Undergarments are clothes worn under other clothes, often next to the skin. Clothing (also called clothes, accoutrements, accouterments, or habiliments) protects the Human body from extreme Weather They keep outer garments from being soiled by perspiration, shape the body and provide support for parts of it, and in cold climates help the wearer to keep warm. Undergarments can be used to preserve the wearer's modesty, as well as for erotic effect. Standards of modesty (also called demureness or reticence) are aspects of the Culture of a Country or people at a given point in time Special types of undergarments have religious significance. A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos Some items of clothing are designed as underwear, while others such as T-shirts and certain types of shorts are appropriate both as undergarments and as outer clothing. A T-shirt (or tee shirt) is a Shirt which is pulled on over the head to cover most of a person's Torso. "Hot Pants" redirects here For the James Brown song see Hot Pants (song Shorts are a Garment worn by both men and women over If made of suitable material, some undergarments can serve as nightwear or swimsuits. Nightwear, also called "sleepwear" "sleeping suit" "nightclothes" or "nightdress" is Clothing designed to be worn while A swimsuit, bathing suit or swimming costume is an item of Clothing designed to be worn for Swimming.

Undergarments commonly worn by women today include brassieres and panties (also known as knickers), while men wear briefs, boxer shorts or boxer briefs. brassiere ( Brit /'bɹæzɪə(ɹ/ US /bɹə'ziɹ/ commonly referred to as a bra, /bɹɑ/ is an article of clothing that covers supports and elevates Panties (in the USA and Canada or knickers (in the UK and Commonwealth are a form of Underwear, usually light and snug-fitting designed to be worn by Women In the United Kingdom, Ireland and some Commonwealth nations knickers is a word for women's Undergarments George Cruikshank, whose For other uses of Brief(s see Brief Briefs are a type of short tight Y-shaped Underwear and Swimwear, as opposed Boxer shorts (also known as loose boxers or as simply boxers) are a type of Underwear worn by men Boxer briefs (or tight boxers) are a type of men's Underwear They are long in the leg like Boxer shorts, but tighter-fitting like Briefs Items worn by both sexes include T-shirts, sleeveless shirts, bikini underwear, thongs and G-strings. A sleeveless shirt, tank top or singlet (or sometimes Vest) is a Shirt manufactured without Sleeves or one where the sleeves A bikini or two-piece is a type of women's Swimsuit, characterized by two separate parts &mdash one covering the Breasts (optionally in the case of The thong is an Undergarment and Swimwear, worn by both sexes mostly women in a style characterized by a thin strip of material along the center of the garment’s Origin G-string or thong is probably the earliest form of Clothing known to mankind having originated in the warmer climates of Sub-Saharan Africa where clothing In countries where the weather is cold, long underwear provides warmth. Long underwear, often called long johns, is a style of two-piece Underwear with long sleeves and long legs that is normally worn during cold weather

Contents 1 Terminology 2 Function 2.1 Religious functions 3 Types and styles 4 Fashions and trends 4.1 Designers and retailers 4.2 Exposed undergarments 4.3 Not wearing undergarments 5 History 5.1 Ancient history 5.2 Middle Ages and Renaissance 5.3 Enlightenment and Industrial Age 5.4 1900s to 1920s 5.5 1930s and 1940s 5.6 1950s and 1960s 5.7 1970s to the present day 6 See also 7 Notes 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External links

Terminology

There are a number of alternative terms for undergarments. "Underclothes", "underclothing" and "underwear" are formal terms, while undergarments may be more casually referred to as "undies". In Australia, one may hear undergarments being called "Reg Grundys" (rhyming slang for "undies") or "Reginalds", while in the UK the term "smalls" is sometimes used. Rhyming slang is a form of Slang in which a word is replaced either by another word or phrase that rhymes with it or by the first word of such a phrase in which

Women's undergarments are collectively known as "lingerie". Lingerie is a term for fashionable and alluring women's Undergarments It derives from the French word linge, "washables" — as in faire le linge They may also be called "intimate clothing" or simply "intimates".

An "undershirt" is a general word for a piece of underwear covering the torso, while "underpants" (in the UK, often simply "pants"), "drawers", or "shorts" enclose the genital region. An undershirt is an article of Underwear worn underneath a Shirt. Torso is an anatomical term for the central part of the many animal bodies (including that of the human from which extend the neck and limbs A sex organ, or primary sexual characteristic, as narrowly defined is any of the anatomical parts of the body which are involved in sexual reproduction and constitute Terms for specific forms of undergarments are listed in the table below.

Function

Undergarments are worn for a variety of reasons. They keep outer garments from being soiled by perspiration. Women's brassieres provide support for their breasts, and men's briefs serve the same function for the male genitalia; a corset is worn to mould the torso into a certain shape. brassiere ( Brit /'bɹæzɪə(ɹ/ US /bɹə'ziɹ/ commonly referred to as a bra, /bɹɑ/ is an article of clothing that covers supports and elevates The breast is the upper Ventral region of an animal’s Torso, particularly that of Mammals including Human beings. For other uses of Brief(s see Brief Briefs are a type of short tight Y-shaped Underwear and Swimwear, as opposed The human male reproductive system is a series of organs located outside of the body and around the pelvic region of a Male that contribute towards the reproductive A corset is a Garment worn to mold and shape the Torso into a desired shape for Aesthetic or medical purposes (either for the duration of wearing it or Torso is an anatomical term for the central part of the many animal bodies (including that of the human from which extend the neck and limbs For additional support and protection when playing sports, men often wear more tightly fitting underwear, including jockstraps and trunks. A jockstrap (also known as a jock jock strap strap supporter or athletic supporter is an Undergarment designed for supporting the Male genitalia during the Boxer briefs (or tight boxers) are a type of men's Underwear They are long in the leg like Boxer shorts, but tighter-fitting like Briefs Women may wear sports bras which provide greater support, thus increasing comfort and reducing the chance of damage to the ligaments of the chest during high-impact exercises such as jogging. Sports bra is a bra that provides firm support for the Breasts It is intended for wear during vigorous exercise that might cause the breasts to move uncomfortably In Anatomy, the term ligament is used to denote three different types of structures Fibrous tissue that connects Bones to other bones

In cold climates, undergarments are an additional layer of clothing that help the wearer to keep warm. Undergarments can be used to preserve the wearer's modesty – for instance, some women wear camisoles and slips (petticoats) under clothes that are sheer. Standards of modesty (also called demureness or reticence) are aspects of the Culture of a Country or people at a given point in time A camisole or cami is a Woman 's Undergarment which covers the top part of the body A slip is a Woman 's Undergarment worn beneath a dress or skirt to help it hang smoothly and to prevent chafing of the Skin from coarse A petticoat or underskirt is an article of Clothing for Women; specifically an Undergarment to be worn under a Skirt, dress or " Sheer " when applied to fabric, refers to semi- transparent and flimsy cloth Conversely, undergarments can also be worn for erotic effect. It is possible to purchase underwear made specifically for sexual titillation, such as edible underwear and crotchless panties. Edible underwear is a type of Undergarment that are formed of an edible material which can be consumed by the partner during sexual activity Panties (in the USA and Canada or knickers (in the UK and Commonwealth are a form of Underwear, usually light and snug-fitting designed to be worn by Women

Some items of clothing are designed as underwear, while others such as T-shirts and certain types of shorts are suitable both as undergarments and as outer clothing. A T-shirt (or tee shirt) is a Shirt which is pulled on over the head to cover most of a person's Torso. "Hot Pants" redirects here For the James Brown song see Hot Pants (song Shorts are a Garment worn by both men and women over The suitability of underwear as outer clothing is, apart from the indoor or outdoor climate, largely dependent on societal norms, fashion and the requirements of the law. Fashion refers to styles of dress (but can also include cuisine literature art architecture and general comportment that are popular in a culture at any given time If made of suitable material, some undergarments can serve as nightwear or swimsuits. Nightwear, also called "sleepwear" "sleeping suit" "nightclothes" or "nightdress" is Clothing designed to be worn while A swimsuit, bathing suit or swimming costume is an item of Clothing designed to be worn for Swimming.

Religious functions

Undergarments can also have religious significance:

• Judaism. In some denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement, the temple garment — religious vesture worn beneath Outerwear and analogous with the Tallit katan A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos Some Orthodox Jews wear a four-cornered prayer shawl called a tallit katan, which has tzitzit (fringes) attached to the corners, draped over their shoulders. Orthodox Judaism is the formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized A shawl ( Persian شال Shāl from Sanskrit: साडी śāṭī is a simple item of Clothing, loosely worn over the shoulders upper body and arms The tallit (טַלִּית also called tallis ( Yiddish, plural taleysm) is a prayer Shawl worn during the morning Jewish services Tzitzit or tzitzis ( Hebrew: Biblical   ציצת Modern   ציצית) are "fringes" To conform with societal dress codes, a tallit katan is often worn beneath one's shirt, but above an undershirt as it should not come into contact with the skin. ^[1]
• Mormonism. Most members of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) wear special temple garments after they have been endowed in a temple to help them remember the teachings of the temple. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known Mormonism is a term used to describe the religious, ideological and cultural elements of certain branches of the Latter Day Saint movement In some denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement, the temple garment — religious vesture worn beneath Outerwear and analogous with the Tallit katan In Latter Day Saint theology the Endowment usually refers to an ordinance or ritual that is performed in Latter Day Saint temples. In the ^[2]
• Sikhism. One of the panj kakaar (five articles of faith) that Sikh men wear is a type of underpants called the kaccha, which are similar to boxer shorts. "Five K" can also refer to a five-kilometer distance in long-distance running or other sports Sikhism ( IPA: or; ਸਿੱਖੀ sikkhī, IPA:) founded on the teachings of Nanak and nine successive gurus in fifteenth century Kachera/Kaccha ( Punjabi: ਕਛ are an undergarment which looks similar to boxer shorts Boxer shorts (also known as loose boxers or as simply boxers) are a type of Underwear worn by men

Types and styles

Common contemporary types and styles of undergarments are listed in the table below.

Type	Other names	Information	Varieties
Worn by both sexes
Whole body
Long underwear	Long johns, long handles	A two-piece undergarment worn during cold weather consisting of a shirt with sleeves extending to the wrists and trousers with pant legs reaching down to the ankles. Long underwear, often called long johns, is a style of two-piece Underwear with long sleeves and long legs that is normally worn during cold weather	Thermal underwear – made from two-ply fabric.
Upper body
Sleeveless shirt	Tank top	A sleeveless garment similar to a T-shirt. A sleeveless shirt, tank top or singlet (or sometimes Vest) is a Shirt manufactured without Sleeves or one where the sleeves	A-shirt (guinea tee,[3] muscle shirt, singlet, wifebeater; UK: vest) – tight-fitting with large armholes and a neckline that can extend as far as mid-chest.
T-shirt	Tee	A garment covering a person's torso which is usually without buttons, pockets or a collar, and has long or (mostly) short sleeves. A T-shirt (or tee shirt) is a Shirt which is pulled on over the head to cover most of a person's Torso. It is worn by pulling it over the head.	Round-neck T-shirt V-neck T-shirt
Lower body
Bikini underwear		Usually worn with the waistband lower than the wearer's waist, and often at the hips, with the leg bands ending at the groin. A bikini or two-piece is a type of women's Swimsuit, characterized by two separate parts &mdash one covering the Breasts (optionally in the case of In Human anatomy, the groin areas are the two creases at the junction of the Torso with the Legs on either side of the Pubic Men's bikini briefs normally have no fly. A fly is a zipped, Velcro or buttoned opening in Trousers, shorts and other garments covering the Groin.	High-sided bikini underwear Low-sided bikini underwear String bikini – consists of two triangular pieces connected at the groin but not at the sides, with a thin "string" around the waist connecting the pieces. A bikini or two-piece is a type of women's Swimsuit, characterized by two separate parts &mdash one covering the Breasts (optionally in the case of In Human anatomy, the groin areas are the two creases at the junction of the Torso with the Legs on either side of the Pubic
G-string	Gee-string, gee string	A type of thong consisting of a narrow piece of material that covers or holds the genitals, passes between the buttocks, and is attached to a band around the hips. Origin G-string or thong is probably the earliest form of Clothing known to mankind having originated in the warmer climates of Sub-Saharan Africa where clothing
Tanga		A type of thong which has no material around the sides other than the waistband. The thong is an Undergarment and Swimwear, worn by both sexes mostly women in a style characterized by a thin strip of material along the center of the garment’s
Thong		Has a thin strip of material along the centre of the garment's rear which sits between the wearer's buttocks and connects the front or pouch to the waistband behind the wearer. The thong is an Undergarment and Swimwear, worn by both sexes mostly women in a style characterized by a thin strip of material along the center of the garment’s Thongs are sometimes worn to reduce "panty lines" when wearing tightly-fitting trousers. A prominent visible panty line or VPL ( visible panty line) occurs when the outline of one's Underpants becomes visible through one's clothes Trousers are an item of Clothing worn on the lower part of the body from the waist to the ankles covering both legs separately (rather than with cloth stretching across
Worn by women
Upper body
Brassiere	Bra	Usually consists of two cups for the breasts, a centre panel (gore), a band running around the torso under the bust, and a shoulder strap for each side. brassiere ( Brit /'bɹæzɪə(ɹ/ US /bɹə'ziɹ/ commonly referred to as a bra, /bɹɑ/ is an article of clothing that covers supports and elevates	Demi bra (balconette bra) Padded bra Push-up bra Sports bra Strapless bra T-shirt bra
Lower body
Boy shorts	Booty shorts, boyleg briefs, boy short panties, boys' cut shorts, boyshorts, shorties	A type of panties with sides that extend lower down the hips, rather like men's briefs. Sports bra is a bra that provides firm support for the Breasts It is intended for wear during vigorous exercise that might cause the breasts to move uncomfortably Boy shorts, also known as boy short panties, boys' cut, booty shorts, shorties or boyleg briefs are a sort of Lingerie
Panties	UK: Knickers	These usually have an elastic waistband, a crotch to cover the genital area which is usually lined with absorbent material such as cotton, and a pair of leg openings which are often also elasticized. Panties (in the USA and Canada or knickers (in the UK and Commonwealth are a form of Underwear, usually light and snug-fitting designed to be worn by Women In the United Kingdom, Ireland and some Commonwealth nations knickers is a word for women's Undergarments George Cruikshank, whose They either have very short or no leg sections.	Control panties – usually made of strechable material such as Spandex and extending above the waist, these are designed to provide support and create a slimmer appearance. Spandex or elastane is a Synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity. High cut (French cut) panties. Hipsters – worn lower with the waistband around the hips.
Worn by men
Lower body
Boxer briefs	Trunks	These are similar in style to boxer shorts, but are generally shorter and form-fitting like briefs. Boxer briefs (or tight boxers) are a type of men's Underwear They are long in the leg like Boxer shorts, but tighter-fitting like Briefs	Athletic-style boxer briefs – similar to cycling shorts, these are skin-tight and usually have no fly. Cycling shorts (also known as bike shorts or bicycling shorts) are short skin-tight legwear designed to improve comfort and efficiency while Cycling Pouch boxer briefs – these have a pouch for the genitals instead of a fly.
Boxer shorts	Boxers	These have an elasticized waistband that is at or near the wearer's waist, while the leg sections are fairly loose and extend to the mid-thigh. Boxer shorts (also known as loose boxers or as simply boxers) are a type of Underwear worn by men There is usually a fly, either with or without buttons. In Clothing and Fashion design, a button is a small plastic or metal disc- or knob-shaped typically round object usually attached to an article of Clothing The waistbands of boxer shorts are usually wider than those of briefs, and often bear the brand name of the manufacturer. A brand is a collection of Images and ideas representing an economic producer more specifically it refers to the descriptive verbal attributes and concrete symbols such as a Boxer shorts with colourful patterns, pictures of cartoon characters, sports team logos and slogans are readily available.	Knit boxers Woven boxers
Briefs	UK: Slip, Y-fronts US: Tightie-whities	These have an elasticized waistband at or near the wearer's waist, and leg sections that end at or near the groin. For other uses of Brief(s see Brief Briefs are a type of short tight Y-shaped Underwear and Swimwear, as opposed In Human anatomy, the groin areas are the two creases at the junction of the Torso with the Legs on either side of the Pubic	Traditional briefs – these have a Y-shaped fly. Diagonal-flap briefs. Double-seat or double-back briefs. Low-cut or low-rise briefs Pouch briefs.
Jockstrap	Athletic supporter, jock, strap, supporter	Consists of an elastic waistband with a support pouch for the genitalia and two elastic straps affixed to the base of the pouch and to the left and right sides of the waistband at the hip. A jockstrap (also known as a jock jock strap strap supporter or athletic supporter is an Undergarment designed for supporting the Male genitalia during the In some varieties, the pouch may be fitted with a pocket to hold an impact-resistant cup to protect the genitals from injury.	Strapless pouch – consists of a support pouch for the genitals and a waistband, with no securing straps.

Fashions and trends

Designers and retailers

A number of major designer labels are renowned for their underwear collections, including Calvin Klein and Dolce & Gabbana. The term designer label refers to clothing and other personal accessory items sold under an often prestigious marquee which is commonly named after a designer Calvin Klein Inc is an American fashion brand founded in 1968 by Calvin Klein. Dolce & Gabbana (ˈdolt͡ʃe ænd gaˈbana is an Italian Fashion house. Likewise, specialist underwear brands such as 2(x)ist, C-IN2, Ginch Gonch and Lord, are constantly emerging. 2(xist is an American manufacturer of men's Underwear. The brand was founded by Gregory Sovell who in 2005 left the company to start C-IN2 a competing Ginch Gonch is a Canadian Underwear company based in Vancouver, BC Canada created in 2004 by Jason Sutherland and

Specialist retailers of underwear include high street stores La Senza (Canada), Agent Provocateur (UK), Victoria's Secret (USA), and GapBody, the lingerie division of the Gap established in 1998 (USA). High Street, or the High Street, is a Metonym for the generic name (and frequently the official name of the primary Business street La Senza Corporation is a large fashion retail group based in Montreal Quebec which specialises in own-branded stores located in shopping centers as well as online shopping Agent Provocateur is a well known Lingerie brand based in the United Kingdom. For the Sonata Arctica single see Victoria's Secret (song Victoria's Secret is an American retailer of women's wear Lingerie and beauty In 2008 Abercrombie & Fitch opened a new chain of stores, Gilly Hicks, to compete with other underwear retailers. Abercrombie & Fitch ('æbɝkrɒmbiː ænd 'fɪtʃ ( (A&F is an American clothing Retailer. Gilly Hicks is a Lifestyle brand, Marketed for the female consumers of it's parent brand Gilly Hicks is officially labled as "the Cheeky cousin of Abercrombie & Fitch

Exposed undergarments

See also: Sagging (fashion)

Underwear is sometimes partly exposed for fashion reasons or to titillate. Sagging is a manner of wearing Pants or Shorts below the Waist, revealing some or all of their underwear. A woman may, for instance, allow the top of her brassiere to peek out from under her collar, or wear a see-through blouse over it. In Clothing, a collar is the part of a Shirt, Dress, coat or Blouse that fastens around or frames the Neck. The word blouse most commonly refers to a woman's Shirt, although the term is also used for some men's military uniform jackets Some men wear T-shirts underneath partly- or fully-unbuttoned shirts. A shirt is a cloth garment for the upper body Originally an item of underwear worn exclusively by men it has become in American English a catch-all term for

A common style among young men is to allow their trousers to sag below their waists, thus revealing the waistband or a greater portion of their boxer shorts. Sagging is a manner of wearing Pants or Shorts below the Waist, revealing some or all of their underwear. A woman wearing low-rise trousers which expose the upper rear portion of her thong underwear is said to display a "whale tail". Whale tail is the Y-shaped waistband of a thong or G-string when visible above the waistline of Low-rise jeans, Shorts, or a Skirt

Not wearing undergarments

Main article: Going commando

Not wearing undergarments under one's outer clothing is known in American slang as "freeballing" for men or "freebuffing" for women; in addition, the term "going commando" is used for both sexes. Going commando (or to go commando or "free balling" is the practice of not wearing underwear under one's outer clothing Going commando (or to go commando or "free balling" is the practice of not wearing underwear under one's outer clothing ^[4] People choose to forgo underwear for reasons of comfort, to enable their outer garments (particularly those which are form-fitting) to look more flattering, or because they find it sexually arousing. The practice is not without its risks, particularly for women, some of whom have been the victims of upskirt photographers. Upskirt is a:slang term usually referring to up skirt photography, images of the view up a woman's Skirt (as seen from underneath including shots of

Certain types of clothes, such as cycling shorts and kilts, are designed to be worn or are traditionally worn without underwear. Cycling shorts (also known as bike shorts or bicycling shorts) are short skin-tight legwear designed to improve comfort and efficiency while Cycling The kilt is a knee-length garment with pleats at the rear originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century

History

Ancient history

The loincloth is the simplest form of underwear; it was probably the first undergarment worn by human beings. Art History Mosaics of the 4th century BC are found in the Macedonian palace-city of Aegae, and they enriched the floors of Hellenistic Piazza Armerina (Sicilian Ciazza) is an Italian comune in the Province of Enna of the autonomous island region of Sicily. Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. A subligaculum was a kind of undergarment worn by ancient Romans. A loincloth is a one-piece male garment sometimes kept in place by a belt, which covers the In warmer climates the loincloth was often the only clothing worn (effectively making it an outer garment rather than an undergarment), as was doubtless its origin, but in colder regions the loincloth often formed the basis of a person's clothing and was covered by other garments. In most ancient civilizations, this was the only undergarment available.

A loincloth may take three major forms. The first, and simplest, is simply a long strip of material which is passed between the legs and then around the waist. Archaeologists have found the remains of such loincloths made of leather dating back 7,000 years. Leather is a material created through the Tanning of hides and Skins of Animals primarily Cattlehide The Tanning process ^[5] The ancient Hawaiian malo was of this form, as are several styles of the Japanese fundoshi. The State of Hawaii ( or həˈwaɪʔiː Hawaiian: Mokuāina o Hawaii) is a state in the United States located on an Archipelago in the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. is the traditional Japanese Underwear for adult males made from a length of cotton Another form is usually called a cache-sexe: a triangle of cloth is provided with strings or loops, which are used to fasten the triangle between the legs and over the genitals. A cache-sexe is an item often a small garment that covers its user's genitals Egyptian king Tutankhamun (1341 BC – 1323 BC) was found buried with numerous linen loincloths of this style. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Linen is a Textile made from the Fibers of the Flax plant Linum usitatissimum. ^[5] An alternate form is more skirt-like: a cloth is wrapped around the hips several times and then fastened with a girdle. A skirt is a tube- or cone-shaped Garment that hangs from the Waist and covers all or part of the Legs In European culture, skirts are usually This article is about the item of clothing In the Scots language, girdle refers to a cooking griddle.

Men are said to have worn loincloths in ancient Greece and Rome, though it is unclear whether Greek women wore undergarments. The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC There is some speculation that only slaves wore loincloths and that citizens did not wear undergarments beneath their chitons. A chiton ( Ancient Greek khitōn (χιτών was a form of clothing in Ancient Greece, worn by both women and men Mosaics of the Roman period indicate that women (primarily in an athletic context, whilst wearing nothing else) sometimes wore strophiae (breastcloths) or brassieres made of soft leather, along with subligaculae which were either in the form of shorts or loincloths. Art History Mosaics of the 4th century BC are found in the Macedonian palace-city of Aegae, and they enriched the floors of Hellenistic brassiere ( Brit /'bɹæzɪə(ɹ/ US /bɹə'ziɹ/ commonly referred to as a bra, /bɹɑ/ is an article of clothing that covers supports and elevates A subligaculum was a kind of undergarment worn by ancient Romans. "Hot Pants" redirects here For the James Brown song see Hot Pants (song Shorts are a Garment worn by both men and women over Subligaculae were also worn by men. ^[5]

The fabric used for loincloths may have been wool, linen or a linsey-woolsey blend. Wool is the fiber derived from the specialized skin cells called follicles of animals in the Caprinae family principally sheep, but the hair of certain species Linen is a Textile made from the Fibers of the Flax plant Linum usitatissimum. Linsey-woolsey (less often woolsey-linsey or in Scottish English wincey) is a coarse Twill or plain-woven fabric woven Only the upper classes could have afforded imported silk. Silk is a natural Protein Fiber, some forms of which can be woven into Textiles The best-known type of silk is obtained from cocoons

The loincloth continues to be worn by people around the world – it is the traditional form of undergarment in many Asian societies, for example. In various, mainly tropical, cultures, the traditional male dress may still consist of only a single garment below the waist or even none at all, with underwear as optional, including the Far-Eastern dhoti and lungi, or the Scottish kilt. The Far East is a term often used by people in the Western world to refer to the countries of East Asia. The pancha in Telugu, called dhoti or doti in Hindi, Laacha in Punjabi, Mundu in Malayalam The lungi ( Bengali: লুঙ্গি) is a Garment worn around the waist in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar The kilt is a knee-length garment with pleats at the rear originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century

Middle Ages and Renaissance

In the Middle Ages, western men's underwear became looser fitting. The loincloth was replaced by loose, trouser-like clothing called braies, which the wearer stepped into and then laced or tied around the waist and legs at about mid-calf. Trousers are an item of Clothing worn on the lower part of the body from the waist to the ankles covering both legs separately (rather than with cloth stretching across Wealthier men often wore chausses as well, which only covered the legs. Chausses (ʃoʊs French:) are armour for the legs usually made from mail. ^[5]

By the time of the Renaissance, braies had become shorter to accommodate longer styles of chausses. Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio (c 1485 &ndash August 27 1576 better known as Titian, was the leading painter of the 16th-century Venetian The Holy Roman Emperor (Römischer Kaiser or Römisch-Deutscher Kaiser Romanorum Imperator was the elected monarch ruling over the many varying numbers of states Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere Chausses were also giving way to form-fitting hose,^[5] which covered the legs and feet. For contemporary styles see Pantyhose, Hosiery WalterRaleighandson Fifteenth-century hose were often particolored, with each leg in a different-coloured fabric or even more than one colour on a leg. However, many types of braies, chausses and hose were not intended to be covered up by other clothing, so they were not actually underwear in the strict sense.

Braies were usually fitted with a front flap that was buttoned or tied closed. This codpiece allowed men to urinate without having to remove the braies completely. A codpiece (from Middle English cod, " Scrotum " is a flap or pouch that attaches to the front of the crotch of men's Trousers to provide Urination, also known as micturition, voiding, and more rarely emiction, is the process of disposing Urine from the Urinary bladder ^[5] Codpieces were also worn with hose when very short doublets – vest-like garments tied together in the front and worn under other clothing – were in fashion, as early forms of hose were open at the crotch. A doublet is a man's snug-fitting buttoned Jacket that was worn in Western Europe from the Middle Ages through to the mid-17th century Sleeveless Jackets or coats, known as vests in the US and as waistcoats in the UK and Ireland Henry VIII of England began padding his codpiece, which caused a spiralling trend of larger and larger codpieces that only ended by the end of the 16th century. Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland It has been speculated that the King may have had the venereal disease syphilis, and his large codpiece may have included a bandage soaked in medication to relieve its symptoms. A sexually transmitted disease ( STD) or venereal disease ( VD) is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between Humans Syphilis is a Sexually transmitted disease caused by the spirochetal Bacterium Treponema pallidum pallidum. ^[5] Henry VIII also wanted a healthy son and may have thought that projecting himself in this way would portray fertility. Codpieces were sometimes used as a pocket for holding small items. ^[5]

Over the upper part of their bodies, both medieval men and women usually wore a close-fitting shirt-like garment called a chemise in France, or a smock or shift in England. The term chemise can refer to the classic smock or shift, or else can refer to certain modern types of women's undergarments and dresses The forerunner of the modern-day shirt, men tucked long chemises into their braies and wore their outer clothing on top. A shirt is a cloth garment for the upper body Originally an item of underwear worn exclusively by men it has become in American English a catch-all term for Women wore them underneath their gowns or robes, sometimes with petticoats over the chemise. A gown ( Medieval Latin gunna) is a (usually loose outer Garment from knee- to full-length worn by men and women in Europe from A robe is a loose-fitting outer garment. A robe is distinguished from a Cape or Cloak by the fact that it usually has Sleeves The English A petticoat or underskirt is an article of Clothing for Women; specifically an Undergarment to be worn under a Skirt, dress or Elaborately quilted petticoats might be displayed by a cut-away dress, in which case they served a skirt rather than an undergarment. Quilting is a Sewing method done either by hand by Sewing machine, or by a longarm quilting system During the 16th century, the farthingale was popular. Farthingale is a term applied to any of several structures used under Western European women's Clothing in the late fifteenth and sixteenth centuries This was a petticoat stiffened with reed or willow rods so that it stood out from a woman's body like a cone extending from the waist. Phragmites australis, the common reed, is a large perennial grass found in Wetlands throughout temperate and tropical regions of the Willows, sallows and osiers form the Genus Salix, around 400 species of Deciduous Trees and Shrubs found primarily

Corsets also began to be worn about this time. A corset is a Garment worn to mold and shape the Torso into a desired shape for Aesthetic or medical purposes (either for the duration of wearing it or At first they were called pairs of bodies, which refers to a stiffened decorative bodice worn on top of another bodice stiffened with buckram, reeds, canes, whalebone or other materials. A bodice is an article of Clothing for women covering the body from the neck to the waist Buckram is a stiff Cloth, made of Cotton, and still occasionally Linen, which is used to cover and protect Books Buckram can also be used to A cane is a long straight wooden stick generally of Bamboo, Malacca ( Rattan) or some similar plant mainly used as a support such as a Walking stick Baleen or whalebone is the means by which Baleen whales feed These whales do not have Teeth, but instead have rows of baleen plates in These were not the small-waisted, curved corsets familiar from the Victorian era, but straight-lined corsets that flattened the bust. Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities

There is a myth that Crusaders, worried about the fidelity of their wives, forced them to wear chastity belts. The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents Fidelity is a notion that at its most abstract level implies a truthful connection to a source or sources A chastity belt is a locking item of clothing designed to prevent Sexual intercourse and possibly Masturbation. There is no reference, image, or surviving belt to support this story. Most historians of this period are of the view that a chastity belt was worn to prevent sexual assault and that the woman kept the key.

Men's braies and hose were eventually replaced by simple cotton, silk or linen drawers, which were usually knee-length trousers with a button flap in the front. Linen is a Textile made from the Fibers of the Flax plant Linum usitatissimum. ^[5]

Enlightenment and Industrial Age

The invention of the spinning jenny machines and the cotton gin in the second half of the 18th century made cotton fabrics widely available. Satire is often strictly defined as a literary genre or form; although in practice it is also found in the graphic and Performing arts In satire human The spinning jenny is a multi- Spool Spinning wheel. It was invented circa 1764 by James Hargreaves in Stanhill, near Blackburn A Cotton Gin' (short for cotton engine) is a machine that quickly and easily separates the Cotton fibers from the seedpods and the sometimes sticky seeds a job This allowed factories to mass-produce underwear, and for the first time, people began buying undergarments in stores rather than making them at home. Mass production (also called flow production, repetitive flow production, series production, or serial production) is the production of

Women's stays of the 18th century were laced behind and drew the shoulders back to form a high, round bosom and erect posture. See also Corset A corset is a garment that girds the Torso and shapes it according to the fashionable silhouette of the day Coloured stays were popular. With the relaxed country styles of the end of the century, stays became shorter and were unboned or only lightly boned, and were now called corsets. In Corsetry, a bone is one of the rigid parts of a Corset that forms its frame and gives it rigidity A corset is a Garment worn to mold and shape the Torso into a desired shape for Aesthetic or medical purposes (either for the duration of wearing it or Undue binding of a corset sometimes led to a woman needing to retire to the fainting room. A fainting room was a room used during the Victorian era, where women could go to rest when feeling faint. As tight waists became fashionable in the 1820s, the corset was again boned and laced to form the figure. By the 1860s, a tiny ("wasp") waist came to be seen as a symbol of beauty, and the corsets were stiffened with whalebone or steel to accomplish this. By the 1880s, the dress reform movement was campaigning against the pain and damage to internal organs and bones caused by tight lacing. During the middle and late '''Victorian''' period, various reformers proposed designed and wore clothing supposedly more rational and comfortable than the fashions of the time Tightlacing (also called corset training and waist training) is the practice of wearing a tightly-laced Corset to achieve extreme modifications to the Inez Gaches-Sarraute invented the "health corset", with a straight-fronted bust made to help support the wearer's muscles.

The corset was usually worn over a thin shirt-like shift of cotton or muslin. Muslin is a type of finely-woven Cotton fabric, introduced to Europe from the Middle East in the 17th century ^[6] In the latter half of the 19th century, as skirt styles became shorter, long drawers called pantalettes or pantaloons often accompanied the shift to keep the legs out of sight. A skirt is a tube- or cone-shaped Garment that hangs from the Waist and covers all or part of the Legs In European culture, skirts are usually Pantalettes are Undergarments covering the legs worn by women girls and very young boys (before they were Breeched) in the early- to mid- Nineteenth century

As skirts became fuller from the 1830s, women wore a profusion of petticoats to achieve a fashionable bell shape. By the 1850s, stiffened crinolines and later hoop skirts allowed ever wider skirts to be worn. Crinoline was originally a stiff fabric with a Weft of Horse-hair and a warp of Cotton or Linen thread. A hoop skirt or hoopskirt is a women's Undergarment worn in various periods to hold the Skirt extended into a fashionable shape The bustle, a frame or pad worn over the buttocks to enhance their shape, had been used off and on by women for two centuries, but reached the height of its popularity in the later 1880s, and went out of fashion for good in the 1890s. A bustle is a type of framework used to expand the fullness or support the drapery of the back of a woman's dress occurring predominantly between the mid- to late 1800s Women dressed in crinolines generally wore drawers under them for modesty and warmth.

Another common undergarment of the late-19th century for men, women and children was the union suit. A union suit is a type of one-piece long underwear. Created in Utica New York, United States, it originated as women's wear during the nineteenth-century Invented in Utica, New York, and patented in 1868, this was a one-piece front-buttoning garment usually made of knitted material with sleeves extending to the wrists and legs down to the ankles. Utica is a City in the American state of New York, and the County seat of Oneida County. It had a buttoned flap (known colloquially as the "access hatch", "drop seat" or "fireman's flap") in the back to ease visits to the toilet. The union suit was the precursor of long johns, a two-piece garment consisting of a long-sleeved top and long pants possibly named after American boxer John L. Sullivan who wore a similar garment in the ring. Long underwear, often called long johns, is a style of two-piece Underwear with long sleeves and long legs that is normally worn during cold weather John Lawrence Sullivan (October 15 1858 &ndash February 2 1918 was recognized as the first heavyweight champion of gloved boxing from February 7 1882 to 1892 and ^[5]

The jockstrap was invented in 1874 by C. A jockstrap (also known as a jock jock strap strap supporter or athletic supporter is an Undergarment designed for supporting the Male genitalia during the F. Bennett of a Chicago sporting goods company, Sharp & Smith, to provide comfort and support for bicycle jockeys riding the cobblestone streets of Boston, Massachusetts. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. Cobblestones are stones that were frequently used in the pavement of early Streets "Cobblestone" is derived from the very old English word "cob" ^[5] In 1897 Bennett's newly-formed Bike Web Company patented and began mass-producing the Bike Jockey Strap. ^[7]

1900s to 1920s

By the early 20th century, the mass-produced undergarment industry was booming, and competition forced producers to come up with all sorts of innovative and gimmicky designs to compete. The Hanes company emerged from this boom and quickly established itself as a top manufacturer of union suits, which were common until the 1930s. Hanes and Hanes Her Way are brands of Apparel currently owned by the Hanesbrands, Inc Corporation ( ^[5] Textile technology continued to improve, and the time to make a single union suit dropped from days to minutes. A textile is a flexible material comprised of a network of natural or artificial Fibres often referred to as thread or Yarn.

Meanwhile, designers of women's undergarments relaxed the corset. The invention of new, flexible but supportive materials allowed whalebone and steel bones to be removed. The emancipation or liberty bodice offered an alternative to constricting corsets, and in Australia and the UK the liberty bodice became a standard item for girls as well as women. The liberty bodice (Australian and British English) like the emancipation bodice or North American emancipation waist, was an undergarment for

The increase in the number of underwear manufacturers necessitated the birth of undergarment advertising. Advertising is a form of Communication that typically attempts to persuade potential Customers to Purchase or to consume more of a particular Brand The first underwear print advertisement in the US ran in the Saturday Evening Post in 1911 and featured oil paintings by J.C. Leyendecker of the "Kenosha Klosed Krotch". The Saturday Evening Post was a weekly Magazine published in the United States from August 4, 1821 to February 8, Joseph Christian Leyendecker ( 23 March 1874 – 25 July 1951) was an American Illustrator. Early underwear advertisements placed emphasis on durability and comfort; fashion was never a selling point.

By the end of the 1910s, Chalmers Knitting Company split the union suit into upper and lower sections, effectively inventing the modern undershirt and drawers. Women wore lacier versions of this basic duo known as the camisole and drawers.

In 1912, the US had its first professional underwear designer. Lindsay "Layneau" Boudreaux, a French immigrant, established the short-lived panty company Layneau. Though her company closed within one year, it had a significant impact on many levels. Boudreaux showed the world that an American woman could establish and run a company, and she also caused a revolution in the underwear industry. Boudreaux is possibly the reason why upscale underwear and panty stores exist today.

In 1913, a New York socialite named Mary Phelps Jacob changed women's fashion forever when she created the first brassiere by tying two handkerchiefs together with ribbon. Mary Phelps Jacob ( April 30, 1891 - January 24, 1970) was a New York Socialite, who in 1910 invented the first modern Brassiere Jacob's original intention was to cover the whalebone sticking out of her corset, which was visible through her sheer dress. Jacob began making brassieres for her family and friends, and news of the garment soon spread by word of mouth. By 1914, Jacob had a patent for her design and was marketing it throughout the US. A patent is a set of Exclusive rights granted by a State to an inventor or his assignee for a fixed period of time in exchange for a disclosure of an Although women had worn brassiere-like garments in years past, Jacob's was the first to be successfully marketed and widely adopted.

By the end of the decade, trouser-like "bloomers", which were popularized by Amelia Jenks Bloomer (1818-1894) but invented by Elizabeth Smith Miller, gained popularity with the so-called Gibson Girls who enjoyed pursuits such as cycling and tennis. Bloomers is a word which has been applied to several types of divided women's garments for the lower body at various times Amelia Jenks Bloomer ( May 27, 1818 &mdash December 30, 1894) was an American Women's rights The Gibson Girl was the personification of the feminine ideal as portrayed in the satirical pen and ink illustrated stories created by Illustrator Charles Dana Gibson This new female athleticism helped push the corset out of style. The other major factor in the corset's demise was the fact that metal was globally in short supply during the First World War. Steel-laced corsets were dropped in favour of the brassiere.

Meanwhile, World War I soldiers were issued button-front shorts as underwear. The buttons attached to a separate piece of cloth, or "yoke", sewn to the front of the garment, and tightness of fit was adjusted by means of ties on the sides. This design proved so popular that it began to supplant the union suit in popularity by the end of the war. Rayon garments also became widely available in the post-war period. Rayon is a manufactured regenerated cellulosic Fiber. Rayon is produced from naturally occurring Polymers and therefore it is not a truly

In the 1920s, manufacturers shifted emphasis from durability to comfort. Union suit advertisements raved about patented new designs that reduced the number of buttons and increased accessibility. Most of these experimental designs had to do with new ways to hold closed the crotch flap common on most union suits and drawers. A new woven cotton fabric called nainsook gained popularity in the 1920s for its durability. Nainsook is a fine soft Muslin fabric often to used to make babies' clothing Retailers also began selling preshrunk undergarments.

Women's bloomers became much shorter and stockings covered the legs instead. A stocking, sometimes referred to as hose is a close-fitting variously elastic garment covering the Foot and lower part of the Leg. The shorter bloomers became looser and less supportive as the boyish flapper look came into fashion. The term flapper in the 1920s referred to a "new breed" of young Women who wore short skirts bobbed their hair listened to the new Jazz music By the end of the decade, they came to be known as "step-ins", very much like modern panties but with wider legs. They were worn for the increased flexibility they afforded.

As dancing became a favourite pastime of young flappers, the garter belt was invented to keep stockings from falling. Garters are articles of Clothing: narrow bands of fabric fastened about the leg used to keep Stockings up The increased sexual awareness of the flapper also made underwear sexier than ever before. It was the flappers who ushered in the era of lingerie.

A Russian immigrant named Ida Rosenthal further developed the brassiere in this decade when she introduced modern cup sizes in 1928 for her company, Maidenform. Ida Rosenthal (born Ida Kaganovich on January 9, 1886 - died March 29, 1973) was a Russian -born American dressmaker and Maidenform is a brand of women's Underwear, founded in 1922 by seamstress Ida Rosenthal, her husband William Rosenthal, and Enid Bissett who

1930s and 1940s

Modern men's underwear was largely an invention of the 1930s. Boxer shorts (also known as loose boxers or as simply boxers) are a type of Underwear worn by men On 19 January 1935, Coopers Inc. sold the world's first briefs in Chicago. Events 1419 - Hundred Years' War: Rouen surrenders to Henry V of England completing his reconquest of Normandy. Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Jockey International Inc is a company known for its line of Underwear, sleepwear and Socks for men women and children Designed by an "apparel engineer" named Arthur Kneibler, briefs dispensed with leg sections and had a Y-shaped overlapping fly. ^[5] The company dubbed the design the "Jockey" since it offered a degree of support that had previously only been available from the jockstrap. Jockey briefs proved so popular that over 30,000 pairs were sold within three months of their introduction. Coopers, having renamed the company Jockey, sent its "Mascul-line" plane to make special deliveries of "masculine support" briefs to retailers across the US. Jockey International Inc is a company known for its line of Underwear, sleepwear and Socks for men women and children In 1938, when Jockeys were introduced in the UK, they sold at the rate of 3,000 a week. ^[5]

In this decade, companies also began selling buttonless drawers fitted with an elastic waistband. These were the first true boxer shorts, which were named for their resemblance to the shorts worn by professional fighters. Boxing (sometimes also known as English boxing or pugilism) is a Combat sport in which two participants generally of similar weight, Scovil Manufacturing introduced the snap fastener at this time, which became a popular addition to various kinds of undergarments. A snap fastener (also called snap, popper, and press stud) is a pair of interlocking discs commonly used in place of buttons to fasten Clothing

Women of the 1930s brought the corset back, now called the "girdle". This article is about the item of clothing In the Scots language, girdle refers to a cooking griddle. The garment lacked the whalebone and metal supports and usually came with a brassiere (now usually called a "bra") and attached garters.

During World War II, elastic waistbands and metal snaps gave way once again to button fasteners due to rubber and metal shortages. Undergarments were harder to find as well, since soldiers abroad had priority to obtain them. By the end of the war, Jockey and Hanes remained the industry leaders in the US, but Cluett, Peabody and Company made a name for itself when it introduced a preshrinking process called "Sanforization", invented by Sanford Cluett in 1933, which came to be licensed by most major manufacturers. Sanforization is a process of treatment used for Cotton fabrics mainly and most textiles made from natural or chemical fibres invented by Sanford Lockwood Cluett

Meanwhile, some women adopted the corset once again, now called the "waspie" for the wasp-shaped waistline it gave the wearer. A waist cincher (sometimes referred to as a Waspie) is a belt worn around the waist to make the wearer's waist physically smaller or to create the illusion of being smaller A wasp is any Insect of the order Hymenoptera and suborder Apocrita that is neither a Bee nor Ant. Many women began wearing the strapless bra as well, which gained popularity for its ability to push the breasts up and enhance cleavage. Cleavage enhancement encompasses a range of techniques used temporarily to improve the appearance of a person's breast cleavage or to create the illusion of breast cleavage on

1950s and 1960s

In the 1950s, underwear manufacturers began marketing printed and coloured undergarments. What had once been a simple, white piece of clothing not to be shown in public suddenly became a fashion statement. Manufacturers also experimented with rayon and newer fabrics like Dacron, nylon and Spandex. Uses PET can be semi-rigid to rigid depending on its thickness and is very lightweight Overview Nylon is a Thermoplastic silky material first used commercially in a nylon- Bristled Toothbrush (1938 followed more famously by Spandex or elastane is a Synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity. ^[5] By 1960, men's underwear was regularly printed in loud patterns, or with messages or images such as cartoon characters.

Women's undergarments began to emphasize the breasts instead of the waist. The decade saw the introduction of the bullet bra pointed bust, inspired by Christian Dior's " New Look," which featured pointed cups. Christian Dior ( January 21, 1905 &ndash October 23, 1957) was an influential French Fashion designer, best known as the Christian Dior ( January 21, 1905 &ndash October 23, 1957) was an influential French Fashion designer, best known as the The original Wonderbra and push-up bra by Frederick's of Hollywood finally hit it big. See also Brassiere A wide range of styles of brassieres now exists to be worn in a variety of situations and with a variety of outergarments Women's panties became more colourful and decorative, and by the mid-1960s were available in two abbreviated styles called the hip-hugger and the bikini (named after the Pacific Ocean island of that name), frequently in sheer nylon fabric. A bikini or two-piece is a type of women's Swimsuit, characterized by two separate parts &mdash one covering the Breasts (optionally in the case of The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions Bikini Atoll (also known as Pikinni Atoll) is an Atoll in one of the Micronesian Islands in the Pacific Ocean, part of Republic of the Marshall

Pantyhose, also called "tights" in British English, which combined panties and hose into one garment, made their first appearance in 1959, invented by Glen Raven Mills of North Carolina. Pantyhose (also called tights) are sheer, close fitting coverings of the body from the Waist to the feet North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States The company later introduced seamless pantyhose in 1965, spurred by the popularity of the miniskirt. The miniskirt (often hyphenated as mini-skirt) is a Skirt with By the end of the decade, the girdle had fallen out of favour as women chose sexier and lighter alternatives. ^[8]

1970s to the present day

Underwear as fashion matured in the 1970s and 1980s, and underwear advertisers forgot about comfort and durability, at least in advertising. A camisole or cami is a Woman 's Undergarment which covers the top part of the body Garters are articles of Clothing: narrow bands of fabric fastened about the leg used to keep Stockings up A stocking, sometimes referred to as hose is a close-fitting variously elastic garment covering the Foot and lower part of the Leg. Sex appeal became the main selling point, in swimwear as well, bringing to fruition a trend that had been building since at least the flapper era. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE-ROMEOS***************

The tank top, an undershirt named after the type of swimwear dating from the 1920s known as a tank suit or maillot, became popular warm-weather casual outerwear in the US in the 1980s. A sleeveless shirt, tank top or singlet (or sometimes Vest) is a Shirt manufactured without Sleeves or one where the sleeves The maillot is the fashion designer's name for a woman's One-piece swimsuit. Performers such as Madonna and Cyndi Lauper were also often seen wearing their undergarments on top of other clothes. Madonna Louise Ciccone Ritchie (born August 16 1958 known as Madonna, is an American Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper (born June 22 1953 is an American Grammy - and Emmy award winning Singer-songwriter and

Although worn for decades by exotic dancers, in the 1980s the G-string first gained popularity in South America, particularly in Brazil. For the racehorse see Exotic Dancer (horse The terms exotic dancer and exotic dance can have different meanings in different Origin G-string or thong is probably the earliest form of Clothing known to mankind having originated in the warmer climates of Sub-Saharan Africa where clothing South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Originally a style of swimsuit, the back of the garment is so thin that it disappears between the buttocks. A swimsuit, bathing suit or swimming costume is an item of Clothing designed to be worn for Swimming. By the 1990s the design had made its way to most of the Western world, and thong underwear became popular. The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings The thong is an Undergarment and Swimwear, worn by both sexes mostly women in a style characterized by a thin strip of material along the center of the garment’s Today, the thong is one of the fastest-selling styles of underwear among women, and is also worn by men.

While health and practicality had previously been emphasized, in the 1970s retailers of men's underpants began focusing on fashion and sex appeal. Designers such as Calvin Klein began featuring near-naked models in their advertisements. Calvin Klein Inc is an American fashion brand founded in 1968 by Calvin Klein. The increased wealth of the gay community helped to promote a diversity of undergarment choices. Gay community or LGBT community is a term used to describe the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender subculture In his book The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (1975),^[9] Andy Warhol wrote:

I told B I needed some socks too and at least 30 pairs of Jockey shorts. The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (From A to B & Back Again is a 1975 Book by the American artist Andy Warhol (1928-1987 For the song by David Bowie, see Andy Warhol (song. Andrew Warhola (August 6 1928 &ndash February 22 1987 known as Andy Warhol He suggested I switch to Italian-style briefs, the ones with the T-shaped crotch that tends to build you up. I told him I'd tried them once, in Rome, the day I was walking through a Liz Taylor movie – and I didn't like them because they made me too self-aware. Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor, DBE (born 27 February 1932) is a two-time Academy Award -winning English-American actress It gave me the feeling girls must have when they wear uplift bras. ^[5]

Warhol liked his Jockey briefs so much that he used a pair as a canvas for one of his dollar-sign paintings. ^[5]

In the UK in the 1970s, tight jeans gave briefs a temporary edge over boxer shorts, but a decade later boxers were given a boost by Nick Kamen's performance in Levi's "Launderette" TV commercial for its 501 jeans, during which he stripped down to a pair of white boxer shorts in a public laundromat. Jeans are Trousers made from Denim. Mainly designed for work, they became popular among Teenagers starting in the 1950s. Nick Kamen (born Nicholas Ivor Kamen 15 April 1962, in Harlow, Essex, England) is a British male model, Songwriter Levi Strauss & Co (LS&CO is a privately held Clothing company known worldwide for its Levi's brand of Denim Jeans. A self-service laundry is a facility where Clothes are washed and dried ^[5]

The 1990s saw the introduction of boxer briefs, which take the longer shape of boxers but maintain the tightness of briefs. Boxer briefs (or tight boxers) are a type of men's Underwear They are long in the leg like Boxer shorts, but tighter-fitting like Briefs Hip hop stars popularized "sagging", in which loosely fitting jeans or shorts were allowed to droop below the waist, exposing the waistband or a greater portion of boxer shorts worn underneath. Hip hop music, also referred to as rap music, is a Music genre typically consisting of a rhythmic vocal style called rap which is accompanied with Sagging is a manner of wearing Pants or Shorts below the Waist, revealing some or all of their underwear. "Hot Pants" redirects here For the James Brown song see Hot Pants (song Shorts are a Garment worn by both men and women over The chiselled muscularity of Mark Wahlberg (then known as Marky Mark) in a series of 1990s underwear advertisements for Calvin Klein led to his success as a white hip hop star and a Hollywood actor. Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg (born June 5 1971 is an Academy Award -nominated BAFTA -winning American actor rapper and Producer of United States cinema has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century ^[5]

In January 2008 it was reported that, according to market research firm Mintel, the men's underwear market in the UK was worth £674 million, and volume sales of men's underpants rose by 24% between 2000 and 2005. Market research is the process of systematically gathering recording and analyzing data and information about Customers, Competitors and the Market Mintel International Group Ltd is a privately owned London -based market research firm The Pound Sterling ( symbol £; ISO code: GBP) subdivided into 100 pence (singular penny) is the Currency British manufacturers and retailers claim that most British men prefer "trunks", or short boxer briefs. The director of menswear of major British retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S), which sells 40 million pairs of men's underpants a year, was quoted as saying that while boxer shorts were still the most popular at M&S, demand was easing off in favour of hipster trunks similar in design to the swimming trunks worn by actor Daniel Craig in the James Bond film Casino Royale (2006). Marks & Spencer Group plc (also M&S, Marks and Sparks, and Marks) is a British Retailer with 843 stores in more than 30 A swimsuit, bathing suit or swimming costume is an item of Clothing designed to be worn for Swimming. Daniel Wroughton Craig (born 2 March 1968 is an English Actor. James Bond 007 is a Fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve Novels and two Short story Casino Royale ( 2006) is the twenty-first film in the James Bond series; it is directed by Martin Campbell and the first to star ^[5]

See also

Notes

References

• Rushton, Susie. "A brief history of pants: Why men's smalls have always been a subject of concern", The Independent (Extra), 2008-01-22, pp. The Independent is a British compact Newspaper published by Tony O'Reilly 's Independent News & Media. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 565 - Eutychius is deposed as Patriarch of Constantinople by John Scholasticus.  2–5.  

Further reading

• Cunnington, C[ecil] Willett; Phillis Cunnington (1992). The History of Underclothes. New York, N. Y. : Dover Publications. Dover Publications is an American book Publisher founded in 1941 by Hayward Cirker and his wife Blanche ISBN 0486271242 (pbk. ).   First published in London by Michael Joseph in 1951.
• Hawthorne, Rosemary; Lucy Pettifer & Claire Taylor (ill. ) (1993). Stockings & Suspenders: A Quick Flash. London: Souvenir. ISBN 0285631438.  
• Martin, Richard [Harrison]; Harold Koda; photographs by Neil Selkirk (1993). Infra-apparel. New York, N. Y. : Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is an art museum located on the eastern edge of Central Park, along what is known as Museum Mile in New York City, ISBN 0810964309. ISBN 0870996762 (pbk. ).  

External links

• Resource showing Jock Straps and Protective Cups in use, includes historic and patent information.
• The National Underwear Day, August 7, 2007
• History of Underwear, from Freshpair.com
• History of Men's Underwear, from Internationaljock.com
• Esquire Magazine, 1974: A Short History of the Jockstrap
• The Council of Textile & Fashion Industries of Australia
• History of Underwear on mum.org
• A thorough history of 20th century underwear
• The origin of underwear
• Historical Lingerie pictures from the New York Public Library Picture Collection

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