Women’s pants are now available in many different designs, colours, and patterns to fit various preferences. This was not always true. In the past, only one type was available for underwear. Designers have introduced many types of underwear to suit our needs and moods. The origins of underwear can be traced back to ancient times. Over time, the influence of culture and society has brought about many changes to underwear. This blog will discuss the evolution of panties through the centuries.

Who invents underwear?

Amelia Bloomer introduced the coconut in 1849. Underwear was also known as bloomers.

Underpants or drawers, known colloquially as “panties,” were first worn during the Renaissance for function but were also used as a chastity device. They were described as “helping women keep clean and protecting them from the cold, they prevent the thighs being seen if they fall off a horse. These drawers also protect them against adventurous young men. As a result of their direct contact with the female genitals, underpants were considered the most risqué of garments, so much so that it was considered almost more immodest to wear them than not, as they not only concealed but also drew attention to the vagina. Thus, until the mid-nineteenth century, they were primarily worn by prostitutes and little girls.

The first women’s underwear

Underpants and drawers were considered a chastity tool during the Renaissance because they allowed women to keep warm and clean.

One-piece garments were called loincloths by the ancient Egyptians. Romans also wore subiculum, or a loincloth, as underwear. Women started to wear corsets made of whalebone in the 16th century.

Drawers were needed to keep the legs from being visible when women first started to ride horses.

19th Century Underwear

In the 19th century, underwear was a well-known fashion item. In the 18th century, undergarments were called pantaloons by the English. In the 19th century, the term was changed to pants. Pants were made to cover the entire leg. A drawer is another name for underwear. Later, underwear for women was called knickerbockers. The term was abbreviated to knickers in the 19th century. In the United States, underwear is known as panties. In the 19th century, panties had two legs attached at the waist.

Tennis player Gertrude Moran was summoned in 1947 to court after she wore a short tennis gown with a pair of ruffled, lace-trimmed knickers. This made headlines around the world. Also, panties came with lace or bands.

20th century

Knickers were about knee-length in the 19th century. It became shorter in the 1920s. Briefs became fashionable for women in the 1950s and 1940s. In the 1960s, bikini panty styles, disposable bra panties and matching bra panties were all introduced. In the 1990s, thongs became a popular trend. During the same time, underwear for boys was popularized.

Women have a wide range of options for parties to keep them comfortable and protected. Shop for your favourite style of panties online, and get ready to go.

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