Midriff

[3] It was introduced to fashion in 1932 by Madeleine Vionnet when she offered an evening gown with strategically cut openings at the waist.

However, midriff fashion was stated as only for beaches and informal events and considered indecent to be worn in other public situations.

Beginning in the late 1940s, school dress codes in the United States started to ban bare midriffs.

[4][5] During the 1980s, pop star Madonna appeared in bare midriff looks in her performances and music videos, which helped in spreading this fashion widely.

One way of showing the midriff that has proved popular with designers is simply fastening a jacket or vest at the neckline and letting it fall freely.

[12] Particularly present were the bare midriffs of Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez and Christina Aguilera.

[22] However, these women often cover their heads with a dupatta[23] and even cover their faces in front of strangers, which enforces the belief that midriff-baring in India has a symbolic, almost mystical, association with birth and life and that the display is meant to emphasise the centrality of nature in the nurture role.