History of BRAS, UNDERGARMENTS and UNDERWARE

A Brief History of Bras, Undergarments and Underwear
A 'brief' history of bras, undergarments and underwear over the past 200 years... The history of bras, undergarments and underwear, as we know it, began to evolve during the mid 18th century. Although the origin of the fig leaf, camisole and vest lies further back in the past. In our brief history of bras, undergarments and underwear we will be focusing on the origin and history of ladies' undergarments and underwear as it evolved through the 18th and 19th centuries. Corset, crinoline and bustle are terms which most affected women's lifestyles between 1810 and 1870. A woman's body in the Biedermeier period (1815-1848), had to look dainty and fragile. By 1828-laced corsets had been replaced by the 'mechanical' corsets, displayed at the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1823. These so called 'mechanical' corsets were manufactured with hammered-in metal eyelets and had an arrangement of small pulleys that enabled women to lace up their own corsets unassisted. The crinoline, from the French word 'crin' meaning horsehair, was worn underneath outer garments and with the help of whalebone and steel rods were used to support the heavy floor-length ladies' dresses of the time. The crinoline craze reached its peak during the late 1850's and early 1860 saw the silhouette of the crinoline change. Rather than being bell-shaped it was designed to provide a flatter front area and projected out more behind giving an overall exaggerated shape to a woman's profile. This new exaggerated shape was thought by many to be particularly erotic.
Throughout the 1800's and almost until the turn of the century traditional camisole and vest remained the poor relation of ladies underwear. The first fashionable changes to the traditional corsets were embroidered decoration. This new fashionable look to ladies undergarments received a large amount of public criticism as being excessive and unnecessary. From here undergarment designers started producing elegant and beautiful creations using imagination and craftsmanship that had never been seen before. An ever-increasing fashionable luxury in undergarments featured fine Dutch linen or batiste, embroidery, lace, heart-shaped necklines, crochet work, pleating and colored ribbons. The elegant woman of the time wore about 5 pounds of undergarments including knickers, camisole, deportment skirt, corset and waist slip. During the colder months of winter, warmer undergarments were also added. The sheer weight of the undergarments led to the clothing reform movement. In 1896 the General Association for the Simplification of Women's Clothing was founded. Amongst other things the association took as its aim the liberation from all pressure and constriction. But with regard to undergarments, the association achieved very little at first. The history of industrialization shows that up to the 1840's corsets were hand-cut to size by the corset-maker. Standard production followed, coupled to the weaving of corsets on hand looms.
Numerous documents from the early 19th century highlight great debates on the wasp waist. Doctors disapproved strongly due to large number of health risks to women, others argued that the under garments restricted women's movement in performing their normal day to day duties, whilst the self-appointed fashion experts of the day claimed it to be extremely attractive and feminine. Despite the protests of the self-appointed fashion experts, there were increased demands to adapt women's clothing to the laws of health. The abolition of the corset was demanded, but abolition wouldn't happen until an acceptable alternative was available. In 1908, Fred Cox designed an undergarment called the 'Liberty Bodice' for his daughter, Freda. This was the start of an underwear revolution that would free generations of children from the constrictions and health risks of Victorian corsetry. Although the children had now been spared from the constrictions of Victorian corsetry the same could not be said for the women of that era. From 1910 onwards, the lower part of the woman's body was squeezed into a narrow straight line. As recorded in many undergarment advertisements from that period, women are seen with elongated bodies without a waistline, hips or bottom. Once again, the secret to the profile lay in the very constricting undergarments, corsets with extra-long whalebone ribs.
The 1920's saw a change in women's undergarments, partially brought about by the General Association for the Simplification of Women's Clothing and the commencement of the First World War. The 1920's saw figure emphasizing, calf-length dresses which required underwear of minimum bulk, and they required underwear, which fitted like a second skin. Since it had become possible in the 1930's to produce long threads of elastic, the corset experienced a renaissance. Corsets no longer constricted women; they were now more flexible and more comfortable than their Victorian counter parts, even though they were a skin-tight fit. The chemise, liberty bodice and bloomers emerged as the typical feminine undergarments of the 1920's. The bosom disappeared under the first brassieres, which did not shape the bust but pressed it flat. From this time on, the corset came partially to be replaced by brassieres and suspender belts and pastel colored underwear made its first appearance. The following decade emphasized femininity, but at the same time promoted the notorious image of the childbearing, homely, motherly woman. The ideal female figure was once again well proportioned, but slimmer round the hips. Essential components of an undergarment set were the new, rounded and bust-emphasizing brassiere, the elastic suspender belt and the figure-molding, less restrictive corsets. The Second World War brought with it the nylons and the first boxer shorts. A longing surfaced for the luxury of which women had been deprived for so long. A long came the voluminous skirts of the New Look and the wasp waist was back in style. Despite all these changes the underwear industry remained conservative as suspender belts and bras were an integral part of their clothing – and teenage girls were recognized for the first time as a target group for the industry. Underwear collections tailor-made for young girls started to appear on to the market.
The 1960's saw the introduction of the wonder-fiber Lycra, the first tights and the mini-skirt. They also brought the student revolts, where public burning of the bra was an integral part of the women's suppression demonstrations. Sales of brassieres decreased worldwide as they were seen as a deliberate symbol of women's suppression. Manufacturers were certainly inventive and produced more and more lightweight Brassieres, despite the underwear designers and manufacturers efforts a radical change in women's consumer attitudes could not be averted. Young women no longer wore vests or camisoles, and underskirts were no longer in such high demand, as lined skirts were becoming increasingly available. Panties grew smaller and smaller and took on the shape of the bikini briefs. During the 1970's the times were changing once more. Fashion experts predict a strong liking for the classic and proven styles of yester-year. A special feature of the lingerie world during this period was the development of the push-up bra, which emphasized the bust as well as providing lift and support. Fashion historians of future generations will be able to cast more light in retrospect on the question of whether women in the final decade of the last millennium or in fact the beginnings of our new millennium wanted to appear or feel more or less feminine.