers feel special and like they were getting something more superior for their money. Virtually everybody did it back then (some still do, like the lingerie company I worked for) but the worst 'offender' was Barbizon. To be fair to Barbizon, they at least had their own fabric mills and they actually made the fabric that they made their slips and nighties from, but they had some really fancy names for fabrics that were no better than anyone else's! As ever, I wrote an article about it and you can see just some of the names they used: https://nylonnostalgia.com/history-of-barbizon-slips

Emms x

by Emma Tue Jan 30, 2024 7:00 am

[quote="Betty"]

sliplover46 wrote: In all honesty I have no issues with men looking at me, it's a compliment, even if I'm removing a half slip in public wearing high heels. You men should try it some time (in private!).

lol Betty, I am as self-conscious as anything when it comes to having to adjust my clothing in public. Like you, I really don't mind men looking at me, but that's it!

Emma x

by Betty Tue Jan 30, 2024 7:21 am

Emma wrote:
Betty wrote:
sliplover46 wrote: In all honesty I have no issues with men looking at me, it's a compliment, even if I'm removing a half slip in public wearing high heels. You men should try it some time (in private!).

lol Betty, I am as self-conscious as anything when it comes to having to adjust my clothing in public. Like you, I really don't mind men looking at me, but that's it!

Emma x

I hold a degree in Complementary Dance and the Performing Arts from the Northern Collage, so I'm not shy. I still get nerves before I go on stage but it disappears as soon as I start performing. I was a tomboy an no nonsense Northern Lass from the start, adjusting my seams in public is not an issue. I am a feminists worst nightmare.

by sliplover46 Wed Jan 31, 2024 12:54 am

Betty wrote:
sliplover46 wrote:Betty, you are not the first to have elastic problems with half slips. As an usher in our church over the years, I have seen many mostly older ladies have slip malfunctions, usually half slips that the elastic in the waist is shot! Yes, I enjoyed the view. If you ladies didn't want us to look, then they shouldn't be so pretty!

In all honesty I have no issues with men looking at me, it's a compliment, even if I'm removing a half slip in public wearing high heels. You men should try it some time (in private!).

What? Removing a slip in public? Or are you saying we should try wearing a slip? Try me!

by sliplover46 Wed Jan 31, 2024 1:00 am

Emma wrote:
sliplover46 wrote: Makers like Van Raalte had slips in their own private label (I presume), such as opaquelon. I found this in a quick search. Not many went to that length to use a different nylon blend. VF seemed to like to just double layer, and maybe a shadow panel. Any other examples?

During the 1960s especially there was a tendency for lingerie manufacturers to invent fancy names for their nylon in an attempt to appear unique or different. Opaquelon is just tricot nylon really, but it made shoppers feel special and like they were getting something more superior for their money. Virtually everybody did it back then (some still do, like the lingerie company I worked for) but the worst 'offender' was Barbizon. To be fair to Barbizon, they at least had their own fabric mills and they actually made the fabric that they made their slips and nighties from, but they had some really fancy names for fabrics that were no better than anyone else's! As ever, I wrote an article about it and you can see just some of the names they used: https://nylonnostalgia.com/history-of-barbizon-slips

Emms x

Yes, I remember them. I had (don't ask how) a Barbizon full slip in "Satin Sylfaire" Beautiful slip, very elegant, but the satin was a bit stiff for my desires.

by Emma Wed Jan 31, 2024 1:19 am

sliplover46 wrote: Yes, I remember them. I had (don't ask how) a Barbizon full slip in "Satin Sylfaire" Beautiful slip, very elegant, but the satin was a bit stiff for my desires.

lol yes - it was definitely heavyweight. A ditsy satin too, if I remember rightly...

Emms x

by sliplover46 Thu Feb 01, 2024 11:24 pm

A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip 1f606

I'd never heard a fabric described as ditsy before. That was usually reserved for an airhead!

I do remember the satin was much nicer (felt better) on the outside, than the inside. Definitely designed to be seen in.

by Emma Fri Feb 02, 2024 3:54 am

sliplover46 wrote:

I'd never heard a fabric described as ditsy before. That was usually reserved for an airhead!

I do remember the satin was much nicer (felt better) on the outside, than the inside. Definitely designed to be seen in.

LOL - it’s also used to describe a fabric with a surface pattern on it!

by sliplover46 Fri Feb 02, 2024 9:05 am

Is that different from brocade? By the way, is the pm system down? I can't pm anyone. Hope I haven't been blocked!

by Betty Sat Feb 03, 2024 2:12 am

sliplover46 wrote:Is that different from brocade? By the way, is the pm system down? I can't pm anyone. Hope I haven't been blocked!

I think brocade can be termed ditsy but not the other way around, brocade is raised and woven like lace; "the brocade fabric had a ditsy pattern". I maybe wrong xxx

(I had to amend that as it was early in the morning)

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A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

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Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip

Re: A rare 7-gore 1960s vintage pink Perlon full slip