We think of lingerie as a fairly modern invention but its purpose has changed down the centuries. The medieval era went through prolonged sexual repression and attempts were made to turn sex and the female form into something to be ashamed of.

There have been many shifts in attitudes though and this feeling of guilt started to be left behind during the Renaissance which invigorated the female form and brought about the start of the corset craze designed to heighten the hour-glass shape to the extreme. The corset is probably the most famous piece historical of sexy lingerie, as it was something specifically designed to exaggerate the classic female outline, even whilst functioning still as underwear. This was exciting underwear without being exciting nightwear.

Into the 1700s and corsets became even more adapted to accentuate the woman's body, specifically the bosom. Push-up corsets were developed and highly decorated to create the legacy that we still enjoy today. Over time, the health problems were highlighted and the corset changed far more into a style item than a very extreme body shaping device.

The corset also served the function of supporting the cleavage and it may be somewhat surprising that the invention of the

Stockings were also developed around the same time as the bra and were at first always held up by suspenders. Like many older items of lingerie they went through a lot of development before they reached the familiar form we have today and these original items led to the creation of thigh-highs or hold-ups.

The original corset really saw the end of its mainstream life in the 20s when the Flapper Girls brought about a new fashion for less womanly curves and demand increased for lighter, easier and altogether more colourful lingerie. Chemises became popular as did bloomers.

But this craze was relatively short-lived, as popular culture meant fashions started to change more quickly. Into the thirties we find the bosom becomes popular again, and the push-up bra is developed to enhance the female figure. The girdle became a popular item too, replacing some of the function of the original corsets by shaping the waist and holding the tummy in. Just like the corset, some would also come with garters for holding up stockings. The late thirties also the first appearance of the thong. Although historically there had already been instances of this kind of underwear, it came to prominence in New York, and then in the forties was popularised by the bikini.

The modern thong dates to 1974 and started in Brazil. From there it spread far and wide, with the height of its popularity being in the 1990s. Recently there has been a slight movement away from the thong and the French Knickers are currently having a renaissance of their own.

Today, the blend of history and practicality has come together to create a range of fashions which provide both allure and support for a woman. There is such a huge range of lingerie on offer now that any woman is spoilt for choice as to whether she should accentuate her shape, or wear something comfortable, but with modern advances these things need no longer be mutually exclusive.