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