Bizarre Underwear Trends

Looking back through history, some underwear trends can only be described as bizarre. I’m sure we are all glad to be living in the 21^st Century with our cotton elastic briefs and not in some of these historical times of cumbersome underwear!

1900s

The 1900’s saw women lobbing around in knee length, frilly knickerbockers which were often crotch less for convenience, rather than sexiness. Not that you would have ever known, they were always hidden away under many layers of skirts and dress.

1920s

Corsets were on the out and flapper fashion was on the rise. Full body cami knickers were all the rage with spaghetti straps, and built in mid-thigh length shorts, with elastic at the waist. This style best suited the fashion of the day which needed a slim line, bulk free undergarment.

1940s

The 1940s saw the introduction of the popular high-waisted underwear. Covering the belly button and ending at the top of the legs allowed for tightly fitting clothing and freedom of movement a requirement as more and more women entered the workforce.

1950s

Girdles and garters were the popular style for the 1950s. In order to pull of the popular hourglass figure, most women needed a slimming girdle. Most girdles were hooked onto garters that held up stockings, and by today’s standards, seems pretty extreme.

1960s

All that free-lovin’ obviously freed up underwear designers. Gone were plain white underpants and in their place new colourful, patterned or pastel styles arrived. The most popular designs featured the name of a day of the week on the front or back.

1970s

Low waists finally arrived with the 1970s, with high-waisted pants on the decline in popularity low rise undies were a must. The playful styles of the 1960s gave way to sexy lace and silk and disco fever influenced the range of colours available.

1980s

Did you ever wear a body suit? You can thank the 1980s for them. Usually described as the decade fashion forgot, body suits are no exception. With their press studs for easy access to the loo, let’s just say they weren’t nearly as easy to get back on as they were to get off. Racy high cut undies arrived on the scene in the 80s too.

1990s

Body suits prevailed and ‘chicken fillet’ bra inserts and push up bras reigned supreme. I’ll bet many blokes of the era are still traumatized by groping a chicken fillet breast enhancer.

2000s

With a nod to corsets of ages gone by, tummy tucking underwear and slimming suits to wear under clothes became a must for women with muffin tops and spare tyres everywhere. Spanx and spinoffs helped many women look toned and terrific from the outside, but they may have also looked a little red and flustered – those babies were no easy feat to get on.

Would you wear any of these bizarre panties today?