If you've ever seen one of the pages of wardrobe malfunctions that grace the gossip mags these days, you may have caught a glimpse of shapewear peeking out  from under an A-List celebrity's red-carpet gown as they clamber back into their car. There's no doubt that big pants have been big news in recent years, launched back into the public eye by the infamous Bridget Jones and continued by television style evangelists like Trinny and Susannah. The fact that celebrities wear these items means that it's no longer a fashion faux-pas to do the same; and even the trimmest of us can sometimes benefit from a bit of help in the figure department, particularly those of us who are fans of vintage clothing.

 Wearing vintage is a very different experience to wearing modern fashions. You often have to adapt your entire stance in order for it to fit properly – standing tall, sucking in your tummy and pushing out your chest. And what about the often disproportionately small waists of many skirts and dresses? The answer is simple – almost every woman, from the 1930s-1960s wore foundation garments. And that's why they always looked so good! Apart from the obvious smoothing, cinching and supporting benefits, wearing a sturdy girdle or cincher can actually give you better posture; and they can even make a garment that seems a touch too small, actually fit.

But what's a glamorous girl to do if she wants that streamlined vintage silhouette without resorting to high-street brand, flesh-coloured shorts which personify the nickname 'passion-killers'? 

Well, that's where What Katie Did comes in. We wanted for a long time to develop our own line of shapewear after selling a range of international brands over the years; and in Autumn 2008 our dream was realised. It was a labour of love, because we knew our customers would settle for nothing but the very best; and we finally released our long-awaited Glamour shapewear range to great acclaim. Featuring an amazing nine coordinating pieces, we're proud to say that there is a foundation garment to suit every shape, and indeed every outfit within our range. And, thanks to the shades (black and vintage peach) and the fabrics (slinky satin and powermesh) it all looks supremely chic – not a granny pant or cycling short in sight.  

The Glamour range contains retro styled bras, both standard and longline; the perfect little girdle to smooth your derriere and skim inches off your hips, whilst holding up your seamed stockings; and a panty girdle that is a far cry from its matronly and restrictive predecessors. We positively encourage you to incorporate these pieces into your usual wardrobe, and feel a million dollars on an daily basis! But there are also some special occasion items that every girl should have in her lingerie drawer.

By far the most popular, and, dare we say, sexiest item in the Glamour range is the corselette. It combines all the best features of our retro bra, waist cincher and girdle into one supremely slinky package. The smooth satin and powermesh construction, supportive and flattering balconette cups and strong shaping ability means it works equally well under tight wiggle dresses as 30s style, bias-cut gowns. No one will know your shapewear secret but you, and us of course... and we certainly won't tell!

Let's say you're amply endowed in the bosom area, but want to be able to wear strapless dresses. Or that you've found the perfect, full-skirted 50s dress and it doesn't quite fit. Don't fret (and certainly don't put those delicate vintage seams at risk!), just try our longline Glamour bustier or the Merry Widow! Both are strapless, and both will keep you firmly supported and trim of torso; and the Merry Widow has the added advantage of holding up your stockings securely and nipping your waist in tightly, thanks to the specially designed cinching band. Fans of Mad Men will have seen Betty Draper sporting a Merry Widow on a few occasions: for a good decade after its invention in 1955, it was an essential item in most ladies' dressing table drawers. But unlike its forbears, which often featured a non-stretch ribbon at the waist, the What Katie Did Merry Widow manages to produce a noticeable reduction, without causing you any discomfort.

The Glamour waist cincher also features our revolutionary waist-shaping band, which was actually inspired by a 19th Century corset  from the Symington collection. The Victorians certainly knew their stuff when it came to waist reduction, but fortunately, the days of painful whale-bone and smelling salts are long behind us. Instead, the shaped band, recreated in double-layered powermesh, nips the waist in firmly but easily. We added some spiral steel boning, to keep it firmly in place with no rolling up or down; and the end result is a foundation garment that will emphasis the hourglass shape of those blessed with a natural ten or more inch difference between waist and hip; but also help to create more pronounced curves in those who aren't.

Because curves are really what we champion at What Katie Did, in Glamour we tried to create a range that would flatter a range of figures, from the vintage to the modern, with equal measures of comfort, class and chic. And so, the resulting designs are ones that look equally alluring at home in the boudoir as they do underneath your clothes. There's really no need to sneak away to 'slip into something more comfortable' when you've found your leading man (or lady); with Glamour shapewear you can celebrate your curves in all their glory... until you're ready to slip out of it in style, of course!