A teddy, also called a camiknicker, is a

garment Clothing (also known as clothes, apparel, and attire) are items worn on the body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin sheets of materials and natural ...

which covers the torso and crotch in the one garment. It is a similar style of garment to a

one-piece swimsuit A one-piece swimsuit most commonly refers to swimwear worn primarily by women and girls when swimming in the sea or in a swimming pool, playing water polo, or for any activity in the sun, such as sun bathing. Today, the one-piece swimsuit is usua ...

or bodysuit, but is typically looser and sheerer. The garment is put on by stepping into the leg holes and pulling the garment up to cover the torso. It may cover the whole of the torso or partially and may also cover the arms. They may open at the crotch for use with a commode, without the need to remove all clothing. As an

undergarment Undergarments, underclothing, or underwear are items of clothing worn beneath outer clothes, usually in direct contact with the skin, although they may comprise more than a single layer. They serve to keep outer garments from being soiled o ...

, it combines the functions of a

camisole A camisole is a sleeveless undergarment or innerwear typically worn by women, normally extending to the waist. The camisole is usually made of satin, nylon, silk, or cotton. Historical definition Historically, ''camisole'' referred to jackets ...

and

panties Panties (in American English; also called pants, undies, or knickers in British English) are a form of women's underwear. Panties can be form-fitting or loose. Typical components include an elastic waistband, a crotch panel to cover the genit ...

, and may be preferred to avoid a visible panty line. It is also found as

lingerie Lingerie (, , ) is a category of primarily women's clothing including undergarments (mainly brassieres), sleepwear, and lightweight robes. The choice of the word is often motivated by an intention to imply that the garments are alluring, fash ...

History

A one-piece undergarment which combined a

and

knickers Panties (in American English; also called pants, undies, or knickers in British English) are a form of women's underwear. Panties can be form-fitting or loose. Typical components include an elastic Waistline (clothing), waistband, a crotch pan ...

appeared in the 1910s under the name envelope chemise or camiknickers. It was considered an appropriate garment to wear under the shorter

dresses A dress (also known as a frock or a gown) is a garment traditionally worn by women or girls consisting of a skirt with an attached bodice (or a matching bodice giving the effect of a one-piece garment). It consists of a top piece that covers ...

which came into fashion in the 1920s. The garment was also worn without an overgarment in the

boudoir A boudoir (; ) is a woman's private sitting room or salon in a furnished residence, usually between the dining room and the bedroom, but can also refer to a woman's private bedroom. The term derives from the French verb ''bouder'' (to sulk ...

. The style gained popularity during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

when women who served in military-related duties wore

trousers Trousers (British English), slacks, or pants are an item of clothing worn from the waist to anywhere between the knees and the ankles, covering both legs separately (rather than with cloth extending across both legs as in robes, skirts, and ...

instead of

skirts A skirt is the lower part of a dress or a separate outer garment that covers a person from the waist downwards. At its simplest, a skirt can be a draped garment made out of a single piece of fabric (such as pareos). However, most skirts are ...

. By the late 1940s, the garment lost its popularity. A version reappeared as a lingerie garment in the late 1960s, featuring a bra top and attached slip, to wear under short, shift dresses, and replace half slips. Often the bra top was an underwire style, and the entire garment was sized by the bra. It was called both a "teddy" or "braslip", usually in traditional lingerie colors, and young women especially liked them. Another revival began in the 1980s and 1990s, under the name "teddy" or "bodysuit", when the garment was made of

spandex Spandex, Lycra, or elastane is a synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity. It is a polyether-polyurea copolymer that was invented in 1958 by chemist Joseph Shivers at DuPont's Benger Laboratory in Waynesboro, Virginia, US. The g ...

, featuring brief construction combining features of a bra and panties, or leotard, and brighter colors.

Modern teddy styles

Most modern teddies are either designed for visual or sex appeal, or as practical clothing. Common teddy styles today include:

Bareback teddy

A bareback teddy is one with an open back, often designed with built-in bust support.

Body briefer teddy

A body briefer is a

form-fitting garment A form-fitting garment is an article of clothing that tightly follows the contours of the part of the body being covered. A feature of Western societies is the popularity of form-fitting clothing worn by women, compared to equivalent male garment ...

which smooths and shapes the wearer's figure. They typically come in a variety of control levels, achieved by using different materials or thicknesses things of materials in the body areas they are designed to control. Like sleep teddies, body briefers tend to use simpler materials and styles than teddies designed for visual appeal. Body briefers are also commonly referred to as "body shapers" or "women's shapers".

Fashion top teddy

A fashion top teddy combines a

thong The thong is a garment generally used as either underwear or in some countries, as a swimsuit. It may also be worn for traditional ceremonies or competitions. Viewed from the front, the thong typically resembles a bikini bottom, but at the ...

T-front The thong is a garment generally used as either underwear or in some countries, as a swimsuit. It may also be worn for traditional ceremonies or competitions. Viewed from the front, the thong typically resembles a bikini bottom, but at th ...

thong panty, bra and fashion top. Fashion top teddies come in a wide variety of styles, from simple styles with plain materials to very fancy styles with beads, crystals or sequins. Fashion top teddies can be worn as fancy undergarments or as an outer garment without a top over them.

Sleep teddy

A sleep teddy is a loose-fitting teddy designed as sleepwear. A sleep teddy is a practical garment which tends to use simpler materials and styles.

Teddiette

A teddiette is a teddy with detachable garters.

Traditional teddy

A traditional teddy is a loose-fitting teddy designed for visual or sex appeal and to show off the wearer's figure. Traditional teddies often use sheer or partially sheer material.

References

{{Clothing Lingerie Women's clothing