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Decorated with silk flowers, fabric birds, and plastic insects and toys, these outrageous outfits are part of the female rites of passage from virginity to womanhood and an important item for working class weddings and marriages. Feathers and fur on undergarments are symbolic of the nest, while cellphones and cartoon figures on bikinis flaunt modernity. Some of the lingerie sets border on S&M getups, while others resemble the kitsch ensembles of burlesque dancers and drag queens. However, taken as a whole, this sexy lingerie gives us a better understanding of the Syrian culture and, if you’ll pardon the pun, lifts the political veil that separates us.