Why Did Underwear Get Started?

Underwear doesn't make much sense when you think about it. You cover yourself completely with additional garments. This is such an unusual notion considering how underwear has evolved strangely over fashion history. What did undergarments original function entail? What's up with all the different underwear styles, and why were they even invented in the first place?

Clothing And Early History

Really, there isn't much proof of underpants in the 40,000+ years of human history. Without another layer underneath, clothing was worn as outerwear for public display.

Only a few thousand years ago, in ancient Egypt, was the first thought of wearing this additional layer—underwear—conceived. This inner covering was worn more as a status symbol and a display of wealth than for protection or any other specific functional purpose.Although loincloths were worn openly as everyday clothing for hundreds of years throughout Egypt and the Mediterranean, historians often refer to them as the first pair of underpants. Although the loincloth may be worn as an additional layer beneath other garments, it is still more customary for people to "go commando," to use current terminology.

Victorian Underwear

Braies first attained widespread acceptance during the Middle Ages. These were knee-length, loose-fitting pants. The braies were given a front flap, called a codpiece, so that men could easily access their gear so they could urinate. According to rumors, Henry VIII initiated a widespread custom among men of the court by donning a pad in his codpiece. They cushioned their codpieces as well. But according to historians, the King's cushioned item may have been used for medical reasons, and the pad may have held medication to treat the symptoms of syphilis. These bras eventually evolved into a kind of underwear.Women wore a full-length dress that was actually a shift dress that fit loosely. "Underwear" among those who could afford it was made of linen. The corset entered popular culture in the 1300s. Although not underwear in the modern sense, the corset was worn as an undergarment and was a mainstay of women's daily attire for centuries.Women started donning underwear in the 1400s, during the Renaissance. They were long pants that protected them from the cold and made riding horses more comfortable. These underwear, usually referred to as "drawers," were typically constructed from calico, cotton, or flannel.The 1890s saw the introduction of bloomers, a relatively new addition to women's undergarments. A corset, hose, and possibly a slip or petticoat were usually worn with the flowy, knee-length dress.

During the Renaissance in the 1400s, women first began to wear underpants. They were long pants that provided warmth and improved comfort while riding horses. These undergarments, commonly known as "drawers," were typically made of calico, cotton, or flannel.The 1890s saw the introduction of bloomers, a relatively new addition to women's undergarments. A corset, hose, and possibly a slip or petticoat were usually worn with the flowy, knee-length dress.

Evolutions Of The Industrial Era

The union suit was first patented in 1868, during the Victorian era. It was initially created as a women's garment but quickly gained popularity as men's underwear. The union suit offered complete coverage and featured long sleeves and legs. This resembled modern long johns, often known as long underwear.But it wasn't until 1935 that underwear began to resemble something considerably more contemporary. The first briefs were developed at this time by Coopers Inc. in Chicago. They had high, groin-level legs that were cut with an elastic waistband. Y-shaped flies were a significant innovation. This was the original pair of men's underwear that gave rise to the moniker "tighty whities."During this time period, boxer shorts also became widely available. The elastic waistline was still present, but the legs were larger, looser, and a little bit longer.Even the underwear for ladies was evolving. After Mary Phelps Jacob invented the bra in the 1910s, corsets quickly became obsolete and were only worn for special occasions and costumes rather than everyday wear. Meanwhile, bloomers started to get shorter and shorter until, by the 1930s, they were worn below what is commonly referred to as French knickers or knickers—extremely high-cut short shorts. These appear to be a lot more recognizable and contemporary underwear-like.When the bikini itself entered the fashion scene in the 1960s, bikini underwear also gained popularity. These scant underwear symbolized the significant changes that were occurring to women during this period and marked a significant shift in the way that women's underwear was worn. Among other things, the women's movement of the 1960s helped them gain new freedoms for the first time.

Undergarments Become High Fashion

Men's boxers and briefs became standard wardrobe items by the 1980s. They were being worn by men everywhere as part of their regular attire. But the next significant development in men's underpants required the creativity of a high-fashion designer. Giorgio Armani, a well-known designer, combined the best features of boxers and briefs to create the boxer brief style.At that point, new underwear designs poured in like a deluge. Men's underwear is now available in a wide variety of designs with all different lengths and sorts of fits, resulting in an explosion of various underwear styles that now completely fill the market.Women’s underwear design became more varied and lots more styles have been introduced in this more modern era of fashion as well. Thong underwear showed up in the 1990s. In the same decade, Dolce & Gabbana introduced brief-style boyshorts for women in a style more like the knickers from the 1930s.