| Romans were the first to wear a garment which | | | | "kangaroo pouch" underwear which had a |
| has a somewhat resemblance to modern day | | | | horizontal vent arrived in the market but |
| underwear. They used to call it subligaculum. | | | | could not compete with the diagonal vent |
| It might be of interest to note that the | | | | types which were preferred because of their |
| Egyptians and the Greeks never wore underwear | | | | ease of use. World War II witnessed another |
| at all! Long baggy drawers called 'braies' | | | | quantum leap in the underwear world. For the |
| made their appearance in Europe in the 13th | | | | first time the soldiers were issued colored |
| century. Those who were better off wore | | | | underwears as the white ones were too |
| chausses over the braies to cover their legs. | | | | conspicuous when hung out to dry! Thus began |
| Modifications of braises and chausses went on | | | | the era of multihued undergarments. The end |
| all the while and by the time Renaissance | | | | of the War saw the discovery of a |
| found its way in Europe, braises had become | | | | preshrinking technique called sanforization. |
| shorter and more form fitting and chausses | | | | Before this people had to buy underwear one |
| began to look more like modern day hoses. | | | | size larger to allow for shrinkage during |
| Braises had codpieces which allowed men to | | | | washing! 1947 saw the introduction of another |
| urinate without removing them completely. | | | | fabric called nylon tricot and the 50s and |
| Over time people started using thicker and | | | | 60s saw a sea change in how the underwear was |
| thicker codpieces for greater protection and | | | | perceived. Rainbows rained on under garments |
| to secure their modesty. Henry VIII of | | | | and prints and color combinations became bold |
| England however gave these codpieces a | | | | and wild. Another new fabric called Lycra |
| revolutionary twist. He started using a | | | | Cotton saw the light of the day in 1960. |
| heavily padded, bizarre shaped codpiece not | | | | Underwears started become smaller and |
| only to highlight the shape of his private | | | | tighter! The 1970s and 1980s saw the entry of |
| parts but also to use this part of the | | | | designer labels such as Calvin Klein, |
| garment as a pocket to carry odd small bits | | | | Sauvage, Ron Chereskin, and Tommy Hilfiger |
| of essential items! It became a rage in the | | | | and underwears became a fashion and a fun |
| fashion world during those times and carried | | | | item. Briefs became briefer, bolder and newer |
| on till the end of the 16th century. In the | | | | fabrics were introduced. About the same time, |
| 1930's a quite revolution took place! Easy | | | | use of sex as the overriding theme became |
| elastic bands were innovated and companies | | | | prevalent in all the advertising campaigns. |
| such as Jockey and Hanes began selling | | | | This overemphasis on sex saw a queer trend |
| underpants with elastic bands and called them | | | | catch on since the mid-90s - that of not |
| boxer shorts since they resembled the gear | | | | wearing any underwear at all! Underwear was |
| worn by professional boxers. The word | | | | perceived as the final barrier to sex, and |
| underpants also made a triumphant entry into | | | | not wearing underwear was a turn on for many. |
| English dictionary. With the advent Jockey | | | | This practice of freeballing (freebuffing, in |
| Y-vent briefs in 1934 underpants went through | | | | case of females) or going commando is |
| a metamorphosis. For the first time an easy | | | | practiced by both the sexes and is a very |
| to use diagonal vent was introduced instead | | | | 'in' thing now a days. |
| of flaps and codpieces. Two years later, | | | | |