Without question it is true to say that retro style lingerie is definitely increasing in popularity, a panche for 50's and 60's style corsets , bustiers and stockings is a trend being reflected in society on a number of levels, in the media and modern culture.



Once the sole domain of lingerie enthusiasts retro style lingerie is now considered as somewhat mainstream and certainly most lingerie manufacturers have produced and designed new items in their collections which they would describe as 'retro'. Penthouse lingerie by Coquette have produced a whole new range for 2009 inspired with 50's prints and colours. Indeed some niche lingerie brands are dedicated to the this style of lingerie and produce very specific types of underwear with set detailing on bras, suspender belts and have a very definite look and feel.

There are two main reasons why this style of lingerie has and is making a come back. Firstly the re-birth of what we commonly call burlesque and society's modern take on this. Most people think that "burlesque" means female strippers walking a runway to a bump and grind beat. But that only fits the form in its declining years. At its best, burlesque was a rich source of music and comedy that kept America , audiences laughing from 1840 through the 1960s. It is however this term 'burlesque' that we have latched onto and this seems to be the driving force in the popularity of 'retro' lingerie.

We have a number of icons when talking about modern 'burlesque' the most prominent of these is Dita Von Teese. She perhaps more than most personifies the fashion of burlesque and indeed by default the 'retro' style of lingerie. So much so that she is the new face of Wonderbra for their first ever lingerie line. The new collection is a combination of 1950s shapes and 1940s fabrics. Dita used her own designs to create suspenders, thongs, panties, garter belts, and bras; and you cannot get more mainstream than Wonderbra.

Riding on the coat-tails of this is pop-culture, burlesque/retro style is increasingly appearing in music videos to great effect. Performers such as Pussy Cat Dolls, Girls Aloud, Cristina Aguileria, Britney Spears and indeed Mel B's new Las Vegas production 'Peep Show'. All of this re-enforces this style of lingerie in modern culture "and nothing is stronger than the power of MTV.

The second reason why 'retro' lingerie is making its come back is that it was designed for a period when the female form was curvy and curvaceous. Seen as a consumer backlash to size zero female consumers are hungry for fashion that lets them be themselves. Retro style lingerie is aimed at curvy woman and that in itself is empowering. Woman can be confident with their curvy figure and confidence is sexy. There is nothing more sexy than a confident woman.