Well, let me tell ya somethin’ about them women’s underthings back in the 1930s, or what they called the “thirties”. I ain’t no fancy scholar or nothin’, just an old woman who’s seen a thing or two. Back then, things weren’t like they are now, not one bit.
The Way It Was Back Then
You see, in them days, women, they didn’t have all the fancy choices like you young’uns got today. No sir, it was mostly plain and simple stuff. They didn’t talk about it much neither, it was kinda hush-hush, ya know? Underwear, it was just somethin’ you wore, not somethin’ you showed off or gossiped about.
Now, I heard tell of them fancy city women wearin’ things like “silk bodices” way back when, even before the thirties. Some kinda loose shirt tied at the neck and waist, I reckon. Sounded mighty uncomfortable to me, but what do I know? I also heard that in India a long, long time ago, they had somethin’ called a “kuchabandha,” a band for the breasts. Imagine that! But in the thirties, ’round here, it was different.
- Mostly Cotton: Most of the underwear back then, it was made of cotton. Plain old cotton, nothin’ fancy. It was practical, ya see? It soaked up the sweat and it lasted a good long time. They didn’t have all them stretchy materials like they do now. Elastic, that was somethin’ new, just startin’ to come around in the middle of the thirties, I heard.
- Shapes and Styles: Now, the shapes, they weren’t like them skimpy things you see in the catalogs today. They were more… substantial, ya know? Full coverage, like they were supposed to keep you warm and decent. Some had these things called “straps,” to hold ’em up, and others were more like… like bloomers, I guess you’d call ’em. Big and baggy, kinda like shorts, but not really shorts. I remember seein’ some with little buttons, and some with drawstrings. It all depended on what you could afford, I reckon.
- No Fancy Colors: And the colors! Don’t even get me started on the colors. Mostly white, or maybe a pale pink or blue if you were lucky. Nothin’ bright or flashy. They didn’t have all them fancy dyes and patterns like they got now. It was all about bein’ practical, ya see? Not about lookin’ pretty. Though, I reckon some women tried to make ’em look nice with a little bit of embroidery or lace, if they had the time and the skill.
The Roaring Twenties and How They Changed Things a Bit
Now, before the thirties, they had them “Roaring Twenties,” and I heard tell that things started changin’ a bit then. Women, they started wearin’ looser clothes, and their waistlines dropped down low. Some even wore trousers, can you believe it? And that kinda changed how they made their underwear too, I reckon. It had to fit under them looser clothes, ya see? So, maybe things got a little less… constricting, if you know what I mean.
Men’s Underwear: A Little Side Note
Funny thing is, I heard that men’s underwear changed a whole lot in the thirties. They started wearin’ these things called “boxers” and “briefs.” A company called Jockey, they made them briefs. Imagine that! Men gettin’ all fancy with their underthings. But women, well, we stuck to what we knew, mostly. We weren’t as quick to change, I guess.
Underwear and Everyday Life
You gotta remember, life was different back then. Women, they worked hard. They washed clothes by hand, they cooked all day, they took care of the kids. They needed underwear that could stand up to all that. It wasn’t about lookin’ sexy or feelin’ fancy. It was about bein’ comfortable and practical. And about keepin’ warm in the winter, too! Houses weren’t always heated well, you know.
What I Remember Hearin’
Now, I wasn’t a young woman in the thirties myself, but I heard stories from my mother and my aunts. They told me about how they used to make their own underwear sometimes, outta old flour sacks or whatever they could find. They didn’t have money to go buyin’ new things all the time, ya see? They had to make do with what they had. And they didn’t complain neither. They just got on with it. That’s just how it was.
Things Changed, But Some Stayed the Same
So, that’s about all I know about women’s underwear in the 1930s. It wasn’t fancy, it wasn’t flashy, but it was practical and it did the job. And even though things have changed a whole lot since then, I reckon some things are still the same. Women, they still want underwear that’s comfortable and that makes them feel good. And that’s all that really matters, ain’t it?
It’s a whole history of underwear, from way back when to the 1930s, a bit of how things were different for men, and just how plain and simple everyday life was when it came to somethin’ as simple as women’s undergarments.
