Women of today should be thankful that lingerie has evolved as far as it has. Gone are the days of practical bloomers and multiple petticoats designed to keep a woman’s modesty intact. Today lingerie is all about making a woman not only look sexy and confident, but feel every bit feminine and beautiful.
Right up until 1910 when the bra was invented lingerie as we know it today didn’t really exist. Yes, there were sexy negligees for wearing to bed but for the most part more of the body was covered than exposed. Today the same may be true but through the use of sheer fabrics there is very little left to the imagination.
Women had to change their attitude to sex, being sexy and exuding confidence in their naked body. By the 1950’s society was far more accepting of a woman’s right to show off not only her curves but a lot more skin than had previously been deemed reasonable. In some circles, prior to this era, just the mere mention of undergarments was considered taboo, not only in front of men but between women too. Though everyone knew they existed they were not to be talked about.
The 1960’s and 1970’s saw sexual liberation throw all the old-fashioned beliefs out the window, and women were encouraged to enjoy their newfound freedom to express themselves through sex. This carried over into the fashions women of that era wore, with skirts becoming shorter, shorts becoming briefer, tops becoming scantier, and lingerie becoming more provocative and downright sexy.
The 1980’s brought teddies, thong and g-string underwear and bras that barely covered the nipples into popularity. Garter belts and stockings were still worn on special occasions and to add a layer of allure in the bedroom but for the most part the full length negligee was set aside for the short, barely-there styles we still see today.
Though styles have come and gone from the 1990’s to today for the most part women’s lingerie has been about celebrating everything that is womanly. Lingerie designers go to extraordinary lengths to design pieces that make a woman feel beautiful, sexy, romantic and confident inside and out. Though it is without a doubt men who enjoy seeing scantily-clad women in lingerie designed to entice and excite, women are enjoying seeing themselves looking as sexy and beautiful as they truly are.
While a woman’s undergarments a century ago were designed for practicality they were often uncomfortable. Unless a woman had wealth and could afford the finest silks and laces, she was destined to wear fabrics that were not kind to her skin. Fortunately today a woman’s comfort is just as important to lingerie fashion designers as is their feeling beautiful. Fabrics and lace adornments are soft, luxurious and sexy, and styles are designed to flatter a woman’s natural curves, while showing off her body to its best advantage.
One could be forgiven for wondering why wear lingerie at all, given how little is covered, but the same is true today as it was 20 or 30 years ago – what is hidden from the naked eye is often even more alluring than that which is revealed.