The Story of Men’s UnderwearMen’s fashion, particularly the trends involving undergarments, was once reserved for the elite; today it has become democratised, clear proof of social progress. The aestheticism of the body so highly valued by the Greeks seems to have regained a prominent place in the masculine world. Mirroring the evolution of society’s values, the history of underwear also highlights the continuous, dancing exchange that exists between women’s styles and men’s fashion. Undergarments are concealed, flaunted, stretched or shortened, establishing a game between yesterday’s illicit and today’s chic and thereby denouncing the sense of disgrace that these simple pieces of clothing used to betray. In this work, Shaun Cole endeavours to re-establish for the first time, through well-researched socio-economic analysis, the importance of men’s underwear in the history of costume from ancient times to today. A reflection of technological progress, this study is full of surprises and powerful reflections on man’s relationship with his body. |
Contents
Under Fashion 19001980 | |
TightyWhities and Beyond 1980 Today | |
Hose Stockings and Socks | |
Underwear Advertising | |
Conclusion | |
Bibliography | |
Acknowledgements | |
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Common terms and phrases
advert Aertex American appeared argyle pattern athletic aussieBum blue boxer briefs boxer shorts breeches briefs Britain British buttons Calvin Klein campaign catalogue circular knitting clothing codpiece collars coloured comfort Coopers costume cotton crotch cuffs cultural David Beckham designer developed drawers dress emphasised fabric fashion fastened featured fibres French front fundoshi garments genitals Ginch Gonch Hanes hose hosiery Ibid images increasingly jeans Jockey knitted legs linen London Lycra magazine male body man’s masculine men’s socks men’s underwear men’s underwear advertising Men’s Wear Menswear metrosexual Mintel Munsingwear Musée Galliera nineteenth century noted nylon pairs pants Paris patented pattern percent photographed popular Private collection produced promoted Quoted range retailers revealed sexual shirts silk stockings striped T-shirt traditional trousers trunks twentieth century underclothes undergarments underpants undershirt underwear brand underwear manufacturers union suit Valerie Steele vests waistband waistcoat wearer whilst women wool woollen wore worn woven Y-fronts