What is a Corselette? Meet Our New White Clematis Vintage Inspired Design
The White Clematis Corselette: Inspired by Vintage 1950s Longline Girdles
When people think of vintage lingerie, the first pieces that often spring to mind are bullet bras and suspender belts. But hidden amongst the pages of 1950s and early 1960s lingerie catalogues is another wonderfully engineered garment that deserves just as much attention: the corselette.
The newest addition to the Pip & Pantalaimon collection, the White Clematis Corselette, takes inspiration from these beautifully structured one piece vintage foundation garments while introducing a construction that's completely new to our collection.
What is a corselette?
A corselette is a one piece foundation garment that combines a bra and girdle into a single piece of lingerie. Popular throughout the 1940s, 1950s and into the early 1960s, corselettes were designed to smooth the body beneath fitted dresses while offering support for the bust and gentle shaping through the waist and hips.
Unlike a corset, a corselette isn't intended for dramatic waist reduction. Instead, it creates the softly sculpted silhouette associated with vintage fashion, helping clothes skim beautifully over the body.
Many original vintage corselettes featured dozens of panels, strategically placed elastic fabrics and long rows of hook-and-eye fastenings. They were practical garments, designed to be worn every day beneath the elegant fashions of the era.
That philosophy is something I've always loved. You'll see I take inspiration from this everywhere on the website, where every Pip & Pantalaimon design begins with genuine vintage inspiration.
Rather than reproducing one particular historical garment, I like to study the engineering and construction techniques that made vintage lingerie work so well, before adapting those ideas into pieces that feel comfortable and wearable today.
The White Clematis Corselette is perhaps the best example of this approach so far. Instead of simply extending one of my existing bras into a corselette, I wanted to borrow another iconic vintage foundation garment: the longline girdle.
This is the first corselette I've designed that incorporates the construction of our longline girdle into the lower half of the garment. Previous Pip & Pantalaimon corselettes have offered beautiful shaping through the waist and bust, but this new design goes a step further.
The lower section follows the pattern of our longline girdle, gently hugging the hips and bottom to create a smoother silhouette beneath fitted skirts and dresses.
If you've ever wished for just a little extra smoothing beneath a vintage wiggle dress or a modern fitted outfit, this new construction has been designed with exactly that in mind.
One of my favourite details is also one you may never notice when wearing it.
The lower girdle section features a carefully designed cut out which allows you to comfortably wriggle into the corselette before fastening the upper section with a row of hook and eye fastenings.
Just like all the other Pip & Pantalaimon corselettes, the White Clematis also includes a 5cm internal waistband, adding gentle waist definition without compromising comfort.
Handmade to your measurements
One of the biggest challenges with vintage corselettes is finding one that actually fits!
Original garments were produced in standard sizes and, decades later, the elastic has often lost much of its recovery.
That's why Pip & Pantalaimon corselettes are made differently.
Rather than assuming your hip measurement from your bra size, each White Clematis Corselette is made using your bra size, natural waist measurement and full hip measurement. I draft the pattern to suit your proportions, ensuring the finished garment works with your body rather than expecting your body to fit the garment.
It takes a little longer, but I believe it's the only way to make a truly well fitting corselette.
A timeless white colourway
The White Clematis Corselette is made using the same subtly embossed floral fabric as the rest of the White Clematis collection, paired with white mesh and matching trims to create a fresh finish.
Whether you're looking for beautiful bridal lingerie, vintage inspired shapewear, or simply appreciate expertly constructed handmade lingerie, this latest design celebrates everything I love about vintage foundation garments.
Like every Pip & Pantalaimon piece, each White Clematis Corselette is handmade to order in my UK studio using traditional sewing techniques and true vintage industrial sewing machines, creating lingerie that's made to be treasured for years to come.
