A Brief History of Women’s Underwear

I’ve mentioned my love of lingerie before but did you know I love the history of things? Knickers, panties, underpants are a relatively modern part of women’s wear. From the middle ages women wore linen shift dresses or chemises with corsets over the top with no knickers.

The no knickers thing was not as scandalous as you might think, dresses were long and worn with many layers of petticoats and underskirts that varied with fashions but also provided modesty. If you’ve ever worn a poofy dress, you’ll understand how difficult it is to pee while wearing one! The solution to this was the bourdaloue, which was slipped under the skirts while standing, used and the was carried away – genius! I’ve heard of women using these behind discrete screens but also in the halls of court and at the dinner table!

Corsets certainly varied in shape through the years but most contained whale bone (actually it was cartilage from the jaw of the whale, the part it uses to filter food) because it is very flexible. There was also a busk, a separate splint like piece that was inserted into or behind the corset, between the breast. The bust provided further rigidity and in some periods, it was used to separate the breasts. These corsets laced at the back, so you would need a maid or husband to lace you in and out of the corset.Corsets were so important at the time that there were even maternity corsets!

Around the 1850’s various fashions and innovations, like the sprung steel petticoat, brought the need for a little modesty. First came open drawers – basically two legs joined to a waistband with no crotch seam to allow for easy bathroom access. Then closed drawers, cami knickers, French skirt knickers and tap panties. There was of course combination or step in one piece garments, similar to today’s teddies.

By 1900 undergarments began to have embellishments like lace and embroidery. The bra had been well and truly invented but were just becoming popular as corsets began to be worn much lower on the body. These bras were not very shaped and provided little support. Interestingly, this is when sanitary napkins (attached to something similar to a garter belt) became commercially available.

As corsets went out, girdles came in. The 20th century brought industrial manufacture of new fibres like nylon, rubber and elastic, along with the mass manufacture of panties, the now popular bra. Also, the word knickers became less popular than the term panties. But what ever you call them, by the 1940’s they looked much like the knickers of today. I think the last major innovation was the invention of pantyhose in 1960.

It is interesting to understand that however we may feel about these garments, they were considered perfectly normal in their time. In the 18th century babies of both sexes wore corsets, boys stopping around 10 and girls continuing into their adult lives. It was considered right and a normal part of life, like teaching a child to walk in shoes today. These garments represent broad social ideals, perceptions of beauty, femininity and moral fortitude. I’m sure you are familiar with the terms ‘straight laced’ and ‘a loose woman’, both relate to corsetry.

I find it astonishing how social mores through the ages have influenced how women dress, even under their clothes. I’m sure that one day people will be puzzled by underwire bras, minuscule g string panties and girdle like spanx underwear popular in our times.

Despite being a rather long post this is a brief history! If you’d like to learn more, I highly recommend this video lecture. I will warn you that it’s about an hour long! I would love to hear your thoughts on anything here. Would you wear the underwear fashions of the past? If you’d like to make some more modern vintage lingerie, be sure to check out my posts on my 1930’s inspired French teddy and big knickers & pin up panties which also have a matching sweet and sexy nightgown.