Lipstick contains waxes, emollients, pigments and various oils. The wax holds its shape. Beeswax is still in use – it being taken from the honeycomb of bees. Other types of waxes are obtained from leaves of certain palm trees that grow in Brazil. Candelilla wax is taken from the plant of the same name that is found in Mexico. The plants are soaked in boiling water and sulfuric acid. The wax that rises to the surface is then skimmed off. Other ingredients are olive, mineral and castor oil, cocoa butter, petrolatum and lanolin. Recently other moisturizers like Vitamin E, aloe vera, amino acids, sunscreens and collagen are being used. These soften and moisten the lips while keeping it sheltered from the elements. The colour comes from many types of pigments and dyes.
Lipstick making involves heating, mixing and stirring. The finely ground mixture is heated and then poured into metal moulds. Then it is chilled again. The formed lipstick is now subjected to heat again for about half a second to give it the smooth glossy touch. Lipstick lasts longer if kept in the refrigerator. The lipstick tube consists of the base and cover. The base twists and slides as it pushes up the lipstick. The cover on top protects it from getting squashed and chewed off by the unwary toddler.
The shelves contain an array of lipsticks – matted, frosted, sheer and stained.. Glossy or sheer lipsticks need to be applied more frequently. Matte ones are not shiny but last longer although the lips do not remain moisturized and tend to crack.
The lip-gloss is sold in bottles – it has the same ingredients as lipsticks but less wax and more of oil to make the pout more shiny and glittering.

The making of lipstick is a science but its application is an art. Just like a painter of walls first uses a primer so too it is the rule with lips. Use a lip pencil, which will be a sort of fixative. The general practice to choose a lipstick is rubbing it on back of the hand but the fingertip is more akin to the colour of the human lips. Check on the label and pick one that has not been involved in animal slaughter. The chemical ingredients should also be carefully studied. It is surmised that in a lifetime a woman ingests about 4 to 6 pounds of lipstick. So it is better to know ahead that the stuff is not harmful for the health. Try and obtain samples. Usually manufacturers supply the shops with any number to push sales. The best shade is the one that tunes in with the individual’s complexion and the colour of the clothes of the wearer. The rule of thumb is natural colours are for the daytime and more bold shades for the night. When youth begins to wane then lipsticks with more oils and creams are preferable.
Everything has its red signal of warning. Lipsticks can be harmful. Avoid ones with parabens as these are suspected villains inducing cancer of the reproductive system.  Lipstick sometimes contains lead. Its use makes the stuff cheap. Try the test of rubbing a gold ring on the lipstick. If the colour changed from red to black then shy off from the purchase – it is dangerous.
Some hot red facts about lipstick will be of trivia interest. In 1959 Connie Francis added the touch of culture to lipstick with her hit song “Lipstick on Your Collar’. Shisedo Cosmetics of Tokyo conducted a survey in 1996 in which most of the American women (87%) admitted to leaving lipstick traces on places where they should not be!

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The history of panties starts with the story of bloomers. The original purpose was modesty – covering up as much of the female form as possible. As hens are to the eggs so to bloomers are to panties. Typically it is a divided garment to cover the lower part of women. The first ones were the brainchild of Elizabeth Miller but Amelia Bloomer made it popular during the 1850’s. These were long baggy pants ending at the ankles. It was largely influenced by the East and often came to be called the ‘Syrian’ style. In the late 18th century the bloomers got two other nametags – knickers and knickerbockers. Women wore it during sports events during those days of Victorian modesty. From the 1920’s bloomers began to get short. For a classic visual of bloomers the best bet is to watch the bloomer-dance in the Hollywood classic ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’ where the delightful brides prance around bloomers, the ancestors of panties!

The post-war period saw an outburst or outrage of female modesty dominated by the bra-panty culture. Somehow freedom for women and women’s right became mixed up with exposure of the exquisite female form, leaving little to the imagination. Some interpreted it as a hidden fear and doubt about the natural appeal of the female towards the opposite sex, as Nature meant it to be. Hence the urgency to establish and advertise it aggressively! Another explanation is that the post-war period saw a boom in business and advertising. The least amount of material was turned into a costly piece of garment. The gullible public swallowed the bait and the undergarment made its dominating presence felt – often to the point of ridicule and invasion of human decency and privacy.
Today more than a piece of clothing that covers and comforts the panty has become an object of sexuality. But is the operation table, with the spread-eagled human form, the alpha of sensuality? Sex is something far more – deep and sensual – than mere exposure of the beast in the urban jungle.

From the 1920’s the hemline of skirts began to rise and importance came to be given from what peeped out from under it. The original panties were made from silk or artificial silk called rayon. After that nylon came to be use. Skin problems and other related headaches is causing a rethinking and going back to cotton. This is however turning out to be a costly affair.
The panty started its journey with the original purpose of covering the intimate part of a woman even she suddenly fell or jumped about. It spelt freedom from prowling eyes. The panty covers the mysterious deep junction between the legs. Eminent sociologist Margaret Mead says that the maleness and femaleness is inherent and woven into the fabric of our body as well as mind from childhood. It is genetically programmed. Mead points out that when a baby girl falls she spontaneously brings together her hands in front below the stomach. Whereas when a boy falls he spreads his arms across on both sides. Everything in woman is inside. Everything in man is outside.

Apart from the modesty factor the panty protects the woman from infections while she goes about her work in this modern world. The panty material should be able to breathe – otherwise it will itself be a source of trouble. Moreover the panty should be washed daily and should definitely not be shared on grounds of long-term health and hygiene.

The panty culture has developed a language of its own and one of the terms is panty-line or visible-panty-line (VPL). It is the provocative outline of the undergarment teasing through the outer clothing. The Panty-line also came to be known as the bikini-line. Of late there is very little difference between the bikini and the panty. Womankind is somehow holding onto a wisp of cloth to save her modesty and her civilization.

Pantyhose is another name in the panty business. These are sheers of extremely close fittings covering the body from the waist and reaching down to the feet. These resemble stockings and are made from nylon. It made its entry in USA during the 1960’s as an alternative to stockings. It is not necessary to wear any other undergarment below it. In UK these are termed ‘tights’ but with a variation in meaning. It need not be tight fighting but can be made from any stretchable material like spandex. Usually women wear it during physical exercises. In the tropical countries the entry of panties has been fairly recent. Overnight it has led to a market boom. But the panty does not go with the stifling humid sweaty climate of the tropics where the body needs to be aired as long as possible. It has led to a rise in hitherto unknown skin problems – this being a boon for pharmaceutical business.

A whole culture, for good or bad, has come to revolve round the panty. Much to the agony of health addict regular sales of second hand panties are becoming quite common. It is not unknown that even after vigorous washing; items of clothing do not become totally free from germs and vermin. There is a regular auction of panties and other items of undergarments worn by celebrities like Marylyn Monroe. It depends on one’s bent of mind whether to shudder or to cheer at such displays of civilized mankind.

In a recent online news it was reported that at Stansted Airport a 29 year old man hit the headlines as the panty-thief! He was the baggage handler at the airport and admitted to stealing panties. His colleagues saw him searching and removing these delightful items from passenger’s luggage. Three hundred pairs were carefully stored in his home. He was given an 18-month sentence with a fine. The sentence was relatively lenient as the motive was not greed but psychological. Society seems to be beginning to pay for allowing a free hand to greedy manufacturers and their partners – the media gangs.

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Generally speaking a vest is an undergarment covering the upper part of the male body. There are innumerable styles and vary from one region to another. Broadly vests can be divided into two groups – the undergarment variety and the sleeveless coat or jacket kind resembling waistcoats that are worn on top.
The word comes from French veste, Italian vesta, veste and Latin vestis.  All refer to an item of clothing. It made its debut in England during the reign of Charles II. One Samuel Pepys had entered in his diary that the King made an official statement that he would be starting off a new fashion – the vest! It was supposed to teach the nobles thrift.
The vest is ‘undershirt’ in USA, ‘vest’ in UK and her colonies and ‘singlet’ in Australia. It is a kind of T-shirt without sleeves generally worn under the shirt but not always. Sometimes it is used as an outer garment. The vest may be termed a cousin of the waistcoat.  What is ‘waistcoat’ in UK is ‘vest’ in USA. It is often the third piece in a formal suit attire. The sports vest is worn as an outer item of clothing. Hunters wear padded vests and fishers put on the fishing-vest that comes with a plethora of external pockets for carrying fishing gear and tackle.
Another common name making the rounds in connection with vests is ‘banyan’. During the 18th century men took to this fashion influenced by the East. It is still commonly used in India as an undershirt. It also refers to a morning gown or nightgown being a loose T-shaped kimono made from cotton, linen or silk.
The latest in hot demand is the ballistic vest or the bulletproof variety that is a sort of armour which absorbs the impact from gunfire targeting the torso. These vests are soft and made from tightly woven fibres. The police and private security guards wear the soft variety. Combat troops or armed policemen facing danger at home sport the hard vests which are reinforced by plates. A helmet usually accompanies the bulletproof vest.
Most of the bulletproof types of vest do not give protection against ice picks, arrows or stabs from knives. Special kinds have been manufactured and mostly used by guards in prisons. A material known as Dyneema provides a lot of protection against attacks from blades.
The first fabric that was used as a bullet resistant was from silk. Layers and layers of silk (18/30) were used to manufacture it. In 1881 a certain Goodfellow watching a gunfight in Arizona between two contestants noticed that one escaped serious injury because of the person’s silk handkerchief. Based on the findings of Goodfellow and few other similar incidents Zeglen of Chicago went on to manufacture a bulletproof vest made from silk towards the end of the 19th century. Undoubtedly the vests were very costly. The World War I started when the Archduke Ferdinand of Austria was shot on 28th June 1918. He was wearing a bulletproof silk vest but it could not save him as he was shot in the neck.  During the late 1920’s and 30’s USA gunmen gangs started wearing less expensive protective vests made from layers of cotton padding. During World War II the USA army designed many vests but most of them were too heavy. Flak jackets were made for aircraft crew. These were from nylon material and could check penetration of shrapnel and flak but not bullets.
In India the vest has become an essential part of clothing because of the hot humid climate. Generally the vests are not coloured but white.  The banian, made from a special type of fabric, absorbs the sweat and grime giving the wearer comfort. It also saves the outer shirt, which without the protective vest below, would have soon got worn out eroded by body fluids and the heat. Previously when men did not wear shirts the vest was not at all in use. Men usually went bare bodied with a loose robe thrown across rippling muscles. The rich covered their chests with bejeweled necklaces. For the humble the piece of cloth thrown across the shoulders also served as a sort of towel and doubled up as a shopping bag. The introduction of shirts and vests has complicated matters. A whole new industry centering round the hosiery market has sprung up with vested interests in the production of vests.

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5. The Evolution of Lingerie

In Britain the item came late by three years – 1938. The response was tremendous with 3,000 pieces being sold every week. In 1948 each member of the Olympic team of Britain was given a free pair. In Britain the name ‘jockey’ is not in use but another given name for it on the island is ‘Y fronts’. The inverted Y shape at the front of these underpants allows the size to adjust to the specifications of the individual’s genitals. The position of the fly may differ from style to style.
Conduit- briefs are another name for these items.  In Australia these are ‘jocks’ but should not be mixed up with ‘jockstraps’ worn by sportsmen where the buttocks are exposed. Recently a new type of hybrid has hit the popular shelves known as boxer briefs. Like the boxer variety these have short legs but like other briefs are made of snug fitting elastic material.
Recently a poll was conducted. More men in English speaking countries wear briefs rather than boxers. From 2002 the introduction of colour and different cuts has led to a phenomenal rise in sales.

Briefs have come to stay and have become part of modern culture. From 1998 in Hawaii (Ironman Triathlon) there has been an annual sports event known as the Underpants Run. ‘JockeyBriefs” have found a prominent place in “Quintessences: the Quality of Having It” published by Black Dog and Leventhal, New York. A musician, Robert John Burck, nicknamed as Naked Cowboy plays in Manhattan Times Square wearing boots, cowboy hat and only a pair of briefs! Journalist Dan Savage held in 2002 a contest – ‘Tighty Whities are Hot’. Ashton Kutcher on 3rd May 2003 gave his opening lecture on Saturday Night Live wearing nothing but a pair of briefs. In ‘Green Wing’ television show, Alan Statham sometimes wears white briefs while playing his recorder. In movies the most notable scene centering on briefs is ‘Risky Business’, starring Tom Cruise.

A poplar children’s character in a book series is Captain Underpants. He is a round-cheeked hero wearing briefs and a red cape decorated with black polka dots. Flea, the bass player of Red Hot Chili Peppers appears on stage flaunting a pair of briefs.
Rocko the cartoon character of USA flits across the screen in briefs. In ‘Seat to Stardom’ he acts as an underwear model. Homer Simpson is another such brief addict sitting on his couch drinking beer. Peter and Chris Griffin both wear briefs on the Family Guy show; so do Beavis and Butt-head, Spongebob and Arthur (PBS cartoon). In another animated series a kung fu bear pads around in a generous pair of Y-fronts.
Comic characters are not left behind. Berkeley Breathed drew his Opus the Penguin and Bill the Cat wearing briefs while sitting and exchanging their problems. Steve Bell of The Guardian drew John Major in briefs!
There are special briefs for patients in hospitals. It is made from waterproof material and of the unisex kind. It is disposable, loose and comfortable. In cases of hernia there are briefs with adjustable bands gives the right amount of support. There are foam pads to protect the hernia spots.
Briefs are becoming more complicated in design and price ranging. Cotton is the favourite material with 5% of spandex (elastic). It keeps the manhood of man looking great as well as feeling good.
By aggressive marketing briefs have penetrated the Indian and Asian markets. Together with its introduction into the tropical humid climate of these regions has come an innumerable skin disease; which again is good news for the pharmaceutical giants. India was not indifferent or casual to the problem of holding male genitals in place but the approach was the wearing of langots. These are long bands worn tightly around and below the waist, keeping the buttocks open. Easy to wash and dry these are ideally suited for the local conditions. However it continues to hold its place considering the advantages and simplicity.
In brief the story of briefs is that of complicated fashions and designs, backed by long price tags hitting the shop shelves while the exposure of flesh becomes more and more brief!

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The main purpose of the bra is to give the breasts support so that it does not become a cumbersome pendulum, hindering free body movement. Another popular conception is that the bra will prevent the breasts from sagging. As yet medical does not say that bras stop the natural laws of ageing. Even bra manufacturers admit that bras shape the female figure only while it is being worn.  When women are performing strenuous exercise the bra can give comfort. The sports bra is exclusively designed for this. While running, large and even small breasts can cause pain from the continuous bounces and jolts. Bras prevent the skin surfaces from rubbing against each other and causing abrasions. Without a bra there is likelihood of maceration (loss of skin) and intertrigo (rash) linked with fungal infections. Contrary views however opine however that the use of bra will promote atrophy of the ligament and hasten drooping
The bra is worn for the observance of modesty. Some wear it to lift the breasts and give the figure a sharp contour. It gives a more youthful appearance and sharply sketches the cleavage. Designers try to blend the practical with the attractive. Bras are very important during pregnancy when the breasts become enlarged and sensitive. There are special nursing bras for new mothers.
There is a strong view gaining ground especially in Europe that the bra is not an essential item of clothing – rather it hampers free movement and causes harm to the physique. The anti-bra lobby thinks that it is a denigrating symbol of repression of women. Feminists have strongly come forward with the argument that the bra is a kind of instrument of torture like the Chinese practice of keeping the feet bound. This attitude often led to bra-burning ceremonies to make the point.  Traditionally the bra is taken to symbolize the coming of womanhood – one of the clear signs that the maid has become a woman. Taken together there is a storm raging round the bra – it is being given more importance than is reasonable. After all it is just a wisp of clothing.
The origin of the word ‘bra’ is French. Brassiere means a baby’s vest or undershirt. It also referred to lifebelt, harness or under-bodice. In military parlance it means the arm of the uniform. This later came to connote a breastplate and then later on a kind of corset worn by women. The word ‘brassiere’ blended into the English language sometime around 1893. Vogue magazine was the first to use it in 1907 and in 1911 it got itself entrenched in the Oxford English Dictionary. By the 1930’s the lengthy word ‘brassiere’ had come to be shortened to ‘bra’. In French it is known as soutien-gorge.
Herminie Cadolle kicked off the garment in 1905. A law suit waged around this tiny object, called the bra, when Otto Titzling got into a legal brawl with Phillip de Brassier claiming to be the inventor of this undergarment. Digging up the past there are records that female athletes used these breast uplifters in 7th century BC during the Minoan Civilization. In India it was common from ancient times and still is to tie a piece of cloth firmly round the breasts. This was called the choli. Later the choli has become an adaptation of the westernized ‘blouse’. It is of interest to note that until the coming of the Muslims, Indians did not wear stitched clothes. Even today stitched clothes are banned for orthodox ceremonies.
The corset made its appearance in 16th century Europe. Its purpose was to push the breasts upwards. Designers continued to experiment, dividing the function into two. There was a girdle like device for the lower and another to suspend the breasts with straps from the shoulders. By the 1930’s commercial production of bras began on a large scale. It became an industry running into billions of dollars.
A bra has two cups for the breasts joined by a centre panel that is a band around the body and under the bust, supported by two shoulder straps on each side of the neck. Bras are made from cotton or polyester fabric. Plastic with lace has replaced wires for supporting the cups. A hook fastener is used at the back to keep the garment in place. Some have fasteners in the front between the cups. Others are just stretched over the head dispensing with fasteners altogether. Padding is sometimes used for comfort and an appearance of fullness.
Breasts may weigh up to many kilograms. These are given the lift by a bra, which acts as a pulley transferring the weight from the chest to the back, neck and shoulders. This might cause pain and in the long run injure the physique, particularly in the case of those with extra large pendulous parts.
The comfort factor comes from the proper size and feeling of fitness. There are as many sizes as there are types of breasts. The size depends on the cups of the breasts and the length around the body known as the cup size and the band size respectively.
Today there are not just many sizes of bras but also many varieties and types to match innumerable kinds of outer garments. The strapless, backless and multiway stays invisible underneath skimpy clothes. The push-up and plunge type of bras focus on the shape and cleavage of the female form. In the West bras are coming out from the curtains of the interior to peep outside to stimulate sexual attraction.
The bra story includes raising charity funds by auctioning celebrity bras. The bra no longer remains the sole prerogative of women. Good news for manufacturers is that some obese men with heaving bulging chests have taken to wearing bras!

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Chocolate, that mouthwatering treat that sends our senses swimming in ecstasy as it melts in our mouth, has often been touted as food for the gods.  In its early beginnings in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, chocolate was indeed food of the gods, consumed in religious rituals and closely associated with the Aztec goddess of fertility, Xochiquetzal.Archeologists studying ancient Mesoamerican culture suggest that the Mayans have been drinking chocolate as far back as 2,600 years ago.  This suggestion was prompted by the chocolate residue found in an ancient Mayan pot dating around the same time.  Compared to the chocolate we know now, however, the pre-Columbian Mesoamerican chocolate is drunk, not eaten, and it was spicy and bitter.  This ancient chocolate drink is made from cacao and mixed with vanilla, chili pepper and achiote.  Sometimes, this chocolate drink was taken in with maize and honey.

Another thing about ancient chocolate, aside from its bitter and spicy taste, is that it is a very precious commodity, consumed only by the nobles of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica.  It was even said that cacao beans served as a form of currency during their heyday.  Chocolate was also drunk mostly during religious festivals and was said to relieve fatigue among its drinkers.

European knowledge of the existence of chocolate, among many other things, came to be when Christopher Columbus landed in the New World.  He brought with him cacao beans when he returned to Spain, and these he presented to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella upon his return.  Afterwards, chocolate became popular in Europe through the efforts of Hernando Cortes Pizarro.  To suit European tastes, the original recipe for the chocolate drink was modified.  The spicy taste was removed by taking chili pepper from the recipe and was replaced by milk and sugar to sweeten it.  By the 1600s, the chocolate drink became a luxury drink enjoyed largely by the nobility and the wealthy.

In the late 1700s, the method of making chocolate into a solid form for eating as candy was developed in Turin, Italy.  In 1819, F. L. Cailler opened the first factory to mass-produce chocolate candy in Switzerland.

A significant development in the production of chocolate drinks and candies occurred with the Dutchman Coenraad Johannes van Houten discovered in 1828 a process for removing fat from cocoa beans.  This enabled the production of cocoa butter and powdered cocoa for use in various recipes using chocolate.  Van Houten also discovered a process of treating chocolate with alkali, which made the chocolate taste sweeter and less bitter.

In 1867, Swiss candlemaker and chocolatier Daniel Peter found a way to produce candies made of milk chocolate, which he started selling by 1875.  Soon his friend Henri Nestle helped him find a way to remove water from the milk and thus reduce the risk of chocolate developing mildew.  The two friends soon formed the Nestle Company in 1879.  Nestle, S.A. is now one of the largest multinational companies in Switzerland.

Chocolate has a very long history, and to date it remains to be one of the world’s favorite treats.  It was once the food of the gods, and the food of the gods it will always be.

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The issues concerning sexually transmitted diseases and preventing conception in women have been around for far longer than we may actually know.  Although it is disputed whether they were used for sexual purposes or for religious rituals, condoms have been depicted in ancient Egyptian drawings dating as early as three thousand years ago.  This, without a doubt, makes condoms the earliest form of contraceptives developed by man.The first documentation, however, of what can be said to be the precursor of the modern condom is found among the writings of Gabriele Falloppio, a Renaissance anatomist and physician for whom the Fallopian tubes in the woman’s body were named.  In his writings dated 1564, Fallopio described having invented a sheath for the penis that is made of linen and treated with salt solution or herbs.  It was said this sheath did much in preventing the further spread of syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease, during the time.

Apparently, the sheath designed by Fallopio picked up in later years.  One of the people said to have been influential in spreading the word about the use of condoms in the 1600s was none other than the British King Charles II.  Legend has it that Charles II commissioned one of his men, in some accounts named Dr. Condom and in others as the Earl of Condom, to come up with a scheme that will prevent the king from acquiring sexually transmitted diseases and from fathering illegitimate children.  The solution that this Dr. Condom or Earl of Condom came up with was a sheath made from animal intestine.  It is still being contested whether the condom is named after one such actual person or is merely taken from the Latin word “condun,” which means to protect.

Anyhow, it was said that the condom was not effective for Charles II, but that was mainly because the condoms he had used were not washed despite repeated uses.  Interestingly, the oldest condoms ever found came from his time, 1640.  These condom artefacts were said to have belonged to Royalist forces who backed them king in his conflict with Oliver Cromwell.

The turning point in the development of the modern condom came in 1839, when Charles Goodyear discovered the process of vulcanisation, which made rubber for elastic and durable.  This allowed for the mass production of rubber condoms with seams at the sides beginning 1844.

A further stage in the development of the modern condom is attributed to Julius Fromm, who devised a way of manufacturing condoms using glass moulds in 1912.  These glass moulds were repeatedly dipped in the raw rubber solution and then dried using blasts of hot air.  The force of water then removed the sheath formed from the dipping around the mould.  The resulting products were thinner, more elastic and did not have seams at the sides.  Also, they were to be used only once.

Today, condoms come in latex and even in plastic.  Condoms remain important with regards to sexual hygiene and contraception; they are still among the most effective means of preventing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, not to mention contraception.

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[[Miniature skirts]] or mini [[skirts]] evolved during the sixties with the invention of Lycra. Lingerie was just beginning to evolve into producing tights and of course, tights always go with mini skirts. For a skirt to be qualified as a mini skirt, the hemline has to be at least eight inches above the knee.

Miniskirts actually originated way back in the twenties when corsets were already considered out of style. During that time, flowing skirts were the fashion although it was quite uncomfortable for the women who worked in factories all day. It was the flappers of those time that upped the hemline of those skirts.

Although there are a lot of people who try to claim the title of the creator o fthe mini skirt, it was Mary Quant who first experimented with shorter skirts which she sold in her own clothes shop in London. Because of her reputation of being an excellent designer, the miniskirt became a major international trend. It was further made popular by Andre Courreges who used the design and incorporated it into his Mod look for his spring and summer collection of 1965. Although not that skimpy and tight, Andre was able to introduce the mini skirt into the haute couture of the fashion industry, giving it a position in the fashion world. In the late sixties, the mini skirt became shorter and the micro skirt was invented, coupled with panty hose. Upper garments were adapted as mini-dresses.
In the seventies, the mini skirts reverted to the longer lengths. Because of the growth of the feminist movement during this time, the perception that women who wore mini skirts are cheap objects of desire by men was voiced out. Women’s rights became the trend. And the mini skirt grew longer. However, some still went against the fashion trends and still wore the mini skirt as a sign of rebellion and liberation. It never did go away and songs were even done in dedication to it.

During the eighties, the short skirts were re-introduced but in the form of “rah-rahs” which are usually worn by female cheerleaders. This evolved into the puffball skirt that only lasted a few years. Later still, women were incorporating the miniskirt into a business suit. Television has made a big impact in the renewed popularity of the mini skirt, blending it into blouses to create the little black mini dress that every female should supposedly not go without.

In the 21st century, low waist pants became fashionable for the women, which is actually a misnomer since it is low riding on the hips. The micro miniskirt evolved into the beltskirt, which has less cloth than the mini. Miniskirts are now seen worn over jeans or leggings. Big airy shirts completed the boho style outfit. Short skirts are usually featured nowadays during spring and summer collections since they are the most fashionable and comfortable type of wear for that kind of weather.

The mini skirt has gone a long way from being something used for flirtation to being a garment made for practical uses. Wonder what it will evolve into in the years to come?

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[[Lingerie]] has very much evolved since it was created several centuries ago in France. It came from the French word, lin for linen. It was called undergarments because it was where it should be worn: under the garments. Most of the time, it was bulky and uncomfortable. It has first been invented for the mere purpose of modesty, hygiene, and the more frivolous reason of altering one’s shape. Corsets were made of a whalebone contraption with laces and pulleys to keep the contours of the body in the right hourglass silhouette of the female body. The corset was actually not designed for support and cover but the exact opposite, to tease men. This contraption pushes up the breasts for a deeper décolletage as well as giving ample space for the butt to stick out. These are the two main elements in the silhouette, the bust and butt. All throughout history, this has been the major basis for what fashion gurus now and then will dictate as to what is in or not in terms of lingerie and wear.

Later in the Middle ages, society decided that too much showing of breast is out and small firm breasts are what is acceptable. So instead of flaunting, the corsets of this time flattened the breasts, much to the dismay of the men. In order to get the men to notice them, some women even attempted to put bells around their neckline, putting attention to their jiggling fronts.

The Renaissance period saw the Spanish as the primary dictators of lingerie fashion. This time, the women had to dress with cone-shaped breasts, flat tummies and narrow waists. In this era, strong women abound since they need the strength to be able to cinch up the corsets to the desired body measurement, an impossible feat for some. But since this is an unnatural shape of the body, it was common to see women faint, not because they are of a delicate nature but because they could not breathe. The corset was too tight that their internal organs were being squeezed.

During the 18th century, people became more artistic and carefree. Although the corset is still present, there were a few adjustments made. Artwork and embroidery were done on the corsets to make it more attractive aside from the fact that the breasts are pushed up and out again. Doctors rallied on the dangers of these corsets and finally, those corsets made with bone were finally banned. Only corsets that allowed more movement and easier ways to remove it. Bustles, placed on the back to enhance the butt region, were also added to the corset, which has evolved to being custom tailored to the women’s needs. In the 19th century, corsets became supporters for the breast and stockings.

And it was only during the 20th century that designers thought of making lingerie free flowing and sexy. Brassieres were invented by Mary Phelps Jacob in 1913, which is much softer and shorter than the corset, and allows the breasts to be in their natural shape.

From then on, fashion changed dramatically. From chemise and bloomers, suspender belts and the dawn of Lastex, an elastic fiber, it totally revolutionized the use of lingerie. Women now just want to look their best. Lingerie has evolved to fit that need and others as well.

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