I've always been curious about underwear across history and I enjoy the snippets that occasionally pop up in the books I read* but where those authors may have touched on one or two fascinating facts from history, in Underwear - Fashion in Detail by Eleri Lynn it's the author's sole focus.
Eleri Lynn is a curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum and the book is published by V&A Publishing which tells me she's at the height of her field with access to some of the best artefacts from history. It also tells me she's more than qualified to guide the reader through an evolution of underwear in this book.
Surprisingly, this evolution doesn't follow a chronological path, and the history of underwear is instead divided into the following chapters: Covering Up, Decoration, Control and Constrict, Fastenings, Support and Uplift, Volume and Inside Out.
This did create a little content overlap from time to time but not so much that I minded and in some cases it was helpful. I did have to smile when I read about drawers and knickers which were open at the crotch and weren't common in Britain until the 19th century.
"Early drawers, called pantaloons or pantalettes (long trouser-like undergarments for women), were introduced around the beginning of the century, but were not popular as they were considered too masculine and unhygienic. They were also considered immodest because they were cut quite long and were visible below the hem of the dress." Page 20In the middle of the century (1850s) they were cut to a mid-calf length so as not to show beneath the skirt. Contrast that level of modesty with women's leggings, bike shorts and scrunch bum shorts today and I wonder what our ancestors would have made of our modesty standards - or the lack thereof - in the 2020s.
The author highlights the constantly evolving nature of fashion, showing how corset styles and construction changed and adapted across decades and centuries. A detail I found surprising was:
"The average corset was only expected to last about a year, as even very sturdy corsets would distort with wear." Page 94As you would expect, the photographs of the V&A exhibits were detailed although sometimes it was hard to gain an appreciation of the entire garment. The accompanying illustrations were helpful but as a layperson, I would have appreciated some indication as to the front, back and side views as they weren't always obvious to me.
I've always found the bullet or torpedo shaped bra of the 1950s a strange fashion trend, and cringe when I see photos of Marilyn Monroe wearing them under a sweater. I remember when Madonna wore the conical corset designed by Jean Paul Gaultier in 1990 and in doing so turned soft feminine lingerie into a symbol of power and domination. This book helped me understand why it was that rosy pink colour, which was the most popular colour of underwear in the early to mid 1900s. That aside, I hope the bullet shaped bra never makes a return for the masses.
Here though, the author explains that the conical shaped bra included intricate concentric stitching and required padded inserts called falsies to fill out the shape and keep them from collapsing. I hadn't given much thought as to how the look was achieved so it was fun to consider it here. I wonder what the sweater girls would have made of the silicone chicken fillet inserts popular in the 1990s.
The sports bra gets a mention, but for some reason Lynn doesn't show us the plunge bra, and includes a photograph of the 'Ultrabra Perfection' balcony bra instead which was disappointing.
"Gossard launched the Ultrabra plunge bra in 1994, with the advertising tagline: 'Ultrabra, creating the ultimate cleavage'. It was followed by additions to the range, including 'Ultrabra Perfection', 'Ultrabra Light' and the 'Ultrabra Super Boost', which launched in 1999 with the slogan: 'Biggest Cleavage EVER... Or your money back!'"I was also surprised not to see the wonder bra or push up bra, both of which seemed like significant fashion developments in the last 50 years and worthy of inclusion in a book like this. There was also no mention of Skims and the current shapewear trend which is as popular as ever.
The book ends suddenly and doesn't offer a conclusion on shifting trends over the centuries or any observations about the future of underwear. I did wonder if that was because the Victoria and Albert Museum collection includes historical items and curators focus on the past and present perhaps but not the potential future. That may be the reason, but given her expertise, I was keen to know Eleri's thoughts on the impact of changing technology and how future fabrics and changing materials will impact the underwear we wear in the future.
Carpe Librum!
* Those interested in intimate snippets about underwear from previous books I've read, might enjoy the following:
In The Dirt on Clean - An Unsanitized History by Katherine Ashenburg we're told the the Marquis d'Argens wore a flannel under-waistcoat to keep warm in the 1700s and wouldn't take it off for fear of catching cold. It was revealed he'd worn the waistcoat for four years, but when he finally agreed to take it off, it had "so fixed itself upon him that pieces of his skin came away with it." Eeek!
In How to Behave Badly in Renaissance Britain by Ruth Goodman I learned that the long tails of shirts once acted as a barrier between the body and the trousers, essentially performing the role of underwear (or drawers) for men. Men's shirts reached down to just above the knees with a slit at both sides, so they could be tucked around one's nether regions without impeding movement. As a result, to see a man with his shirt tails hanging out was 'disgusting' and now I understand why!
More recently in The Stuff of History by Steven Moore, I read about the 14 year old boy who broke into Buckingham Palace between 1838-1841, allegedly lived there in secret by hiding in rooms and chimneys and stole a pair of Queen Victoria's underwear. I was reminded of this when reading Underwear by Eleri Lynn, when we see a pair of Queen Victoria's underwear. Historians know they were worn by the Queen as they're embroidered with her monogram.
When reading Black - The History of a Color by Michel Pastoureau I learned that white was once the most common colour of underwear but that this trend has reversed and black is now the most popular. Wearing black underwear was once transgressive but no longer draws attention the way it once did. Go figure!
