Cosplayer in a French maid costume, Tokyo.

French maid refers to a strongly modified style of servant’s dress that evolved from typical maids’ black and white afternoon uniforms of the nineteenth century (and their later use by stereotypical characters in risqué burlesque dramas of the bedroom farce variety). It is now mostly associated with fantasy play and sexual fetishism. Depending on design details, they can be classified as lingerie.

Commonly included in the costume now associated with the name is a push-up bra to enhance the female bust, and a short, revealing skirt. A wide variety of costumes are manufactured and marketed under the “French maid” description today^[1]. These range from comparatively modest dresses extending well down the thigh or above the knees^[2] to transparent chiffon nightgowns or outright lingerie ensembles that cover almost nothing^[3].

The classic French maid costume, however, is a short and clingy dress—ideally silk, satin, or a fabric closely resembling it—trimmed with shirred white lace with a revealing neckline^{[citation needed]}. Typically, they include a tiny white apron attached to the dress^{[citation needed]}. The skirt area of the dress is usually pleated^{[citation needed]}.

Common accessories include a frill worn in the hair, or a tiara, a feather duster, and sometimes white lace cuffs and collar. If the dress has sleeves, they are usually short and puffed shoulder puffs. If the dress has an apron, sometimes it is shaped like a heart with white lace fringes on the hems. If knickers are worn with it, they are usually white and ruffled^{[citation needed]}, and the dress is sometimes short enough to display them, especially when the wearer bends over. A corset or a layered white petticoat may be worn under the dress. The ensemble is almost always completed with black fishnet stockings and black high heels.

The costumes are sometimes worn to costume parties. They are also sometimes worn for sexual roleplaying or by BDSM practitioners, either on brief occasions, or as a routine form of servitude to the dominant partner.

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Nursing bra

A nursing bra is a brassiere that permits comfortable breastfeeding, without the need to remove the bra.

History

The first US patent for a bra was granted in 1913 to Mary Phelps Jacob.^[1] Her invention is most widely recognized as the predecessor to the modern bra and consequently the nursing bra. Building on Jacob's design, Ida Rosenthal and Enid Bisset, co-founders of Maidenform in 1922, designed the first modern bras. Maidenform's innovations included adjustable straps, maternity bras, nursing bras and standardized cup sizes.

Many bra manufacturers have since built on Maidenform's designs, aiming to improve fashionable and functionality of nursing bras.

Several nursing bra patents are pending, or have been granted for various innovations and improvements. Mary Sanchez received a patent in 1991^[2] for the one-handed fastening method and variable adjustment of cup size. More recently, a 2004 patent^[3] was granted to Line Rothman for the nursing bra tank designed for Glamourmom®, which features added coverage of a mother's mid-section. Comfy Kangaroo® currently has a patent pending for a variation of the nursing bra known as the Nursing Tank.

Traditionally, nursing bras are made with flaps of fabric over the cup which can be unclasped and pulled down to access the breast. Even with the flap pulled down, the cup of the bra supports the breast. No-flap versions made of stretchable fabric which can pulled to the side at feeding time are also available. Though readily available, underwire versions of nursing bras can constrict the breast and cause either blocked ducts or mastitis. Wearing an underwire nursing bra while sleeping carries a high risk of mastitis.^[4]

Nursing bra manufacturers attempt to design nursing bras which are both attractive and functional.

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Basque (clothing)

A basque (also known as a torsolette) is an item of women's historical apparel. The term, of French origin, can mean either a long corset or jacket characterised by a close, contoured fit and extending past the waistline over the hips.

In Victorian outerwear, basque refers to a closely fitted jacket extending at the back past the waistline over the hips, to be worn over a bustle.

In 20th century and contemporary attire, the term is used to refer to an article of lingerie, particularly a torso-hugging camisole that resembles a basque or corset (typically featuring decorative front or back lace-up detail), but of more delicate construction and offering little or no figure-molding compression.

Basque may also refer to details reminiscent of lingerie such as frilly lace and cutout, "peekaboo" designs.

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Babydoll

A babydoll is a short, sleeveless, loose fitting nightgown or negligee intended as nightwear for women. It usually consists of formed cups with an attached loose fitting skirt falling in length between the hips and the belly button. The garment is often trimmed with lace, ruffles, appliques, Marabou fur, bows and ribbons, optionally with spaghetti straps. Sometimes it is made of sheer or translucent fabric like nylon or chiffon or silk. The garment's hemline is usually about six inches above the knee like a minidress and may have a scoop-neck. Usually panties are worn underneath.^[1]

It is said the name was popularized by the 1956 movie Baby Doll starring Carroll Baker in the title role, which essentially marked the beginning of the enduring popularity of the style for adults.

Short daywear dresses of a similar style are sometimes called babydoll dresses; the name is sometimes two words, baby doll, and sometimes hyphenated, baby-doll. Some styles are similar to what is worn by dolls in the form of infants, and by some infants; the gown is short enough that diapers are easily changed. However, there may be an alternative origin for the style, if we consider the lineage of lace-trimmed shortie bedjackets and bed-capes of the 1930s and 1940s.

It is now a highly eroticized item of adult apparel, often classified as a form of lingerie. When worn by an adult woman there is great contrast to when worn by an infant; the legs are fully displayed and some styles emphasize or deliberately expose the breasts as well. The gown is often sold as a set with matching panties as a typical babydoll is short enough that underwear is visible if worn. Styles of the same general length but not intended to emphasize sex appeal are sometimes called shortie nightgowns.

Babydolls are now available in a sufficiently wide variety of styles that many lingerie retailers consider babydolls a distinct department. Modern babydolls often vary considerably from the styles of the 1960s and 1970s. Babydoll negligees from the 1950s to the early 1980s are now collectible vintage items. Some babydolls open up in front and resemble more of a robe or peignoir.

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Lingerie

Lingerie is a term for women's fashion undergarments. It derives from the French word 'lin' for linen.^[1] While the term in the French language applies to all undergarments for either sex, in English it is applied only to those women's undergarments designed to be visually appealing or erotic, typically incorporating materials such as Lycra, nylon (nylon tricot), polyester, satin, lace and/or silk and not applied to functional cotton undergarments.

The concept of lingerie being visually appealing is relatively recent. Up through the first half of the 20th century women selected underwear for three major purposes: to alter their shape (first with corsets and later with girdles or bras), for reasons of hygiene, or for modesty. Women's underwear was often very large and bulky. As the 20th century progressed underwear became smaller and more form fitting. In the 1960s 'controversial' lingerie manufacturers such as Frederick's of Hollywood begin to glamorize lingerie and the idea of lingerie having a sexual appeal slowly developed.

The lingerie industry has expanded in the 21st century with designs that double as outerwear. The French refer to this as 'dessous-dessus' which basically means innerwear as outerwear. The boutique Faire Frou Frou, which is an antiquated phrase meaning "show it off", heralds this philosophy by categorizing lingerie as an accessory with details such as straps and lace trim that should be layered and shown as part of one's outerwear.

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