Long-line bra with whirlpool-style stitched cups, hook-and-eye adjustable back closure, and self fabric shoulder straps.  Made in 1950 by Hollywood Maxwell Company, which was acquired in 1958 by Munsingwear Incorporated, a company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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Today, the “Penguin” golf shirt may be Munsingwear’s most recognized creation, but underwear was the company’s foundation. From 1890-1980, Munsingwear produced innovative undergarments, including the union suit and silk plated wool, for men, women, and children.

The Hollywood Vassarette division, established in 1958, specialized in women’s fashionable coordinated undergarments. This colorful sales promotion kit represents Munsingwear’s commitment to producing undergarments to complement a season’s trends and to create a desired silhouette. The 1964 sales promotion kit folder contains four full-color advertisements, a full-color foldout with merchandise display suggestions, and an illustrated booklet,  “A Re-cap of Our Fashion Notebook for Spring-Summer, 1964”, describing the current trends.

Sales Promotion Kit: Hollywood Vassarette, 1963. Munsingwear, Inc. Records. Minnesota Historical Society.

An online inventory for the Munsingwear collection is available at http://www.mnhs.org/library/findaids/00206.xml

Sehri Strom, Collections Assistant

Black lace merry widow. Strapless combination bra and girdle foundation garment, Hollywood Vassarette V-ette style 1079. Manufactured by Munsingwear, Inc. of Minneapolis, Minnesota, circa 1960s.

Starting May 7th, come see this piece and many more at Underwear: A Brief History at the Minnesota Historical Society.

For nearly 100 years after its founding in 1886, the Munsingwear Company was known for its innovations in both style and manufacturing techniques and materials. The largest producer of branded underwear in the U.S., it was also the largest employer of women in Minnesota. Curator Linda McShannock explores the company’s numerous “firsts” over the course of its 100 year history, embodied by the slogan “Don’t say underwear – say Munsingwear”

 Podcast Video [4:45m]: Download (673)
 Ebook: Download (391)

This half slip, brassiere, and girdle represents Munsingwear’s first coordinated promotion between departments manufacturing lingerie and foundation garments using an Italian print named “Toulouse” with fabric coordination by Jean Hall of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Made of nylon and spandex by Munsingwear Incorporated, 1961.

Starting May 7th, come see this piece and many more at Underwear: A Brief History at the Minnesota Historical Society.

Bright pink, green, and white floral patterned brief-style panty girdle with an overstitched front panel and a white satin bow on an elasticized waistband. Made of Lycra spandex. Made by Hollywood Vassarette, a division of Munsingwear Incorporated, a company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Circa 1972.

This bra was presented to a female police officer upon her promotion to the rank of Sergeant with the Saint Paul Police Department in 1971 in Minnesota. The roomy size 36DD pink lace Maidenform bra has sergeant stripes tacked to each cup, a shield-shaped pin above the right cup reading “I HAVE SERVED / ST. PAUL SCHOOL POLICE,” and a patch tacked to the back closure of the bra reading “POLICE TRAFFIC”.