The History of Lingerie....Flat Chested Babes?

Can you imagine an era in history when flat chests were a fashion statement? A time when one of the biggest assets women own were played down? There was indeed a time and you wonder how men got ever got their kicks!

Women wore corsets and the sole purpose of these tight fitting pieces of undergarments was to make the woman as flat chested as possible. Thank god we were not there when fashion was so dreary!

Then, hallelujah, in 1889, came the turning point for women. An imaginative and bold, fashion conscious woman, Madam Cudelle, cut off the midriff of her stiffening corset so that she could move her waist more freely whenever she saw a dashing young man and needed to turn around in a hurry. At that moment the modern bra was born. All you ladies must say thanks to her soul.

Since then women have discovered one way after another to display their charms in such a way that no man could possibly ignore them (both of them). Thanks to the male appreciation for the female assets.

However in 1907 American Vogue magazine showed a rigid brassiere with no separation between the breasts. You may not believe it but it was worn over the corset. After five years of tolerating this costume, (if I may call it so) Mary Phelps invented the first modern bra using two lacy handkerchiefs and her maid’s help. This you may say was the beginning of all the tasteful lacy stuff we wear today. She was a smart woman.

In 1918 corset-makers were still stitching up bras which had been designed to flatten rather than enhance but thankfully it did not last too long. These manufactures were overlooking the fact that curves are much more attractive than uniformity (I wonder why their wives didn’t guide them) and that women had started to realize where their charms lay. Thus the corset was a big flop and soon the bra with divisions was introduced. But they were still far from the wonderful concept of cup sizes which came in 1938.

Gradually padding and underwiring became hidden in bra cups. This was possibly the best move a designer ever made, scheming but clever. Now you can flaunt whatever you have and in case you don’t have much to boast of, you can still bluff your way about. Strangely though, things seem to be reverting to the good old days with items such as the no-bounce sports bra, comfortable but not what you would call true lingerie.

Today lingerie is probably one of the biggest industries around. You could say men and women everywhere are enjoying the unique sensuality that this type of garment provides when worn by a female who likes to seduce her guy (or any guy for that matter!). The variety available is enormous and it comes in all shapes and sizes and colours and styles so that every occasion is covered. Just check out some of the internet sites to see how far we have come and let your imagination run wild.