From the restrictive corsets of the late 1800s to the revealing thongs of the early 20th century, women's lingerie has changed drastically. This evolution mirrors changes in society regarding both the role of women and the ideals of beauty. Thanks to such items as the laced, corseted waist of turn-of-the-century coquettes, the uplifted busts of early-1990s supermodels, the sexy lingerie of a 1950s pin-up, and the see-through (or entirely absent) bras of the 1970s, women's underwear has provided the unseen superstructure on which modern canons of beauty have been based. A revealing text by Parisian-based fashion historian Farid Chenoune gives the context for the story of the most beautiful women of the century, while pictures of glamorous icons, as well as lesser-known Venuses, adorn the pages of this sumptuous book.