Lingerie is a term for fashionable and possibly alluring undergarments Undergarments or underwear are clothes worn under other clothes, often next to the skin. They keep outer garments from being soiled by perspiration, urine, semen, feces, and other discharges; shape the body; and provide support for parts of it. In cold weather, long underwear sometimes is worn to provide additional warmth. Some undergarments are. The term in the French language French is a Romance language spoken as a first language by about 136 million people worldwide. Around 190 million people speak French as a second language, and an additional 200 million speak it as an acquired foreign language. French speaking communities are present in 57 countries and territories. Most native speakers of the language live in applies to all undergarments for either gender. In English it is applied specifically to those undergarments designed to be visually appealing or erotic. Lingerie usually incorporating one or more flexible, stretchy materials like Lycra Spandex, Lycra or elastane is a synthetic fibre known for its exceptional elasticity. It is stronger and more durable than rubber, its major non-synthetic competitor.[citation needed] It is a polyurethane-polyurea copolymer that was invented in 1959 by chemist Joseph Shivers at DuPont's Benger Laboratory in Waynesboro, Virginia. When first, nylon Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers known generically as polyamides, first produced on February 28, 1935 by Wallace Carothers at DuPont's research facility at the DuPont Experimental Station. Nylon is one of the most commonly used polymers (nylon tricot), polyester Polyester is a category of polymers which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. Although there are many polyesters, the term "polyester" as a specific material most commonly refers to polyethylene terephthalate . Polyesters include naturally-occurring chemicals, such as in the cutin of plant cuticles, as well as, satin Satin is a weave that typically has a glossy surface and a dull back. It is a warp-dominated weaving technique that forms a minimum number of interlacings in a fabric. Some definitions insist that the fabric is made from silk. If a fabric is formed with a satin weave using filament fibres such as silk, nylon, or polyester, the corresponding fabric, lace Lace is an openwork fabric, patterned with open holes in the work, made by machine or by hand. The holes can be formed via removal of threads or cloth from a previously woven fabric, but more often open spaces are created as part of the lace fabric. Lace-making is an ancient craft. True lace was not made until the late 15th and early 16th, and silk Silk is a natural protein fibre, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity . The shimmering appearance of silk is due to the triangular prism-like structure of the silk fibre, which allows silk cloth to refract which are not typically used in more functional, basic cotton undergarments.

Etymology

The word derives from the French word linge, "washables"—as in faire le linge, "do the laundry"—and ultimately from lin for washable linen Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen is labor-intensive to manufacture, but when it is made into garments, it is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather, the fabric from which European undergarments were made before the general introduction of cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll around the seeds of the cotton plant . The plant is a shrub native to tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including the Americas,Africa , India and Pakistan. The fiber most often is spun into yarn or thread and used to make a soft, breathable textile, which is the most from Egypt and then from India. It is commonly pronounced in English with a faux French pronunciation (such as LONJ-er-ee in British pronunciation or lonj-er-AY in the doubly non-French American pronunciation.) True French pronunciation is lan-zhree (/læⁿˈʒri/).

Origins

The concept of lingerie as 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 A corset is a garment worn to mold and shape the torso into a desired shape for aesthetic or medical purposes . Both men and women are known to wear corsets, though women are more common wearers. Through the first half of the 20th century, women wore underwear for three primary reasons: to alter their outward shape (first with corsets A corset is a garment worn to mold and shape the torso into a desired shape for aesthetic or medical purposes . Both men and women are known to wear corsets, though women are more common wearers and later with girdles The word girdle originally meant a belt. In modern English the term "girdle" is most commonly used for a form of women's foundation wear that replaced the corset in popularity or bras A brassiere is an article of clothing that covers, supports, and elevates the breasts. Since the late 19th century, it has replaced the corset as the most widely accepted method for supporting a woman's breasts), for hygienic Hygiene is an old concept related to medicine, as well as to personal and professional care practices related to most aspects of living. In medicine and in home and everyday life settings, hygiene practices are employed as preventative measures to reduce the incidence and spreading of disease. In the manufacture of food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic reasons, or for modesty Standards of modesty are aspects of the culture of a country or people, at a given point in time, and is a measure against which an individual in society may be judged.[citation needed]. Before the invention of crinoline Crinoline was originally a stiff fabric with a weft of horse-hair and a warp of cotton or linen thread. The fabric first appeared around 1830, but by 1850 the word had come to mean a stiffened petticoat or rigid skirt-shaped structure of steel designed to support the skirts of a woman’s dress into the required shape. In form and function it is, women's underwear was often very large and bulky. During the late 19th century, corsets became smaller, less bulky and constricting, and were gradually supplanted by the brassiere A brassiere is an article of clothing that covers, supports, and elevates the breasts. Since the late 19th century, it has replaced the corset as the most widely accepted method for supporting a woman's breasts, first patented in the 20th century by Mary Phelps Jacob. When the First World War World War I was a military conflict that lasted from 1914 to 1918 and involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Allies and the Central Powers. More than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, were mobilized in one of the largest wars in history. More than 15 million people were broke out, women found themselves filling in men's work roles, creating a demand for more practical undergarments. Manufacturer began to use lighter and more breathable fabrics.^[1]

As the 20th century progressed, underwear became smaller and more form fitting. In the 1960s, lingerie manufacturers such as Frederick's of Hollywood Frederick's of Hollywood is a well known retailer of lingerie in the United States, with stores in many modern shopping malls across the USA begin to glamorize lingerie.^[1] The lingerie industry expanded in the 21st century with designs that double as outerwear. The French refer to this as 'dessous-dessus' which basically means innerwear as outerwear. The boutique Faire Frou Frou, which is an antiquated phrase meaning "show it off", heralds this philosophy by categorizing lingerie as an accessory with details such as straps and lace trim that should be layered and shown as part of one's outerwear.^{[citation needed]}

Market structure

The lingerie market at the turn of 21st century was driven by the advent of modern technologies and fabrics A textile is a flexible material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw wool fibres, linen, cotton, or other material on a spinning wheel to produce long strands. Textiles are formed by weaving, knitting, crocheting, knotting, or pressing fibres together that help in designing innovative products such as laser-cut seamless bras and moulded T-shirt bras. Designers are putting greater emphasis on rich-looking fabrics, laces Lace is an openwork fabric, patterned with open holes in the work, made by machine or by hand. The holes can be formed via removal of threads or cloth from a previously woven fabric, but more often open spaces are created as part of the lace fabric. Lace-making is an ancient craft. True lace was not made until the late 15th and early 16th, embroideries and brighter, more daring colors.

The global lingerie market in 2003 was estimated at $29 billion.^[2] Bras A brassiere is an article of clothing that covers, supports, and elevates the breasts. Since the late 19th century, it has replaced the corset as the most widely accepted method for supporting a woman's breasts accounted for 56 per cent while briefs In the case of men's underwear, briefs, unlike boxer shorts, hold the wearer's genitals in a relatively fixed position, which make briefs a popular underwear choice for men who are participating in athletic activities or who feel they need more support than loose-fitting underwear can provide. In addition, boxers often ride up the body when the represented 29 per cent of the lingerie market in 2005.^[3] The world’s largest lingerie manufacturer, Victoria's Secret Victoria's Secret is an American retailer of women's wear, lingerie and beauty products. It is the largest segment of publicly-traded Limited Brands with sales surpassing $5 billion USD and an operating income of $1 billion in 2006. Victoria's Secret is known for its fashion shows and catalogs, which feature top fashion models, operates almost exclusively in North America. The European market is quite fragmented, with Triumph International Triumph International is an international underwear manufacturer. Founded in Heubach, Württemberg, Germany 1886 by the two families Spiesshofer & Braun. The first foreign subsidiary was established in Zurzach, Switzerland which has become the company’s headquarters. The multinational manufacturing and marketing organization operates in 120 and DB Apparel leading the market.^[4]

Since the mid-1990s, women have had more choice in bra sizes; the focus has changed from choosing bras in an average size to wearing bras that actually fit perfectly. In the UK, for instance, the media is fueling an awareness campaign about the need for each woman to have a proper bra fitting before every purchase.

Typology

• Babydoll A babydoll is a short, sometimes sleeveless, loose fitting nightgown or negligee intended as nightwear for women. It sometimes has formed cups called a bralette for cleavage with an attached loose fitting skirt falling in length usually between the upper thigh and the belly button. The garment is often trimmed with lace, ruffles, appliques,, a short nightgown A nightgown is a loosely hanging item of nightwear. Nowadays the term is almost exclusively applied to women's nightwear. A nightgown is typically made from cotton, silk, satin, or nylon. It may be decorated with lace appliques or embroidery at the bust and hem, or negligee The negligee is a form of womenswear intended for wear at night and in the bedroom. It is a form of nightgown; first introduced in France in the 18th-century, where it mimicked the heavy head-to-toe style of women's day dresses of the time intended as nightwear for women.
• Basque A basque is an item of women's apparel. The term, of French origin, refers to a type of bodice or jacket, and in modern usage a long corset, characterized by a close, contoured fit and extending past the waistline over the hips. So-called because the fashion was adopted from Basque traditional dress, initially by the French and then throughout, a tight, form-fitting bodice or coat
• Bedjacket Bedgowns of lightweight printed cotton fabric were fashionable at-home morning wear in the 18th century. Over time, bedgowns became the staple upper garment of British and American female working-class street wear from the 18th to early 19th centuries, worn over petticoats and often topped with an apron. Made of sturdy cotton, linen, wool or, worn over a nightgown or negligee for warmth and modesty.
• Bikini
• Blanket sleeper The blanket sleeper is a type of especially warm sleeping garment worn primarily during the winter in the United States and Canada. The garment is worn especially by infants and young children
• Bloomers The original bloomers were an article of women's clothing invented by Elizabeth Smith Miller of Peterboro, NY but popularized by Amelia Bloomer in the early 1850s . They were long baggy pants narrowing to a cuff at the ankles (worn below a skirt), intended to preserve Victorian decency while being less of a hindrance to women's activities than the, underpants with short legs.
• Bodystocking A bodystocking is an article of lingerie, similar to a leotard or a catsuit. It is much the same thing as a unitard, but the term bodystocking is likely to be preferred when the garment is worn as an underlayer in cold weather, a unitard.
• Bodysuit In clothing, a bodysuit or body is a unisex form-fitting garment that covers the torso. The bodysuit often has sleeves and varying collars. A bodysuit is distinguished from the similar leotard by the use of snaps or hooks at the crotch. A bodysuit may be worn as a top for the smooth line it gives or because it cannot become untucked from trousers, a leotard-like undergarment, usually skintight or formfitting.
• Bodice A bodice, historically, is an article of clothing for women, covering the body from the neck to the waist. In modern usage it typically refers to a specific type of upper garment common in Europe during the sixteenth to the eighteenth century, covers the body from the neck to the waist.
• Boy shorts Boy shorts, also known as boy short panties, boys' cut, booty shorts, shorties, tap panties or boyleg briefs are a sort of lingerie that goes all the way down the hips, a style of panties, so named for their resemblance to male shorts.
• Brassiere A brassiere is an article of clothing that covers, supports, and elevates the breasts. Since the late 19th century, it has replaced the corset as the most widely accepted method for supporting a woman's breasts
• Bustier A bustier is a form-fitting garment for women, which is traditionally worn as lingerie. Its primary purpose is to push up the bust by tightening against the upper midriff and forcing the breasts up, while gently shaping the waist. Nowadays, it might also be worn as a push-up bra under a low-backed dress, or as a camisole for outer wear. The
• Camisole Camisole is a sleeveless undergarment for women, normally extending to the waist. The camisole is usually made of satin, nylon, or cotton, sleeveless and tight fitting, covering the top part of the body
• Camiknickers A teddy, also called body and camiknicker, is a form of bodysuit-like lingerie, often worn in the boudoir. It is an undergarment which combines a camisole and panty in one piece. Unlike a bodysuit, it is typically looser and more sheer, and may be designed to slip off from the shoulders, rather than to open at the crotch, camisole Camisole is a sleeveless undergarment for women, normally extending to the waist. The camisole is usually made of satin, nylon, or cotton and knickers In the English speaking world, in particular United Kingdom, Ireland, some Commonwealth countries, and occasionally in United States, knickers is a word that is used to describe women's and occasionally men's underpants and undergarments, women's lingerie, and for sports pants sportswear. In the United States it more commonly used as a short form joined as one garment
• Cami shorts
• Cheeky, exposes the bottom part of the buttocks
• Chemise The term chemise or shift can refer to the classic smock, or else can refer to certain modern types of women's undergarments and dresses. In the classical usage it is a simple garment worn next to the skin to protect clothing from sweat and body oils, the precursor to the modern shirts commonly worn in Western nations
• Corset A corset is a garment worn to mold and shape the torso into a desired shape for aesthetic or medical purposes . Both men and women are known to wear corsets, though women are more common wearers by bone, a bodice worn to mold and shape the torso.
• Corselet A corselet or corselette is a type of foundation garment, sharing elements of both brassieres and girdles. It may incorporate lace in front or in back. The term originated by the addition of the diminutive suffix "-ette" to the word corset, or merry widow, combined brassiere A brassiere is an article of clothing that covers, supports, and elevates the breasts. Since the late 19th century, it has replaced the corset as the most widely accepted method for supporting a woman's breasts and girdle The word girdle originally meant a belt. In modern English the term "girdle" is most commonly used for a form of women's foundation wear that replaced the corset in popularity
• Corsage by elastic, covering the body from the neck to the waist, similar to a corset.
• Drawers Undergarments or underwear are clothes worn under other clothes, often next to the skin. They keep outer garments from being soiled by perspiration, urine, semen, feces, and other discharges; shape the body; and provide support for parts of it. In cold weather, long underwear sometimes is worn to provide additional warmth. Some undergarments are, a pant-like garment worn during the 19th century for modesty and warmth. Some drawers were split-leg, in that the crotch seam was left open.
• French maid French maid refers to a strongly modified style of servant’s dress that evolved from typical maids’ black and white afternoon uniforms of the nineteenth century . The designs of the French maid dress can range widely from a conservative look to very revealing. It is now often associated with cosplay, sexual roleplaying, and fetishism, a form of ladies' fantasywear
• G-string, or thong, a narrow piece of cloth passes between the buttocks, and is attached to a band around the hips, worn as a bikini bottom or as underwear by both men and women.
• Garter/Garter belt/Suspender belt (British), used to keep stockings up
• Girdle, resembles a tight pair of athletic shorts
• Granny panties
• Hosiery
• Jersey nightshirt, a long, loose T-shirt made of cotton, polyester, nylon, or diaphanous chiffon that can be worn like a babydoll.
• Knickers
• Leotard
• Negligee
• Nightgown, or nightie, a loosely hanging item of nightwear, may vary from hip-length (babydoll) to floor-length (peignoir).
• Nightshirt
• Panties
• Peignoir
• Petticoat
• Pettipants
• Robe
• Slip (Full slip and half slip/underskirt)
• Spanky-pants, or Spankies, color-coordinated underpants worn by cheerleaders.
• Stockings
• Stringbody
• Tanga
• Tap pants
• Teddy
• Undergarment
• Unitard, one piece, skin tight garment. ex. Beyonce at MTV award show

See also

• Berlei
• Hosiery
• Undergarment
• Wonderbra
• Underwear as outerwear
• Lingerie Football League
• Olga Erteszek

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} "Sexy Lingerie Models: History of Lingerie". Sexy-Lingerie-Models.com. http://www.sexy-lingerie-models.org/historyoflingerie.htm. Retrieved June 28, 2010.
2. ^ Lingerie market peaks in 2003
3. ^ Bras and briefs dominate the global lingerie market
4. ^ North American lingerie market is consolidated, while the EU market remains fragmented

References

• Carter, Alison J. (1992). Underwear: the fashion history. Batsford. ISBN 0-7134-6222-1
• Cox, Caroline (2000). Lingerie: a lexicon of style. Scriptum Editions. ISBN 1-902686-08-X

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