Panties - History

History

Women first wore underwear below the waist during the French Revolution. In the 18th century, a Parisian police ordinance reportedly required women who appeared on stage to wear shorts. However, it is Cancan dancers who are credited with stitching the two leggings together. The invention of spinning machines and cotton gins in the second half of the 18th century facilitated the development of cotton fabrics. Factories subsequently mass produced underwear, and, for the first time, people began to buy rather than make such garments at home. Elizabeth Miller is recognized as the inventor of bloomers, the precursor to panties, and Amelia Bloomer is believed to have popularized bloomers during the mid-19th century.

Catherine de Medici is credited with the invention of panties-style underwear, conceived so that she could fold her legs across the horse's neck without exposing her crotch when riding side-saddle. During this time, women wore full length leggings that were tied at the waist but left the crotch uncovered. Medici's early version, which originated in France in the early 19th century, was known as pantalettes, and it quickly spread to Britain and the US. Pantalettes were produced in two forms: as a one-piece item; or as two separate garments, where each piece was used on a separate leg and became attached at the waist with buttons or laces. The rationale for the open crotch was a perception of improved hygiene.

After the 1920s, women's underwear shortened in accordance with shorter skirt lengths, whilst comfort and durability gave way to fashion and sophistication. In the 1960s, cotton briefs were the most common type of panties amongst girls and younger women. This new generation preferred denim jeans to pencil skirts and wore their briefs in basic cotton; cotton was re-adopted after the silk, rayon and nylons of the older generations became problematic (issues included skin irritation). The miniskirt fashion required panties to be short and for wearers to appear indifferent to the potential for their exposure; it was this culture and attitude that led to the next phase of bikini-style panties.