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Tuesday, August 28, 2001
Women's underwear is back to basics

By Elizabeth A. Kennedy
Associated Press

   NEW YORK - Those frills, that chiffon - and, oh, that itchy lace. Nothing cramps your style faster than ill-fitting and uncomfortable undergarments.
   Lately, many women are forgoing those fussy lingerie designs for simple, uncomplicated cotton camisoles, boy-cut briefs and bandeau-style bras.
   "Comfort is number one," says Dorothy Wahl, vice president of sales at Jockey.
   Wahl notes that interest in back-to-basics underwear is part of a general trend toward paring down one's life. "Women are giving up the stiletto shoes and spending hours in the salon for simplicity and comfort, and I think that carries over to the underwear."
   At the recent Wonderbra Airwonder fashion show in New York, many of the featured styles were unadorned and sleek. The pinstriped "bralette" looks more like a short camisole with some support, and hipster shorts offer more coverage than typical briefs. The seamless, stretch-foam bra in satin is simple and smooth, and the "modern brief" is boy-cut for maximum coverage.
   The no-fuss undergarments also have much to do with the clingy styles and fabrics that are popular in ready-to-wear. Vicki Seawright, a marketing manager at Wonderbra, says the popular bra styles are "tailored and no-lace" to reflect current clothing styles.
   Moreover, snug T-shirts, low-rise pants and materials such as silk and rayon can't camouflage a preponderance of frills and tiny bows on one's undergarments.
   "You don't want anything to detract from your clothing," says Lisa Boecker, marketing manager for Barely There. "You want that sleek, clean look under your clothes."
   To achieve that smooth look, many companies have taken the pared-down concept a step further: seamless bras and panties. These products are inherently comfortable, says Boecker, since "there aren't any seams that create irritation."
   According to Wahl, technological advances have made seamless products - a single piece of fabric, cut and molded in all the right places - more readily available and attractive. "It's a lot easier and affordable for companies to provide women with comfort and fashion trends," she says.
   Hanes offers a "microstretch" fabric that is lighter and smoother than cotton. The company also offers fabric blends, such as silk, nylon and spandex, to make the material more elastic.
   Barely There's "Body Revolution" is a seamless, underwire bra made of microfiber nylon and spandex to ensure that the bra stretches and moves with a woman's body.
   Of course, some women don't want underwear that moves with them; they want underwear that will help them stay put. "Let's face it, gravity is attacking most of us," says Boecker. "We want to have a great silhouette without bumps and bulges."
   That's why shapewear - once the realm of grandmas and matronly types - is being targeted toward younger women. Bali's Body Physics body slip and body briefer offer shaping and control like old-fashioned girdles, but there are no snaps or strings to tug closed. The garments resemble dancers' leotards - with underwires.
   Hanes' Smooth Illusions No Hose shapers, available in above-the-knee and capri-length versions, pledge to shape one's rear and slim one's thighs just like control-top pantyhose, but they look like bicycle shorts. The "slimming tummy panel" blends in with the rest of the fabric.
   According to Boecker, women want it all - pretty, comfortable and slimming undergarments. "Women are looking to enhance their figure. But they want it to feel natural."

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