A briefs history of time

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Thankfully, the exhibition Undercover – the Evolution of Underwear opens soon at London's Fashion and Textile Museum and promises to deliver a revealing history of our smalls. Women were suddenly able to move freely, to participate in games, and underwear developed accordingly: Amelia Bloomer's long 'pantalettes' were ideal for tennis, and New York socialite Mary Phelps Jacobs invented a protoype bra, made of two handkerchiefs fastened by ribbon. These were much more recognisably related to modern underwear, highlighting the increasing prominence of youth culture and of "the problem with no name", as feminist forerunner Betty Friedan termed the burgeoning women's movement. Underwear also began to form an important part of fashion and commercial imagery, and became a crucial money-making arm of older fashion houses, like Christian Dior and La Perla.