The History of Men's Underwear
Mens underwear has evolved from being nothing more than a simple protective garment to become a key element in every underwear drawer around the globe. If you wish to discover how underwear has evolved through the ages and the history behind your favourite pair of underwear, read on!
Fig Leaves vs. Loincloths
Some have argued that the fig leaf was the first style of men’s underwear; however both historians and archaeologists reserve this title for the loincloth. Worn as much as 7000 years ago by cavemen and still worn today by many different cultures and religions, the loincloth’s primary purpose was to protect the genitalia from harm and from the elements.
As Shaun Cole writes in his book ‘The Story of Men’s Underwear’, there are few examples of men’s underwear from early history to demonstrate and prove the development of men’s underwear. The discovery of ‘Ötzi the Iceman’ in 1991 dates the loincloth back to c. 3300 BC, while the discovery of Tutankhamun’s nearly intact-tomb in 1922 revealed that he had been buried with 145 loincloths to take into the afterlife in c. 1323 BC. Letters written by Roman Military Officers, found at Hadrians Wall in 1973 and dated at c. 90 – 120 AD, included a list of clothing: socks, two pairs of sandals and two pairs of underpants.
Speculation exists as to whether Ancient Greeks (c. 8th century BC – 6th century AD) wore loincloths under their chitons or simply reserved them for their slaves, however it is here that history of men’s underwear goes dark until, ironically, more information came to light in the Medieval Ages (c. 5th century AD – 15th century AD).
Braies
Although originally outer garments, ‘braies’ became a true style of men’s underwear in the mid-twelfth century when largely concealed by a tunic. Originally featuring wide, baggy legs reaching to the calf muscle, the length varied from ankle to knee before evolutions in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries saw the waistline lowered to the hip and the length and tightness resemble that of modern men’s briefs.
Not only was wearing breeches considered a sign of good manners, it was more importantly linked with cleanliness. As was to be expected, standards of hygiene were greater amongst the higher levels of society, who saw braies as a barrier between bodily secretions and their outer wear and would wash their braies frequently as a result.
The Codpiece
In the fourteenth century, there was an inherent design flaw with breeches - namely that a man’s genitals were often only covered by a layer of abrasive linen. Initially assuming the dual purpose of protection and practicality, the codpiece eventually took on a more decorative roll, becoming a prominent feature of armour with elaborate patterns and padding to draw attention to the genital area. This was not to serve as a sexual invitation to women, but as an aggressive show of power towards other men. However, in some instances it may have had a more practical purpose; acting as a pocket for men to carry keys, coins and a handkerchief, or as some historians have suggested, to carry medication-soaked bandages to relieve the symptoms of King Henry VIII’s syphilis.
Drawers and Jock Straps
Drawers were worn underneath various forms of breeches from the early Seventeenth Century) to the late nineteenth century, in both long and short versions which evolved alongside current fashion trends. Still used primarily as a barrier to protect outer clothes from bodily soiling, by the end of the Seventeenth Century, only the poorest classes did not wear drawers, having to instead substitute by tucking the tails of long shirts between their legs.
As the eighteenth century came to a close, drawers had become shorter; tied at the knee and fastened at the waist by string and were still predominantly being utilised as a form of hygiene, warmth and protection. This practise continued into the nineteenth century, wherein gentlemen wore drawers of cotton, chamois and doeskin to not only produce the illusion of nudity, but to also emphasise the male bulge to enhance perceived masculinity.
Short woollen drawers became fashionable for sport and country wear during the 1870’s; still tied at the knee, they would often include waistbands of up to 3 inches and marked the first appearance of the ‘fly’ feature, with diagonally positioned front fastening buttons. Another innovation of the nineteenth century was that of the bicycle jockey strap, later abbreviated to ‘jock strap’, which was designed in 1874 to provide athletic support to bicycle jockeys who traversed the cobbled streets of Boston.
Union Suits
It was during this time that developments in the approach to personal cleanliness occurred, drawing attention to fabrics, hygiene and health more than ever before. The first half of the twentieth century was subject to much experimentation in the design and manufacture of men’s underwear, and saw the first true commercial advertising of men’s underwear brands.
Men’s union suits first appeared in the late nineteenth century; however it was in the early Twentieth Century when they truly became popular for their combination of warmth and a lack of previously essential mid-mounted bulky fabric. Although the first union suits featured buttons down the centre front for ease of access, matters of convenience necessitated the development of better access at the rear. Originally featuring a simple buttoned drop-flap, designs emerged including overlapped fabric in an ‘x’ which worked in much the same way as the modern ‘keyhole fly’ and a diagonal opening from the hip to the crotch of the opposite leg, fastened by a solitary button to eliminate discomfort.
Boxer Shorts
Supposedly named after heavyweight boxer Jack Dempsey won the world title in 1919 while wearing long, loose shorts; boxer shorts served as an alternative to the more popular union suit in the first decade of the twentieth century. Advertised as giving a man a ‘perfect freedom of motion’, soldiers of the First World War were issued this style of men’s underwear for use in the summer months. Upon their return, many veterans continued to wear boxer shorts, contributing to the styles success and therefore increasing demand.
In a stark contrast to the popularity this style of men’s underwear enjoys today, it was widely considered to be an old-fashioned style before the 1980’s became swept up in the nostalgic revival of 1950’s Americana.
Briefs and Y-Fronts
Men’s briefs were first thought to have been created in 1918 when Pierre Valton cut the legs off a pair of long john style underpants and replaced the buttons with an elastic waistband; however records have indicated this style was available in France as early as 1906. The elastic waistband and leg openings were advertised as athletic underwear, as they were able to provide support and comfort without hindering the movement of the legs.
Arguably the most successful comfort-related innovation in men’s underwear was the invention of the y-front. In 1934, Arthur Kneibler received a postcard with a picture of a man wearing brief-style swimwear and subsequently instructed his designers at Cooper’s Inc to create the new style of men’s brief. This new style of men’s underwear offered ‘masculine support’ through a double layer of fabric in the centre front, a now common feature in men’s underwear design. The waistband and leg openings were made from Lastex, offering the same style of support previously only available from the jock strap, leading to the temporary name of ‘jockeys’ before the addition of a ‘y’ shaped seam opening resulted in ‘Cooper’s Jockey Y-Fronts’.
Boxer Briefs, G-Strings and Thongs
The Second World War had an unavoidable impact on the underwear industry, due to inevitable materials shortages, clothes rationing and war related patriotic advertising imagery. By the end of all rationing in 1954, both manufacturers and consumers desired new styles, colours and ranges of men’s underwear. New fabrics such as Nylon and Lycra emerged in the mid-1960’s as did new cuts including the ‘bikini’ brief.
It was not until the early 1990’s that men’s boxer briefs first appeared, as men’s underwear manufacturers combined the leg length of boxer shorts and the tight fit and support of the brief to create what is now one of the most popular styles of men’s underwear. Having been adopted and manufactured by both designer brands and high street retailers, this style has since been at the forefront of men’s underwear fashion, with variations in size such as the ‘boxer trunk’ becoming more and more popular, and built-in technological innovations which support and enhance becoming common.
‘Male lingerie’ first came to prominence during the 1970’s when men’s underwear was increasingly being designed to be seen, as opposed to their more practical past. Undoubtedly targeted at a young audience, journalists have categorised the middle-aged men who purchase this style of men’s underwear as trying to hold onto their youth. Possibly becoming fashionable due to growing awareness of ‘visible panty lines’, g-strings and thongs have steadily grown in popularity since their first introduction; however they remain more popular throughout Europe as opposed to the United Kingdom.
21st Century
Men’s underwear in the Twenty-First Century has been influenced by a number of factors, including the ‘partner purchase’, where wives, girlfriends or partners buy underwear for their men, and the rise of the ‘metrosexual’ as a result of a growing awareness of a man’s health, physical appearance and dress-sense. This in turn has placed a greater emphasis on fashion over function, with many designer brands adding brightly coloured and patterned designs to their ranges. Sales figures for the classic styles of men’s underwear remain strong, indicating that they have not been replaced by their newer competitors and as such still have a place in the modern man’s underwear drawer.