There has been substantial evidence about underwear being worn by people dating back civilization ago. Although this was in the form of a simple loin cloth, it is still very interesting to know that our ancestors also understood the importance and the utility of a garment under a garment. It is nothing more than a piece of cloth fastened around the waist and that passes between the legs.

In countries with a warm climate, a simple loin cloth was worn as a protection from body discharges and comfort. Owing to the weather, the loin cloth was not covered by any other garment. In colder countries, the loin cloth was covered by other garments. It formed a basis of the person’s clothing. And in some countries, the loin cloth was the only available undergarment.

The Hawaiian ‘malo’, Japanese ‘fundoshi’, and the groin girdle of the Egyptian King Tutankhamun are a few of the examples of the loincloth worn in the era gone by. The men in countries like Rome and Greece were also known to have worn loin cloth. In general it was the slaves who were made to wear the loin cloth and nothing more. The women were known to have worn pieces of cloth around the breasts and lower body as protection and symbols of decency.

During the middle ages, loin cloth was replaced by a more user- friendly version. It was called ‘braies’ and was loose fitting small trousers fitted around the waist. It was far more comfortable than the embarrassing little loin cloth. The Renaissance for sure had made way to hoses which were more form-fitting and which covered the legs and feet. Since many of these comfortable hoses and braies were not really worn under any other garment, they cannot be called undergarments as such.

Then came the time when the braies were covered with a flapped piece of clothe which was called the cod piece. This cod piece certainly provided more protection to the genitalia but the main intention was to make the process of urinating easier without removing the entire garment. The concept of the cod piece gave away in the 16th century. The braies and hoses were eventually replaced by comfortable fabrics like cotton, silk/linen; and garments like drawers, which were knee-length and consisted of a small button flap in the front.

The age of industrialisation in Europe gave people machines like the sewing machine, which helped the mass production of underwear. It also made stitching onto any fabric possible. Thus began the period when everybody began to use underwear and buying them from the stores. This revolutionised the buying pattern and brought in the perspective of customer behaviour in buying underwear.

Women began to wear flared and bell shaped petticoats to complement the skirts worn during that time. Men began to experiment with the Jockstrap, which was the latest invention during those times. It became an instant hit among the bicycle jockeys.

With the beginning of the 21st century, fashion assumed huge proportions and in came the age of designers and artists. Underwear came to be known by a fancier name such lingerie. Commercialisation kick started a revolution of sorts and advertising made display and appeal more identifiable. The reasons for opting for a particular piece of lingerie changed and the industry recognised the importance of lingerie and its saleable value.

Today, underwear for women and men has changed tremendously and are available in various patterns and designs under several designer labels.

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