Bombarded with images of scantily clad women on billboards, television, and magazines, it makes sense that some women who live in liberal societies like the US succumb to lingerie's lure.
You may be surprised to hear, though, that even women who reside in extremely modest countries in the Middle East have the hots for seductive and sexy undergarments.
In Syria, where women often wear veils and long robes, the demand for push-up bras, leather outfits, whips, and edible underwear is on the rise.
After her wedding, a Syrian woman traditionally brings a trunk full of underwear to her husband's home. Some shop owners say that the Internet has added fuel to their imaginations and in turn altered the tradition. Now, some Syrian women don't want just any old underwear — they want the latest in kinky lingerie.
What do you think it is about lingerie that makes some women desire it, even if it's often invisible to everyone else?
Betty Jackson
Shoe Studio
Bi La Li
Haha I have a friend studying in Syria right now, thinking of going to visit her next month...
In terms of lingerie---I just think it's nice. If it's well fitting and looks nice it makes me feel better about myself.
1It makes you look and feel sexy (I'm assming anyway, I never wore it.) And I'm sure those poor women need a boost like that in countries where they're treated like dirt...
2Maureen Dowd wrote a great comumn about this middle eastern phenomenon a few years ago. She was in Saudi Arabia, being forced to wear a burka. Yet, at the mall, there was the trashiest lingerie shop she'd ever seen with whips and pvc lingerie.
I am not super into it, but on the right occasion it's just fun! It's like a cute accessory - it may or might not be noticed, but it's part of the outfit!
Bri
3Hey, if I'm wearing a little red lacy thing I feel very sexy and sultry, even if its under a modest office suit.
Go them!!
4It's the power that comes with it. Especially when you know other people can't see it. In countries where women don't have as much social standing or political power as men, wearing sexy lingerie [which I'm sure is taboo on some level] takes some of that power back.
5Girl power!
6Edible underwear! That is too funny. I am a firm believer in wearing pretty underthings even if no one sees them so I say, go for it.
7http://www.chroniclebooks.com/index/main,book-info/store,books/products_...
Check out this book, the Secret Life of Syrian Lingerie
8Thanks, PartySister. That is sooo cool!!
9It is about power... Wearing something sexy underneath something dowdy gives you that little spark in your eye... And more power to those women, they need it!
As for me, I like wearing something sexy and delicate (or powerful, depending on my mood) because most of the time in the US we're in these sort of gender neutral situations. It's become so much about equality in a way we're losing part of our feminine identity (while of course gaining others). It's a way for me to remind myself that I am a woman, I am beautiful and no one really knows what I'm capable of. In bed.
Hee hee! Couldn't help it!
10I definitely agree. I've read that in a lot of Muslim countries where women are required to cover up that they're usually wearing beautiful couture underneath.
It makes sense to me; wearing something special makes you feel special, even if nobody else can see it. That's why I always wear sexy lingerie to interviews and exams!
11Reply to la romantique, "And I'm sure those poor women need a boost like that in countries where they're treated like dirt..."
I'm Saudi Arabian myself and I hate how biased the media is and living in the US I've noticed how people in turn have these completely false assumptions about the middle east. Just so everyone knows women aren't treated like dirt, that's a completely false implication, yes we don't drive but hey we have our own personal drivers. Plus a husband never makes a decision without taking his wife's opinions, the woman of the house always has the last word.
True there are scary stories of domestic abuse and rape, but sadly that happens in ever single country in the world.
Why is it that when something happens in saudi it's attributed to the people and the religion? When a muslim does something crazy it's because he's a muslim, even the viriginia tech shooting, I live in virgina and the news reporters immediately suspected that it was an arab muslim right from the start but it wasn't.
And when a "muslim" does something crazy it's because of islam not because of the fact that he's crazy.
We are all vastly different, and we need to acknowledge our differences. People need to stop being ethnocentric and comparing their own cultures to a different culture, it's comforting for people in normalizing themselves and alienating the other. I get it.
But then you have to remember that there are universal morals, and some things are just wrong and their considered wrong in any part of the world. Okay sorry for the rant but I've just been around people are completely off..
Anyway, on a lighter note. Lingerie is important I think to any woman. In fact, in saudi before a girl gets married she needs to take care of all her lingerie business, buy things she needs. It's more important to girls nowadays because vanity is huge in today's society. And yes there are some really kinky stores, I guess some people are just into that lool..
12belaloo321@hotmail.com
13Oh for god sake Syria is a very open place! girls walk in mini skirts and on beaches they wear bikinis and some are topless what is wrong with you people its not phenomena its very normal just as it would be in other places
hehe its only problem
is that it has a not so good economy but still they do pretty well!
hehe it has Muslims in it as well as Christians and Jews, it has clubs and bars so why not lingerie? hehe get out of your bubble people
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