There is no mistaking the shape created by a bullet bra. While most modern bras lift the bust upwards and towards the centre, creating a rounded outline, a 1950s bullet bra projects the bust forwards. This distinctive shape became famous beneath the fitted sweaters, tailored dresses and narrow waists of the decade, earning its lasting association with Hollywood's glamorous "sweater girls."

It was never simply a fashion eccentricity. Clothing in the 1950s was designed to sit over the structured lingerie of the period, with bust darts and fitted bodices cut for a more projected profile. This is why an original vintage dress, or a faithfully made reproduction, can sometimes appear rather flat or fit strangely over a modern rounded bra.

Change the bra and the difference can be surprisingly dramatic. The bust darts sit where the dressmaker intended, the bodice regains its proper line and the extra definition above the waist can make the waist itself appear narrower. Sometimes the dress doesn't need altering; it simply needs the lingerie it was designed to be worn with.