The History of Lingerie

The long history of lingerie begins in the ancient world, half a globe away. Though trends have certainly evolved throughout time, lingerie continues to be a market unto itself, and its uses have spanned not only continents and centuries, but also genders.

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 bones 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.

Over the years, the history of lingerie evolved with the times. By the 1920s, the era of the flapper and the very popular boy-shape, the hourglass figure was shunned, and the corset was temporarily abandoned. At this point, an early bra had been invented, too, so the full-torso chemises were being ignored as well.

Of course, the first half of the twentieth century was embroiled in two world wars, which made anything considered a non-necessity in pretty scarce supply. As a result, there were just the basics: brassiere, underpants, and that is about it. Even stockings were hard to come by. Then, in the 50s, the glamorous movie stars of the time exemplified that hourglass figure, and the corset made a roaring comeback. Now, though, it was in a more tolerable form of a girdle, and it was accompanied by seamless brassieres.

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.

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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