A Brief History of Modesty

The concept of modesty, the transition from nudity, and the emergence of the camisole.

Throughout history, modesty has predominantly been driven by societal and moral considerations rather than personal values. Surprisingly, until quite recently, the exposure of one's "nue" or nudity was not a source of shock. In fact, it was more common for people to appear naked in public baths than clothed. There was a time when the city of Paris "recommended" wearing "une chemise" to the bath, but this was more symbolic than practical.

Men would often wear a "cache-sex," a type of briefs, while women dressed in linen, which inevitably became transparent when soaked (hence the symbolic, rather than pragmatic, nature of wearing it). The attire of that era left little to imagination, as both men and women's garments were open on the legs and chest, revealing much more than they concealed.

In Germany, people would undress at home and then, as an unusual custom, walk naked as a family to the public baths.

This state of affairs continued until the Renaissance, after which Protestant countries grew concerned about the abundance of nudity and its potential impact on people's beliefs. As a result, they began to enforce restrictions on public nudity. The modesty trend gained traction, with France and many other nations adopting these new principles regarding nudity.

To truly grasp the essence of what we seek to conceal, how we go about concealing it, and the facades we create, it's essential to understand the evolution of modesty and the regulations that surround it.
As we explore in our forthcoming articles, tights serve as a perfect embodiment of the delicate balance between modesty and nudity. They simultaneously cover women's supposed “scandalous” legs while maintaining a sheer covering that is deemed respectable to the eyes of others.