The History of Lingerie Exposed

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.

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 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 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.

The sixties and seventies were, in the history of lingerie, a time when undergarments became a thing of restraint, and therefore they were often shunned. Anything too feminine, too constrictive, or too elaborate was thrown out, along with the idea of the subservient female. As time progressed into the eighties and nineties, undergarments came back into favor as something not only for support, but for enhancing the body as well as romantic relationships. Corsets, gone for the purpose of squeezing the waist into an unnatural circumference, were now more decorative, sensuous, and feminine.

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.

Article Source: http://www.myaddirectory.com

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