LONDON >> Enter any clothing store these days and you are likely to find yourself faced with the Great Lingerie Resurgence.
White paneled silk slips trimmed with whispers of black lace at Celine, organza shorts and chemise tops at Dior and peekaboo bralets and power suiting at Givenchy and Balenciaga — we are in an underwear-as-outerwear moment.
And the theme is not limited to store and runways. An exhibition titled “Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear” at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum examines the role that undergarments have played in shaping cultural attitudes, gender tensions and shifting style trends, and it helps explain our endless fascination with what lies beneath.
More than 250 objects — including corsets, caged crinolines, whalebone stays, bras, briefs and padded boxer shorts — along with film images, packaging and advertisements, depict the history of underwear from the mid-18th century to the present.
The exhibition demonstrates that underwear as outerwear is nothing new, and devotes an entire floor to its historical antecedents. Showstoppers include a simple 1911 silk evening slip by Paul Poiret that could have gone down a runway last season and 1920s pajama playsuits for the cocktail hour.
Contemporary selections include a white chiffon Alexander McQueen bustier dress plated with gold, and an Empire-style embroidered muslin gown with matching lace panties by John Galliano for Givenchy, both of which took cues from the allure of 18th- and 19th-century bedroom attire.
The exhibit runs until March 12.
Travel site focuses on yoga spots
A new website helps travelers find yoga retreats and yoga teacher training around the world.
More than 250 yoga vacations from 34 countries are listed at BookRetreats.com. Prices run from affordable to luxury, with destinations and lengths of stay from a 28-day retreat in Kathmandu, Nepal, to a weekend in upstate New York.
Listings include couples’ retreats, yoga for beginners and retreats themed on wellness, healing, meditation and spa vacations. There’s even a category that combines yoga and surfing. Yoga retreats in Italy promise wine and fresh mozzarella, while a program in Occidental, Calif., offers “yoga on the farm.”
The listings are integrated with TripAdvisor reviews.
