The Language of Intimates: What We Wear and What We Call It
Tl;dr:
Semantics matter. They also mean nothing. What we call our underwear—lingerie, undergarments, intimate apparel—says a lot about how we relate to our bodies, comfort, and cultural expectations.
In the U.S., lingerie is often tied to the male gaze, while undergarments suggest practicality, and intimate apparel feels like a sanitized industry term.
On Earth Day, this conversation matters more than ever—because even words like eco-lace and vegan leather can mislead consumers about sustainability.
I want to reclaim the word lingerie with Petal + Ash — and root it in beauty, comfort, and thoughtful design. Because women deserve garments that feel good and do good.
This Earth Day, I’ve been thinking a lot about language. Not just the words we use to talk about the planet—though those matter deeply—but the quieter language. The language of self. The words we use to talk about our bodies, and the things we wear closest to them.
So let me ask you: What do you call your underwear?
Lingerie?
Undergarments?
Intimate apparel?
Something else?
Each of these words means something different—not just semantically, but emotionally. They hold different weights, evoke different images, speak to different values.
Lingerie is quite literally the French word for undergarments. In the states, it’s sensual and feminine. It conjures delicate lace, maybe a boudoir or a magazine ad. It can be either high fashion or low brow. Either way, there’s beauty there—but also, sometimes, a pressure. Lingerie has long been tied to performance, to looking a certain way, and to the male gaze.
Undergarments are the opposite: utilitarian and practical. Generally bringing to mind basic, cotton, comfort, plain and simple. Something you grab out of a drawer without much thought. Reliable, yes. But not exactly ritual.
Intimate apparel feels like the department store floor: formal, neutral, marketable. A phrase created by an industry trying to capture the whole category in one sanitized breath.
Language isn’t neutral. It shapes how we feel—about ourselves, our bodies, and the clothes we wear to hold them.
What These Words Reveal
What we call the things we wear under our clothes says a lot about what we expect them to do—or be. Are they meant to be seen? Hidden? Sexy? Practical? Empowering? Forgettable? Are they for us, or for someone else?
These words can elevate or diminish. They can carry history, shame, softness, strength. And most of all, they reflect who the industry thinks it’s speaking to—and why.
I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what to call our company. Are we a lingerie brand? An underwear company? A sustainable intimates label? We’re not lacy and frilly, but we’re not basic. Our line is made of luxe materials, with thoughtful design. The truth is, we don’t sit neatly in any of these boxes.
But I’m moving forward with lingerie. I want to reclaim the word. I want lingerie to, like it does for the French, simply denote the categorized garment––through the lens of beauty and elegance. Why? Because, we as women deserve that.
Earth Day, and the Words We Wrap Ourselves In
Earth Day is about collective awareness. For me, it’s also about personal clarity. And coming from the sustainability world, language gets slippery. We say things like “eco-lace” when it’s really polyester. “Vegan leather” when it’s petroleum-based plastic. It’s a marketing shell game.
It happens in lingerie, too. We’re taught to focus on how things look and feel, with very little attention to what they’re made from. There is some gorgeous lingerie out there…made from plastic, made from petroleum, made with harsh chemical dyes.
It’s not always easy to find the right words. Sustainability is too broad; it has too many definitions. Circular is too niche. Greenwashing (falsifying or exaggerating sustainable claims for marketing purposes) is dangerous, and greenhushing (not speaking to sustainability programs or goals for a fear of backlash) on the opposite end is a huge disservice.
That’s what I’m working to change through Petal + Ash. I want to be transparent with the journey and with our products. And that’s why I’m here on Substack, taking you along for the wild ride that is entrepreneurship.
So I’ll Ask Again…what do you call it? What language feels true for what you wear underneath your clothes? Do you wish there was something entirely new? So today, on Earth Day, I’d love to hear from you.
What words do you want to wear?
