by: callumasterman
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Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2010 Time: 4:37 AM -
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So if you're dining with some French people and one of the men announces that he is wearing lingerie, just carry on as though nothing has happened. These days that might give you a warning about a very different situation though. The common English meaning of the word, as underwear for women, is actually quite non-specific. It can be anything from a simple slip or vest to more exotic and feminine garments, or even something as everyday as a bra and knickers. However you cannot dispute the fact that when the word lingerie is used as opposed to just underwear, a more sexy interpretation is usually applied, something that has the intention of glamourising the femail form. The brand names of the major lingerie suppliers don't attempt to hide that fact: La Senza, Agent Provocateur, Victoria's Secret and so on. The air of sensuality, intrigue and glamour is very clear.
Article Source: DirectoryArticles.com
Before the advent of what we now know as lingerie, women's underwear was bulky and unpleasant to wear, designed to shape the body, often in a stereotypical way with a tiny waist and oversized bust and hips. Just hearing the phrase whalebone corset is enough to bring a tear to the eye, but bone was essentail to create extremely rigid forms with zero wiggle room. It would not have been uncommon outside assistance to be required when putting these garments on as it would have been very difficult to put on without opening the corset out, and the required tightness could not have been achieved without a little leverage round the back.
This style clearly had to stop. As well as the impracticalities, women could be injured wearing them, which is never a good selling point in an outfit. So around the 1920s and 1930s, styles inevitably started to change. The outer garments women were wearing did not demand such a rigid body shape or style to fit properly, as contemporary dresses of the ear were much looser fitting and free-flowing. But the need to be comfortable produced lingerie of silk, satin and soft cotton, and structural stiffeners were kept to a minimum.
Today, the corset is not completely gone, and the trend for burlesque acts shows that there is still a fascination in such items. But there's a big difference between such dress on stage and clothes that need to be worn day to day. The story of modern lingerie still retains some of the past's classic designs, however. Support and body forming remain important purposes, most notably in bras and girdles, but nowadays the need for comfort and health are unquestioned. Advances in man-made fabrics that have gentle elastic properties have helped towards comfort, and the need for correct or professional fitting continues to improve the position lingerie holds in the fashion hierarchy.
Callum Asterman writes for Rokit vintage clothing and explains how vintage lingerie came to be the style item it is today.
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