1.4 What Lies Beneath

Large numbers of women in history went free and easy, wearing nothing that resembles modern underwear, though some of them wore plenty of undergarments that don’t resemble modern underwear. Knickers came in the early 19th century before evolving into briefs in the 20th century. Bras are generally also thought to be a 20th century invention, except it turns out that they may be quite a bit older than that after all. This episode belongs in Series 1: What’s in the Closet and How Did It Get There? Check out more details on the website here. Visit the website (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. Support the show on my Patreon page for bonus episodes, polls, and a general feeling of self-satisfaction. Join Into History for a community of ad-free history podcasts plus bonus content. Follow me on Twitter as @her_half. Or on Facebook or Instagram as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices