The Evolution Of Men's Underwear
The first thing you put on, the last thing you take off, underwear - no matter in what shape or style - is the one thing that most men have in common. You may think they're just pieces of cloth, protecting your parts and keeping them close, but what you've probably never realized is this: when you put on underwear, you're participating in a historic act, passed down through the ages.
Okay, maybe that's putting too much on "leg in, leg in, pull up, adjust", especially since the first underwear didn't even have legs. The first type of part protection was the loincloth - stylish, comfortable and nothing more than a strip of leather with strings. Welcome to cave man days.
Loincloths stayed in style for ages, but the material changed. Ancient Egyptians also used the loincloth, but decided linen was more comfortable than leather. Believing that underwear would be needed even in the afterlife, the ancient Egyptians buried their dead pharaohs with them. In fact, King Tutankhamen (also known as King Tut), was buried with over 140 loincloths; no matter what happened, he'd be prepared with a clean pair.
In Greece, while the free peoples didn't wear loincloths - they wore a body wrap from neck to knee - the slaves did. Ancient Romans, particularly gladiators, athletes and stage actors, wore subligaculums, a fancy name for loincloths or shorts.
On to the Middle Ages and a time when people believed in magic, caused mayhem, wore clanking armor and decided that codpieces were needed. In the 13th century, the people realized how important underwear were, and threw off the loincloth. Braies, or baggy drawers, replaced the loincloth and introduced the whole act of "leg in, leg in, pull up, adjust". With their importance recognized, underwear began to include undershirts and stockings as well.
The original design of the braies were long, tying at the waist and mid-calf, but the Renaissance Era saw a change in design. The codpiece became essential, making it possible for a man to urinate without taking the braies off. This allowed the brais to be snug around the legs, rather than baggy. The codpieces were shaped to accentuate parts or - in the case of King Henry VIII and others - padded to greatly accentuate parts.
The Victorian Era saw the first breathable cotton, as well as silk, and pre-civil war America saw the advent of flannel underwear. A modification of the breis, most underwear was knee-length, had a drawstring and a button overlap in front.
As time moved on into the Industrial Revolution, underwear became the "union suit". Basically a body suit, the union suit covered the entire body except for hands, face and feet, with a drop flap in the rear. Later, the suit included sleeveless and knee-length styles.
Finally, in the 20th century, boxers replaced the union suit and, in the 1930s, the button was replaced by elastic waistbands. The name "boxers" came from professional fighters, who first wore the shorts. Then, with the advent of the Jockey Y-vent briefs, men's underwear began coming in several styles and fabrics.
During World War II, buttons came back into style because rubber and metal was in short supply, but color became an option. One of the main reasons for the adoption of colored underwear was because soldiers hung white briefs out to dry, which was entirely too conspicuous. Rather than the white, soldiers began being issued olive-colored briefs - better for camouflage.
Rayon was introduced in the 1950s, briefs got bigger in the 1960s, and the thong and g-string showed up on the beaches of Brazil in the 1970s. Now, styles and fabrics range from the all-so-breathable cotton to silk to rayon, from boxer-briefs to just plain briefs. Interestingly enough, however, it all goes back to the loincloth, which is once again becoming all the rage in China.
So - the next time you put on underwear, no matter the shape or style, remember that you're participating in a time-honored tradition... "Leg in, leg in, pull up, adjust"!
About the Author
About The Author At NuWear.com we focus exclusively on underwear for those who want to show off a hot physique or just have a little more fun. Our selection includes silk and satin to lounge wear in stretch microfiber and more. Visit http://www.nuwear.com/ online today.
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