White Nylon Underwired Brassiere with Molded Cups

That white bra and yellow dress are engineering partners in the 1950s project of reshaping the female silhouette — one working from the inside, the other from the outside, both committed to the same architectural ideal. The bra's molded cups and sturdy underwire create the pointed, separated bust that gives the dress its proper foundation, while the dress's fitted bodice and full circle skirt demand exactly that kind of structural support beneath.

That navy dress with its crisp white collar and the molded white bra are partners in the 1950s project of engineering the female form into Dior's New Look silhouette. The bra's structured cups and engineered lift create the foundation for the dress's fitted bodice and flared skirt—you can see how the pointed bust line would fill out that navy wool perfectly, while the white cotton collar echoes the bra's pristine functionality.

The white molded bra and the mauve organza dress are engineering partners in Dior's New Look revolution, both designed to sculpt the same hourglass ideal from opposite directions. The bra's conical cups and rigid underwire create the foundation for the dress's nipped waist and full circle skirt — you can practically see how that structured bustline would fill out the dress's fitted bodice.

The molded cups of this 1950s bra and the structured bodice of this miniature wedding dress are both engineering the same postwar fantasy: the torpedo-breasted, wasp-waisted silhouette that Dior canonized as the New Look.