Underwear Evolution

Even though the underwear is hidden most of the time, that doesn’t negate the role of your undergarment. Men, in general, avoid exploring the possibilities and are in a habit of sticking to the usual style of a mens underwear article. However, over the past few years, the men’s intimate apparel / underwear / undershirt industry has seen a lot of progress. 

The classic debate over ‘boxer versus brief’ has now shifted to the usability of the sexy styles of men’s underwear. People these days are open to discussing the mens underwear like lace underwear, silk underwear, micro modal underwear and pouch underwear for men which were earlier considered a taboo and stigma.

The underwear industry for men is now flooded with choices that range from the classic styles of boxer briefs, boxer shorts and traditional boxers to the radically aesthetic men’s thongs, g-strings, and even c-string. 

It won’t be wrong to state that this is one category of men’s apparel, mens underwear, which initially held the reputation of clothing that just covers the genital, has come a long way to being an essential staple for defining your overall style quotient.

History of men’s underwear

• According to historians, The intimate / underwear category of men’s apparel saw a major development in early 3000 BC when leather loincloth was introduced. This was the first time when men were observed wearing anything other than a fig leaf to cover up their privates. This remained in the trend for several years. The only change was in terms of fabric used in making these apparel.
• A Variation on the loincloth seems to have persisted when loose-fitting trousers called the braises came into fashion. The trousers tied at the waist and thighs were a vogue into the middle ages. These were later upgraded into codpieces in the 16th century. These underneath apparel were a fashion statement and usually came in bright colors and with padded contraptions.
• The fitted knee-length apparel that men wore beneath their pants were not very comfy. This led to the invention of the elastic waistband in the year 1925 and this led to the development of boxer shorts. Thus, underwear for men becomes much more resilient and supportive.
• ‘Look good... Feel good... Be twice the man in Y-front’, was the quote that described the very first men’s brief. This came in as a pleasant surprise for the male population who needed something a lot more supportive down there.
• However, it is a lesser-known fact that boxer shorts were not the very first invention in the men’s underwear industry. Jockstraps were invented way before in the late 1800s. This skivvy style was specifically invented to provide comfort and support to the cyclists.
• Pioneered by the designer, John Varvatos, boxer briefs were introduced in the year 1990. Combining the length of the boxers and the snug fit of brief, this underneath article took the entire industry by storm. The aesthetically revolutionary underneath article is to date the most used style.

It should be noted that the days when the choice of mens underwear was simple and limited are long gone. Despite the fact that underwear is a lesser talked about subject in menswear, the options available in this category these days are ample. The list includes

• Mens Boxers
• Mens Briefs
• Mens Boxer Briefs
• Mens Trunks
• Mens Jockstraps
• Mens Bikinis
• Mens Thongs