History Of Underwear
Men and women have worn underwear for thousands of years, though its doubtful anybody today would be caught dead in some of the earliest models! Loincloths were originally outerwear, first worn by cave dwellers, then Egyptians and Romans, gradually becoming underwear along the way.
Around the 13th Century, pull on underpants were invented and underwear became an important garment. Not only did underwear help shape the wearer’s figure, it also kept their clean clothes from touching skin. In Europe the underwear evolution went into full swing – men started wearing corsets, cod pieces, stockings, long johns, undershirts and drawers.
Women’s underwear was also very elaborate and included hoop-skirts, corsets and bum rolls. Luckily for the ladies it simplified around the 1700s and 1800s to include garters, lace corsets, knickers, petticoats and stocking suspenders. The brassiere didn’t appear until the early 1900s.
Underwear has continued to change significantly this Century, helping create the shape and look for the outer clothes we wear. From the flattener bras of the 1920s, the layered petticoats of the 1950s, to the cleavage enhancing bras of the 1990s, underwear has played a big part in fashion trends.
In recent decades, underwear has offered wearers far more variety and is designed for specific age groups and purposes. Holeproof makes a large range of underwear to suit all occasions including sport, casual, fashion, figure enhancement and warmth (thermals).