Etymology
Lingerie is a category of primarily women’s clothing including undergarments (mainly brassières), sleepwear, and lightweight robes. The word lingerie is a word taken directly from the French language, meaning ‘undergarments’. The French word in its original form derives from the French word Linge, meaning ‘linen’ or ‘clothes’. Informal usage suggests visually appealing or even erotic clothing. Although most lingerie is designed to be worn by women, some manufacturers now design lingerie for men as well.
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A Visually Appealing Undergarment
The concept of lingerie as a visually appealing undergarment was developed during the late nineteenth century. Lady Duff-Gordon of Lucile was a pioneer in developing lingerie that freed women from more restrictive corsets. Through the first half of the 20th century, women wore underwear for three primary reasons: to alter their outward shape (with corsets, and later girdles and brassieres), for hygienic reasons and for modesty. Before the mid-19th century invention of crinoline (a stiff or structured petticoat designed to hold out a skirt), women’s underwear was often very large and bulky.
The Progression of Female Undergarments
During the late 19th century, corsets became smaller, less bulky and more constricting and were gradually supplanted by the brassiere, first patented in the 20th century by Caresse Crosby. When the First World War broke out, women found themselves filling in men’s work roles, creating a demand for more practical undergarments. Manufacturers began to use lighter and more breathable fabrics. In 1935, brassières were updated with padded cups to flatter small breasts and three years later underwire bras were introduced that gave a protruding bustline. There was also a return to a small waist achieved with girdles. The 1940s woman was thin but had curvaceous hips and breasts that were pointy and shapely. In the 1960s, the female silhouette was liberated along with social mores. The look was adolescent breasts, slim hips, and extreme thinness. André Courrèges was the first to make a fashion statement out of the youth culture when his 1965 collection presented androgynous figures and the image of a modern woman comfortable with her own body.
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As the 20th century progressed, underwear became smaller and more form fitting. In the 1960s, lingerie manufacturers such as Frederick's of Hollywood began to glamorize lingerie. The lingerie industry expanded in the 21st century with designs that doubled as outerwear. The French refer to this as ‘dessous-dessus,’ meaning something akin to innerwear as outerwear.
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Lingerie Today
Today, lingerie is made in various mediums of airy, lightweight, stretchy, smooth, sheer or decorative fabrics such as silk, satin, Lycra, charmeuse, chiffon, knit or (especially and traditionally) lace. These fabrics can be made of various natural fibers like silk, cotton or of various synthetic fibers such as polyester or nylon.
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Source: en.wikipedia.org
