Customer Reviews

Secret Life of Syrian Lingerie: Intimacy and Design

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I have to admit, it was the title that won my heart. Almost anything that would pay off a title this mysterious would be fine, I thought when I purchased this book. I wasn't prepared for a well-documented, pretty serious look at the bizarre (to my American, secular eyes) world of female-underwear marketing in the Middle East. Imagine women, cloaked as conservative Muslim societies demand, out shopping for the most outrageous lingerie, locally dreamt up and stitched, adorned with feathers and who knows what (the cover photo is a pretty normal example), all intended as happy marriage aides, to bring entertainment for husband's eyes only into the privacy of the bedroom.

A fascinating look at an primarily Islam country affection for (trashy) lingerie. Book is filled with interviews and essays by Syrian men & women about the role lingerie has in a marriage. The women do not buy this lingerie before marriage. A common theme thru the book is that the lingerie is very important to most in a marriage, otherwise & I quote "the men would otherwise stray.".My conclusion is a Syrian woman must be a nun in public & temptress in private. Most of the lingerie in the book is childishly funny. Some of the thongs & bras have cell phone, feathers , flowers, stuffed animals, sequins, tweety bird, some play songs like Old Mac Donald had a farm. A good read and it gives you something to think about.