Assorted lingerie styles
is a term for fashionable and notionally alluring
undergarments. It derives from the French word
linge, "washables" — as in
faire le linge, "do the laundry" — and ultimately from
lin for washable
linen, the fabric from which European undergarments were made before the general introduction of
cotton from Egypt and then from India.
The term in the
French language applies to all undergarments for either gender. In English it is applied specifically to those undergarments designed to be visually appealing or
erotic, typically incorporating materials such as
Lycra,
nylon (nylon tricot),
polyester,
satin,
lace,
sheer and/or
silk and not applied to functional cotton undergarments. It is commonly pronounced in English with a faux French pronunciation (such as
LONJ-er-ee in British pronunciation or
lonj-er-AY in American pronunciation). True French pronunciation is
lan-ZHREE (().
The concept of lingerie being visually appealing was a development of the later nineteenth century. Lady Duff Gordon of Lucile, was one of the first pioneers on lingerie freeing women from restrictive corsets. Up through the first half of the 20th century women selected underwear for three major purposes: to alter their shape (first with
corsets and later with
girdles or
bras), for reasons of
hygiene, or for
modesty. Women's underwear before the invention of the
crinoline was often very large and bulky. As the 20th century progressed underwear became smaller and more form fitting. In the 1960s 'controversial' lingerie manufacturers such as
Frederick's of Hollywood begin to glamorize lingerie and the idea of lingerie having a sexual appeal slowly developed.
The lingerie industry has 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.
Typology
- Basque, a tight, form-fitting bodice or coat
- Bedjacket, worn over a nightgown or negligee for warmth and modesty.
- Bodysuit, a leotard-like undergarment, usually skintight or formfitting.
- Bodice, covers the body from the neck to the waist.
- Boy shorts, a style of panties, so named for their resemblance to male shorts.
- Camisole, sleeveless and tight fitting, covering the top part of the body
- Cheeky, exposes the bottom part of the buttocks
- Corset by bone, a bodice worn to mold and shape the torso.
- Corsage by elastic, covering the body from the neck to the waist, similar to a corset.
- Drawers, 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.
- 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.
- Girdle, resembles a tight pair of athletic shorts
- Nightgown, or nightie, a loosely hanging item of nightwear, may vary from hip-length (babydoll) to floor-length (peignoir).
- Slip (Full slip and half slip/underskirt)
- Spanky-pants, or Spankies, color-coordinated underpants worn by cheerleaders.
- Unitard, one piece, skin tight garment.
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.
Manufacturers
Manufacturers include
The
House of Cadolle, which makes bras,
corsets and other lingerie on a made-to-measure basis (also known as Demi-mesure).
Kate Gibson Lingerie also uses the made to measure method. Kate Gibson Lingerie, taking the opposite track from Bravissimo, only produces petite lingerie for women who wear AA to 34B cup bras, thereby provided choice for smaller women.
Bravissimo specialises in larger cup size bras.
Lucile Lingerie of Manchester is now re-designing original Lady Duff Gordon's lingerie of 100 years ago to bring it to the current period with a contemporary twist.
The Natori Company, founded in 1977 by
Josie Natori is known for bras and underwear and sleepwear and loungewear, that can be "worn either to bed or out on the town."
Market structure
The lingerie market at the turn of 21st century was driven by the advent of modern technologies and
fabrics 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, embroideries and brighter, more daring colors.
The global lingerie market in 2003 was estimated at $29 billion.
Bras accounted for 56 per cent while
briefs represented 29 per cent of the lingerie market in 2005. The world’s largest lingerie manufacturer,
Victoria's Secret, operates almost exclusively in North America. The European market is quite fragmented, with
Triumph International and
DB Apparel leading the market.
See also
