The History Of Lingerie Not Always Sexy

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.

The history of lingerie has its roots in ancient Greece, when women wore what amounts to a corset for support. As time progressed, there are known instances of the medieval English nobles wearing undergarments for the sole purpose of keeping clothing from absorbing filth from bodies in an era when regular bathing did not happen all too often.

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 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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