A history of Lingerie

Introduction.

The history of lingerie charts the rise of erotic and sexy attire from the roots of underwear to today's wide array of women's choice in the form of basques, thongs, bra's and their derivatives. Lingerie has revolutionised femininity in the bedroom and beyond since the latter part of the 20th century but its history can be traced back further than this.

The history of lingerie:

The earliest form of underwear worn by humans is thought to have been the loincloth in places such as Japan and Egypt. Roman women are also known to have worn loincloths along with leather straps around the breasts which appear to be an early sign of the brazier. Ancient Greek women also wore breast supports during sports.

Underwear as we know it today didn't really get started until the middle ages with the introduction of the chemise and then the corset. The chemise appeared to be a garment of convenience, it provided warmth and, as it was worn next to the skin, became the only item of clothing that needed washing. The corset may have been developed for sporting occasions but seems more likely to have arisen to promote a longevity of youth with a remarkably thin waist and high breasts.

During the majority of the 19th and early 20th century's these garments along with pantaloons, primarily worn to hide the legs, were the main types of underwear for women. Petticoats also made an appearance as did the 'bustle' (A padded frame worn on the backside to enhance the shape of the buttocks). The other change during this period was that the top half of a corset was now available separately, resembling the bra as we know it today. The first major shift in women's underwear occurred in the 'roaring twenties' when women began to prefer a more comfortable approach. Flapper fashion became the rage in the mid 1920's through to the 1930's with loose fitting bra's and cami-knickers and girdles replaced the more uncomfortable corset marking the end of widespread use of underwear incorporating steel and whalebone. Flapper fashion with its shorter skirts and bloomers brought about garters to support stockings instead of suspenders and this can be thought of as the birth of lingerie as we know it today.

Lingerie, derived from the French for women's underwear, did not become popular until the 1970's when underwear fashion shifted back away from the 'comfortable' approach to a more curvaceous look although the baby doll was made famous by the 1950's movie of the same name.

The thong, although variations had been worn throughout much of the twentieth century by dancers, did not make an appearance as a fashion item until the early seventies, originally being worn by Brazilian's as beachwear.

Finally, the basque as we know it today is a modern addition to flattering lingerie. A basque during Victorian time was somewhat different as it was more synonymous with a jacket or skirt.