Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear – New V&A exhibition charts changes in underclothes since 18th century

The V&A are tackling our delicates in their latest exhibition
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A new exhibition dedicated to underwear opens at the V&A this Saturday, April 16.

The cleverly-named Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear, (brief – geddit?) explores how undergarments have evolved since the 18th century.

Click through the gallery above to see some of the highlights from the show.

Looking at both men and women’s clothes, the exhibition reveals how changing attitudes toward gender, sex, morality and body image have affected what we wear.

Among the exhibits are briefs worn by David Beckham for his 2012 H&M advertising campaign, waist-training corsets (popular with the likes of Kim Kardashian), the see-through Liza Bruce slip dress made famous by Kate Moss in 1993, and pantaloons worn by the mother of Queen Victoria.

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More than 200 pieces, including adverts, film and photographs as well as clothes, demonstrate ever-shifting tastes and fashions, as well as the changing cultural significance underwear.

The exhibition also catalogues advances in material, fit and fabric over time.

Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear runs from April 16 until March 12, 2017 at the V&A, vam.ac.uk

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