So far this month we’ve looked at the Formfit and Hollywood Maxwell brands as we explored the world of bras and girdles in the mid-century. Each of these brands advertised in mid-century women’s magazines for their line of foundation garments. Their ad campaigns differed slightly from year to year and from magazine to magazine. Today’s topic is Maidenform. Unlike its competitors, the Maidenform bra ad campaign stayed consistent during the 1950’s and beyond. One need only to see the words “I Dreamed I . . .” to know that they were looking at a Maidenform advertisement.
I searched my collection of mid-century women’s magazine published between the years of 1946 and 1964 and found the following ads for Maidenform that I want to share with you today.
Early 1950’s Maidenform “I Dreamed I . . .” ads
I dreamed I was an artist in My Maidenform Bra appeared in the September 1951 issue of McCalls. I dreamed I starred on television in my Maidenform Bra was published in November of the same year when TV was still in it infancy and shows like Dragnet and I Love Lucy were first introduced.
These Maidenform ads appeared in consecutive issues of Today’s Women magazine in 1951. I dreamed I was a mermaid was in July and I dreamed I was Cinderella in June.
Here we see more Maidenform ads from both household and fashion magazines. “I dreamed I got caught in the rain” comes from the April 1951 edition of Today’s Woman household magazine. The Flower shop ad comes from the May 1953 edition of Charm, a fashion magazine.
This clever magician-themed ad spanned two pages of the November 1953 edition of Glamour.
Here are two more whimsical ads from Maidenform’s “I dreamed I . . .” campaign.
I dreamed I stopped at a sidewalk cafe comes from the May 1952 edition of Mademoiselle. I dreamed I was given a Key to the City comes from the May 1952 edition of Today’s Woman.
Late 1950’s Maidenform “I Dreamed I . . .” ads
This spy-themed ad comes from yet another household magazine. Good Housekeeping had a variety of articles for mid-century women from decorating to cooking to fashion. The fashion section often featured foundation-related ads. I dreamed I was being followed in my Maidenform Bra is a striking full page ad from their August 1956 edition.
A Maidenform ad from another mid-century household magazine. This the I dreamed I played Chess in my Maidenform Bra ad comes from the May 1957 edition of Woman’s Day magazine.
This I dreamed I made sweet music in my Maidenform Bra ad comes from the November 1958 edition of Good Housekeeping.
Here is another ad appearing in two pages with the tagline of “I dreamed I was bookends in my Maidenform Bra”. It was published in the March 1959 edition of Good Housekeeping magazine.
Early 1960’s Maidenform “I Dreamed I . . .” ads
Maidenform continued their “I Dreamed I . . .” campaign into the 1960’s. This one is from the February 1962 edition of McCalls.
“I dreamed Paris was at my feet in my Maidenform Bra” is a full page color ad from Maidenform’s “I Dreamed I” campaign. It is the latest Maidenform ad in my collection. The ad was found in the September 1964 edition of McCalls. Tomorrow we’ll look at 2 additional ads from Maidenform and dig deeper into the company’s history.
More Maidenform Ads on MidCenturyPage.com
Summary
Here’s what the WordPress AI assistant had to say about this post (the process blows my mind).
The content provides an in-depth look at Maidenform’s “I Dreamed I” campaign, showcasing a range of ads from the 1950s and early 1960s. The detailed descriptions and accompanying images offer an engaging historical perspective on the brand’s advertising strategy during that period.
Overall, the post effectively delves into the unique and consistent advertising approach of Maidenform, providing valuable historical insights into mid-century marketing strategies.
Mid-Century Page 
Pingback: 1964 – Maidenform Sweet Music Cotton Bra – Mid-Century Page
Pingback: 1960 – Fashion Designer Scaasi’s Dream Girdle – Mid-Century Page
Pingback: 1956 – Shapewear Innovations – Mid-Century Page