The History of Lingerie Exposed
Lingerie, that ubiquitous genre of under garments that range from the mundane to the risqu, 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.
It is known that in ancient Greece and Egypt, women looked to an early form of the well-known and more modern corset. They used this for the express purpose of supporting the breasts, though not covering them; the corset came just under the bust. Centuries later, members of the noble class in European countries were purported to have worn full-coverage undergarments that kept the clothing away from the body. Medieval times did not recognize regular bathing as necessary, so this was probably a good idea.
From there the history of lingerie moved from corseting for support to corsets that were worn for the express purpose of creating a cinched waist and hourglass figure. For centuries, these garments were the excruciating norm, and were often topped with layers of other undergarments, including petticoats, slips, stockings, et cetera.
As time moved forward, the history of lingerie took another turn. The early decades of the twentieth century saw the invention of the brassiere, as well as a change in the ideal body image. Dancing-the kind that required the body to move-necessitated an unlacing of the corset and an adoption of a more androgynous fashion sense.
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.
With the newly cinched waists provided by girdles-those less-restrictive sisters of the unmovable corset-it would seem that the history of lingerie would continue to grow. However, the movements of the 60s and 70s towards natural bodies and freedom from everything left lingerie in the lurch. Women proclaimed themselves free of restriction, and burned their bras in protest. As it turns out, they would need them back pretty soon, since the 80s and 90s realized a major about-face, with lingerie becoming longer solely utilitarian. Rather, it became the sexy little secret hidden beneath the clothing, and it surged in popularity.
In the long history of lingerie, there have certainly been drastic changes. Today, lingerie includes chemises, robes, underwear, brassieres, and stockings, from the modestly feminine look to the overtly risqu choices. Gone are the days of whale-boned corsets that squeezed the breath out of women; now, there are also girdles, support hose, tummy-control, thigh-control, and derriere-lifters; there are push-up bras to lift and sports bras to stifle; there are panties that show no lines and panties that are only meant to be shown; the list goes on and on. Certainly, never before in the history of lingerie have women had so many choices.
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