Lingerie has evolved so much over the last century from insanely restrictive pieces to today’s laid back make-it-outerwear look. There are so many different styles of lingerie from the 20s through 2000s including beautiful slips, corsets (and they are so in right now), lace teddies and bras. Your go-to thrift shops may not have a large array of vintage lingerie, but don’t fear- there is so much online and you can even find really cool designer pieces. We want to help you find pieces you love that make you feel empowered and look amazing. Our Inspo ranges from the 50s to early 2000s and we include options for buying them now.
Where to look
We recommend not limiting yourself to a specific resale site… however these are the ones we have had the most luck on! Here are the best sites for vintage lingerie and some of NoKill’s fav shops for inspo:
Etsy Shops
Ebay
Never underestimate Ebay –it sounds outdated but it has a great selection! A lot of people go to Depop as a default nowadays, but Ebay has so many vintage finds. The best way to go about your search is to use the search bar (keep scrolling for our keywords!), rather than specific sellers. And note: Ebay has a lot of slip dresses and corset tops for sale!
What to search:
Obviously, the more specific terms you use, the better result. If you aren’t looking for anything in particular you can browse something broad with something as simple as ‘vintage lingerie’, but if you are looking for a specific piece of clothing, use a mix of the more specific keywords down below!
If you want CORSETS
Search: “Vintage corset bustier top”
Rihanna in the early 2000s (James Devaney/Wire Images)
If you want SLIP DRESSES
Search: “vintage sheer nightgown” “vintage womens silk slip”, “vintage chemise dress” and other words like “Negligee” and “Peignoir”
Madonna at MTV’s “Madonna’s Bedtime Story Pajama Party” to screen her new music video “Bedtime Story” on March 18, 1995 at Webster Hall in New York City. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
If you want a TEDDY
Search: “vintage lace bodysuit”, “vintage teddy lingerie”… These are not hard to find!
Ava Gardner in the 1950s for MGM
If you want BRAS and BRALETTES
Search: “vintage deadstock bra”, “vintage silk brassiere”
Selena Quintanilla 1993 (Photo by Al Rendon)
Other useful keywords to mix into any of these searches are [Insert a decade i.e. 80s] “vintage lingerie” and descriptive terms of your style like mesh, ruffles, lacey, floral, colors, etc.
–Leah Flannery
