Style and Fashion with Abimbola Adebisi

Morning all!

Sometimes we forget that Underwear wearing is a part of Style and Fashion. To help in expanding our knowledge on the importance of wearing neat and accurate sized Underwear we have in the House today - Abimbola Adebisi.  It’s a must read for all, both guys and ladies...... enjoy!

Imagine getting up from a chair, only to hear a ripping sound as your skirt or trouser gets torn. Or imagine you are giving the toast for an outdoor garden wedding and a sudden gust of wind lifts up your flared skirt. What would people see? Hmmm-I don’t want to imagine..lol. I remember as a child how my mother would bring out a new set of uniform complete with new underwear and socks anytime I was resuming school for a new term or when going out for a party.  It always felt so good.

For me, there’s a certain kind of confidence that wearing beautiful underwear gives but I can’t quite explain. You see a lot of people scarcely spare a thought on their underwear basically because they are not seen. They think they can wear anything underneath just because they are underneath. But the truth is, there is more to underwear than the covering of your reproductive organs.

Good underwear is the foundation of a good wardrobe. Christian Dior once said “without foundation, there can be no fashion” and he is not wrong at all. 

Underwear should not be underestimated. Without the shaping and contouring of underwear, even the most expensive and precisely cut clothes won’t hang right on the body. Especially for women, the shape of your body can change for the better or worse depending on the underwear you have on. I’ve heard it said time and again that more than 50% of women wear the wrong size of underwear.

The importance of underwear in enhancing body shape has been known as far back as the 16^th century when corsets were worn as foundation clothing. Throughout the years, the purpose of the corset was to promote a more curvy shape by restricting the waist and highlighting the bust and hips. With time, corsets gave way to girdles and bras but corsets can still be seen worn today. The corset is often seen in haute couture fashion runway shows but the same concept still applies to mainstream wears as having undergarments that sculpt and shape the body.

Men are not excluded from this too. Even though men need less underwear than women the few they wear should be clean and appropriate for their dressing. Wearing briefs that are too tight; and too long is not advisable for men.

Some simple underwear etiquettes

1.Underwear as the name implies is meant to be worn under clothing. So flaunting your bras, panties and boxers is a definite No-No. Exposed underwear can be obnoxious and gives the impression that you are loose. Our personals (as one of my friends calls them) are meant to be just that; personals.

2.Underwear should be clean and in good condition at all times. Ideally your underwear should be changed after 6 months of wear. Wearing filthy undergarments can expose you to infections. You put yourself at a risk. Yes people can't see it but you subject yourself to unwanted visitors finding refuge within.

3.Wear the right kind of underwear for your outfits. A good  example is when women wear white panties under light coloured clothing or when men wear over-sized undershirts that have their sleeves peeping out under short sleeved shirts.

Subsequently we will be talking about how to know your right size of underwear. Until then remember; “without foundation, there can be no fashion” . Wear underwear, wear neat ones and keep them out of sight, they are not for public viewing pleaseeee.

Adebisi Abimbola

Next time (Friday) on Yspot! – African& Intercontinental Delicacies.