IN FORM®

By Adam Welsch
Naomi & Nicole®

Since their invention in 1959 and subsequent widespread dissemination during the 1960s, pantyhose have taken a central role in the wardrobes of many women.  Replacing the previous need for wearing stockings with garter belts or garter-equipped girdles, pantyhose changed the hosiery landscape forever and gave women new-found comfort and fashion flexibility.  But since their creation, their makers have tried to position pantyhose as products that do more than simply smooth legs.  They’ve been sold as panty substitutes, VPL erasers, light control shapewear, rump raisers, and functional (if not shaping) leg wear.  Given that, are pantyhose merely hosiery, as most retailers and consumers view them,  with lofty but unjustifiable aspirations to sit aside conventional panties and shapewear, or are they a unique class of intimate apparel – a hybrid of hosiery, panties, and shapewear – that complete the “under-things” spectrum from socks to bodybriefers? (more…)

By Adam Welsch
Cupid Intimates

Mannequin heads, that is.

Recently, I found myself in my local, suburban mall trying to make a dent in my holiday shopping responsibilities.  My long list directed me to pass by, or stroll into, most of the complex’s 125 or so shops, an eclectic collection of discount and high-end department stores, mass merchandisers, and many of the small chain stores commonly found in malls across America.  Of course, all of the clothing stores in general, and those carrying lingerie in particular, featured mannequins displaying their merchandise.  But what struck me as odd is that, except for those charged with hawking sunglasses, hats, or scarves, none of the mannequins – including those displaying lingerie – had heads. (more…)

By Adam Welsch
Cupid Intimates

If you walked into a grocery store, and asked to be directed to the ice cream, do you think any employee would have trouble understanding what you were looking for?  Of course, not.   Even though there are many different brands of ice cream, available in many different flavors, ice cream has a very specific definition that’s shared by everyone who makes, sells, and eats it.  Unfortunately, the same sort of universal understanding isn’t always present in the world of shapewear.  Sure, different companies use their own brand and style names.  That’s not the issue.  Rather, for some reason, different manufacturers often use different generic terms to identify the same silhouette.  Since this sometimes creates confusion for those of us who work in this industry, it must be downright frustrating to you, an average consumer. (more…)

By Adam Welsch
Cupid Intimates

If you’re like a lot of women, you probably own a lot of intimate apparel.  But how much do you know about bras, panties, and shapewear?  Want to find out?  Here’s a test to measure your general knowledge of these fashion categories.  Use the answer key at the end to calculate your score and determine your intimates quotient (IQ). (more…)