Lingerie is women's underwear and nightwear made to be seen as well as worn: bra and panty sets, teddies, bodysuits, babydolls, chemises, corsets and robes. The word is French and comes from linge, "linen", because the first lingerie was fine linen worn next to the skin.
By the Badd Kitty boutique team · Updated October 2026
Key takeaways
- Meaning: lingerie is intimate apparel, such as underwear, sleepwear and loungewear, where looks matter as much as function.
- Origin: French lingerie means linen goods, from linge (linen) and, further back, Latin linum (flax). English adopted it in the 1830s.
- Types: the main ones are sets, bralettes, teddies, bodysuits, babydolls, chemises, slips, corsets, bustiers, garter belts, bodystockings and robes.
- Choosing: pick by occasion first, then by fit. Measure your bust, underbust, waist and hips instead of guessing.
- Care: hand-wash in cool water and dry flat. Lace, satin and elastic all last longer without the dryer.
What does lingerie mean?
Dictionaries define lingerie as women's underwear and nightwear, and as an adjective for anything lacy or ruffled in that style (Dictionary.com). In everyday use, the line between "underwear" and "lingerie" is about intent. Underwear is the cotton brief you forget you have on. Lingerie is chosen for how it looks and feels: lace, mesh, satin, a strappy back, a garter strap, a colour that makes you feel good.
Lingerie is not only for one night of the year or one kind of body. In our boutiques the same customer might buy a satin chemise to sleep in, a bodysuit to wear under a blazer and a corset for a wedding. All three count. Most people say it "LAHN-zhuh-ray" in American English. The French is closer to "lan-zhuh-REE".
Where the word comes from
Lingerie is built from Middle French linge, "linen", plus the suffix -erie, and traces back to Latin līneus, "flaxen" (Dictionary.com). In French it first meant linen goods in general, and also the place that sold or laundered them. Etymonline dates the English borrowing to 1835 and notes that it came in as a polite, French-sounding word for "under-linen", which people did not like to name directly.
The irony is that very little modern lingerie is linen. Today's pieces are mostly nylon (polyamide), polyester and elastane lace, mesh and satin, because those fabrics stretch, hold colour and dry fast. The name stuck while the material moved on.
A short history of lingerie
For centuries the layer next to the skin was a plain linen or cotton shift, called a chemise, and shaping garments went on top of it. A Victoria and Albert Museum corset from 1864 is described as being "worn over the chemise" to mould the figure into the fashionable shape (V&A, T.169-1961). Before the word corset took over in English, these stiffened bodices were called "stays", like the late 18th-century British silk stays in the Costume Institute collection at the Met (The Met, 13.49.2).
The 19th century made corsets easier to put on. The V&A notes that the front-fastening steel "split busk" was invented in 1829 but did not become common until the 1850s, and that it let a woman dress without help (V&A). In 1914 Mary Phelps Jacob was granted a US patent for a "Brassiere" (US 1,115,674). In 1958 the DuPont chemist Joseph Shivers invented the stretch fibre later sold as Lycra, also known as spandex or elastane (Textile World). That fibre is why lace bralettes and mesh bodysuits can fit closely without hooks and bones.
The V&A's exhibition Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear (2016–17) traced this story from the 18th century to the present, including the way underwear keeps moving into outerwear. The modern corset top and the bodysuit worn with jeans are both part of that shift.
Types of lingerie, explained
Here are the twelve styles you will see most often, what each one is and who tends to love it. The prices are real pieces in stock at Badd Kitty at the time of writing.
| Type | What it is | Who it suits | Example we stock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bra & panty set | Matching two- or three-piece set, often underwire, sometimes with garter straps | First-time buyers; anyone who wants support and versatility | Oh La La Cheri Harmony Set, $69.95 |
| Bralette | Soft, unpadded bra without underwire, usually lace or satin | Comfort first; smaller to mid cup sizes | Coquette Kissed By Satin Bralette & Panty, $62.95 |
| Teddy | One-piece top and panty, worn as lingerie | A sleek, one-line look | Roma Infinite Lace Teddy, $54.95 |
| Bodysuit | One-piece with a closure at the crotch, often built to wear as a top | Lingerie that doubles as outerwear | Mapale Leather & Lace Long Sleeve Bodysuit, $63.95 |
| Babydoll | Short nightie with fitted cups and a skirt that flares from under the bust, plus a G-string | Coverage over the tummy; a flirty, floaty feel | Oh La La Cheri Margot Babydoll, $63.95 |
| Chemise | Slip-style nightdress on thin straps, hip to mid-thigh | Sleeping in; easy, everyday glamour | Dreamgirl Satin Chemise with Lace Trim, $67.95 |
| Slip | Close cousin of the chemise, sometimes with garter straps or as a slip skirt | Layering; a vintage look | Dreamgirl Garter Slip & Panty, $50.95 |
| Corset | Boned, laced garment that shapes the waist | Waist definition; special occasions | Lavish Black Lace Corset, $117.95 |
| Bustier | Cropped, boned top that lifts the bust and ends at or above the waist | Support and cleavage without full corset shaping | Coquette Blue Blossom Bustier, $74.95 |
| Garter belt | Waist band with straps that clip to stockings | The classic pin-up finish | Dreamgirl Lace Garter Belt, $24.95 |
| Bodystocking | Sheer, stretch one-piece that covers the body like a stocking | Bold looks; layering under costumes | Dreamgirl Opaque Fishnet Bodystocking, $41.95 |
| Robe / lounge | The layer over everything: satin, lace or marabou robes | Lounging; gifts that fit almost anyone | Baci Allover Lace & Satin Robe, $49.95 |
Four of those terms get mixed up constantly. Our guide to teddy vs chemise vs babydoll vs garter belt goes deeper on each one, with more styles and prices. If you are torn between a corset and a bustier, the corset guide explains boning, sizing and lacing. For the difference between a teddy and a bodysuit, see how to wear a bodysuit.
How to choose lingerie by occasion
- Everyday and date night: start with a matching set. The Harmony Set ($69.95) is unlined underwire lace with garter straps, so it works alone or with stockings. Browse more in lingerie sets.
- Sleeping and lounging: choose a chemise or a robe. Satin feels cool and lace feels lighter. Both live in our lounge lingerie edit.
- Wedding night and bridal showers: white or ivory lace, a garter belt and a robe for getting ready. Our bridal lingerie and wedding night page brings it together.
- A statement look: a corset or a long-sleeve lace bodysuit reads as an outfit, not just underwear. See corsets and bustiers and bodysuits.
- A gift: if you do not know their size, a one-size robe is the safest choice. The Allover Lace & Satin Robe comes in one size and queen.
How to choose by body and fit
There is no "right" lingerie for a body type, only pieces that fit well and pieces that do not. We look at what you want the piece to do:
- Want support? Choose underwire sets, bustiers or teddies with demi cups. Bralettes are softer and work best when support is not the priority.
- Want coverage through the middle? Choose a babydoll or chemise. The fabric skims the body instead of gripping it.
- Want waist definition? Choose a corset or waist cincher, sized to your natural waist.
- Long torso? One-piece styles such as teddies and bodysuits can pull at the shoulders. Look for adjustable straps or size up.
- Plus sizes: many of our styles run 1X to 3X or queen. Browse plus-size lingerie to see what is in stock.
To size yourself, measure around your bust at the fullest point, under your bust where a band sits, your natural waist (the narrowest point) and the fullest part of your hips. Then use the brand's size chart. Sizing varies a lot between brands, so a medium in one label can be a large in another. Lingerie should never pinch, dig in or leave deep marks. If it does, go up a size. You can also try things on at any of our seven boutiques in South Carolina and Michigan, listed on the store finder.
How to care for lingerie
- Hand-wash in cool water with a mild detergent, then rinse well. If you use a machine, fasten hooks and use a mesh lingerie bag on a delicate cycle.
- Skip the dryer. Heat breaks down elastane and warps underwire, so lay pieces flat or hang them to dry.
- Read the label. Some corsets are dry-clean only, and many lace pieces should not be ironed or bleached.
- Store bras flat with the cups nested so they keep their shape. Keep corsets flat or loosely rolled with the laces loosened.
- Rotate. Elastic recovers between wears, so a set lasts longer when it gets a day off.
Orders ship in plain packaging, with free standard shipping over $75.
Sources
- Dictionary.com, "lingerie": definitions and origin
- Online Etymology Dictionary, "lingerie"
- Victoria and Albert Museum, Corset, 1864 (T.169-1961)
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Costume Institute, Stays, late 18th century
- Mary P. Jacob, US Patent 1,115,674, "Brassiere" (1914)
- Textile World, "LYCRA Brand Celebrates 60 Years of Innovations" (2018)
- Victoria and Albert Museum, Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear (2016–17)
