Lingerie is a term for women's fashion undergarments. It derives from the French confab 'lin' for linen. While the locution in the French language applies to all undergarments for either sex, in English it is applied only to those women's undergarments designed to be visually appealing or erotic, overall incorporating materials such as Lycra, nylon (nylon tricot), polyester, satin, lace and/or silk and not applied to handy cotton undergarments.

The lingerie production has expanded in the 21st century with designs that double as outerwear. The French refer to this as 'dessous-dessus' which basically means innerwear as outerwear. The shop Faire Frou Frou, which is an antiquated phrase meaning "show it off", heralds this philosophy by categorizing lingerie as an accessory with details such as straps and lace trim that should be Sexy Lingerie layered and shown as part of one's outerwear.