Jennifer Lopez recently marked the unofficial start of summer with an Instagram post that had us reaching for our sunglasses and our history books. The singer and style icon wore a flowing white maxi dress that seemed to channel the effortless romance of a coastal afternoon. But beyond the tassels and delicate cutwork, this look carries echoes of a longer story - one that the Lingerie Museum is uniquely positioned to tell.
The dress in question, a Cupshe Boho Maxi Dress available for under $50, recalls the bohemian aesthetic that first emerged in the 1960s, when lingerie and loungewear began to blur boundaries. Brands like Cupshe, a relative newcomer founded in 2015, tap into a tradition of accessible, vacation-ready pieces that trace back to the rise of ready-to-wear in the 1920s, when department stores like Macy's introduced affordable versions of high-fashion resortwear. The hollow-out pattern and high-low hem are modern nods to the crochet and lace techniques that were once handmade by artisans in coastal villages, later mass-produced for a global market.
Lopez's choice of a loose, billowy silhouette is itself a nod to lingerie history: the chemise, a staple of 18th-century undergarments, evolved into the simple, freeing shapes that define today's easy summer dressing. The dress's ability to double as a swimsuit cover-up is a reminder that the line between innerwear and outerwear has been deliberately blurred since designers like Rudi Gernreich introduced the monokini in the 1960s.
So while J.Lo sips her lemon cocktail, she's also wearing a piece of fashion's ongoing dialogue with comfort, liberation, and the joy of a well-made white dress. The Lingerie Museum applauds her - and reminds us that even a $49 find can carry centuries of style.
Originally reported by US Magazine