After reading titillating tales such as "Unacceptable Bride",  "Primitive Kisses" and "Out to Expose Her"  in  my July 1953 issue of "Secrets" magazine, I came across this great  Frederick’s of Hollywood  dress ad on one of the back pages.

Check out these seductive creations that Frederick’s used to sell by mail order.  I love the name of the one on the right,  "Danger Ahead".

Mr. Mellinger, founder of the company, was  determined to turn every American woman into a bombshell.  These provocative evening dresses were designed specifically tp attract the opposite sex. 

Here’s a quote about the company’s owner from the  Reference for Business website

"Mellinger, who came to be known as "Mr. Frederick" among his clientele,
soon began to specialize in figure-enhancing foundations and
accessories. He designed his first push-up bra, dubbed the "Rising
Star," in 1948. Fanny pads, girdles, sky-high heeled shoes, hosiery,
wigs, false eyelashes, even head pads to achieve the illusion of
height–anything necessary to achieve "Frederick’s figure balancing
act"–followed in the years to come. The company even offered an
inflatable bra that came complete with a "free straw." The catalogs and
stores later added glamorous evening wear, much of it designed by Mr.
Frederick himself. The garments featured daring necklines, high slits,
and sheer fabrics intended to appeal to men as much as women. In fact,
Mellinger once wrote that his goal was to offer "the most alluring,
body-hugging, figure-enhancing outer fashions … always aimed at men."

Of course I immediately started searching for some 50′s Frederick’s of Hollywood dresses.  But none turned up after an exhaustive Google search.  There were a few outfits from the 70′s, but none earlier.  So I guess the earlier clothing is pretty scarce.  If anyone comes across any, please send a link.  Would love to see what a real 50′s dress from Frederick’s looks like.

If you’re interested in fashion illustration, there is a book available called Frederick’s of Hollywood-26 Years of Mail Order Seduction that features catalog pages from 1947-1973. 

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