Cleavage

[MissAmelina]

I am in agreement. I just feel that less is more in this case. But if you have more and it peeks out, it ain't no big thang.

I think boobs spilling out of a suit in the workplace or in the classroom is disrespectful to others (depending on where you work, of course--if you are a bartender or something, it would be different).
It can make other people uncomfortable and can be very distracting---it is also widely considered unprofessional.
There is a time and a place for that kind of fashion--and for some reason the guidelines have become very blurred, which is confusing to me. It seems like common sense to know when the girls can come out, and when to dress politely. But alot of people have lost their interest in being polite period. We are so focused on self-expression, we don't care how our actions effect others...which makes me sad.

Classic fashion seems to adhere more to this idea of less is more--and people were aware of having good manners (which is apparent in workplace fashions of the day).

In my opinion, dressing that carelessly at the office is no different than dropping F-Bombs in front of your grandma. I think this was kind of mentioned before, but it's also no different than a man's shirt being unbuttoned to his navel with chest hair spilling out. Or if a guy wore short shorts to the office and you could see his pubic hair. Or jeans so low you could see his groin muscle. At the dance club, that may be fine, but during a business meeting it would be extremely innappropriate and rude.

 

[DameIniquitous]

Or the gentlemen who enjoy mesh shirts, which allow their chest hair to breathe and horrify all.

I agree with the lines being blurred on and off the job.

Today I bumped into a girl on the bus and despite a chilly April in Canada, she was wearing something that I thought (and still think) was a bathing suit top.

It's nice to find a place where people are in agreement that it is akward to have all assets on display.

 

[Lotta Little]

Someone once said, "If you've got the merchandise, put it in the window." Personally, my shop doesn't open until 6 PM.

 

[Lady Day]

Thats good

LD

 

[Lareesie Ladavi]

I guess pre 50s was conservative, with the exception of the bullet bra. When it was invented, all hell broke loose (pardon the pun). My first bra was a bullet style, from my aunt....don't ask. She didn't want it (go figure), so it became mine.
To me, having your boobs shaped like cones is more distracting than cleavage. Now that I think about it, I think my childhood awkwardness may have partly stemmed from that bra. It was the eighties and before madonna made the bullet (as extreme as it was) cool again.
I think boobage has been around for quite a while. There was brief moment women were slightly more covered. World war I needed the steel, bye bye corsets and hello bra.

 

[Barbigirl]

Carrying yourself with Confidence

And I have to say I'm bored stiff with all this pretense of political correctness which says it is ok for one to display whatever they want but not for the other to flutter an expression, let alone express an opinion.

For discussion sake and the fact that I think it is OK tastefully display what you like--my platform: If you've got it and can flaunt it, with grace and elegance, go for it. As long as you are not in jeopardy of a nipslip (that is what double stick boob tape is for), or spilling over in unsightly places wear what you like.

I own a large variety of different neckline styles and I have never avoided purchasing something I liked because a neckline was too low. A big key is knowing what looks good on you. I think V neck and scoop neck blouses are very flattering. I do wear some business wear that according to some FLer definitions be considered daring perhaps. I am completely comfortable and confident in what I wear. As well, I am trying to teach my daughters confidence and personal comfort in their choices and I am dealing with and almost A and a D...challenging difference.

I enjoy wearing sexy low cut or strapless evening wear and am blessed with a good shape that works for it, i.e. dress in avatar
So anyway completely comfortable for me.

If I ever found a backless dress that fit me, I would wear it with glee.

Actually, I worry much more about the length of my skirts.

 

[Lorena B]

Well, I like cleavages but i not always, that have to go with the rest of your outfit.

I read somewhere that it wouldnt look too good wearing a cleavage while wearing a short skirt, it looks like there will be a lot of merchandise on sight.

I particularly must say, that sometimes less is more, you can be really suggesting without showing cleavage, I say this thinking in the high neck sweaters, man, they really make your bust stand out specially if they are tight and if on top you add a bullet bra.... uff!!

 

[swampcrone]

The 40s were stiffer more versatile fabrics. Women were working, taking on traditional male roles. Then in the 50s we reverted back to the over feminine, almost a caricature concept of the female form, and cleavage thrived.

LD

The 40s is hard to categorize as "one" fashion type- it ranges from the war-rationed years (and yes, women working in factories where skirts would have been dangerous) where clothing was slimmer and cut from smaller amounts of fabric. After the war we see Dior's influence in starting the New Look which was possible only because fabric was not rationed.

I found this quote here: http://www.vintageconnection.net/NewLook.htm

It was Dior's belief that women were fed-up with the uniforms and unadorned clothing of WWII. A new lady-like charm was being adopted by post war women--who were mimicking screen idols such as Grace Kelly. The New Look took women back to the more simple, traditional days of their great-grandmothers; Vogue described The New Look as being "from the era of Madame Bovary…wasp-waisted Gibson Girl shirtwaists, pleated or tucked…slow-sloped, easy shoulders…wrapped and bound middles--barrel (almost hobble) skirts--longer, deeply shaped shadow-box décolleté-padded hips…"

 

[Lady Day]

Yes, just like the 30s or most other decades, there are generally 3 phases fashion goes through.

But for the sake of my quote (and generally when I refer to the '40s), and the time I was referencing, lets call it the war time period.

Cool link.

Oh, and welcome

LD

 

[swampcrone]

Yes, just like the 30s or most other decades, there are generally 3 phases fashion goes through.

But for the sake of my quote (and generally when I refer to the '40s), and the time I was referencing, lets call it the war time period.

Cool link.

Oh, and welcome

LD

The immediate post war period was more "maternity wear" (i.e. all the husbands getting home from the war)...

And thank you for the welcome, I suppose I should go post on the intro thread.

 

[Lady Day]

The immediate post war period was more "maternity wear" (i.e. all the husbands getting home from the war)...

Okay...but as I said, my meaning is war time, not post war.

LD

 

[swampcrone]

Okay...but as I said, my meaning is war time, not post war.

LD

Which I understood- was just throwing out the maternity wear as a style of fashion that had to be popular, but rarely found (at least in my experience)

 

[swampcrone]

Another thing I forgot to mention- fashion was a lot more "rigid" then- i.e. one outfit would be for work (if the woman worked outside the home), house/ day dresses were just that, playwear was worn for that- going to the beach or a picnic, but not worn at any other time.

(Of course, just bumped the thread to show off the cute knitted beach shorts and halter outfit pattern I found)

ETA- the booklet was copyright 1945