With our fabulous 3 for 2 sale now on, it seemed fitting to share with you some interesting (and bizarre!) facts that Little Women have learned about a staple of our everyday wear, the knicker.
- The average woman owns 34 pairs of knickers
That’s a whopping THREE times the amount it was in 1999! According to a poll conducted on behalf of Dr. Beckmann, a woman’s typical underwear drawer contains 20 everyday pairs and 14 for the “best”.
- Wearing red knickers can bring you good luck
Well, according to the Italians it does! Wearing red underwear is a tradition on New Year’s Eve in Italy, and it is common to receive as a Christmas gift in preparation for the big day. Red is said to be a lucky colour for the Italians, bringing happiness, good fortune, and the protective presence of the Archangel Michael – we’re unsure on how much truth there is in that, but no one can deny red knickers look great!
- Going commando used to be the norm!
It was frowned upon for English ladies prior to the 19th century to wear knickers, instead they relied on layers of heavy petticoats to prevent the breeze from blowing up their skirt!
- The most expensive pair of underwear cost $20,000
Created by South African jeweller Uwe Koetter, a specially commissioned chastity belt constructed with golds, pearls, and diamonds can set you back a cool $20,000! Although outdated for the 21st century, the belt was specially ordered by a private British client.
- There’s an overwhelming favourite style of underwear for British women
Based off a survey by Marie Claire, over 52% of women voted for the trusty brief as their preferred fit! Offering both comfort and style, we at Little Women can understand why the British public opt for the best of both worlds. On the other end of the spectrum, only 8% voted for thongs as their favourite.
- Open-crotch knickers were more common in the past?
Surprisingly, yes! Victorian women believed that it was more hygienic to wear open-crotch knickers, with even Queen Victoria’s bloomers following suit. Under layers of a chemise, corset, a bodice, stockings, multiple petticoats and numerous other layers of clothing, knickers simply were an unnecessary additional layer. This however was changed by the Can Can dancers of Paris, who (for obvious reasons relating to the high kick!) introduced the concept of closed-crotch underwear.
- The global lingerie market is expected to hit $55.83 billion by 2024
This can be explained largely by the increasing numbers of people opting to shop online instead of heading to the shops. With the ease of being able to order your favourite bras and knickers from the comfort of your own home, why bother fighting your way through the crowds and exhaustion of not finding what you’d like in the shops?
