Book Log 12/2012: Tanya Lloyd Kyl: 50 Underwear Questions

[jacey]

The fun history of underwear for children, useful for ages 7 – 10, or even slightly older, depending on the child, of course. Underwear isn't a subject you can find much source material on, especially for this age range, so this is a welcome addition to books on costume even if it does have a jokey approach and cartoon illustrations that are more about appeal than accuracy. It offers a pretty good outline of different types of underwear for men and women through the ages. There was one glaring omission in women's body shapes/corsetry. The timeline jumped from 18th century panniers to 19th century Victorian hooped skirts and completely missed out the more relaxed Regency styles and shapes, which was a short but important fashion period. That apart it seemed to cover most points from loin-cloths via jockstraps to boxers and from corsets via bloomers to thongs.

Comments

[watervole.livejournal.com]

Interesting.

My book suggested that they were sometimes rolled around the waist string. They would be drawn up and rolled down, so to speak.

I do wonder how long it would have taken men to undo them when they wanted to take a quick leak, especially if they had hose attached to them.

[birdsedge.livejournal.com]

Though it's only a kid's book it did - interestingly enough - chronicle the development of the fly front - ramakably late in the development of the gentleman's undergarment.
:-)