National Underwear Day is all about feeling comfortable in your own skin and embracing your body. We can all do this by practising self-love and new underwear always helps to boost your mood! Here at LW, we specialise in petite lingerie, as one of the only retailers remaining who stock AAA cup bras, and our sister brand Underwearbargains.com for the full range of bra sizes, we know what we are talking about when it comes to lingerie! To celebrate this special day, we are going to share with you some of our favourite pieces from our collection and talk about the current lingerie trends as well as lingerie in general, why do we even wear it? Where did ‘underwear’ come from? Keep reading to find out.
So, where did the term ‘underwear’ come from?
It all dates to ancient Egypt when Egyptians sometimes wore loin cloths. This carried through to the Middle Ages when men started to wear linen shorts and women a linen shift under their dresses.
In 18th century England they were called pantaloons. In the 19th century, the word became shortened to pants. In the 19th-century women’s underwear was usually open between the legs but in the 20th century, closed knickers replaced them. Meanwhile in 1913 Mary Phelps Jacob invented the modern bra. She used two handkerchiefs joined by ribbon. In the 19th century knickers came down to well below the knee. In the 1920s they became shorter. They ended above the knee. By the 1940s and 1950s, many women wore briefs. In the 1970s knickers became briefer still. In the 1990s thongs became popular. Men’s underwear also became shorter. And now here we are today!
Let’s talk about the different styles of underwear
Obviously, there are so many different styles of underwear, especially in terms of bras so I won’t bore you, instead I will just point out a few popular styles and show our favourite sets in those styles for you to browse.
First off, we have the balconette.
A balconette bra makes women look sexy and accentuates cleavage. But with their wide straps and cup styles, balconette bras are especially supportive for women who have broad shoulders and firmer breasts.
Below are just some of our gorgeous balconette bras.
We also have the simple t-shirt bra; they may seem a little boring compared to other bras we have however they are an absolute bra-drobe staple! Providing comfort and giving you a smooth finish underneath your clothes, everyone loves a good t shirt bra!
Push-up bras come with additional padding at the bottom of the inside of the cups whereas padded bras simply have padding lined in between the cups. That said, padded bras give your breasts shape, elevating your overall look and enhancing your silhouette.
The 2022 lingerie trends to watch out for
Just like with our clothes and accessories, there are also trends in the lingerie world. Many people see underwear as an afterthought, we can all admit to just throwing on any random underwear in the morning when we have 5 minutes spare before we need to leave for work, but lingerie trends are worth paying attention to. It is so important to not only feel good on the outside but also what’s underneath your clothes are important for confidence too. If you are looking for a bra-drobe refresh keep reading to shop the trends of 2022…
- Comfort is key
In 2022, we have seen brands mix comfort and sexy. These two things don’t need to be at the other ends of the spectrum, with more people seeking comfort in their lingerie, for example, unwired, bralettes and natural fabrics without compromising on feeling sexy at the same time. We have some gorgeous bralettes and sets that will provide you with the ultimate comfort whilst boosting your confidence too!
- Bold colours
According to Georgia Larsen, the founder of lingerie brand Dora Larsen, she found that customers are starting to experiment more with their lingerie choices, there has been an unusual demand for colours like bright green which is different to the stereotypical pinks and berries we see in lingerie. People want to be dressing for themselves these days and this starts with experimenting with fun, playful, bright lingerie!
- Retro silhouettes
The reinvented classic is something customers are always looking for. Whether that’s the high waisted 1950s style knickers or the 80s high cut leg thong, we have noticed customers like classic styles that offer something different like a bold colour or specific design detail that modernises it. This is a trend we are expecting to see a lot of in 2022 with nostalgia being at the forefront of a lot of our minds.
