Love this lingerie? You can share it on social media with the links below! Find more in the accompanying book.

Saks Fifth Avenue cami-knickers / crepe chiffon, silk satin, c.1924, France | Photo: Eileen Costa © MFIT

Cami-knickers evolved from the “combinations” of the early twentieth century. Beginning in the late 1910s, these garments were made from light, delicate fabrics that facilitated a lean silhouette. By the 1920s, wide, knee-length drawers had narrowed and shortened, resulting in a sleek new style that could be worn under the tubular dresses of the era.

These cami-knickers, dating to the mid-1920s, were made in France for Saks Fifth Avenue. While embellishments on camiknickers varied, the understated, rectangular appliqués on this example are especially modern. In 1922, the important American trade magazine Corsets and Lingerie noted that “French lingerie still remains simple in design, but is unusually artistic.”¹

SHARE   000