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Underwear Glossary

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Adhesive Bras

Adhesive bras adhere to the breasts and give support whilst the wearer appears to be ‘bra free’. The adhesive used is very light so that it can easily be removed, pain free, whilst holding you firm. Adhesive bras are ideal for wearing under strapless, backless or deep plunging necklines.

Balcony Bras

The balcony bra is one of the more versatile bra types as it is supportive enough for wearing everyday but its low cut shape enables the wearer to be more flexible with their choice of clothing. Balcony bras give a smooth breast shape under clothing so are suitable for high necked garments but the fact that they sit across the bust and only cover three quarters of the breast mean that they are ideal for lower cut garments, particularly square necklines.

Basque

A basque is very similar to a corset but it is always worn as underwear and tends to be boned but much less structured than a corset. It is tight fitting and covers the breasts whilst being shorter. A basque does not dramatically alter a woman’s body shape in the way that a corset can.

Bra Back / Bra Band

The bra band is the section that goes around the rib cage and sits under the bust. Many women assume that bra straps are responsible for supporting the bust when actually it is the bra brand that is providing support for the breasts. In the UK bra bands are measured in inches and usually start at 28 inches. Contrary to popular belief that you should measure around the ribs and then add on inches to achieve the correct band size inches should be removed from that measurement if anything. A bra band is elasticated whereas a tape measure is not so by adding inches the support from the bra band is removed. A bra band should be firm fitting but not so tight as to be uncomfortable or leave strong marks.

Bra Cups

Bra cups are the sections of the bras that hold your breasts. They are usually panelled in three sections: side panel, bottom panel and top panel to provide support as well as following the natural curve of the breast. The cut of the cup is dependent on the bra style but the basic construct remains.

Bra Straps

Bra straps rise up and over the shoulder and can be an integral part of the bra or detachable straps. Detachable straps are found on multi-way bras and allow you to create halter neck, cross back or remove the straps altogether for a strapless bra. Removable bra straps also mean that clear invisible or clear straps can be added to a bra. Other bra straps available include low down converters that attach to your normal bra and enable the bra to be converted for low backed items.

Briefs

Briefs are a small, tight item of underwear and whilst the term can be applied to both men’s and women’s underwear in the UK briefs is a polite term for ladies underwear, whilst the men’s versions are commonly referred to as ‘Y’ fronts. Brief legs are cut at the hips and usually finish around the waist unless they are ‘low rise’ or ‘mini’ briefs.

Built in Bras

Built in bras are sometimes referred to as shelf bras and they are usually incorporated into swimsuits or vest tops so that the garments provide support without the additional requirement of a bra. Built in bras usually have an additional piece of stretch fabric in half or all of the top with an elasticated band across the bottom to act as a bra band.

Bustier

Bustiers are similar to corsets and whilst it is possible to wear a bustier as an outerwear garment they are more commonly worn as underwear. As the name suggests a bustier enhances the breast area and can be drawn in to slim the waist. However, this is not to the same extent as a corset. Bustiers often have stocking attachments.

Camisole

A camisole is a vest top that is traditionally crafted from satin or silk. More structured than a chemise, a camisole skims the ribcage and gives definition to the bust. Camisoles are often worn as part of a lingerie set with shorts, bloomers or French knickers. They can also be worn with a matching bra to provide additional breast support and a desirable shape.

Chemise

Chemises are a loose nightdress that characteristically finishes at the thigh. The top half of a chemise is usually similar shape to a vest and fits loosely around the bust whilst the straps are narrow. Chemises are normally crafted from silk or satin.

Corset

Corsets have been worn for centuries and they are designed to mould the body into a desired shape, particularly through slimming the waist area. The desired body shape is an hourglass figure with the bust and hip area balanced and the waist drawn in.

Cup Sizes

Bra cups form the alphabetical part of bra sizes e.g. 32B but actual size is dependent on bra band size so the physical size of a 32B will be smaller than a 38B. Traditional measuring methods suggest that cup size can be determined by the difference in inches between the fullest part of the breast and the ribcage. However, cup size is highly dependent on the shape of a woman’s breasts and the style of bra. Bra cups should hug the breast and leave no gaps. Likewise the cups should not cut into the breast creating a ‘four boobs’ appearance.

Fastening

Traditional bra fastenings are a hook and eye fastening on the back of the bra band. These are usually in double configurations but bras with wider bands can have up to four hooks. Some bras are front fastening with a hook in between the cups and often sports bras hook or zip up the front. Fashion bras that are designed for special occasion wear rather than everyday wear can have unusual fastenings including ribbons or ties.

French Knickers

French knickers are loose fitting undergarments that are usually made from silk or other luxurious materials. They are shorts or hot pant shaped but very loose fiiting and whilst they can be worn as everyday briefs they are often worn and nightwear or lounge wear in conjunction with a matching camisole.

Full Cup Bras

Full cup bras encompass the entire breast and can be underwired or non wired. Extremely comfortable for everyday wear they are widely available in simple or decadent styles and create very smooth lines under clothing. They are recommended for wear under high cut tops.

G Strings

The etymology of the word g string or g-string is unknown but the garment is very similar to a thong and comprises of a narrow band of fabric which is worn between the buttocks and a waistband and is worn as underwear or swimwear. The term g string can be interchanged with thong but it is usually used to refer to the narrower, smaller form of the underwear. G-strings are often referred to as T Backs in some cultures because of the shape the rear of the underwear.

Half Cup Bras

Half cup bras cover half of the breast and create a square neckline. Ideal for wearing under low cut necklines they are comfortable for everyday wear but are striking enough for evening wear. Half cup bras are underwired and can be padded or non padded.

High Cut Leg

High cut leg applies to briefs or swimwear that has been shaped to display maximum leg length. A high cut item is usually high waisted so that the briefs or swimwear cover the tummy whilst lengthening and flattering the leg by being cut to sit high on the hip.

High Rise

High rise knickers and bikini bottoms are designed to sit around the waist. High waisted items give smooth lines under clothing and are very comfortable whilst covering the tummy area. This type of cut is ideal for anyone who is tummy conscious and combined with a high cut leg draws the eye away from the waist to the lengthened legs.

Hold Ups

Hold up stockings give the appearance of wearing tights but the do not have a built in ‘panty’. They are usually held up around the thigh with a wide piece of elasticated lace and often have a ‘tacky’ strip similar to strapless bras that help to keep them in place. Hold Ups are usually very sheer and either natural or black.

Knickers

Knickers is a British term used informally to describe women’s briefs. The word is derived from knickerbockers which were a bloomer style undergarment. In the US the term knickers refers to long shorts similar to those worn by golfers or baseball players.

Low Cut

Low cut pants and swimwear are cut so that the leg of the briefs sit on the top of the thigh. This is very common in shorty style briefs or mini briefs that are low rise (waistband sits on the hips or lower). Low cut legs can also be found on high waisted briefs to give maximum comfort and coverage.

Low Rise

When items are low rise the waistband sits very low on or beneath the hips. This gives an appearance of a longer torso and allows you to wear the briefs discreetly under low rise items of clothing such as low slung trousers or jeans, without the threat of showing your briefs above your clothing.

Maternity Bras

The term maternity bras is often used to refer to the bras worn for breast feeding post birth but it can also refer to the bra worn during pregnancy. Maternity bras are often fitted with slightly larger cup sizes than required or have expanding cups so that the maternity bra accommodates your increasing breast size which naturally occurs during pregnancy. For comfort, maternity bras are commonly no wired or soft bras.

Maternity Briefs

Maternity briefs are knickers that can either be high cut and sit over your bump or low cut to sit underneath your belly. They are highly comfortable and act as support to your expanding stomach.

Mid Cut

Mid cut knickers or swim wear sit between the hip bone and the top of the thigh. This cut is ideal for women who wish to lengthen the appearance of the leg without feeling over exposed. Mid cut items can be high waisted or low rise.

Mid Rise

Mid rise pants or bikini bottoms have a waistband that sits between the hips and waist providing the best of both worlds. This type of brief does not shorten the torso whilst still covering a reasonable amount of the tummy area. Mid rise briefs are subtle under lower cut trousers and skirts whilst still providing coverage.

Minimiser Bras

Minimiser bras are designed for women with larger cup sizes as they reduce the apparent size of the bust. The chest is flattened and reshaped to give a smaller appearance without squashing or misshaping the bust. This can enable breasts to appear up to two cup sizes smaller.

Multi-Way Bras

Multi-Way bras come with detachable straps that allow you to turn your bra into a multi-way bra for wearing under cross backed or halter neck items. A hook and loop system allows you to alter the strap configuration and multi-way straps are adjustable in the same way as an everyday bra. This also allows you to wear see through straps for additional support. Multi-way bras can also be worn as strapless bras by removing the straps completely.

Nightdress

Nightdresses are an item of women’s clothing worn for sleeping. Also commonly referred to as nightgowns or nighties they vary in length from hip to floor. Nightdresses are available in a variety of materials including cotton and silk making it either practical or sultry.

Nursing Bras

Nursing bras are designed to provide support to the breasts after the birth of your baby whilst also enabling easy access for breastfeeding. Nursing bras are non wired soft bras that usually have a triangular piece of fabric that unhooks from the top of the cup to allow simple breastfeeding whilst still supporting the breasts. Underwire is discouraged in nursing bras as it is believed that the breasts become restricted, causing blocked milk ducts and infections such as mastitis.

Padded Bras

Padded bras come in a variety of forms. Designed to add a natural looking fullness the padding is an integral part of the bra cups and comes in a variety of levels of padding. Padding is crafted from foam stitched into the cup but some modern bras are gel filled to give the appearance of a fuller bust. Seamfree padded bras are commonly referred to as t shirt bras because of the smooth lines they give under tight clothing.

Pants

An informal British term for ladies briefs which causes much confusion with US citizens where the term pants refers to trousers. Americans refers to pants as panties and they are a small undergarment.

Pantyhose

Pantyhose is an American term used to describe what English people refer to as tights. The etymology of the word refers to the one piece nature of pantyhose and the combination of panties (an American term for briefs) and hosiery.

Plunge Bras

Plunge bras are a similar shape to a push up bra with the cups plunging low at the front. Plunge bras are designed to lift the bust and create cleavage but the lack of padding means that they do not create additional fullness. Plunge bras are ideal for wearing under low cut items.

Push Up Bras

Push up bras are cut to lift the breast up and are often padded to ensure a fuller raised silhouette is created. The breasts are pulled together by reducing the space between the cups on the bra band and this creates a desirable cleavage. Push up bras are generally not recommended for everyday wear.

Royal Warrant

The Royal Warrant is bestowed by members of the Royal Family on to companies of people who provide services or are suppliers to the Royal Family. This enables a company to advertise the fact that they supply their services to the Royals. Rigby & Peller were bestowed with HM. Queen Elizabeth II royal warrant in 1960 and in 1993 were also given the royal warrant of HM. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

Soft Cup Bras

Soft cup or non wired bras do not have any underwiring around the cup with all support being created through the design and structure of the bra. Soft bras do not tend to come in many styles and are usually a full cup shape.

Sports Bras

Sports bras are designed to hold the breasts in position during exercise preventing ‘bounce’ and maximising your comfort whilst also protecting the ligaments around the breast area. Sports bras are available in a variety of ‘impact levels’. A low impact sports bra is ideal for gentle exercise whereas a high impact sports bra is worn when taking part in high activity sports such as jogging or tennis. Higher level impact bras are also recommended for larger cup sizes. Sports bras are usually made from Lycra and have wide cushioned straps. Some styles of sports bras can be worn as crop tops to give support whilst allowing you to keep cool.

Stockings

Stockings are worn with suspenders as they do not have the ability to stay up. They are usually sheer and come in a variety of forms including fishnet, bridal, seamed, seamless and Cuban heel stockings.

Strapless Bras

Strapless bras are designed to give you the same support as regular bras but without any straps. This makes them ideal for wearing under thinly strapped clothing or strapless tops and dresses such as bodices or boob tubes. It is advised that the bra band of a strapless bra should be firmer than your everyday bra and may require a smaller band size. Strapless bras also have a tacky strip on the inside of the bra band that prevents the bra from slipping whilst it is worn.

Suspenders

An English term referring to the underwear that holds traditional stocking in place. Suspender belts consist of straps, minimum of 4 and can be up to 14 straps with hooks and eyes at the ends to hold stockings in place. Suspenders can be a garment on their own or integrated as part of a corset or basque.

Tanga Briefs

Some Hispanic cultures refer to thongs and g strings as tangas, however, in UK English tanga briefs or thongs are underwear that have full front and rear sections whilst having very narrow side sections. This lengthens the appearance of the legs whilst still providing maximum coverage.

Thongs

The term thong has its etymology in the Old English word thwong which refers to a leather cord. It has its modern origins in South America where it appeared during the 1970s before it spread into the rest of the world in the 1980s and 1990s. Originally worn as swimwear the thong is more commonly worn as underwear.

Tights

Tights are a form of hosiery that appeared in the 1960s and are most commonly worn by women. They are available in a wide variety of colours but are most commonly sheer/natural coloured or black. The thickness of the tights is rated in denier with the low numbers representing the thinnest tights. Tights provide warmth in the winter and provide a smooth, blemish free appearance to legs. Patterned or fishnet tights can provide an interesting accessory to an outfit.

Underwire

Bra underwire can be made from metal or plastic and are usually tipped with latex to create a protective cover. They are used to support the cup of the bra, adding additional support to your bust. Underwire should lie flat to the ribs and curve around the outside of the breast. Signs of a poorly fitted bra include the underwire lifting away from the chest or digging into the underarm or breast area. Pregnant or nursing women are advised not to wear underwire bras.

Waist Cincher

Waist cinchers are a small corset that runs from under the breasts to the top of the hips. They are designed to nip in the waist giving a slim appearance and good posture as well as creating a desirable hour glass figure.

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