Vintage porn, vintage erotica, or vintage art?

Much discussed in vintage erotica forums and named after the cheap wood pulp paper that they were made from, pulp fiction books and magazines of the all-male world of the 1950's and 1960's invariably presented women in vintage lingerie on their covers in deliciously feminine and glamorous underwear typical of the day.  Designed to titillate and ever-provocative, this cover art was beautifully created by skilful artists of both sexes and while their lovely work may be seen by some today as somewhat sexist, or even vintage porn, but they actually depict and reflect the importance of beautifully feminine lingerie on slips models at the time - part, then, of the fabric of 1950's society in fact.  

Women wearing the most delightful slips were much in evidence, proving what I have said many times before in my articles that in those mid-20th century years slips were not just functional items of underwear but were meant to be seen as objects of desire.  Other classic styles of old fashioned mid-century vintage lingerie were also much in evidence in pulp fiction art - nylon stockings and diaphanous nightgowns being especially prominent as pulp fiction costume.

Since I originally wrote this article I have been criticised by one or two people for, in their eyes, highlighting what they describe as vintage porn.  I totally disagree.  Unacceptable now perhaps, but pulp fiction is only a snapshot of the attitudes of their time and should always be seen in a vintage context.  Cue soundtrack to Pulp Fiction and read on... 

As for the women of pulp fiction themselves, they tended to fall into the following categories.

Firstly, 'in peril' and pursued by one or more of these:

• Desperados. Unshaven and on the run from the sheriff.
• The sheriff himself.  If she mistakenly thought he was safe, she was wrong.
• Aliens. The more horrible-looking the better.
• Foreigners. African tribesmen, Chinese, Arabs. Anyone non-American will do.
• Mad professors. Unwholesome experiments. Mwaaahahaaaa.
• Gangsters. Don't mess with them. Oh, too late, she already has.
• Japanese soldiers. Or Nazis. Usually holding a whip.
• One-toothed sex-starved hillbilly billy-bobs. Encouraged by Trump, no doubt. Cue banjo.

Very often, pulp fiction women were depicted as:

• Man-trap vixens.  Out to lure unsuspecting men into outrageous sex.
• Suburban housewives. Out to lure unsuspecting men into outrageous sex.
• Office vamps. Out to lure unsuspecting men into outrageous sex. Yet again.

Or, alternatively:

• Lesbians. Pulp fiction writers were obsessed with lesbians. Plenty of lesbians.

Lastly, here are some pulp fiction truisms for women:

• If you are wearing a slip, at least one strap will be off your shoulder.
• Likewise if by some miracle you still have your bra on.
• Nighties, especially babydolls are always outrageously transparent.
• Undoubtedly, he'll be laid on the bed, smoking.