- Camisole
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A camisole is a sleeveless undergarment for women, normally extending to the waist. The camisole is usually made of satin, nylon, or cotton.
Contents
Historical definition
Historically, camisole referred to jackets of various kinds,[1] including overshirts (worn under a doublet or bodice),[2] women's négligées and sleeved jackets worn by men.[3]
Modern usage
In modern usage a camisole or cami is a loose-fitting[5][6] sleeveless woman's undergarment which covers the top part of the body but is shorter than a chemise. A camisole normally extends to the waist but is sometimes cropped to expose the midriff, or extended to cover the entire pelvic region. Camisoles are manufactured from light materials,[7] commonly cotton-based, occasionally satin or silk, or stretch fabrics such as lycra, nylon, or spandex.
A camisole typically has thin "spaghetti straps" and can be worn over a brassiere or without one. Since 1989, some camisoles[8] have come with a built-in underwire bra or other support which eliminates the need for a bra among those who prefer one. Recently, camisoles have been known to be used as outerwear.[9]
A variety of sleeveless body shaping undergarments have been derived from the camisole shape,[10] offering medium control of the bust, waist and/or abdomen. Such control camisoles are the most casual of shaping garments, covering the torso from above the chest to at or below the waist. They look similar to tight-fitting cotton or silk camisoles, but the straps are usually wider, the hems longer, and the stretchy, shiny fabric provides a smoothing touch.
Camisole (usually "camisole de force") is also a clinical term for a straitjacket.[3][7][11]
See also
Sources
- Barbier, Muriel & Boucher, Shazia (2003). The Story of Lingerie. Parkstone. ISBN 1-85995-804-4
- Saint-Laurent, Cecil (1986). The Great Book of Lingerie. Academy editions. ISBN 0-85670-901-8
References
- ^ Little, William G.; Coulson, Jessie Senior; Fowler, H.W. (1975). Onions, C.T.. ed. The shorter Oxford English dictionary on historical principles. Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 272. ISBN 0-19-861126-9. "1816.... 1. Formerly applied to jackets of various kinds. 2. A woman's underbodice 1894."
- ^ Timothy J. Kent (2001). Ft. Pontchartrain at Detroit: A Guide to the Daily Lives of Fur Trade and Military Personnel, Settlers, and Missionaries at French Posts. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. p. 553. ISBN 9780965723022. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=r03BQK5WdHQC&pg=PA553&lpg=PA553&dq=Camisole. Retrieved 2009-01-15.
- ^ a b "camisole definition: Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)". Random House Unabridged Dictionary. Random House. 2006. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/camisole. Retrieved 2009-01-15. "1. a short garment worn underneath a sheer bodice to conceal the underwear. 2. a woman's negligee jacket. 3. a sleeved jacket or jersey once worn by men. 4. a straitjacket with long sleeves."
- ^ LaRedoute.co.uk
- ^ "AskOxford: camisole". Compact Oxford English Dictionary of Current English. Oxford University Press. http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/camisole. Retrieved 2009-01-15. "a woman’s loose-fitting undergarment for the upper body. — ORIGIN French, from Latin camisia ‘shirt or nightgown’."
- ^ Scott, Lucretia M. (1987-09-22). "Camisole underwire bra garment description - US Patent 4798557". http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/4798557/description.html. Retrieved 2009-01-15. "Up until the present time when a woman wished to wear a camisole due to its loose fitting nature and she still required support for her breasts, she was required to wear a bra underneath her camisole to achieve the desired results."
- ^ a b Thatcher, Virginia S., ed (1970). The New Webster Encyclopedic Dictionary of The English Language. McQueen, Alexander. Chicago: Consolidated Book Publishers. p. 116. ISBN 0-8326-0021-0. "A short light garment worn by ladies when dressed in negligee;strait jacket for lunatics or criminals condemned to the guillotine."
- ^ US patent 4798557, Lucretia M. Scott, "Camisole underwire bra garment", issued 1989-01-17
- ^ Ruth La Ferla (25 October 2007). "Now It’s Nobody’s Secret". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/25/fashion/shows/25LINGERIE.html?pagewanted=print. Retrieved 2007-11-23.
- ^ "Composite support system - Application 20060166600". http://www.patentstorm.us/applications/20060166600/description.html. Retrieved 2009-01-15.
- ^ Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, 5th edition
External links
- The Free Library citations for camisole in Thackeray (1847), Charlotte Brontë (1857), and Somerset Maugham (1915)
- Wikitionary: 1870 citation for straightjacket/camisole
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