This is a post that I’ve wanted to write for the longest time but I’ve never gotten around to it for one reason or another, whether it’s work getting in the way or some other project I’m preoccupied with. I want to take this time to write posts that I’ve wanted to write, but have never had the time to so I can be inspired and fall in love with writing again. I want to take these thoughts that have been in my head for months, type them out, and share them with the world in the hopes that someone feels seen because they can relate to what I’m writing.
As much as I love writing my true crime and classic rock books, it can feel like a hamster wheel. Meanwhile little projects like blog posts are quick wins for me since they’re way shorter than books (well, they’re more like the length of a chapter knowing me) and people can read them and enjoy them for free. We can all use a little bit of free entertainment and education in this day and age where everything costs and arm and a leg.
Self Esteem and Self Acceptance.
This blog post isn’t for those who are here for music, sorry! This is for those who love vintage style, specifically women who have similar body shapes to my own. Five years ago I wrote a blog post sharing vintage shopping tips, but in this post I’m going to write a more specific guide for shopping vintage and retro with an hourglass figure.
I love vintage clothing, but I can’t easily find clothes that fit my shape well, in general. That’s not my fault or the clothes’ fault, but I have beaten myself up many times in the fitting room as a teenager and sadly too as an adult. Mean Girls is like the SpongeBob of movies for me because of how quotable and relatable it is. This scene is pretty relatable:
Another scene that really made me feel seen was from The Marvelous Mrs Maisel where the titular character is measuring herself. That’s the scene that opens the TV show and wow I’ve never felt so represented: Jewish woman obsessed with measuring herself and keeping her weight down.
Thanks to the Industrial Revolution we’ve gone from all clothing being slow fashion and made for you to fast fashion pattern blocks that leave out a lot of people. In many ways I’ve felt left out and like I don’t have a place. I’m mixed race. I’m bisexual. I have autism. And well, I’m skinny in many regards, but I don’t feel skinny enough. I will never fit into the runway model ideal. I’m too short and too bottom heavy for that. When I was an underweight 18 year old, I went to a modelling casting and I was the “fattest” and shortest one there, at 5’6″ and 7.5 stone or 105 lb. As you can expect, I did not get casted.
Growing up in the early 2000s was awful to say the least. Those were the days of low rise trousers and finding anything high waisted was nearly impossible. In those days there was a stigma attached to thrift shopping. I looked like I had a muffin top because of my body shape. By the time the BBL era rolled around, I was underweight. Now we’re in the Ozempic era and I’m at the age where I just don’t care anymore. What’s most important is that I am healthy and happy, or at least as happy as I can be.
Clothing is a great way of expressing yourself and it can help you feel better about yourself. Not a lot of off the rack clothing fits me well, but when I do find something that fits well, I feel amazing! And when I get a compliment on my outfit, I feel like I’m on top of the world!
In this blog post I’ll share my guide to how I dress vintage with an hourglass figure (whether it’s natural or not). Granted, I’m thin, but a lot of these same principles apply no matter what size you are. My theory is don’t hide it, show it off. I look worse if I’m trying to hide my body. My reasoning for that is to build confidence and because my shape is due to bone structure so I cannot change that. Control what you can control, so I dress in ways that make myself look polished and classic.
Vintage Eras for Hourglass Figures
Some eras work better than others. I’m not saying you can’t dress in certain styles, but it’s a bit challenging to get a good fit. Let’s start with the least flattering eras, the ones I tend to avoid. The 1920s is a big AVOID for me because as much as I love how shiny the beaded dresses are and I love the revolutionary spirit behind the clothing, the silhouette does not suit me at all. I look like I’m wearing a potato sack and it makes me feel like I’m heavier than I am. Yes, I know the point is that the look is supposed to be youthful, flowy, and a little boyish, but that doesn’t look right on me. I don’t feel like it reflects me in the best light. I also avoid 1990s fashion, since that’s the era of heroin chic and lots of baggy clothes. I avoid baggy clothes for going out, but at home I’m usually wearing a baggy shirt, shhhh don’t tell anyone!
My favourite music eras, the 60s and 70s, are not really the best eras for an hourglass figure. The beauty standard in those days was skinny and narrow hips were preferred. Biba was like the Brandy Melville of its day with its limited size range and clothes suiting skinny women. The 60s was the youthquake decade, so it makes sense that androgyny and slimness were celebrated. It girls of the 60s were waifs like Twiggy and Edie Sedgwick, iconic women, love their style, but can’t relate. However, some 60s clothes are actually quite wearable and look amazing and I’ll tell you about it later in the blog post. As for the 70s, the same slim beauty standard was very much a thing then and it’s hard to find good 70s clothes that fit a busty woman and bell bottoms that fit wide hips or a big butt. Tall and skinny was the ideal then.
The best era though has to be post WWII, around 1947-1959, but also a bit of early 60s. This was our time to shine. The clothes were made to fit curves really well.
Mid 20th Century Icons With an Hourglass Figure
First, I like to get inspired by looking at style icons who have a similar body shape to my own. I personally find myself relating more to 50s fashion models rather than bombshells and glamour models. They’re still curvy, but are very skinny too. They’re goldilocks for me since I don’t put on weight easily, but at the same time I’m not the straight type of skinny. I’ll include a variety here so it’s more inclusive. Not an exhaustive list, but here are some favourites and inspirations of mine:
1950s Supermodels (hourglass, skinny): Dorian Leigh, Dovima, Suzy Parker, and Jean Patchett.
1950s Actresses: Sofia Loren, Jayne Mansfield, Marilyn Monroe, Gina Lollobrigida, Sabrina, Diana Dors, Anita Ekberg, and Maila Nurmi.
1960s and 1970s Actresses: Ann-Margret, Raquel Welch, Carolyn Jones, Catherine Deneuve, and Julie Newmar
Russ Meyer Girls (hourglass, curvier, very busty): Tura Satana, Haji, Erica Gavin, and Dolly Read.
Vintage Shopping: What To Look For
Measurements are king. If an item doesn’t have measurements listed, I will send a DM to find out, which is also a good test of the seller’s customer service skills and attentiveness. Size labels tell you nothing (unless it says made to fit X” bust or Y” waist or Z” hip – that’s at least useful). I have clothes with all sorts of numbers on the label. I’ve got Gunne Sax dresses that are size 7, American made dresses that are size 10, British made garments that are size 12. These numbers mean nothing because sizes have changed over time because of vanity sizing and different shops do their sizing differently. Even in modern clothing, I’ll take anywhere from a UK 6 to a UK 10 (US 2 to US 4/6), depending on how curvy or how stretchy the item is. I can get away with a smaller size if it’s cut curvy or is made of stretch fabric. If you have an hourglass figure, you know what it’s like looking at the size chart, feeling like you’re all over the place. It’s so surprising how few people know their measurements and I think that’s why clothing returns are so common. Save yourself the hassle and know your measurements!
I usually look for a range of measurements. My measurements are 34″ bust, 23″ waist, 36″ hip so I usually look for clothes with anything from a 34-36″ bust, 23-26″ waist, and 36-38″ hip. Depending on the garment and if it’s meant to go over clothes, I adjust this range accordingly.
Now let’s go through the most hourglass friendly vintage and retro clothing items in my experience:
Vintage Style Tops: Turtlenecks (great for 60s/70s looks, versatile in general), bustier tops (great for pinup looks), and wrap tops with bell sleeves (easy to find at retro shops, anything wrap style is so easy to adjust). Personally, I love frilly shirts, but I’m not very busty myself so I don’t mind adding a little extra volume on top (so any pear shaped ladies will love these). I have a jumper I thrifted with these 1890s style puffy sleeves and I just love how it balances me out without the need for big boobs. I love all kinds of sleeves: bell sleeves, angel sleeves, bishop sleeves, puff sleeves, fringe sleeves. Sleeves are a great way to make a statement and keep my wardrobe varied. I tend to stick to one silhouette (form fitting from bust to waist) and then I play around with the rest of the outfit.
Vintage Style Bottoms: For skirts, I prefer a circle skirt over a pencil skirt because I don’t have to account for hip width at all. Always high waisted. As long as the waist measurement is right, then I’m happy. Also I love a fluffy petticoat, gives the skirt that bounce and swish! Length wise, I prefer knee length and maxi skirts (I’m getting old and I’m going for more of a sophisticated look. However, I’ll still wear shorter skirts and dresses in the summer). Pencil skirts look fabulous when the fit is right though! As for trousers, I pretty much only go for high waisted flares or wide legged trousers, especially ones with a curvier cut. I prefer to have coverage around the hip and the trousers to encase them to make me feel more ‘contained’. I have some midrise jeans that fit great, but that’s as low of a rise as I’m comfortable with. I personally don’t like wearing shorts because I’m really self conscious about my legs. Stretch velvet bell bottoms are another essential for me (I need them in all the colours)!
Dresses: Anything with waist emphasis/definition. Wrap dresses, dresses with belts, and dresses with princess seams. Could be a wiggle dress or a swing dress, both look nice. Most of my dresses are fit and flare because I don’t have to worry about the hip measurement. For summer though, I like 60s mod A-line dresses, easier to wear, no structural underpinnings needed so I don’t overheat. The best A-line dresses IMO are ones with darts, much more flattering cut! A-line or pinafore dresses are also amazing for layering if you want to wear them in the winter. I usually put a turtleneck or one of my button up shirts underneath and it freshens up the look, making it feel like a new dress.
Coats: Princess coats are my favourite for hourglass figures. I used to be a mod and I would wear my parka (still great for more utilitarian needs), but I prefer to wear things that are more flattering. I used to dread winter because that means I’d look like a potato in my parka, but now I’m like bring it on! Personally I love my red double breasted coat that was made to fit my measurements.
Accessories: Belts are your best friend and I have a lot of them so I can jazz up outfits and make them fit better. For a few years I would wear corsets to manage my chronic pain and that meant the waist of a dress or trousers or skirt was always so baggy. Belts for very small waists (under 25-26″) are really hard to find, so look for belts that can be cinched as small as you like and chain belts. I managed to find some belts with very small measurements: 22-23″ waist, but I’m a keen secondhand shopper (wouldn’t surprise me if these belts were previously owned by women who waist trained). If you want an edgy look, a waspie or underbust corset can really make a pinup style outfit look great. And if you want an outfit to look smoother, you can wear them underneath. These days I just wear my overbust corsets as a bra replacement since I hate straps digging in and my size is hard to find. Plus they’re great as an extra layer in the winter (I get cold really easily).
Alterations: It’s also really good to have a trusted tailor. There are times when I bought something that I fell in love with but the fit isn’t right. Tailors really are magical!
The Best Shops for Hourglass Figures: Angie Moon Approved
I personally only recommend places I’ve tried. I don’t feel comfortable recommending places I haven’t tried because my opinion won’t be informed. I like to give you informed opinions. I like to inspect the clothes, try them on, and that’s when you really know the quality. I never want to steer you in the wrong direction!
This blog post isn’t sponsored at all, these are all my honest opinions and no one has paid me to say positive things, although I would very much love to be sponsored by any of these shops! Oftentimes I’ve become a return customer because the product is so good! Each shop’s website or social media page will be linked.
As I live in the UK, most of these shops will either be based in the UK and Europe. The internet is so Americanocentric (aka US defaultism) that I kind of get a bit cross when I see just American based recommendations, so I like to make it a point to give some love to European based shops. I especially want to make it a point to support brands that manufacture in Europe, so bonus points if it’s made in Europe! I love supporting local industry.
I’ll always support shopping your closet or buying secondhand/vintage first, as these are the most sustainable options and arguably the most unique options. But sometimes you can’t find what you want or need, especially if you’re very skinny, plus sized, have other special fit needs, or really want something specific or matchy-matchy. So without further ado, here are some vintage/retro reproduction brands that I’ve had an amazing experience with and I’ll share photos of my items from these brands so you can see for yourself. I’m a bargain hunter myself so I’ll share any money saving tips if I know any!
1. Scorpio Rising (UK) – Made to Measure dresses, jumpsuits, and bell bottoms – 70s rock and roll/Biba Style
I have three made to measure dresses from this brand plus a pair of bell bottoms and I love them all! If you love 70s style clothing in all the colours of velvet, this is the brand for you! Very rock and roll style with some Biba influences. Biba’s not the most hourglass friendly brand so it’s great to have made to measure options. I love my red and emerald green maxi dresses with bishop sleeves, very Old Hollywood. I also love my purple lace up mini dress, I’ve had that one since 2016 or 2017 and it’s still in great condition! I usually order my dresses with the stereotypical hourglass measurements of 36″-24″-36″ and it fits perfectly with or without a corset underneath. Also that gold and red necklace I’m wearing with the purple velvet dress is from Scorpio Rising.
Money Saving Tip: This brand were previously known as Velvet Cave, you can sometimes find old stock from this brand under that label if you search on a secondhand marketplace.
2. Marmalade Shop (Poland) – Made to Measure dresses, coats, skirts – 60s Mod Style
I bought my red made to measure double breasted coat from Marmalade Shop a few years ago and it’s phenomenal! The quality is really good and the fit was great, really looks like a 50s princess coat, but with a 60s aesthetic! Customer service was excellent as well. When I ordered my coat, there was a mistake and it took a bit longer to get to me, so to make up for it they sent me a free dress and I got this beautiful black and white 60s flight attendant looking dress. It fits great! I also have a red and white 60s shift dress from there too.
Money Saving Tip: They have some good deals in the last chance/sale section.
3. Momo Retro Clothing (UK) – Made to Measure dresses and shirts – 60s Style
Another amazing made to measure option. I bought two velvet bell sleeve dresses from here and they’re perfect and such a reasonable price too! Still in great condition too!
4. Freddie’s of Pinewood (UK, offers prepaid VAT for EU customers) – Jeans and Trousers for extreme hourglass figures – 40s and 50s Style
I needed some good trousers for work and often I struggle to find trousers that fit well. If they fit my waist, they’re not big enough in the hip, and if they fit my hips, they are super baggy around the waist. Not the case with Freddie’s of Pinewood! Most brands will have about a 10″ waist-hip difference in trousers (sometimes I find it’s less), but with Freddie’s of Pinewood it’s more like 12″+ inches difference! I also find that the hip juts out abruptly, which is exactly what I need! These were definitely made for women with very hourglass/pear figures or those who tightlace. They come as small as a 24″ waist. I can wear these without a corset underneath, but I usually prefer to wear them with a corset underneath since I find that more comfortable. I usually wear my corsets at about 19-20″ and on top usually that would measure around 21-22″ and I don’t have to wear a belt with these and I have the smallest size they carry. I haven’t found a pair of trousers that fit better! Only downside with the trousers I have is that I have to hand wash them! I don’t need any new jeans, but if I do, I’ll definitely check Freddie’s of Pinewood.
5. Vivien of Holloway (UK) – 50s Pinup style curvy cut clothing
I have a pink circle skirt from Vivien of Holloway that is a 24″ waist. I can wear this with or without a corset just fine and it looks great with a petticoat! According to the size chart, they carry items as small as a 22″ waist (Vivien of Holloway size 8), but I think this is in an extended size range, as it’s not available for every garment, but the 24″ waist or Vivien of Holloway size 10 is more widely available! When I checked the website, there were no skirts with a 22″ waist, but I did find some dresses and tops that were a Vivien of Holloway size 8. Their size chart is based on vintage size charts from the 50s, so make sure you check their size chart before buying! I’d love to buy one of their satin halter dresses!
Money Saving Tip: They often have sales, you might even get lucky finding their stuff on a secondhand marketplace.
6. Collectif (UK) – Pinup Style Clothing
I first found out about Collectif when I visited London with my mum in 2013, absolutely loved their Camden Market shop. You can find all things pinup here! They’re now under new management so I believe their manufacturing has changed to Turkey, when it was previously China. I can’t comment on this as my Collectif items are older stock from before the change in management. I currently have one black circle skirt and one Wednesday Addams looking dress (best part: it has pockets!). Once again, looks great with and without a corset. Their sizing goes as small as a 24″ waist, but I think this brand is a bit more suitable for pear shapes than busty hourglass figures. I’d stick with circle skirts since I don’t think Collectif cut as curvy as Vivien of Holloway or Freddie’s of Pinewood. Lots of fun novelty prints and colours!
Money Saving Tip: They have a lot of sales, so I’d personally wait for a sale instead of buying full price! You might get lucky finding their stuff on a secondhand marketplace or charity shop. I got my Wednesday Addams style dress from a charity shop in Camden for £12!
7. Rain Sisters (Latvia) – Beautiful Raincoats that fit a pinup style
I hate rainy days, but having a nice raincoat makes a rainy day a bit better. These coats are also great for chilly, but dry days as well. When I first saw their balloon sleeve Majestic coat, I fell in love. I love a good puffy 1890s style sleeve. This coat gets a lot of compliments and it’s really flattering too.
Money Saving Tip: They usually have a sale in late June (I think?) and Black Friday, so if you’re on a budget wait for a sale!
8. Crimson Rose Corsetry (US) – Corsets and Dresses that go with them
Kitty from Crimson Rose is an incredibly talented designer. Really love her work! She can do it all: cosplay, ren faire, historical designs, contemporary designs, you name it. She’s someone who really does wear and test her own designs as a daily corset wearer who has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, so you know it’s going to be great!
She developed a waterproof corset that can easily be washed since the boning is synthetic whalebone (a special kind of plastic) and any metal boning can easily be removed. I’ve washed it many times and it dries so quickly so it’s ready to go when you need it. Because there’s a bit of stretch, there’s some flexibility with the fit. This one really came in handy for me while I was chronically ill and needed pressure on my uterus to stop the pain, especially when hiking or at night. I went hiking and swimming in Hawaii in it and walked a lot around Japan in the heat in it and it was comfortable. It’s more of a hybrid corset-girdle than a traditional corset, which can make it more comfortable. My only issue is my hips are too wide and shelfy for the pattern (that’s the nature of OTR) and I wish there was more hip coverage (that’s just my own preference).
She also sells this dress called the Cassidy dress and it works great for hourglass figures, very form fitting because the velvet fabric is really stretchy. Sizes run a bit small (I take a medium in this dress, when I’m usually XS or S) and I think this dress works best with some kind of foundation wear underneath. I only wish it was available in all the colours (especially purple), it’s great! As you can see in the photos, I’m wearing my 18″ overbust underneath and the fit is perfect.
Bonus: Corset Makers
I’ve debated whether or not to have a corset section in this blog post, but ultimately I decided to include it because it is a part of how I dress (and if this isn’t for you, you can always skip it). I’ve been contacted multiple times about it and people want to know where I buy my corsets. I don’t gatekeep! Just want to lead with a little caveat/disclaimer:
I only recommend properly patterned steel boned corsets (synthetic whalebone is ok too). I do not recommend fajas/waist trainers. Safety first, always listen to your body. If you’re feeling dizzy or unwell, don’t wear it or remove it. There is no one best corset for everyone. The best corset is one that fits your measurements. The only measurement that should be smaller than yours is the waist measurement, the other measurements should match yours or be within 1-2″.
I’ve been wearing corsets for about 5.5 years now. I would wear them to relieve chronic pain from period cramps. You can read more about my chronic illness and hysterectomy journey in this blog post. I went from a 26″ natural waist to a 23″ natural waist, and I’ve sized down from 22″ corsets to 20″ and 18″ corsets. I started off wearing off the rack (OTR) pieces from Restyle and Timeless Trends (both are good budget brands) before switching to custom fit pieces, as OTR couldn’t meet my needs anymore.
I always recommend newbies to start off with OTR corsets because it’s more affordable to do trial and error to find out your preferences, and as you train down the fit needs to be more fine-tuned. To get the best fit in a custom corset, it’s important to know these things. For example, I tried a conical rib in OTR and I found it uncomfortable, so I pick cupped rib instead. I’ve tried OTRs with an abrupt shelf hip and a sloping hip and found that I can only wear corsets with an abrupt shelf hip.
The two makers recommended below are ones that have made great MTM pieces and both are very honest about what they can/can’t do and what does/doesn’t work. Since my body shape is challenging to pattern for, I’m very confident in their skills. Both have been in business for almost 20 years and have worked with a wide variety of clients of all genders. I especially recommend those who have special fit needs (such as plus size, extreme hourglass, scoliosis, transfemme, etc) go to an experienced corset maker.
Valkyrie Corsets Custom Overbust Review (England)
As soon as I saw Geraldine’s work, I was like Wayne looking at that Stratocaster in Wayne’s World like “it will be mine, oh yes it will be mine”. Living in Ireland at the time, I didn’t want to get dinged by customs so I was waiting for the right time to order, as in when I move to England. I really wanted a good overbust because I hate wearing bras and my OTR overbust wasn’t cutting it anymore. I arranged an in-person fitting because I was determined to get the best possible fit. I brought my best fitting custom corset and got measured. I got the mockup (tried it for a week to ensure the fit was good) and it was very comfortable and the fit was nearly perfect, only a couple tweaks needed for the bust! She was amazed at how good the fit was on the first try. The final piece is incredible and so good that I had another made, this time in ice blue rosebud coutil fabric and ice blue mesh, the colour reminds me a lot of my grandma’s wedding dress from the 1940s (that’s why I picked ice blue). That one is an 18″ and the waist is half the size of the hip measurement!
Both of my overbusts are my most frequently worn ones and they’re both really comfortable, I would wear them to work for 11-12 hours straight, no problem. Overall, great communication, phenomenal work, I can easily recommend Valkyrie Corsets!
Orchid Corsetry Seirian Waspie Review (Wales)
Bethan is another incredibly talented corset maker based in the UK. Her work is beautiful! Because my Crimson Rose corset is having a bit of strain at the zipper from years of use (still useable for the time being), I wanted to get a short mesh corset to replace it and I fell in love with the design of the Seirian waspie. I got an 18″ one with a 16″ hipspring (about 3″ below the waist). She hadn’t made a waspie that curvy yet, but took on the challenge. There was a small issue where the back boning was twisting in the channels and wasn’t staying straight while lacing up. In short, it wasn’t my body, I just needed extra stiff, thick boning at the back to get the proper support. When I brought this issue up Bethan listened, diagnosed the issue, and fixed it at no extra cost to me and threw in an extra set of laces when mine had snapped because of the boning twisting! Her communication was always prompt and she couldn’t have been nicer. A+ customer service!
A little context for your benefit: Squishability is a major factor in corset fitting. Those who are softer (and typically heavier) can usually reduce their waist more easily, sometimes by as much as 8-12″. That isn’t to say thin, lean people can’t tightlace, it just takes more time. I have a belt that is 20″ at the smallest notch, without a corset I can wear that belt even though my torso is quite lean (this was a one-off demonstration to show how easily my body can compress because of waist training for chronic pain, do not try this at home). The squishiness came from waist training not my body type, which means that even though that waspie is a 5″ reduction closed (just about tightlacing reduction) or 3″ reduction with a 2″ gap (not tightlacing), it needs to be made like it’s a high reduction piece.
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