From Rome to the Middle Ages

Undergarments were already around in ancient Egypt but became more well-known during the ancient Roman era. Care and cleaning of the body were very important in ancient Roman society and because of this, women began to wear Bras. They were originally tight bands worn below the breasts to push them up. In these times, it is said that men did not like the sight of sagging breasts.

In Medival times, underwear was reserved by men with the ‘brache’ which were underpants. Women in this period wore underwear on the periods which was a sort of pad to stop the bleeding. This was in particular popular among aristocrats as less wealthy women could not afford these types of extra accessories

In the Renaissance era, the first uni-sex garments started to appear, from shirts to long-sleeved underpants, which came to the knees. In addition to these, the garter started to make an appearance. The first person to have worn these were said to be Carlo Magno (who was the King of the Frank and the Emperor of the Romans). They were initially worn by men to hold up their stockings. (Yes, men wore stocking too.)

Corset History (1500 - 1800)

From this time period, women’s lingerie was designed to shape and transform the body so it conformed to social and beauty standards. The corset was originally born purely for aesthetic purposes and over time, it took various forms and shaped to adapt to the latest fashion and beauty trends. The period of maximum use of the corset was in the 1500s. When Caterina de Medici, the wife of the King of France was heavily criticized for her appearance. it was alleged that she invented the corset to reduce her waistline and also made the maids wear them also.

The corset was then accompanied by the guardinfanti and the crinoline to give a rounded shape to a woman’s skirt. Whale bones were used for corsetry and in the 1800s, the shape of the female form was taken to the extreme with the trend of the wasp shape. (this sounds incredibly uncomfortable.). Toward the end of this century, medical studies showed that wearing corsets were the cause of several physical diseases, including displacements of organs and some mental problems.

The Changes of the 1900s

In this era, the most significant change to women's lingerie took place. Caresse Crosby, an American activist, publisher and writer was considered the inventor of the modern-day Bra. (thank you, Ms Crosby). It was created when she wanted to attend a Ball, not wanting to be restricted by the corset, she took two handkerchiefs and a pink ribbon, creating the first Bra. One of the first designers to produce the Bra was Paul Poiret. He was known to have created a new female image, a free, natural and sometimes exotic woman.

While corsets began to disappear, knickers become shorter to eventually become panties which were more practical for women in this period. As the war took place, women needed to be able to move around more freely to do jobs they wouldn’t normally do. This move led to the emancipation of women. In the 30s, the first cup sizes (A - E) were created and the invention of nylon brought Bras to a wider audience because of their affordability.

The 50s saw the curves of the female form enhanced which bought forward the idea of the sensual woman. Pin-Up girls wore seductive underwear with balconette Bras and guêpières which enhanced the look of the narrow waist. In the 60s, coloured yarns were used in lingerie production and as the spotlight shifted from briefs to the miniskirt, Bras were burnt by feminists. This led manufacturers of underwear to use softer materials and create designs with more natural waistlines.

From the 90s to Y2K to today

Wonderbra made its appearance in the 90s and was modelled by Eva Herzigova. It was a huge revolution, especially with its advertising campaign which was so impactful, it caused collisions. Underwear took off running in this era once more with the birth of Victoria’s Secret and its Angels which became the largest lingerie brand in the USA. It was in the early 2000s that Calvin Klien became popular with advertisements featuring models wearing briefs and boxers bearing the name of the infamous brand.

In today’s times, women’s underwear has become more free, comfortable and body inclusive. Also becoming increasingly more popular are lingerie made from organic and sustainable materials and fibres. In today’s society, women have more freedom and choice on what lingerie to wear. There is a style to suit every personality and every female form.

Lingerie and its history have come a very long way. I enjoyed researching this topic for this blog. The exciting thing is that lingerie keeps evolving and it keeps evolving positively always keeping the comfort of the wear in mind. There are elements of the different eras of lingerie in today’s trends and styles. There are so many lingerie brands out there that you are bound to find something you absolutely love. Why not start here by taking a look at our lingerie shop? I’m confident that there will be something you love. Leave us a comment and let’s start a discussion about Lingerie and its history.