Padding is thin cushioned material sometimes added to clothes. Padding may also be referred to as batting when used as a layer in lining quilts or as a packaging or stuffing material. When padding is used in clothes, it is often done in an attempt to soften impacts on certain zones of the body or enhance appearance by adding size to a physical feature. In
fashion
Fashion is a form of self-expression and autonomy at a particular period and place and in a specific context, of clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle, and body posture. The term implies a look defined by the fashion in ...
, there is padding for:
* Breasts – sometimes called
falsies
In fashion, falsies are paddings for use in a bra to create the appearance of larger breasts. The term has also, more rarely, been used for pads which create the appearance of larger buttocks. In both cases, there is a note of (more or less) am ...
* The male crotch – usually called a
codpiece
A codpiece () is a triangular piece that attached to the front of men's hose, covering the fly. It may be held in place by ties or buttons. It was an important fashion item of European clothing during the 15th–16th centuries. In the modern era ...
.
* Height – usually in shoes and often called
elevator shoes
Elevator shoes are shoes that have thickened sections of the insoles (known as shoe lifts) under the heels to make the wearer appear taller, or "elevate" them as the name suggests.
Unlike high-heeled shoes, the component of elevator shoes that i ...
* Width of shoulders, called
shoulder pads Shoulder pads may refer to:
* Shoulder pads (fashion)
* Shoulder pads (sport)
Shoulder pads are a piece of protective equipment used in many contact sports such as gridiron football, lacrosse, and ice hockey and some non-contact sports such as ...
– in coats and other garments for men, and sometimes for women.
Bombast, consisting of horsehair, flock, bran, wool, rags, or cotton, was the padding used to give the required bulk to certain fashionable items of dress in Western Europe around 1600. It was used in particular for men's
trunk hose
Hose are any of various styles of men's clothing for the legs and lower body, worn from the Middle Ages through the 17th century, when the style fell out of use in favour of breeches and stockings. The old plural form of "hose" was "hosen". In ...
, but also for women's trunk or cannon sleeves (1575-1620).
[C Willett & Phillis Cunnington, with illustrations by Barbara Phillipson and Phillis Cunnington. Faber and Faber Limited, 24 Russell Square, London. mcmlv (1955). p.85]
To alter features
Some padding is added to emphasize particular physical features. Women, for instance, rarely have prominent shoulders, but for some years shoulder pads have been added to women’s blazers, dresses (blouses, etc.). This gave them a more masculine outline which was sometimes thought to be of benefit in business situations. Many men’s blazers also have a little padding in the shoulders, but not to the same extent.
Padding can also be used to alter the silhouette or appearance of the lower half of the body. This may include a form of padding in the shape of male
genitals
A sex organ (or reproductive organ) is any part of an animal or plant that is involved in sexual reproduction. The reproductive organs together constitute the reproductive system. In animals, the testis in the male, and the ovary in the female, a ...
, or
hip and buttock padding
Hip and buttock padding is used to increase the apparent size of the hips and buttocks in order to increase apparent waist-hip ratio which implies more feminine body shape. It is used by both sexes: women wishing to increase their physical attrac ...
worn to appear curvier and create a stereotypically feminine hourglass silhouette.
As protection
Padding is also added to clothing for
insulation
Insulation may refer to:
Thermal
* Thermal insulation, use of materials to reduce rates of heat transfer
** List of insulation materials
** Building insulation, thermal insulation added to buildings for comfort and energy efficiency
*** Insulated ...
or cushioning reasons. Thus, many coats and outergarments (especially those for outdoor use in cold climates) are padded with such materials as
felt
Felt is a textile material that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing fibers together. Felt can be made of natural fibers such as wool or animal fur, or from synthetic fibers such as petroleum-based acrylic or acrylonitrile or wood ...
or
down or
feather
Feathers are epidermal growths that form a distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on both avian (bird) and some non-avian dinosaurs and other archosaurs. They are the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates and a premier ...
s or artificial insulations. Cushioning padding is included in some sporting goods, especially those intended for use in
combat sport
A combat sport, or fighting sport, is a competitive contact sport that usually involves one-on-one combat. In many combat sports, a contestant wins by scoring more points than the opponent, submitting the opponent with a hold, disabling the oppon ...
s (e.g.,
fencing
Fencing is a group of three related combat sports. The three disciplines in modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre (also ''saber''); winning points are made through the weapon's contact with an opponent. A fourth discipline, s ...
, some
martial art
Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; and the preserv ...
s, etc.). Garments intended for actual use in combat were once commonly padded (e.g., by warriors in the Aztec empire, by the ancient Greeks under armor, or by the Japanese until the mid-19th century), but have largely been replaced by light armor made of, for instance,
Kevlar
Kevlar (para-aramid) is a strong, heat-resistant synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed by Stephanie Kwolek at DuPont in 1965, the high-strength material was first used commercially in the early 1970s a ...
. If included in a vest, such armor makes a
bullet-proof vest
A bulletproof vest, also known as a ballistic vest or a bullet-resistant vest, is an item of body armor that helps absorb the impact and reduce or stop penetration to the torso from firearm-fired projectiles and fragmentation from explosions. ...
. Padding is also used by athletes in sports where friction is an issue, most notably in
cycling shorts
Cycling shorts (also known as bike shorts, bicycling shorts, chamois, knicks, or spats or thigh cling shorts) are short, skin-tight garments designed to improve comfort and efficiency while cycling.
Their useful properties are:
* reduce win ...
where it is termed a
cycling pad
A cycling pad, also known as "chamois" or "bikepad" or "Fondello" (Italian), "Gamuza" or "Badana" (Spanish), Peau (French) is a protective insert that is applied in cycling shorts with the main purpose of protecting the groin from the friction o ...
.
References
Sewing
Protective gear
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