Enter The Strange World Of Vintage Lingerie Ads

Women playing giant chess in bras, tulip women, a woman dragged by her hair by a caveman — 20 ads from the pre-Mad Men 1940s-1950s.

1. Warners

1950s.

Obvious cringeworthy sexism aside, shouldn't the caveman be barefooted? What is he, a Roman caveman?

2. Warners

1950s.

A plate of donuts and my records and my girdle.

That's all I need.

3. Warners

1950s.

That appears to be a copy of the Bible they are holding.

4. Warners

Headline: Turn A Bold Shoulder To Summer.

Very conceptual for the 1950s.

5. Warners

1949.

Workout wear has come a long way.

6. Formfit

The 1940s Formfit Life Bras campaign featured mutantly-proportioned minxes, and not-at-all dirty (BOO!) limericks.

7. Formfit

1940s.

8.

1940s.

9.

1940s.

Little Boy Blue is missing the chance for a real life dream.

10.

1940s.

11.

Peter was a douchebag.

12. PermaLift girdles

1950s.

A Venus statue with a partially-eaten apple sitting on its head.

I have no idea.

13. Jantzen

1950.

Much like their famous swimwear ads, Jantzen's girdle ads were considered quite racy for the time period.

14. Jantzen

During World War II.

Rear Guard, yuckity yuck.

15. Jantzen.

1949.

The mutant Tulip Women ate their husbands.

16. Jantzen

1950.

17. Jantzen

1950s.

18. Maidenform

1950s.

The classic "I dreamed I was..." Maidenform campaign ran for more than a decade into the 1960s. This is the most bizarre ad from the series.

19. Maidenform

1950s.

My, what a big King.

20. Maidenform

1950s.

Whoa, hello handcuffs.

Most of these ads are via the Vintage King of Flickr — Captain Geoffrey Spaulding. He has collected over 32,000 images. It's a special place to get lost in time.