Welcome back for another edition of Fashion A to Z. Today we are talking about undergarments, no longer unmentionables.
Ever since Adam and Eve covered themselves with fig leaves, humans have been covering themselves with some form of undergarment. Pharoahs and cavemen first utilized loincloths. Corsets appeared in the Renaissance age and served to cinch women’s waists and flatten their chest. This was probably the first use of an undergarment for shaping and for more than just covering. The 1800s brought petticoats, huge cage under skirts, to give skirts a large bell shape.
Around 1920 lingerie was introduced and resembled what we now consider underwear. Corsets were replaced by girdles to flatten the stomach. Knee length knickers were shortened and became what we now call panties.
Credit for the first bra is a little conflicting. Herminie Cadolle cut the corset into two pieces in the late 1800s. The term brassiere, later shortened to bra, was added to the Oxford English dictionary on 1911. The company Maidenform formed in 1922 and began creating bras with cups that lifted instead of the former flattening bandeau types. The history of the bra is quite interesting and has evolved into 30 or more types of bras.
So why are undergarments so important? Besides modesty and hygienic reasons, undergarments provide a base for making your clothes look and fit properly. The classiest outfit can be ruined by the wrong undergarments- panty lines and bra bulges are not stylish.
Here are seven must have undergarments and the most recommended of each type. I prefer to have most of my undergarments in nude or black.
1 No show panties– Your panties or underwear should fit properly without creating more bulges or bumps. Your panty lines should not be visible under your bottoms. My top three choices are Natori Bliss, Chantelle and Soma Vanishing edge. If you are a fan of thongs, Hanky Panky comes highly recommended by other bloggers.
2 Everyday bra- My favorite is currently the Wacoal Perfect No Wire Contour bra. Natori comes highly recommended, as well as Soma Vanishing back bras. Good Housekeeping also recommended the Hanes t-shirt bra. Every woman has different needs in a bra, but a proper fitting goes a long way in getting a good bra.
3 A strapless bra– This usually isn’t a favorite piece but many times it’s a necessity. I can wear this one for eight hours or longer.
4 A racerback or t-back bra– A summer time necessity for many tank tops. Wacoal also gets a recommendation for this one.
5 A good sports bra– Get a good sports bra for working out and don’t exercise in your regular bra. What qualifies as a good sports bra also varies with each woman’s needs.
6- Slip shorts– I love these for wearing under dresses and skirts in place of a slip. Most of them provide some light shaping.
7-A camisole- Sometimes a top is just too low or too sheer and you need another layer. Some like to wear Leave your favorites in the comments!