Lingerie: A brief history

Lingerie is such a widely marketed product in todays society, from the custom made sets here at Michelle's Armoire, to the mass-produced sets at big-name companies or to the sets at the local department store, lingerie is everywhere. 

As it is with anything fun (or racy!) Lingerie wasn't always such a common-place item.

The word 'Lingerie' is a French-derived term meaning 'undergarments', originating from the French word 'linge' meaning 'linen'. Lingerie was a term used to refer to all women's undergarments, and it wasn't a term used exclusively for the racy and lacy versions of these, until the late nineteenth century.

It was during this time that Lady Duff-Gordon pioneered the first version of the lingerie we know today, to free women of the more constrictive corset which was more commonly worn prior. 

In the early days of the 20th century, women wore underwear for only three reasons: Alteration of their body shape, hygienic reasons, and modesty. Can you imagine?! Women's underwear was also known to be incredibly bulky. 

It was only with the beginning of the first world war, when women found themselves filling the work roles of men, that a demand for practical undergarments was created. It was then that manufacturers began to explore the use of light and breathable fabrics, padded cups and underwire bras. 

As the 20th century progressed, underwear became more form fitting, with designs aimed at practicality, comfortability, and following this, in the 1960s, lingerie manufacturers began to glamorize lingerie and its sex appeal. The lingerie industry expanded in the 21st century with designs that were not only designed to be undergarments, but could also be worn as outerwear.