A Short History (and
Her-story) of Lingerie
A quick look
at the history of lngeie, which should make every woman appreciate the
problems of our fore-mothers.
Lingerie,
that ubiquitous genre of under garments that range from the mundane to
the risque, has been around for longer than you may imagine. The
history of lingerie begins with the ancient Mediterranean's and
encompasses both genders and all eras.
The history of lingerie begins in ancient Greece and Egypt, when women
wore an early prototype of the corset for support of the breasts; the
garment reached just under the breast bone. From there, it moved
through time to Europe, when the nobility, both men and women, wore
underclothing, much like the modern day slip or chemise, to keep the
outer wear from becoming soiled.
As regular bathing became more commonplace, full bodied lingerie was no
longer necessitated, though underwear did persist. Also, the corset
became a means of achieving a cinched waist, a silhouette that proved
incredibly uncomfortable but highly desired. The corset utilized
bone,cane or willow rods to ensure no movement, and it had the effect
of making the breasts and hip area protrude, which is known as the
hourglass figure. Topping this contraption would be layers of
petticoats, chemises, and stockings.
As time moved into the 20th century, and women began pushing the norms,
dancing became quite popular, especially in the 1920s. At this point,
corsets would have limited dance movement, and the fashionable look was
really moving away from the hourglass shapes. The corset took a
backseat, while at the same time, a brassiere had been invented and was
replacing the chemises women also wore.
Of course, the first half of that century was also mostly a time of
war, when supplies of everything from basics to luxuries were scarce.
For this reason, the corsets and stockings of the past could not be
had, and instead there was a reliance on very basic under garments. By
the time the two world wars were over, the glamour of the 50s took
over, and the hourglass shape was once more desirable.
The history of lingerie has a blip on the radar of time, which is the
60s and 70s. Freedom, equality-these were at the forefront of society's
mind. Corsets, brassieres, stockings-implements of restraint and
symbolic of suppression, these were abandoned, literally. Women burned
their bras, but by the 80s, they needed them back. In fact, the final
two decades of the 20th century saw a resurgence in femininity, and the
corset came back. Now used for more romantic purposes, lingerie became
a symbol of sensuality.
Overall, the history of lingerie has certainly experienced change, but
it endures today. As a matter of fact, the category has such a
following that there are stores dedicated solely to lingerie, and every
department store has a section belonging to it as well. Today's
lingerie includes a multitude of designs, both functional and
decorative. The choices are endless; and so too, it seems, is the
longevity of lingerie.
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