| Underwear is everywhere, and it seems that it | | | | also mostly a time of war, when supplies of |
| has always been that way. It has an extensive | | | | everything from basics to luxuries were |
| past that spans millennia; in fact, the | | | | scarce. For this reason, the corsets and |
| history of lingerie can actually be traced to | | | | stockings of the past could not be had, and |
| its inception in the ancient civilizations of | | | | instead there was a reliance on very basic |
| the Greek and Egyptian peoples. | | | | under garments. By the time the two world |
| | | | wars were over, the glamour of the 50s took |
| The history of lingerie begins in ancient | | | | over, and the hourglass shape was once more |
| Greece and Egypt, when women wore an early | | | | desirable. |
| prototype of the corset for support of the | | | | |
| breasts; the garment reached just under the | | | | The history of lingerie has a blip on the |
| breast bone. From there, it moved through | | | | radar of time, which is the 60s and 70s. |
| time to Europe, when the nobility, both men | | | | Freedom, equality-these were at the forefront |
| and women, wore underclothing, much like the | | | | of society's mind. Corsets, brassieres, |
| modern day slip or chemise, to keep the outer | | | | stockings-implements of restraint and |
| wear from becoming soiled. | | | | symbolic of suppression, these were |
| | | | abandoned, literally. Women burned their |
| As regular bathing became more commonplace, | | | | bras, but by the 80s, they needed them back. |
| full bodied lingerie was no longer | | | | In fact, the final two decades of the 20th |
| necessitated, though underwear did persist. | | | | century saw a resurgence in femininity, and |
| Also, the corset became a means of achieving | | | | the corset came back. Now used for more |
| a cinched waist, a silhouette that proved | | | | romantic purposes, lingerie became a symbol |
| incredibly uncomfortable but highly desired. | | | | of sensuality. |
| The corset utilized bones to ensure no | | | | |
| movement, and it had the effect of making the | | | | In the long history of lingerie, there have |
| breasts and hip area protrude, which is known | | | | certainly been drastic changes. Today, |
| as the hourglass figure. Topping this | | | | lingerie includes chemises, robes, underwear, |
| contraption would be layers of petticoats, | | | | brassieres, and stockings, from the modestly |
| chemises, and stockings. | | | | feminine look to the overtly risqu choices. |
| | | | Gone are the days of whale-boned corsets that |
| As time moved forward, the history of | | | | squeezed the breath out of women; now, there |
| lingerie took another turn. The early decades | | | | are also girdles, support hose, |
| of the twentieth century saw the invention of | | | | tummy-control, thigh-control, and |
| the brassiere, as well as a change in the | | | | derriere-lifters; there are push-up bras to |
| ideal body image. Dancing-the kind that | | | | lift and sports bras to stifle; there are |
| required the body to move-necessitated an | | | | panties that show no lines and panties that |
| unlacing of the corset and an adoption of a | | | | are only meant to be shown; the list goes on |
| more androgynous fashion sense. | | | | and on. Certainly, never before in the |
| | | | history of lingerie have women had so many |
| Of course, the first half of that century was | | | | choices. |