A foundation garment (also known as shapewear) is an undergarment designed to change the wearer's shape, producing a more fashionable figure. Specific styles of foundation garments have been essential to some fashion movements, and required in some social situations in various fashion periods, particularly but not exclusively for women. For the types and styles of womens undergarments, see lingerie. ... Fashion illustration by George Barbier of a gown by Jeanne Paquin, 1912, from La Gazette du bon ton, the most influential fashion magazine of its era. ... Although the term social is a crucial category in social science and often used in public discourse, its meaning is often vague, suggesting that it is a fuzzy concept. ...
A bodysuit is a leotard-like undergarment, sometimes used to provide support and shaping, sometimes simply as a top that cannot become untucked from ones trousers or skirt. ... Bra - front Bra - back A brassiere ( ; , commonly referred to as a bra, ) is an article of clothing that covers, supports, and elevates the breasts. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... A Control brief is a type of pantie girdle with longer legs and a higher waist, normally worn by a woman to lift and shape her buttocks area while flattening the stomach area. ... A white garter belt A garter belt with guipure lace Garter belt is a womans undergarment consisting of an elastic piece of cloth worn around the waist to which garters are attached to hold up stockings. ... A girdle is a piece of womens underwear that replaced the corset in popularity and usage. ... A body briefer is a garment similar to the girdle but providing more comprehensive coverage and firmer shaping. ...
These are commonly known as "foundationgarments" and in common parlance the parts thereof are termed "brassiere" and "corset" or "girdle" for the upper and lower parts, respectively.
Included in the subclass are foundationgarments in which the brassiere portion is readily removable from the corset portion so as to facilitate laundering or for interchanging the brassiere or corset with another supporter or an apparel-type garment.
A waist-encircling band or belt is not considered to be a "garment" for the purpose of this and the indented subclasses.
From his experience, the author knows that it is impossible to cut a fitting garment by reducing the waist to a close measure at the sideseams only, and the little extra work entailed by cutting up the outline pattern and closing out the waist suppression is amply repaid in the finished garment.
It is advisable, when designing bias-cut garments, to keep all the design seams at an angle of forty-five degrees from the vertical, so that, when the pattern outline is placed on the bias of the material, these design seams will all be on the "straight" and twisting of the various sections will be minimized.
Draft of a Foundation for a Nightgown or an Underslip (Fig.