A skin-tight garment is a garment that is held to the skin usually by elastic tension using some type of stretch fabric. Commercial stretch fabrics ('elastomerics') such as spandex or elastane (widely branded as 'Lycra') came onto the market in 1962, and revolutionized many areas of the clothing industry. A wide variety of clothing may be made to be skin-tight, and it is common for clothing to be skin-tight for some uses, such as in stockings, bodystockings, swimsuits and women's bras.
In 1886, the name leotard was given to a one-piece skin-tight garment that covers the torso including the crotch, but not the legs or arms. The garment was named after French acrobatic performer Jules Léotard (1838–1870), many years after his death, who wore the garment in his acrobatic act. In the early 20th century, use of leotards was mainly confined to circus and acrobatic shows, but were also worn by professional dancers, such as the showgirls of Broadway. Leotards on the stage were typically worn with stockings or tights.
In the 1950s, traditionally-styled leotards continued to be worn mainly by stage performers and circus actors, but leotards began to be used as simple and functional exercise garments, often in institutional settings like schools and in fitness training. These were almost always black and worn together with thick tights. Between 1950 and 1970, leotards remained as such in appearance until a style change in the 1970s, when more colorful leotards appeared on the scene, most often in ballet and exercise.
The 1920s and 1930s saw leotards influencing swimsuit styles, with women's one-piece swimsuits today still being similar in appearance to leotards. The most common type of one-piece swimsuit is the maillot or tank suit, which resembles a sleeveless leotard or bodysuit. In early years the one-piece swimsuit would have a narrow skirt slip or micro-shorts, for modesty considerations, but these were beginning to disappear in the 1940s. A recent innovation in one-piece swimsuits is the bodyskin, which superficially resembles a unitard or wetsuit. Although these cover the entire torso, arms and legs, their function is not modesty, but reducing friction through the water for professional swimmers.
A bodystocking 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. [1] 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 by 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.
Bodystockings were used on stage in at least 1860s. In 1861, American actress Adah Isaacs Menken controversially wore a flesh coloured bodystocking on stage, to preserve her modesty and stay within the obscenity laws, while giving the illusion of nudity. [2] [3]
A unitard is a type of garment that combines the features of a leotard with those of tights, covering the legs and sometimes extending to the arms. It is essentially a one-piece outfit that is both a leotard and a legging, often resembling a bodystocking but designed to be worn as outerwear for everyday use.
A bodysuit covers the torso, crotch, and sometimes the legs, hands, and feet. [4] The style of a basic bodysuit is similar to a one-piece swimsuit and a leotard, though the materials may vary, and a bodysuit, unlike a swimsuit or leotard, has snaps, hooks or velcro at the crotch. A bodysuit may have sleeves and varying shoulder strap and collar styles. Bodysuits can be made from a number of fabrics, including cotton, lace, nylon, etc. In general, textile bodysuits include expandable fiber such as spandex for a better fit to the shape of the body.
A bodysuit is normally worn with trousers or a skirt, exposing at most the top of the garment above the waist. The top, torso part may act as a top for the smooth line it gives or because it cannot become untucked from trousers or skirt. They may also be worn generally by women as underwear, activewear, or foundation garments. Unlike a leotard, a bodysuit is not usually considered a form of athletic wear. The purpose of the opening at the crotch is to facilitate access during a visit to the toilet.
Modern stockings became popular in the 1920s with the rise in women's hemlines. They were sheer, first made of silk or rayon (then known as "artificial silk"), and after 1940 of nylon. Nylon stockings were cheap, durable, and sheer compared to their cotton and silk counterparts. These stocking were very popular, and the demand for them has continued, though it has given ground to tights or pantyhose. During the 1960s, improved textile manufacturing processes made pantyhose cheaper, while spandex (or elastane) made them more comfortable and durable, and the miniskirt made the pantyhose a necessity to many women. The popularity of pantyhose grew into a wardrobe staple throughout the 1970s and 1980s. From 1995 there was a steady decline in sales of pantyhose, levelling off in 2006 with American sales less than half of what they had once been.
The development and use of stretch fabrics simplified the construction of clothing. First used in swimsuits and women's bras, fashion designers began using them as early as the mid-1980s. They entered the mainstream market in the early 1990s, and are now widely used in sports clothing.
In various athletic and performance contexts, skin-tight garments, also known as skin suits, offer a range of benefits, including injury protection and prevention of scrapes, while also providing enhanced muscle support and reduced muscle vibration. These garments also help to minimize wind and friction drag, making them ideal for activities such as swimming, [5] cycling, skating, [6] skiing, and running. Moreover, they offer protection from cuts, stings, and abrasions, as well as safeguarding against the harmful effects of UV radiation from the sun. [7] [8] [9] This type of clothing is a key component of many athletic ensembles, providing a comprehensive solution for athletes seeking to optimize their performance and safety.
It is possible that military personnel have incorporated skintight clothing into their uniforms, as suggested by a North Korean soldier who was spotted wearing a skintight blue suit during a military exhibition. However, the purpose of this attire remains unclear. [10]
Skin-tight garments also intersect with the realm of fetishism; certain types of fetishized clothing, such as latex and spandex suits, are designed to be extremely skintight. For individuals with a rubber or spandex fetish, these garments hold a strong sexual appeal, which may be attributed to the sensation they create on the skin, making it feel more sensitive, while also providing a sense of being naked yet clothed. [11]
In a more practical application, skin-tight spacesuits serve a crucial purpose for astronauts by helping to maintain the shape of their spines. The equal pressure exerted by the suit on the skin's surface provides support to the muscles, which is essential for astronauts who spend extended periods in space. [12]
Hosiery, also referred to as legwear, describes garments worn directly on the feet and legs. The term originated as the collective term for products of which a maker or seller is termed a hosier; and those products are also known generically as hose. The term is also used for all types of knitted fabric, and its thickness and weight is defined by denier or opacity. Lower denier measurements of 5 to 15 describe a hose which may be sheer in appearance, whereas styles of 40 and above are dense, with little to no light able to come through on 100 denier items.
A leotard is a unisex skin-tight one-piece garment that covers the torso from the crotch to the shoulder. The garment was made famous by the French acrobatic performer Jules Léotard (1838–1870). There are sleeveless, short-sleeved, and long-sleeved leotards. A variation is the unitard, which also covers the legs. It provides a degree of modesty and style while allowing for freedom of movement.
A unitard is a skintight, one-piece garment with long legs and sometimes long sleeves, usually stopping at the wrists and ankles. It differs from a leotard which does not have long legs. The leotard is also usually considered a more feminine clothing item, while the unitard is not. The garment can be thought of as a combination of a leotard and leggings, and was historically called a "one-piece long legged leotard". The term unitard is mostly used in relation to sports, while it is usually referred to as a catsuit in other contexts.
Spandex fetishism is a fetishistic attraction to people wearing form-fitting stretch fabrics or to the wearing of items of clothing made of such material. Spandex garments are often worn by swimmers, gymnasts, ballet dancers, wrestlers, rowers, cyclists, contortionists and circus performers, and spandex fetishists may incorporate fantasies about these activities into their particular fetish.
Rubber fetishism, or latex fetishism, is the fetishistic attraction to people wearing latex clothing or, in certain cases, to the garments themselves. PVC fetishism is closely related to rubber fetishism, with the former referring to shiny clothes made of the synthetic plastic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and the latter referring to clothes made of rubber, which is generally thicker, less shiny, and more matte than latex. PVC is sometimes confused with the similarly shiny patent leather, which is also a fetish material. Latex or rubber fetishists sometimes refer to themselves as "rubberists". Male rubberists tend to call themselves "rubbermen".
Tights are a kind of cloth garment, most often sheathing the body from the waist to the toe tips with a tight fit, hence the name. They come in absolute opaque, opaque, sheer and fishnet styles — or a combination, such as the original concept of the American term pantyhose with sheer legs and opaque panty.
Stockings are close-fitting, variously elastic garments covering the leg from the foot up to the knee or possibly part or all of the thigh. Stockings vary in color, design, and transparency. Today, stockings are primarily worn for fashion and aesthetics, usually in association with mid-length or short skirts.
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 swimsuit is an item of clothing designed to be worn by people engaging in a water-based activity or water sports, such as swimming, diving and surfing, or sun-orientated activities, such as sun bathing. Different types may be worn by men, women, and children. A swimsuit can be described by various names, some of which are used only in particular locations or for particular types of suit, including swimwear, bathing suit, bathing attire, swimming costume, bathing costume, swimming suit, swimmers, swimming togs, bathers, cossie, or swimming trunks, besides others.
A catsuit is a one-piece form-fitting garment that covers the torso and the legs, and frequently the arms. They are usually made from stretchable material, such as lycra, chiffon, spandex, latex, or velour, but may use less elastic materials, such as leather or PVC. Catsuits frequently close by means of a zipper at the front or back. A catsuit is regarded as outerwear, but not normally street wear. Catsuits are also used for sexualization or other types of sexuality.
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.
A bodysuit is a one-piece form-fitting or skin-tight garment that covers the torso and the crotch. The design of a basic bodysuit is similar to a one-piece swimsuit and a leotard, though the materials may vary. Thong or T-front thong bodysuits usually have the crotch opening moved up to the front to underbelly area to increase the wearer's comfort. A bodysuit may have sleeves and varying shoulder strap and collar. Bodysuits can be made from a number of fabrics, including cotton, lace, nylon, etc. In general, textile bodysuits include expandable fiber such as spandex for a better fit to the shape of the body.
A one-piece swimsuit most commonly refers to swimwear worn primarily by women and girls when swimming in the sea or in a swimming pool, playing water polo, or for any activity in the sun, such as sun bathing. Today, the one-piece swimsuit is usually a skin-tight garment that covers the torso, although some designs expose the back or upper chest.
A mechanical counterpressure (MCP) suit, partial pressure suit, direct compression suit, or space activity suit (SAS) is an experimental spacesuit which applies stable pressure against the skin by means of skintight elastic garments. The SAS is not inflated like a conventional spacesuit: it uses mechanical pressure, rather than air pressure, to compress the human body in low-pressure environments. Development was begun by NASA and the Air Force in the late 1950s and then again in the late 1960s, but neither design was used. Research is under way at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on a "Bio-Suit" System which is based on the original SAS concept.
Competitive swimwear refers to the swimsuit, clothing, equipment, and accessories used in the aquatic sports of swimming, diving, artistic swimming, triathlon, and water polo.
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 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.
Clothing fetishism or garment fetishism is a sexual fetish that revolves around a fixation upon a particular article or type of clothing, a particular fashion or uniform, or a person dressed in such a style.
Compression garments are pieces of clothing that fit tightly around the skin. In medical contexts, compression garments provide support for people who have to stand for long periods or have poor circulation. These come in varying degrees of compression, and higher degree compression sleeves, such as sleeves that provide compression of 20–30 mmHg or higher, typically require a doctor's prescription. Compression garments worn on the legs can help prevent deep vein thrombosis and reduce swelling, especially while traveling.
A form-fitting garment is an article of clothing that tightly follows the contours of the part of the body being covered. A feature of Modern Western societies is the popularity of form-fitting clothing worn by women, compared to equivalent male garments. These include T-shirts, sweaters, shorts, and jeans. Some cultures and religious communities disapprove of form-fitting clothing, especially outerwear, which they consider to be immodest.
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