#merry widow

[unclefezlewig]

[edgeobeyond]

https://www.edgeobeyond.com/products/charlotte-en-or-basque

You're so golden ✨

[whatkatiediduk]

The Corselette vs The Merry Widow

Step into the glamorous world of 1950s lingerie, where two enchanting creations, the Corselette (known as the Body Briefer in the US) and the Merry Widow, reign supreme. At first glance, they may appear similar, but don't be fooled - they each have their own distinctive allure and purpose.

The Corselette: Sculpting Elegance 

Picture a fusion of a longline bra and a girdle, seamlessly woven into a single garment. The Corselette was designed to sculpt your silhouette, creating a flawlessly smooth canvas beneath those figure-hugging outfits. In its vintage form, it was a challenge to put on – a pull-on style with a low back, which often compromised the bra fit. But fear not, our modern version boasts a higher back and a convenient hook-and-eye front fastening, ensuring an impeccable fit without the struggles of yesteryears. To add a touch of allure, we've woven an internal elastic waist tape for a subtle cinch, avoiding the tube-like silhouette of vintage corselettes. A staple under both daytime and evening dresses, the Corselette was the secret to 1950s elegance.

The Merry Widow: Cinch and Support

In the enchanting world of 1950s fashion, the Merry Widow was the epitome of timeless glamour. It's more than just a strapless bra; it's a waist cincher too. These exquisite pieces were the perfect complement to evening dresses, often adorned with off-shoulder designs and tightly cinched waists, flowing into full skirts. While the vintage version featured a non-stretch waist tape, we've added a touch of modern comfort with elastic tape. Versatility reigns in our rendition – we've equipped it with detachable shoulder straps and made the suspenders removable. No more fumbling at the back with hook-and-eye fastenings; we've moved them to the front for ease and convenience. And, just like the original, we've faithfully maintained the classic spiral steel boning.

[gamefowlsport]

1953 Warner's "Merry Widow" Corselette

[aquariuminfobureau]

Fish keepers, and even the professionally written texts intended for consumption by aquarists, are prone to what philosophers call faulty generalization. Specifically I am now considering the livebearers, and the commonplace assertion, nowadays, that they require hard and alkaline waters in order to thrive. This fact makes these fishes appealing to people in areas with such a water supply, not least because such water is by nature more buffered against attempts to make it more soft and acidic, than is soft and acidic water when you want to make it harder and more alkaline.

In principle, a livebearer is any fish that does not spawn externally. But to aquarists it refers to 'livebearing toothcarp' or those cyprinodontoid fishes with such a life history. These fish are not a natural descent group, independent of those retaining the external spawning habit; which is to say, livebearing toothcarp' are polyphyletic. However the most common such toothcarp' in the aquarium are a natural or monophyletic group, among the poecilid subclade. Aquarists who do not have a special hobbyist interest in 'wild livebearers', are almost always referring to the mollies, guppies, platies, and swordtails.

Mollies in the wild are fishes of estuaries and even shallow seas, and in laboratory conditions, they grow better in brackish conditions than in freshwater, and not well at a low pH. Natural selection surely shapes the tolerances of wild molly populations, as in laboratory studies, shortfin mollies (Mollienisia sphenops complex, including the black molly) tolerate up to 8 ppt, and introduced mollies of this type, have colonised marine environments without further human assistance, in the Gulf of Thailand. Also laboratory studies indicate that the pH when keeping black mollies, a donesticated morph of shortfin molly, should not drop lower than 7.

The other popular mollies, the sailfin mollies (M. latipinna complex), are naturally present in marine environments in the wild, and experimentally tolerate salinities of even 70 ppt or above, and do best at 10 to. 25 ppt. The ecological preference of shortfin and sailfin mollies, for different levels of salinity, holds not only in their natural range, but also where both are introduced in the Gulf of Thailand. Shortfin mollies have colonised the inner waters of the Gulf of Thailand, where salinity is reduced, and sailfin mollies have colonised further. As with shortfin mollies, they breed and grow normally at a pH value above 7, and thus are not suitable for the softwater aquarium either.

Guppies (Lebistes reticulata) might be close evolutionary allies of the mollies, yet they are also very different animals, as they lack the special herbivorous and saltwater specializations of their molly kin. Guppies are adaptable fishes that do best at a pH that is circumneutral, and although they can tolerate slightly brackish environments, they are typically absent from them in their natural range, being thus limited to the 'interface' between fresh and brackish water conditions. Guppies actually can thrive in waters that are on the soft and acidic side, but only when the parameters are nicely close to neutral.

Still more distantly related are the platies and swordtails of the genus Xiphophorus (X. maculatus and X. helleri) that inhabit freshwaters upriver of estuaries. Although these fishes possess some physiological tolerance of low salinities, up to 10 ppt, they prefer different habitats than do tbe similarly sized mollies. Like them, however, they prefer a pH and hardness above those of our softwater aquariums. Both platies (X. maculatus complex) and swordtails (X. helleri complex) should be maintained at a pH value above 7.

The 'wild livebearers' as a whole, tend also to prefer circumneutral to hard and alkaline water, though some species are especially adaptable and tolerant. Among these are a few species popularly known as the mosquitofishes, although confusingly a number of species in different genera have been referred to by that name, sometimes even the guppy. Usually in aquaria, two species of Gambusia are indicated, either G. affinis or G. holbrooki. These species are easily confused, and the aquarium trade rarely recognizes the difference.

The adaptability of these species to variables of water parameters, has often made them very successful outside of their native range, once they have been introduced to new, suitable localities by the hand of man. Gambusia sp. may be found in waters with a pH as low as 5 and as high as 10, but usually it is at least 6. The temperature is usually 25 degrees, a good match for our tropical tanks, but they may be maintained between 15 and 30 degrees centigrade. Also, they are able to handle a salinity that is up to 16 ppt.

The overlapping appellation of millionsfish is also used for a number of livebearer species, including again the guppy. Another is the dusky millionsfish or caudo, Phalloceros caudimaculatus, further known as the speckled mosquitofish in fact, and also as the one-spot livebearer. Like Gambusia sp. this little toothcarp has established new populations far outside its natural range, assisted by its inherent and broad environmental tolerances, and human efforts to control biting mosquito populations. Based on the collection records that exist for P. caudimaculatus populations, they naturalise best where the temperature is 16-22 degrees centigrade, and the pH is 6.5 to 8.

From North America hails another small poecilids species, Heterandia formosa, known as the least killifish and midget livebearer, as well as the dwarf topminnow. The latter being a North American colloquialism referring to the killifishes. H. formosa inhabits the still waters of pools, and slow moving streams, in association with dense vegetation. The species is reported from localities with a pH of 4.5, but between 5 and 7.5 is probably better. This species feeds normally, when the temperature is between 11 and 32 degrees centigrade.

Some other livebearers may be obtained that will do fine at a pH lower than 7. Two species that may be found together in the same habitat, are the merry widow, Phallichthys amates, and the knife livebearer, Alfaro cultratus. Both species are naturally present where the pH may be as low as around 6.5. Both fishes inhabit slow-flowing streams, creeks, and other backwater to stagnant waters, around vegetation, and usually over a mud bottom. Knife livebearers have overlapping but different habitat requirements, than does the sympatric merry widow, as they are commonest in forest pools and small creeks, and also in river edge habitats.

[lucerocosplay]

Pattern Review: 1950's Merry Widow Corset-Corselet by Historical Atelier

Remember last July when I was knee deep in bunny suit fever? Well when researching for interlining layers I found this cute pattern by Historial Atelier on etsy and just knew I needed to make it. The fabric pieces had been cut and sitting in a ziplock for over a year, but with the way it came out I would say it was worth the wait!

To address the obvious elephant in the room, my display form does not fit the garment. She is lacking in the bust and hip department severely. So major fabric buckles and wrinkles I ask that you take with a large grain of salt. I haven't had the time to pad out my form or the means to buy one pre-fab close to my size.

Construction:

The merry widow uses a combination of stretch and non-stretch mesh panels. As per recommendation I went a basic power mesh for the stretch panels and a corset mesh for the non-stretch. I also added an overlay of the cutest flocked heart mesh over the corset mesh. Everything was sewn with french seams and then channels created using corset boning casing in black. The cups were made with bra foam and stretch black satin, the interior seams zig-zag stitched and again covered with boning casing for a clean finish. Underbust wire was salvadged from an old bra that fit great but died in the great laundry war of 2018. The waist tape was just 1" wide red grosgrain ribbon but petersham would have be more suitable for something like this. And I used steel spring boning from my favorite supplier Bias Bespoke.

Pattern Thoughts:

Overall I really liked the cut and fit of the garment. There is no included allowance so it is up to the maker to decide construction seam of choice and in turn needed allowance. In that way I really appreciated the consideration for the sewist. Throughout the course of construction I had no real issue with pieces fitting or ease in the cups to bodice panels not lining up. However, I thought the written directions having you insert and close the boning channels prior to sewing in the cups and installing the underwire was more difficult than it needed to be so I did this step in reverse. The channels were sewn and one end closed when the but was assembled, then inserted bones and closed ends prior to finishing the raw edge in picot elastic. The waist tape was also a little stressful since having to fit the tape to my waistline and hand baste over the seams caused some bubbling. So finding the right tension without pulling on the stretch panels took a lot of time. Though I am not sure if that is entirely on the garment or due to ribbon choice, petersham would have laid more flush to the garment and I suspect would have made this step easier. The hemming process of adding picot elastic from stretch to non-stretch panels and back again was also a bit of a headache. You do need to pull slightly on the stretch panels to have them grip and remain taught over your form but not enough to wear it puckers. Finding this balance in tension and then matching it on both sides was difficult for me, but it turn out ok in the end. However, after turning it into itself and stitching one more time then cause the stretch panels to want to flip. So, after everything was done I did need to do a little herringbone hand stitching about 1" on either side of the boning channels of the stretch panels to stop this from happening. I am still not exactly sure why that was happening, if it's a consequence of what I thought was ideal tension or if I overstretch while top stitching. Maybe some secret 3rd thing ^^; The one big caveat I have with this pattern is unfortunately sizing. While this was a perfect fit for me, the actual size window is extremely narrow. If you don't fall within it the stretch panels can only accommodate so much. Heaven forbid you were a size 12+ then you are likely to need to re-draft the entire garment. However this critique isn't so much on the pattern drafter but on the circumstances around making such a pattern. The pattern seems to directly reference a Warners Cinch Bra from the 1950's so yes, sizing was very different and what they are able to replicate off of that base is a single sized pattern. And while yes, the average sewist can likely adjust torso length and minor width adjustments, this still leaves a lot of folks with a pattern they can't really use without a great deal of drafting amendments. In which case you would save money but simply drafting it from scratch yourself. Really, the sizing is my only issue with this pattern, and the drafter themself takes great care in mentioning it upfront and being very honest about it's limitations. Her recommended fabrics, construction notes, and sources I found to be easy to follow and very clear. If you fall within the provided pattern sizing and are looking to make a more approachable foundational garment or for fun lingerie piece I would absolutely recommend this pattern. I give this pattern a solid ★★★★☆

[mahgnib]

1925 silent version of “The Merry Widow”, starring John Gilbert and Mae Murray. But no Franz Lehar music, presumably.

[gunsnarrows]

die hard isn’t a christmas movie… or is it? 🤔

[edgeobeyond]

Charlotte is classic for a reason 🌹

[once-upon-a-thigh]

She sees you when you’re sleeping

Summary: You’re home from collage to spend Christmas with your family and your older brother’s best friend, Natasha.

Genre: Smut

Pairing: AU Natasha Romanoff X Fem!reader

Word count: 2.5k

Warnings: 18+, she/her, pronouns used, afab, dub-con, pervert! Nat, somnophilia, small age gap (19/24), swearing, groping, fingering (r receiving), strap on sex (r receiving), degradation, santa kink???

Here’s your Christmas gift sluts, sorry for the pause.

Your hands gripped the steering wheel in front of you tightly, an index finger tapping along to the Christmas tunes playing softly through the radio. You mentally blamed your nervous driving on the icy roads, but you knew the truth. Your brother Tony had his old college friend, Natasha, staying over for Christmas this year. You hadn’t seen her for years, but this didn’t stop you from remembering the intense crush you used to have on the older girl whenever she would visit home with Tony. Used, you chucked to yourself. As if you haven’t been stalking her instagram, guiltily touching yourself to any photos that revealed her strong arms and nimble fingers.

With the redhead on your mind, the drive went by quick as a flash. Before you knew it, you were pulling in to the freshly shovelled driveway, greeted by the various expensive cars owned by your father.

With a sigh, you stepped out the car and heaved your bag from the back. You dragged your feet to the door that had already been opened by your anxiously waiting mother, careful not to slip. You couldn’t help the grin that slipped on your face as soon as your waiting mother pulled you in to her warm embrace, smothering your cold cheeks with loving kisses.

“Oh Y/n, I missed you darling. Come in, come in quick before you catch a cold.” She tugged you inside and slammed the door shut, resulting in a yell from your father who had yet to notice your presence.

“Maria! What have I told you about slamming that damn door!” He came barrelling in to the hall. “Oh, Y/n dear, welcome home.” His frown turned upside down when he noticed you, trudging forward to pull you in to a hug. Your heart grew sore with the amount of love you were receiving. You had missed being home.

“Oh sister!” An elongated yell sounded from the lounge. You recognised the voice of your annoying man-child of a brother. You hesitated on greeting him, knowing that the woman of your dreams will most likely be there with him.

With an ounce of courage, you stepped in to the room, trying your best to keep your eyes from immediately darting to the woman sat next to your brother.

“Hi Tony,” you smiled, before finally letting your eyes slip to the redhead “Hey Nat.”

Your cheeks immediately flushed as red as her hair when you noticed her ivory greens were already piercing in your direction. She stood tall, taking a couple swaggering steps towards you with her hands in her pockets as her gaze shifted up and down your almost quivering body.

“Hey Y/n, long time no see.” She paused for a moment, eyes stopping on your chest as she sucked in her bottom lip. “My, have you grown.”

Your breath caught, all you could let out in a reply was a quiet whimper.

You brother shoved Nat in the arm, though she hardly moved and her stare didn't shift either.

“Can you stop flirting with my sister? She’s a kid.” He grunted.

“I’m not a kid Tony!” You clapped back, embarrassed he would say such a thing.

“Oh please Y/n, you still believe in Santa Clause.” He rolled his eyes.

“I do not!” You yelled back, fists clenched.

Your mother’s voice interrupted your argument from the kitchen. “Children! There will be no arguing on Christmas eve!”

Feeling totally humiliated, you turned on your heal and made a run for it upstairs to your childhood bedroom. Flopping on to your princess themed bed, you glanced around the room that was still painted pink, stopping briefly on the collection of stuffed animals piled up in the corner. “No wonder they think I’m a kid,” you muttered to yourself.

Your wallowing was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Sitting up on the bed and ringing your hands together, you called them in. Much to your delight, and embarrassment, it was Natasha who stepped in, closing the door behind her.

“You forgot this detka.” Her bulbous bicep strained as she lifted your duffle slightly in a gesture. Your mouth watered at the sight, thighs clenching at the nickname.

“Thank you.” You murmered, your gaze dropping to your lap.

Much to your surprise, she took a seat on the edge of the bed, watching you. After a moment of silence, you gasped quietly when she laid a strong, veiny hand on your thigh. She sucked in sharply through her teeth as she squeezed the flesh roughly. “I don’t think you’re a kid, by the way.”

You glanced up at her with innocent eyes. “You don’t?”

Her grip loosened, her hand now trailing up towards your centre slowly. “No, you’re all grown up, aren’t you sweetie?”

You gulped, lashes fluttering. Suddenly, it was like the lustful cloud had dematerialised, and she snatched her hand back. She stood up quick, walking to the door in a hurry. Half out the door, she looked over her shoulder with a grin.

“Do you really still believe in Santa?”

Still recovering from whatever the fuck just happened, you only gawked at her, mouth open.

With a chuckle in amusement at your lack of reply, she left the room, shutting the door quietly behind her.

Soon it was time for dinner, which went by achingly slow with your parents smothering you, and your brother embarrassing you at the same time. It wasn’t all bad however, as the whole time Natasha was sat next to you, brushing her hand against you discreetly every chance she got. The back of your neck as she rested her arm on the back of your chair mid-conversation, your breast as she reached across you for the salt, or your thigh, for seemingly no reason at all.

Natasha had become completely enthralled by you from the moment you stepped through the door. The naive girl she had once known now grown, a beautiful woman that she wished to be between the legs of. She felt like such a pervert, wanting nothing more than to fill every hole of her best friend’s little sister until she begged for her to stop.

She watched the bounce of your ass and the sway of your hips as you carried the dirty plates to the kitchen. You volunteered to clean the dishes like the good little girl you are. She briefly fantasised about stealing you away, forcing you to become a housewife that would clean the dishes as she used your filthy body to get herself off.

“I’m going to help her.” Nat smiled as she rose from the table. Brushing off Howard and Maria’s protests, she made her way in to the kitchen.

You hadn’t noticed her, too busy scrubbing away at a plate under running water. Glancing behind her and ensuring she was out of sight from the rest of the family, she snuck up behind you.

You went rigid when you felt a warm body press against the back of you. You already knew it was the woman you had been pining after, who else would it be? Not sure as to how to react, you carried on washing the dishes with a red face.

Your whole body flushed when you heard her moan gently as she grasped at your tits, squeezing and shaking them like they were toys.

“N-nat? What are you doing?”

“What does it look like I’m doing?” She replied, rubbing her nose in to your neck and laying gentle kisses between sentences. “I’m just fulfilling both of our fantasies. You think I never noticed you staring detka? Did you think I wouldn’t notice when you liked that old photo of mine on insta?”

You instantly cringed at the memory. You had been looking at, using, a photo of her at the beach that had been posted a year before when you accidentally brushed your thumb against the like button when you reached your peak. You were quick to retract the like, but it seems the damage was already made.

“Did you touch your pretty little pussy when looking at it malyshka? You just couldn’t help yourself, huh? Well you don’t have to worry about that now, I’m here to make to all better.”

Your breathing quickened as one of her hands released your breast to trail down your stomach, it was just breaching the waistband of your jeans before she jumped away from you. You were quick to turn around, ready to berate her for stopping, only to realise your mother was walking through the door.

“Sweetheart, you look like you’ve seen a ghost, are you feeling alright?” She sped towards you, pressing her hand against your forehead. “Y/n, you’re all flushed. How about you go to bed early? I don’t want you unwell on Christmas.”

Glancing at Natasha, you saw her facing her boots, biting her lip to hide a grin. Looking back at your mother, you nodded your head, feigning exhaustion. “Yeah, okay.”

It was late into the night when the older woman made a move to feel you again. The rest of your family had resided to their own beds, leaving the house in a barely creaking silence.

Unbeknownst to you, you had made things all the much easier for her. Sneaking in to your room and pulling the covers off your soundlessly asleep body left Nat feeling a little guilty. You looked so cute, so peaceful. But, when she saw your attire, all guilt had disappeared. There you laid in only a top and panties, like you had been waiting for her. Soft thighs slightly parted, practically inviting her in. She stifled a groan at the sight of you, already desperately removing her clothes as quiet as she could with such haste.

Her knees dented the plush mattress as she settled between your own. She positioned your spread legs how she liked, leaving a trail of goosebumps as she brushed her fingers along your skin. The toy strapped around her hips was so large it had already settled against your clothed centre, the weight of it causing enough stimulation to have you whimpering in your sleep, a wet patch gradually growing on the cotton beneath the foux cock. Breathing heavily, she leant forward, bracing herself on her forearms so her body was flush against your own. She was surrounded by your scent, and utterly obsessed. The redhead breathed in against your neck as she began to grind against you, feeling the base of the dildo rock against her throbbing clit.

"Gunna spread you open." She whispered seductively against your ear, before grunting and thrusting once a bit too hard, unable to hold herself back. "Going to rip that pussy apart."

Out of everything, it was the hotness of her breath against your lobe that had you begin to stir awake. Natasha paused momentarily, shuffling up so she can stare down at you expectantly, but her grinding didn't stop.

"Mm," your eyelids fluttered open until you curiously looked at her with hooded eyes. "What's going on?"

Thankful for your calm state, the predator's movement only increased, now moving so roughly against you your body shifted across the mattress inch by inch. "Shh sweetheart, go back to sleep. It's just Santa here to give you your present."

You rubbed your eyes with your fists, and she grinned at your cuteness. "What are you doing Nat?"

She was a bit sad that her game of pretend had finished so quickly, but that disappointment didn't last when you let out a quiet moan, suddenly moving your arms around the woman and gripping at her muscular shoulder blades. "I- I-"

She interrupted your stutter by pressing her mouth against your own, thrusting her tongue inside and tasting you with a moan. You immediately melted in to the kiss, moving your lips against hers hastily in order to catch up. Now having realised what is happening, you were ecstatic, lifting your hips in an attempt to further rub yourself against her length. "That's my girl," she pulled away to to whisper.

Sitting back on her feet, she pulled down your panties, watching in awe as your slick caused the fabric to stick to your cunt. Whilst she was gawking at your puffy lower lips, you were watching her. Your gaze drifted down her bare body, admiring her round breasts and toned abs. You flinched when she pressed two cold fingers against your slit, watching your reaction when she gathered your wetness and prodded at your sopping hole. You practically sucked in her fingers, whimpering as she moved them in and out slowly, flexing her fingers so she could stretch your walls ready for her cock.

Pulling her digits out, Nat pushed them into her own mouth next, moaning at the taste of your arousal. Releasing her fingers, they grasped at your hips next, flipping your over so you were lying flat on your stomach. You yelped loudly at the sudden movement, causing her to throw her body over your own so she could slap a large hand over your open mouth.

"Quiet now, malyshka. You wouldn't want me to stop, would you?" She threatened with a buck of her hips, causing the head of the dildo to breach between your thighs and press against your newly stretched hole. You shook your head, tears beginning to fill your eyes due to desperation. Grunting in response, she began to slowly press her hips forward, causing her cock to submerge inside you, You let out a long whine as she continued to press forward until her pelvis was pressed tightly against your ass, which was smothered by her palm.

"Fuck, listen to that little pussy. You're so wet for me." Squelches sounded as she shallowly thrusted against you, breathing heavily into the side of your face, laying a sloppy kiss wherever she could reach after every few thrusts. Her knees locked in on either side of your thighs, the hand that was not covering your mouth wrapped underneath you to grope at your tits and keep you closely tucked in to her chest. She had you in such a tight hold you could hardly breathe, but you didn't care, you would keep letting her fuck you until you passed out and after if it meant she would visit your room again the next night. She gripped your jaw tighter to the point where it was painful as your moans became louder as you began to reach your peak. Natasha's hips stuttered as your walls squeezed and hugged her in even deeper.

"That's it, cum around my cock you dirty slut. Who knew you would turn out to be such a whore huh?" She grinned against your ear sadistically before biting it, screwing her eyes shut as she came alongside you. She continued to rut in to you animalistically, pushing you both through your orgasms before her hips stilled. You both collapsed further into the mattress, if that's possible, now just a sweaty heap of limbs.

She brushed her nose against your damp neck, moaning lightly in content. "You're mine now."

Your lisps lifted into a soft smile. "Best Christmas gift ever."

[driveintheaterofthemind]

Original Art - Lana Turner "Crystal Radek" Costume Sketch (1952)

Art by Helen Rose

The Merry Widow (MGM)

From ha.com...

Vintage original costume sketch accomplished in gouache on artist board measuring 15" x 22.25", featuring Turner in a black satin and lace outfit, looking into a mirror. Signed "Helen Rose" with approval initials at left and notes in pencil and red pencil at upper left. The verso retains stamped production form and approval form.

[thursdaymurderbub]

Joan Blondell & Glenda Farrell

[keylimeart]

your decorating habits are unsafe at best, Kate Bishop

[redhairclara]

Mae Murray photographed by Alfred Cheney Johnston, c. 1920s

[butterflysclaws]

The Merry Thieves

@cassandraclare

The Last Hour playlist

[queen-daya]

25 Days of Christmas Moodboards