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A review by stenaros
Underneath It All by Amber J. Keyser
3.0
Read for Librarian Book Group
I appreciated the feminist perspective of underwear through the ages. For instance, take a look at this quote, talking about how it was unusual for women to wear underwear--even while menstruating.
"In medieval Europe underpants and trousers were a symbol of male power. If the average women were to wear such garments, she was considered immoral or sinfully trying to undermine her husband's authority. The nakedness of a woman beneath her dress signaled sexual availability. Wives were not allowed to refuse sex with their husbands at any time for any reason."
Thinking about women's clothing from a power dynamic sheds insight on why women wore such impractical garments for so long. As a feminist, I'm embarrassed I hadn't fully considered that perspective past the thought of "it was what was done."
The book was full of interesting insights through the first four chapters--Free bleeding into a rarely washed chemise! Mulling over the use of the chastity belt! After that it started to drag, though perhaps that's because the history began to cover more modern times and I'm familiar with twentieth and twenty-first century underwear practices. I did find the information about the origin and propagation of Victoria's Secret interesting.
The layout isn't great. Some of the callout boxes appear several pages after things have been explained in text and the book describes some things that do not have accompanying pictures. I found that the sections about body positivity muddled the waters, but perhaps that shows my hand as seeing that movement separate from undergarments.
I write this while wearing a bralette, which is my weekend and after-work-hours-only bra. My underwire bras are in the washer, being cleaned so they will be ready to hoist my breasts into position for another week of office work. If I didn't work in an office, would I wear sports bras all the time? Probably.
I appreciated the feminist perspective of underwear through the ages. For instance, take a look at this quote, talking about how it was unusual for women to wear underwear--even while menstruating.
"In medieval Europe underpants and trousers were a symbol of male power. If the average women were to wear such garments, she was considered immoral or sinfully trying to undermine her husband's authority. The nakedness of a woman beneath her dress signaled sexual availability. Wives were not allowed to refuse sex with their husbands at any time for any reason."
Thinking about women's clothing from a power dynamic sheds insight on why women wore such impractical garments for so long. As a feminist, I'm embarrassed I hadn't fully considered that perspective past the thought of "it was what was done."
The book was full of interesting insights through the first four chapters--Free bleeding into a rarely washed chemise! Mulling over the use of the chastity belt! After that it started to drag, though perhaps that's because the history began to cover more modern times and I'm familiar with twentieth and twenty-first century underwear practices. I did find the information about the origin and propagation of Victoria's Secret interesting.
The layout isn't great. Some of the callout boxes appear several pages after things have been explained in text and the book describes some things that do not have accompanying pictures. I found that the sections about body positivity muddled the waters, but perhaps that shows my hand as seeing that movement separate from undergarments.
I write this while wearing a bralette, which is my weekend and after-work-hours-only bra. My underwire bras are in the washer, being cleaned so they will be ready to hoist my breasts into position for another week of office work. If I didn't work in an office, would I wear sports bras all the time? Probably.