A Short History of Lingerie

The cone bra.

If we look at the civilizations of the Mediterranean valley we have the cradle of modern society and obviously the first people who used any form of underwear for women. It can be attributed to early Egypt, followed by Greece, Rome, and Mesopotamia. At least 3000 years ago. There was very little difference between male and female clothing — a wrap-around skirt for men with a loose top to keep the sun off  — a shift-like dress for women. Cotton was available so white linen was the cloth used. Lingerie is an adaptation of the the French word linge, which means linen or laundry. It kept one cooler in the summer. The only type of female underwear was a bandeau worn around the breasts, which had the effect of making the upper portion of the body narrower and enhancing the hips. This became the accepted female shape of the time. Men started to wear underpants, but it was a long time before women wore them. I believe this was for hygienic reasons, as skin infections among women were quite common. It became the ladies of the night who made women’s undershorts more acceptable. Women mostly went commando up to this point.

There was a renaissance between 1300 and 1600 AD, when more sophisticated forms of underwear evolved. Women started to wear long undergarments which we now call bloomers or pantaloons. Their main purpose was modesty. They prevented a woman’s upper leg being shown if her legs became exposed. Falling from a horse is an example of where this might happen. The corset appeared and the female body shape became more what is now known as hourglass. The bra as we know it today was invented by a French woman, late in the 19th century.

Achieving the hourglass look.

Women were persuaded, probably by the lingerie manufacturers, that their appearance was equally as important as comfort.More effort was put into making lingerie look more attractive, Garment manufacturing became more technical, varieties of material, dyeing, introduction of metals (stiffeners in corsets and wire in bras), lace and improved sewing techniques. The bullet bra became popular, died a quiet death, and was resurrected by Madonna in the 1990s. We now have a plethora of bra and corset designs, probably brought on by the demands of women. Corsets went through a similar process. There is no doubt that their effect on body shape and appearance was the reason. More than likely, driven both by men and women. Where possible, corsets were to have the same effect as previous designs, but cause the least amount of discomfort. The older styles, in some cases, would be so constrictive that they would pull a women’s shoulder blades together.

Then came Twiggy. Her tall, long legged, school girl shape and the introduction of ‘mini-skirts’, changed the fashion world. In fact, it turned it on its ear.The semi-voluptuous women were no longer fashionable. It was now long bare legs and skinny. Among other things it changed panty design. They could no longer be a long voluminous garment. Women no longer had to be modest about exposing their legs. Panties, as they became called, fulfilled the same function as previously, but had to be less obtrusive. Hence the panty styles and types we have today. The effect of Twiggy and clothing design was so radical. She herself couldn’t understand it. Here, I take the liberty of quoting her.

Twiggy

“I didn’t understand the fuss over me,I was being whisked around the world, put on beautiful clothes, told I was gorgeous and earning lots of money. I just remember thinking”God, they’re all mad” I hated being skinny and funny looking and desperately wanted a bosom”.

Today we have massive choices of all the varying types of lingerie. It is obvious that sexuality has a huge effect on the choice of materials and design. A large number of items are very skimpy on purpose. Some items are designed to look extremely appealing and at the same time facilitate the activity they are designed to stimulate. On the other hand there are large quantities of lingerie designed to be attractive and at the same time comfortable. As there are, these days, a large number of men who wear female style lingerie, some of it is designed to suit the male body. Erotically or not, as one wishes.

Many crossdressers purchase lingerie to wear. As most of them have what one might call the standard male body, they have to be cautious when purchasing a specific piece; be sure it will not be uncomfortable if it is being worn for a length of time. Those of you in the community, who have undergone reassignment surgery, and/or breast implants, may not have the same problems. A high quality gaff is worth its weight in gold.

Every Fall new designs come out and the manufacturers hold shows for the retailers to restock for the year, then the retailers have their own shows. There are lots of them, keep your eye on YouTube, Amazon and Aliexpress.

Happy shopping, find what suits you.

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Tags: crossdressing, featured, lingerie

Category: Transgender Fashion