There is almost a rite of passage receiving men's underwear for Christmas - a way of kicking off the New Year right. Ironically this time of year buying gifts for yourself isn't always easy, so what better way to make someone's Christmas than to buy them some new underwear.
Underwear wasn't always a luxury item, more of a necessity (well I guess it still is!). Originally they served to lessen the friction of outerwear against the skin, to help shape the body, to keep outer garments from being soiled or damaged and especially to provide concealment. Let it be known that underwear dates back almost 7000 years, at a time when man used leather to cover and protect his loins (Loincloth) while more that often, hunting during prehistoric times. Even ancient Egyptian art displays everyone from the pharaohs to peasants sporting loincloths of their own. The pharaohs were known to wear a specialized loincloth called a Shendoh, and believe it or not, they had taken extra shendohs into their pyramids for use in the afterworld (good-thinking). The loincloth was the first form of underwear; in fact, it was more than likely to have been the first undergarment worn by human beings unless you want to count the fig-leaf as an undergarment. In fact, in warmer climates the loincloth was often the only clothing worn, but in colder regions the loincloth often formed the basis of a person's clothing and was covered by other garments. In most ancient civilizations, this was the only undergarment available option. Men are said to have worn loincloths in ancient Greece and Rome. The fabric used for loincloths may have been wool or linen. The upper classes wore imported silk.
Underwear drawers changed forever in 1934 when an apparel engineer named Arthur Kneibler, at the Wisconsin hosiery company Coopers, Inc., received a postcard depicting a man in a bikini style bathing suit - from a dear friend who had been visiting the French Riviera. Subsequently, he pondered as if this type of garment could be converted into men’s underwear. After a few developments, Kneibler launched legless underwear with an overlapping Y-front fly. He then dubbed the new product "Jockey shorts" because the high level of support the garment offered was reminiscent of jockstraps. Subsequently, he took his Jockey briefs to Chicago's department store Marshall Fields on January 19, 1935. Even though the weather was awful—Chicago was in the middle of a blizzard—the entire stock of 600 pairs of Jockeys sold out on the first day. Moreover, after three months, the company sold 30,000 pairs of Jockey shorts. Coopers kept making and marketing its underwear, and in 1971 the company changed its name to Jockey. And the dawn of a new age came upon us. Since then, we have come a long way baby! In the late 1970's Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren respectively brought on an entire new vision with respect to men's underwear- or should we dare say it, designer underwear.
We asked Simon Moore, head honcho here at UNDERU, what his favourite men's underwear was to gift this season...
Why is underwear a great gift for men at Christmas time?
It is never a waste. Either he already takes pride in his under wearing, and he will be very grateful with his new present. Or even if the man in question is an underwear neanderthal, and manages to rotate his underwear wardrobe with just a few pairs, eventually a new pair or pack will come in use!!
What underwear would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
Comfyballs. Who would not want a pair of those!!
*Original article from Forbes.com
