Welcome to the wonderful world of vintage Van Raalte slips and petticoats. Frothy, floating, filmy nylon tricots misted with net ... frosted with lace ... blushing in beautiful colours. Indulge yourself in the nicest of nylon with a Van Raalte slip and drift dreamily back to a time when looking and feeling glamorous was a way of life. Delicate and deliciously feminine nylon tricot, frosted with embroidery or lace, Van Raalte slips are lovely enough for a trousseau and yet everyday practical too. Satin Suavette. Opaquelon. Myth. Illusion. These are just some of the Van Raalte fabric names that are celebrated and cherished by vintage lingerie aficionados the world over. In the early 1950's, Van Raalte slip colours were flower tones. White wasn't just white, it was Gardenia White. Black wasn't just plain old black, it was Black Tulip. In addition, your slip could instead be Petal Pink, Forget-me-not Blue, Honeysuckle Beige, Begonia, or Leaf Green. Even more magical colours came along in later years. That was all part of the Van Raalte magic of wearing something special to feel special - slips that belong in every woman's wardrobe.
Van Raalte slips and nightgowns are some of the most beautiful creations in the world of vintage lingerie, but accurately dating your items can be difficult without specialist help. Luckily, after much painstaking research, Nylon Nostalgia has compiled a help guide to dating Van Raalte slips, petticoats and nightgowns.
"Your slip's showing". A newspaper advertisement for Van Raalte slips and petticoats from 1958.
A 1955 advert for the frilly, frothy pleated Van Raalte slips typical of the time.
Vintage Van Raalte pettislip petticoat advertisement 1960
