History of Boudoir

​Sometimes boudoir gets a bad rep for being something vulgar or dirty.  It may be compared to pornography or something to feel embarrassed about.  Ironically, as many of you know, boudoir is completely the opposite.  It is not just about taking photographs of women in lingerie; it is about women celebrating their inner and outer beauty.  It is about being confident. Boudoir is about taking control of your own body, your own beauty, your own story and embracing it.  Just for fun, I thought it might be interesting to look at where boudoir came from and all that history jazz.  Here we go! 
​Where did it Come From? 
So, first things first.  The word boudoir is French.  It comes from the French verb bouder, which means to sulk or withdraw to.  Basically meaning, to bouder is something you would do in your private chamber, sitting room, or bedroom.  Boudoir really came about in the 1920s and was considered super “scandalous”.  It was actually illegal to have nude photographs, but photographers pushed the limit and managed to create boudoir masterpieces during this time. These photographers were already being body positive way back then, and often focused on larger women.  The super star boudoir photographer of the time was Albert Arthur Allen.  
The Pin Up Girl: 
In our historical adventure, we then head to the pin up girl.  During the 1930-40s Betty Grable was one of the iconic pin-up girls.  Often these beautiful women were used as propaganda to get men to join the military.  They used the pin-up photographs as a marketing tactic.  If men joined the military, then for sure they could have Betty Grable and those beautiful legs! LOL.  But Betty wasn’t the only well-known pin-up.  Fast forward to the 1950s…ohhh hey Marilyn Monroe.  She was curvy and put her sexuality on full display.  Marilyn, being the icon that she still is, showed women to embrace their sexuality through confidence and charisma.  She didn’t make apologies for her sex appeal. 
Sexual Revolution: 
1970s brought feminism in full swing.  Boudoir began to be accepted as a form of mainstream media.  Women wanted to be liberated by showing off their beauty and sexuality.  Boudoir photography began appearing in magazines and in other media.
Boudoir Today: 
Obviously, boudoir is about so much more than sexy photographs.  Today, when we think of boudoir it does make a fantastic gift for a significant other, but more often than not, boudoir is becoming a way for women to embrace and celebrate themselves.  A way to show that when a woman looks in a mirror or looks at photographs of herself, that she sees a strong, confident, and gorgeous woman.  A woman of the 21st century who is ready to take on the world.