A bustier (, alternatively bustiere) is a form-fitting garment for

women A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female humans regardl ...

traditionally worn as

lingerie Lingerie (, , ) is a category of primarily women's clothing including undergarments (mainly brassieres), sleepwear, and lightweight robes. The choice of the word is often motivated by an intention to imply that the garments are alluring, fash ...

. Its primary purpose is to push up the bust by tightening against the upper

midriff In fashion, the midriff is the human abdomen. The midriff is exposed when wearing a crop top or some forms of swimwear or underwear. Cholis worn by Indian women expose a section of midriff, usually . Etymology "Midriff" is a very old term in ...

and forcing the breasts up while gently shaping the waist. Nowadays, it might also be worn as a push-up bra under a low-backed dress or as a

camisole A camisole is a sleeveless undergarment or innerwear typically worn by women, normally extending to the waist. The camisole is usually made of satin, nylon, silk, or cotton. Historical definition Historically, ''camisole'' referred to jacket ...

for outerwear. The bustier can also be worn as a half-slip under sheer upper garments if a bold display of the midriff is not desired. A bustier resembles a

basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous c ...

, but it is shorter. It reaches down only to the ribs or waist. Modern bustiers are often made with mesh panels rather than the traditional boning.

Origin

These delicate garments were representative and a symbol of nobility for women with power since 2000 BC. At the beginning these were not used as underwear, but were a complete, one-piece garment, like a dress, but in the 16th century, specifically in Italy, their design varied until they had the representative style that we can appreciate today.

References

1980s fashion Foundation garments Lingerie {{clothing-stub Women's clothing

Origin

See also

References