Camisoles are sleeveless shirts worn as undergarments or outerwear by women. They can have built-in bras and are often worn under sheer tops or suits. Camisoles can also be worn as pretty lingerie or as part of pajamas.
Camisoles, sometimes called camis, are generally short, sleeveless shirts worn as undergarments by women. They tend to cover the bust to the waist and can be worn to provide a little extra weight, or under tops that are sheer. Camisoles used to provide minimal bust support, but many now have built-in bras.
Some camisoles are simply worn as outer garments, following fashion trends established in the 1990s. They may have thin spaghetti straps and may be made in a variety of fabrics. Silk and polyester are typical fabric choices. However, stretchy shirts made of cotton jersey or a blend of lycra and cotton are also becoming more popular.
Due to their thin straps, most camisoles are typically worn without a bra. This makes some people reluctant to wear them as they may provide inadequate support for the bust. The type with built-in bras can be a bit difficult to fit since the bust size does not always correspond to the waist or body size. In particular, women with a bra size C or D or higher may have a hard time finding clothes that fit well.
One of the most popular ways to wear camisoles these days is under a matching suit jacket or shirt. This allows women to wear bras under the top, since the jacket or shirt will hide the straps. This works in most cases, unless the covering shirt is very see-through. Some tops could aptly be called tank tops as they provide wider straps, allowing bra straps to be easily concealed.
Camisoles and teddies were a typical replacement for more iron-clad undergarments worn in the early 20th century and earlier. The flappers often discarded bras and wore teddies, a camisole and underwear combo together. Alternatively, the tops can be worn with coordinating undergarments called tap pants. These tended to be wide-legged briefs that began at the waist and ended at the top of the thigh. Alternatively, the tops can be worn with a matching half slip. This was an improvement on the full slip, which was a camisole and slip combined into one garment, as each piece could be worn separately as needed.
Camisoles, in addition to being underwear or outerwear, are often worn as pretty lingerie. They can come in patterns, have lace-edged necklines, and are usually silk or polyester. You can still find a variety of styles of camis being sold with tap pants. More casually, camisoles and shorts are quite a popular pajama variant, or pajamas come with camisole tops. Some confuse the camisole with the shirt to buy lingerie. The shirt has a chemise-like top, but ends at approximately mid-thigh. Shirts are often sold with tunics in a set. In a pinch, a dress shirt substitutes well for a slip if wearing a relatively short, see-through dress.
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