We turn our attention to the Jantzen company as we explore yet another bra brand from the mid-century. The ad you see is from the February 1951 issue of Vogue magazine. It features a bold line drawing that highlights the distinct shape of their line of “Wonderful Bras”. Because this is the early 1950’s, the cup shape includes a sharp point at the apex. The straps hold the girls up while the concentric stitching forms their shape. The wearer need only to put on this bullet-style of bra to identify herself as a woman living in the 50’s.
Note that the ad includes a modified version of the Jantzen logo. Here it shows both their trademarked diver image in addition to a circular dotted line image which shows that their brand also included bras.
Jantzen was mostly known for their swimwear, but also had a successful line of foundation garments. We’ll spend the next few days looking at more foundation ads from Jantzen from the late forties through the early sixties.
Since Jantzen specialized in both swimwear and foundations, the post-war industry that produced nylon and spandex would have been important to the brand. Creating mid-century foundations was a bit of a science itself. The garment would have to stretch with with the body while keeping its shape. A good bra would have to be wearable, easy to put on and take off, and be somewhat comfortable. It would also have to be washable. The ad copy attempts to convince the reader to buy the bra as it explains the science that went into making it.
American Brands from the 1950’s and 1960’s
A few years ago, MidCenturyPage.com featured a collection of posts featuring Great American Brands from the mid-century. Jantzen was included on the list. The company has an interesting history and some fun ad campaigns. Click on the link below to read the post.
More Ads From Jantzen on MidCenturyPage.com
Summary
This MidCenturyPage.com post provides an interesting historical perspective on Jantzen’s mid-century bra advertisements, showcasing the distinctive 1950s bullet bra style and the brand’s focus on swimwear and foundation garments. The addition of the modified Jantzen logo and the explanation of mid-century foundation garment production adds depth to the narrative.
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