Lingerie Uncovered - A History

By Marie Wakefield

Lingerie-- the word suggests lovely, provocative outfits. But lingerie came from lowly origins.
The word "lingerie" is from the French linge, or linen referring to the material from which underwear was normally made. By the late 1800's, lingerie had become a familiar term to depict underwear that had moved beyond sensible function to be used as an erotic accessory. At first lingerie was created for all sizes- including plus sizes.

Lingerie was supposed to only be used by women within the confines of a blissfully married life in the early years; with strict controls. One female journalist penned in 1902, "Lovely lingerie does not belong only to the fast. . . . dainty undergarments are not necessarily a sign of depravity." As time passed, lingerie's attractiveness to the general population increased along with decreasing adherence to Victorian morality, and the increasing social status of women.
Lingerie was freedom from the practical and flagrantly straitlaced undergarments advocated by the Victorian era. For example, a doctor of that time period recommended wool as the perfect underwear for sanitation and wellbeing.

At first, lingerie was a sign of social status, handmade and afforded only by the very few. Of note were those fashioned by the English couturiere known as Lucile (Lady Duff-Gordon), who created camisoles, peignoirs, and petticoats using lace, chiffon, and crepe de chine, deliberately appealing to the sense of touch, and evoking a new eroticism for the twentieth-century woman.
Although synthetic fibers such as rayon and nylon were developed and sold in the 1920s and 1930s as luxury fabrics through the use of the name "artificial silk" their development led to a democratization of lingerie.

WIKIPEDIA SAYS-Some major rayon fiber uses include apparel (e.g. blouses, dresses, jackets, lingerie, linings, scarves, suits, ties), furnishings (e.g. bedspreads, blankets, window treatments, upholstery, slipcovers), industrial uses (e.g. medical surgery products, non-woven products, tire cord), and other uses (e.g. yarn, feminine hygiene products).

The more body-conscious fashions of that decade also led to a new item of lingerie, the teddy, named after its inventor Theodore Baer, who combined a chemise with a short slip or attached panties. The camisole, originally derived from a decorative waist-length garment with an embroidered front and shoulder bands that were worn over the corset for warmth and modesty, became a essential piece of lingerie, later transforming into an item of outerwear by the 1970s.
Similarly the slip, a standard piece of lingerie from the 1950s was used by a number of fashion designers as outerwear in the 1990s, most notably John Galliano, Dolce & Gabbana.

Pajamas, designed after the loose pants worn in Asia, gained popularity as female attire in the late nineteenth century, but long nightgowns remained popular, even after women's skirts shortened in the early twentieth century. By the twenties, straight-cut silk and rayon nightgowns in delicate colors such as orchid , rose and snow were popular, while the mid-century favored gowns with strappy tight fitting tops over flowing skirts. Mixtures and superimpositions make lingerie an item of clothing in itself, so that fusion costumes like chemise jackets and wide legged pants make up an unexpected wardrobe. During the twentieth century, glamorous and lavish lingerie grew ever more available and affordable.

Today there is a continuance of the lingerie revitalization started in the 1990s, with both male and female consumers. Lingerie's status as an appealing, emphatically visible component of a woman's outfit has kept sales on an upward trend. It seems that visible lingerie has become a strong style. Redefined lingerie is a reasonably priced luxury item with a powerful appeal for the style conscious plus size consumer.

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