An Intimate Retrospective

Ellen Lewis

12 years ago

By Layla L’Obatti

In the middle of summer’s heat we are all focused on staying cool and comfortable. Whether that means lounging by the pool, in front of the air conditioner or sipping iced tea on the porch watching the sunset, there’s likely some form of loungewear involved. So let’s take a look back at styles that have paved the way for the popularity of loungewear in our culture today.

A brief retrospective on some of the notable intimate and leisure attire that has both evolved and influenced our modern lounge and sleepwear.

From figleaves to loincloths

Unfortunately textiles have a shelf life, so no garments from this time truly exist for us to reflect on, but their silhouettes linger on in the frescoes and reliefs of Greek and Roman architecture. The undergarments of the time, subligaculum, and are perhaps some of the earliest forms of intimate coverings next to Eve’s figleaves.

The draped clothing of everyday – the toga and chiton are also constantly revisited by designers for their classical beauty and simplicity.

The Corset to the Bra

The corset reigned supreme in Western undergarments for several centuries, its prevalence across country lines and evolution of silhouette through the years makes it pivotal in our understanding of leisure, and perhaps more appropriately the lack thereof. With its daily wear affecting bodily function and necessitating the invention of fainting couches it is a wonder that this style remained a staple of clothing for so long. We idealize its appearance today but modern shapewear is a far cry from its historical counterpart with flexible boning and stretch revolutionizing the comfort of this garment.

The splitting of the corset top from bottom and freeing of the waist leaves us with the bra and panty combination that we wear today.

The Pyjama/Pajama

Western culture in the 18^th and 19^th centuries when the British were in East and West Asian cultures where this was common sleepwear, it serves as an essential part of our sleepwear today. The Eastern influence of this pant and shirt combination for sleep is the origin of modern loungewear. The loose fitting drawstring pants now paired with all sorts of tops and adjusted to many lengths and silhouettes to accommodate our modern lifestyle and aesthetic.