“You want to guess the color of my underwear?” The hit summer single “Guess” by Charlie XCX and Billie Eilish questions this bedroom secret. It makes you think: how many times have you or your partner asked each other to guess the color when flirting?

Something we don’t think about too much is how often our partners try to guess the components of each other’s underwear. It’s become such a bedroom secret that people who say they’ve never asked, probably have at some point.

We have become fixated on lingerie as something to make us feel confident, comfortable and to have fun with. Lingerie is now a staple in sex wear, but has the original meaning of it been lost and where does it originate from?

Different forms of undergarments have existed since ancient times, originally made using animal skins. Angela Friedman, a lingerie company, stated that both men and women wore similar underwear in ancient times. However, only women wore bras, specifically in ancient Greece, to help support their breasts. 

They evolved over time into more sanitary, comfortable and practical styles. By the Middle Ages, women began to wear corsets. 

Today, with the underwear industry taking on many roles, from undergarments to sexual wear, designers must choose what they want to say through these hidden looks.

Evelyn Snyder, a Senior Fashion Design major here at Kent State, says she was able to showcase lingerie for nightlife through a collection she worked on in her sophomore year.

“I wanted to go against the sexual ideology that we need to choose what men want to see in the bedroom,” says Snyder. She incorporated different aspects of what makes her feel confident in herself, not worrying about having to impress anyone else.

She also mentions that lingerie is an umbrella term, including all types of undergarments. “Someone should be able to wear a plain brown bra, that being their sexy bra, and feeling good in it.” 

Ali Poyle, a student at Ohio University, shares that she feels women are expected to buy lingerie hoping men will notice, but they don’t, at least in the moment. “When they’re on the phone though, they’re always asking what kind of underwear you got on.” 

“To an extent though” Poyle mentions, “guys do notice.” She says your partner can appreciate that you’re wearing something that suits you well, and you should also find a pair that feels right for you. 

The right pair brings in the topic of sizing and inclusivity, an area that has seemingly been overlooked by the industry. How is one meant to feel comfortable if sizes are constantly changing, having new names and separated into different categories. Well along with the matter comes the idea of shapewear, a concept meant to improve inclusivity.  

Certain brands like Skims have seemingly had a good reaction when it comes to sizing and inclusivity for their shape wear. Brands like Victoria Secret though, “…haven’t changed their sizing techniques since the early 2000’s” says Snyder. 

Many women must go into a separate section, which stores enjoy glamorizing, only calling more attention to a matter they don’t want to correct. Instead of having a section catered to either plus size or petite, why can’t stores just group all sizes together? 

“Why should I feel bad about not fitting into a certain bra when it’s really these stores that have their sizing mixed up,” Synder argues. She also reminds us that the wires in them are already uncomfortable enough. 

Snyder has received much backlash from her professors when she told them she wanted to go into the lingerie field. When asked why she’s so passionate about these pieces she said, “They’re close to my heart, because I wear them close to my heart.” 

Lingerie has become an umbrella term for an article of clothing which makes some uncomfortable to talk about or just simply an idea that it has to be personal. How can a piece of clothing meant to make your everyday wear comfortable be able to do that if we can’t talk about it. 

Support Student Media

Hi! I’m Kayla Friedman, A Magazine’s editor-in-chief. My staff and I are committed to bringing you the most important and entertaining news from the realms of fashion, beauty and culture. We are full-time students and hard-working journalists. While we get support from the student media fee and earned revenue such as advertising, both of those continue to decline. Your generous gift of any amount will help enhance our student experience as we grow into working professionals. Please go here to donate to A Magazine.