Nylon Panties

Slipping into (or out of) something comfortable did not used to be a simple matter. The layers of clothing inhibited facile stripping. In fact, many of the undergarments we take for granted only came about through modern technology. The history of nylon and nylon underpants is one tied closely to technology and the sexualization of women’s underwear. Enter the nylon panty.

Vintage Lingerie - The History of Nylon Panties
The late 19th and early 20th century was a time of natural materials. It also saw two innovations. Mass production made clothing more readily available. This started around 1840 but the availability of sewing machines and advancements in assembly production made ready-made underwear more prominent after the 1860s. The Victorian mentality stifled freedom in many aspects of dress, including undergarments. However, the following period - 1890-1913, the Belle Epoque, produced extravagant, lighter and more sensual underwear. During this period of history, the word lingerie came into usage as a term to describe all forms of undergarments. Lingerie could come as a set: knickers, bust bodice, chemise and petticoat, all in one color and material.

Nylon Panty

For the working and the lower classes, the materials remained cotton and flannel, although wool and a wool-cotton blend were popular for “health” reasons. The wealthier began to experiment with cambrics, merino, and silks. These materials remained important and, for many, an extravagance. Lingerie was expensive to own. WWI upset the supply up materials but it was not until the arrival of the Great Depression that the old order was overturned. This, in part, was due to the emergence of synthetic materials such as the sometimes-explosive nitrocellulose (cotton and nitric acid), the more reliable rayon and the polyamide fiber - nylon.

Nylon but did not emerge as a commercial product until the late 1930s. It began as a practical substance. After its invention between 1927 and 1938 by the Du Pont laboratories, nylon functioned in various capacities. During World War II, nylon performed as parachute material. It became used as glider tow-ropes. There was no such thing as nylon panties – nylon knickers in the United Kingdom, until the 1950s. This is when this manmade fabric began to dominate in the production of underwear by such companies as Cooper’s Inc. (Jockeys). Initially non-porous, the formula of nylon was altered to meet the new demands.
Nylon Panties For Men
Meanwhile, male undergarments tended to play up the stereotype of men and protect “the boys.” As a result, men began to wear nylon briefs before women - nylon panty products for men were the norm.

The technology made such things as slinky, sheer nylon panties possible. Yet, the initial concentration was on nylon panties for men. This focus on freeing men’s genitalia while utilizing the most modern material has been a common thread throughout fashion history. Female garments tended to restrict movement and/or emphasize the specific role of women in the culture and period. Throughout history, it can be argued women sported underwear for one of 3 reasons:

To alter their shape to suit the ideal
To ensure they met hygiene standards
For modesty

Gallery:

Source:http://julieannamos.hubpages.com/