How to get that Iconic Dior New Look Silhouette - it's a Cinch!

With the V&A's · 'Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams' exhibition opening at London's V&A museum on Saturday 2nd Feb all eyes will be on the iconic fashion house and in particular Christian Dior's very first collections Corolle and Huit, most commonly known as the 'New Look'.

The New Look featured full flowing skirts and tiny cinched waists and the fashion continued throughout the 1950s and is still popular today. To get Dior's New Look the models and patrons accentuated their curves by wearing a waist cinching waspie made of heavyweight lastex. To recreate Dior's New Look today, vintage lingerie specialists What Katie Did have designed two waist cinching waspies: a powermesh version which gently cinches the waist, and a mini corset which gives a more dramatic shape.

'We use What Katie Did shapewear to achieve the correct silhouette for our period costumes. The right foundations ensure our actresses stand and pose correctly - aiding the overall costume look and actress's performance'. Becky Tregent 'The Crown' (Netflix).

Glamour Waspie: the Glamour waspie is made from stretchy powermesh. Powermesh took over from heavy lastex when lycra and elastane came on to the market in 1958. The hook and eye closure at the front makes it easy to put on alone and it is designed to gently shape offering extremely comfortable all-day wear. It's actually What Katie Did's most popular item of lingerie!

Luna Waspie Corset: the Luna Corset is a traditional non stretch corset and which gives a dramatic shape, more similar to that of the waspies used for Dior's New Look. While Dior's models and patrons would be used to wearing firm control corsetry on a daily basis, today pieces like this tend to be the reserve of 1950s fashionistas. Both the dramatic silhouette and feel of the corset take a little getting used to!

Come and create your own 'New Look' at What Katie Did's vintage lingerie boutique on Portobello Road in London before your trip to Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams.

Link - 1950s Style Inspiration - https://www.whatkatiedid.com/blogs/magazine

Link - Glamour Waspie - https://www.whatkatiedid.com/products/waspie-waist-cincher-glamour-nouveau

Link - Luna Waspie Corset - https://www.whatkatiedid.com/products/underbust-waspie-corset-luna


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About What Katie Did

What Katie Did have been recreating glamorous lingerie designs of the 1940s and 1940s for 20 years. Our lingerie has been worn on stage by stars including Rihanna and Dua Lipa. Victoria Beckham wore our Padded Bullet Bra on the cover of Harpers Bazaar and Sharon Stone wore it in W Magazine. On the silver screen you can see What Katie Did in Allied and The Darkest Hour while on smaller screens our credits include Peaky Blinders, The Crown and The Marvellous Mrs Maisel. What Katie Did was founded by designer Katie Thomas who is a vintage lingerie and corset expert. She has been interviewed about corsets by The Times and The Telegraph and appeared on media outlets from ITV’s This Morning to The Try Guys! What Katie Did has lingerie boutiques in London and Los Angeles, a website that ships worldwide and over 80 stockists around the globe.


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