Over the decades, the lingerie or boudoir fashion has changed. It goes from a garment that is intimate to a garment that is now worn as a fashion trend. Originally, boudoir is designed to serve as women’s helping tool in improving their body shape, preserving modesty, and for hygiene reasons. Both men and women wore undergarments. Undergarments have been used since the ancient times. Back then the fabric or material used is very limited, uncomfortable and mostly for modesty reasons. Some basic idea of undergarments stayed even until today such as the underwear, bra, corsets, hoop skirts (for formal occasions) and many more. The difference is that now it is improved.
Loincloth was the first simplest form of underwear made during the ancient times and mostly worn by men. The first corsets were even made out of whalebones that make it super uncomfortable and tight which cause some women blacking out or out of breath whilst wearing it. In 1913, Mary Phelps Jacob invented the first modern bra. It was made out of two handkerchief joined by a ribbon. Since then the underwear industry had improved a lot. They use more of quality materials that just don’t help body figure but also to give and focus more on comfort.
These are some of the example of early undergarments:
Before, an undergarment is a private thing and cannot be shown towards the public. On the other hand, now people are using the boudoir fashion as a trend and is seen mostly everywhere. Most of high-end brands, and fast fashion brands are producing boudoir fashion for their collection. They take garments such as the pyjamas, corsets, and many other undergarments as inspiration of this trend.
The fashion forecasts, WGSN even give out a report about this trend. Most of it is a combination of fashion and bedroom dressing.
www.wgsn.com
http://www.vogue.com
One of the most famous international undergarment brands, Victoria Secret is also going onto the boudoir trend. They are famous and known for its lingerie line. Recently, Victoria Secret unveils their newest outside wear mini collection called “(Un)Dress Code”. Although their idea of using bedroom dressing as a part of the fashion is a trend, they receive some backlash and became such controversy among the people.. It seemed that their collection is too revealing to be used as a daily wear and ended up pulling their ads from some sites and are now no longer available.
Buzzfeed, a media company tried some of Victoria Secret’s mini collection and the outcome is not as expected. She feels uncomfortable and having a hard time trying to cover her private areas to be seen. It also does not even looked like how Victoria Secret advertises it.
Trying Out Victoria Secret (Un)Dress mini collection.
https://www.buzzfeed.com
https://www.buzzfeed.com
Personally for me, this trend is out of the box and fun. Fashion isn’t always about going for the same style over and over again, but to experiment on other style, to mix and match. That is what made me fell in love with fashion. I love how some brands create their Boudoir fashion. It is both fashionable, fun but still something that is still wearable and can be mix and matched with.
However, I see how some people might not agree with me and does not think that this trend is suitable or good. Intimates or undergarments was made to be worn inside on the first place and now for it to be worn as fashion piece is a new and a little weird for some people. Moreover, with Victoria Secret’s mini collection being that revealing, it does seem like it belonged to be worn inside or at home, not outside. But if a designer or a brand could create an appropriate boudoir fashion, I do think this trend is fun but I think this trend will just only be a fad.
References:
A brief history of underwear. Stylist Magazine. Retrieved 28 November 2016, from http://www.stylist.co.uk/fashion/a-brief-history-of-underwear#
Boudoir Trend. FASHION Magazine. Retrieved 28 November 2016, from http://fashionmagazine.com/fall-fashion-2013/boudoir-trend/
Mohan, N. & Lam, C. (2016). I Tried Out Victoria's Secret's (Un)Dress Code At Work And Felt Very Exposed. BuzzFeed. Retrieved 28 November 2016, from https://www.buzzfeed.com/ninamohan/i-wore-victorias-secret-to-work?utm_term=.xtB5ZgJLg#.dnV94GQ8G
Spring 2016 Trend Report. (2016). Vogue. Retrieved 28 November 2016, from http://www.vogue.com/slideshow/13360870/best-spring-2016-runway-trends/#1
WGSN,. (2015). Boudoir Glitz - Juniors Design Capsule (p. 2). WGSN. Retrieved from https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/62937/page/1