Lingerie
Lingerie
is a term for women's fashion undergarments. It derives from the
French word for linen. While the term in the French
language applies to all undergarments for either sex, in English it
is applied only to those women's undergarments designed to be
visually appealing or erotic, typically incorporating materials such
as lace and silk, and not applied to functional cotton
undergarments.
The concept of lingerie being
visually appealing is relatively recent. 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 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.
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