A babydoll outfit is a provocative sort of lingerie style that looks like a short nightgown that normally has thin straps, and sometimes has a built-in bra to show the cleavage and make it more sexy.
A babydoll is a short, occasionally sleeveless, loose-fitting nightgown or negligee for women. It sometimes has what is called a Bralette, which is a half bra, and an attached bottom part that usually falls down to the upper thigh or the belly button. It is usually open and ties like a robe, but some types are not open in the front and pull over the head.
A babydoll is a kind of lingerie made of a short tank top that sometimes has a bikini bottom to match. The term babydoll is thought to either apply to the fact that children's dolls wear short dresses or the movie Baby Doll that came out in 1956. In that movie, the star wore short negligees and shortly after that movie, these sexy pieces of lingerie became very popular and began to be mass produced.
The fabric used to make them was usually nylon, cotton, nylon or polyester. They are usually decorated with bows, ribbons, lace or fake fur. Most have spaghetti style straps and tie in the front. In some babydolls, the stomach is revealed, while others are a short nightgown without being open in the front. Sometimes they are sheer and made with chiffon or silk.
The babydoll is very popular and the styles of today are much more revealing than they were in the 1950s or 1960s. Any surviving babydoll from that era is now considered a collector's item. They were much longer and more like what is called shortie nightgowns nowadays.
Most babydolls today are short enough to see the matching panties that are worn with them. Lingerie shops usually devote an entire department to the babydoll since there are so many different styles, fabrics, colours and uses for them.
There are also babydoll style tops that are not meant for sleepwear. These are often worn with leggings and are very popular in Japan. This style also appeared on the show Top Model. These are short, tunic style and brightly coloured tops.
There is also a style of dress called a babydoll that isn't as short, but the style itself resembles the form of a babydoll in that it has an empire waist and flows downward to form the skirt-like bottom part.
