In clothing design, a panty line on a human body goes at an angle from the high hip down to the crotch. [3] It is used as a reference line, for example, a babydoll can end either below or above the panty line (the latter option allows the companies to market a matching set with panties). [4] The term is also used for the edge of the panties, in particular when it is visible through the outer garment. [5]
A visible panty line (also slang VPL [6] ) is the situation when the outline of a woman's panties is visible through the outer clothing. [7] The underwear may be seen as a ridge or depression in the clothes, or as a result of the clothing material being sufficiently clingy or transparent.
World War II saw US women entering factories to help the war effort, in the process switching to blue jeans outfits, and puzzled about the proper undergarments for the new clothes. The garment industry had figured out the new opportunity, and in 1943 Vogue ran a piece promoting the rayon jersey underpants with "nonexistent looks", boldly declaring the wash-and-wear barely visible pieces to be part of "simplification [that] is a twentieth-century word". The concern about VPL was born, and never extinguished since, as solutions kept creating new issues (compare thongs with the corresponding "whale tail"). [8] Absence of visible panty line has been an important point in promotions and it was even a matter of focus group research on the proper tagline involving (absence of) panty lines. [9] Sara Blakely built her Spanx company after experiencing the panty line problem herself. [10]
The origin of the term "VPL" is probably traced to barracks humor, the term VPL for 'visible panty line' as a mockery of overused bureaucratic initialisms, coined in an analogy with water line. [a] The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English claims that the phrase was popularized by Woody Allen's 1977 comedy film Annie Hall . [6] [8]
Visible panty lines are considered to be things that are "showing, and ... don't look good". [11] There are a number of ways to avoid panty lines: thick or textured fabrics, using "camouflaging" print, pantyhose, or boy shorts. [12] [13] Hollywood costume designer Freer declares VPL a "number one undergarments problem" she is being asked to solve and recommends few solutions: stop worrying (as one actress stated, "I want people to know I'm wearing underwear"), wear either less-tight or more full-coverage garment. [14]
Since the beginning of the 21st century, female celebrities started to wear visible underwear. Year 2023 in particular saw the explosion of sheer dresses with just a very visible pair of briefs underneath (at the Saint Laurent 2023 spring show a third of the "looks" were following this trend). Fashion historian Chrisman-Campbell attributes this tendency to the need for celebrities to be watched and photographed that is causing racier fashion to proliferate. As a result, a deliberately visible panty line is turning to be more mainstream. [15]
Lingerie is a category of primarily women's clothing including undergarments, sleepwear, and lightweight robes. The choice of the word is often motivated by an intention to imply that the garments are alluring, fashionable, or both. In a 2015 US survey, 75% of women reported having worn "sexy lingerie" in their lifetime.
Pantyhose, sometimes also called sheer tights, are close-fitting legwear covering the wearer's body from the waist to the toes. Pantyhose first appeared on store shelves in 1959 for the advertisement of new design panties as a convenient alternative to stockings and/or control panties which, in turn, replaced girdles.
A bodystocking or body stocking is a one-piece skin-tight garment that covers the torso, legs and sometimes the arms of the wearer. It is a foundation garment or an article of lingerie usually made from a sheer fabric similar to that used for stockings or pantyhose, or from fishnet, lace or an opaque material, or a variation of these materials. A bodystocking differs from a unitard, which is worn as an outfit or article of clothing, and a leotard, which is used as a practice garment or performance costume for acrobats, gymnasts and other similar performers. Designed to be revealed, but not to be too revealing, bodystockings may be worn as undergarments by performers such as belly dancers and exotic dancers.
Panties are women's form-fitting underpants. Typical components include an elastic waistband, a crotch panel to cover the genitalia, and a pair of leg openings that, like the waistband, are often made of elastomer. Various materials are used, but are usually chosen to be breathable.
A G-string is a garment consisting of a narrow piece of material that barely covers the genitals, a string-like piece that passes between the buttocks, and a very thin waistband around the hips. There are designs for both women and men. Men's G-strings are similar to women's but have a front pouch that covers the genitals. G-strings are typically worn as underwear or swimwear or as part of the costume of an exotic dancer.
A chemise or shift is a classic smock type of women's undergarment or dress. Historically, a chemise was a simple garment worn next to the skin to protect clothing from sweat and body oils, the precursor to the modern shirts commonly worn in Western nations.
A petticoat or underskirt is an article of clothing, a type of undergarment worn under a skirt or a dress. Its precise meaning varies over centuries and between countries.
A teddy, also called a camiknicker, is a garment which covers the torso and crotch in the one garment. It is a similar style of garment to a one-piece swimsuit or bodysuit, but is typically looser and sheerer. The garment is put on by stepping into the leg holes and pulling the garment up to cover the torso. It may cover the whole of the torso or partially and may also cover the arms. They may open at the crotch so that the wearer may use the bathroom without taking it completely off. As an undergarment, it combines the functions of a camisole and panties, and may be preferred to avoid a visible panty line. It is also found as lingerie.
A slip is a woman's undergarment worn beneath a dress or skirt. A full slip hangs from the shoulders, usually by means of narrow straps, and extends from the breast to the fashionable skirt length. A half slip hangs from the waist. The word petticoat may also be used for half slips.
A foundation garment is an undergarment designed to impermanently alter the wearer's body shape, to achieve what some view as a more fashionable figure. The function of a foundation garment is not to enhance a bodily feature but to make it look more presentable.
Whale tail is the Y-shaped rear portion of a thong or G-string when visible above the waistline of low-rise pants, shorts, or skirts that resembles a whale's tail. The fashion was popular in the early 2000s and waned within the decade, but has become more fashionable in recent years.
See-through clothing is any garment of clothing made with lace, mesh or sheer fabric that allows the wearer's body or undergarments to be seen through its fabric. See-through fabrics were fashionable in Europe in the eighteenth century. There was a "sheer fashion trend" starting with designer clothing from 2008. See-through or sheer fabric, particularly in skintone colours, is sometimes called illusion, as in 'illusion bodice' due to giving the impression of exposed flesh, or a revealing ensemble.
The history of bras is closely tied to the social status of women, the evolution of fashion, and shifting views of the female body over time.
Briefs are a type of short, form-fitting underwear and swimwear, as opposed to styles where material extends down the thighs. Briefs have various different styles, usually with a waistband attached to fabric that runs along the pelvis to the crotch and buttocks, and are worn by both men and women. Swim briefs are a variation used as swimwear.
French knickers are a type of women's underwear or lingerie. The term is predominantly used in the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia to describe a style of underpants that look similar to a pair of shorts. French knickers are worn from the hip, concealing some of the upper thigh and all of the buttocks. The garment features an "open leg" style that allows for a more comfortable fit and the straight-cut leg cuffs can be designed with or without trimming. The fabric is often bias cut.
The social impact of thong underwear has been covered extensively in the media, ranging from bans on wearing thongs to thongs for children.
Underwear, underclothing, or undergarments are items of clothing worn beneath outer clothes, usually in direct contact with the skin, although they may comprise more than a single layer. They serve to keep outer clothing from being soiled or damaged by bodily excretions, to lessen the friction of outerwear against the skin, to shape the body, and to provide concealment or support for parts of it. In cold weather, long underwear is sometimes worn to provide additional warmth. Special types of undergarments have religious significance. Some items of clothing are designed as undergarments, while others, such as T-shirts and certain types of shorts, are appropriate both as underwear and outerwear. If made of suitable material or textile, some underwear can serve as nightwear or swimwear, and some undergarments are intended for sexual attraction or visual appeal.
The thong is a garment generally used as either underwear or in some countries, as a swimsuit. It may also be worn for traditional ceremonies or competitions.
Underwear fetishism is a sexual fetishism relating to undergarments, and refers to preoccupation with the sexual excitement of certain types of underwear, including panties, stockings, pantyhose, bras, or other items. Some people can experience sexual excitement from wearing, while others get their excitement when observing, handling, or smelling the underwear worn by another, or watching somebody putting underwear on or taking it off.
A waist cincher is a belt worn around the waist to make the wearer's waist physically smaller, or to create the illusion of being smaller.
