Underwear

Underwear is clothing worn under our clothes.

It touches our skin. It keeps our outer clothes clean.

It can also keep us warm in the cold. Some people wear it for special religious reasons.

Long ago, people wore a simple cloth called a loincloth. Some people still wear these today. Underwear helps us feel comfortable every day.

Underwear is clothing worn beneath our outer clothes.

It usually touches our skin directly. It helps keep outer clothes clean from sweat or other fluids.

Underwear also helps the body feel comfortable. It can lessen friction from outer clothing. Some types provide support for the body.

For example, bras provide support for breasts.

In cold weather, long underwear keeps us warm. Some people wear special undergarments for religious reasons. Sikhs wear a style of underpants called a kacchera. Mormons wear special temple garments.

Underwear has a long history. The simplest kind is the loincloth.

It is a strip of cloth passed between the legs. Archaeologists found leather loincloths from 7,000 years ago. In the Middle Ages, men wore loose clothing called braies.

These were like trousers that tied at the waist. Women often wore a shirt called a chemise.

This was worn under gowns or robes.

Underwear is the clothing we wear beneath our outer clothes.

It usually touches our skin directly. These items serve many important jobs. They keep our outer clothes clean from sweat or other fluids. They also help lessen the friction of outer clothes against our skin. Some undergarments are made to shape the body or provide support.

In cold weather, people wear long underwear to stay warm. Some people even wear special undergarments for religious reasons.

For example, Sikh men and women wear a style called the kacchera. Mormons wear special temple garments to remember their teachings.

There are many different ways to wear undergarments. Most items cover either the torso or the waist and legs.

Some items, like T-shirts, cover both parts. Men might wear boxer briefs or boxer shorts.

Women often wear bras and panties. In the United Kingdom, panties are often called knickers.

Some people wear items like thongs or G-strings. Athletes often wear special gear for protection. Men might wear a jockstrap when playing sports.

Women might wear sports bras to stay comfortable during exercise. Even people in space wear undergarments for insulation.

Underwear has a very long history. The simplest form is the loincloth.

It is a strip of material passed between the legs. Archaeologists found leather loincloths that are 7,000 years old. Ancient Egyptians wore linen loincloths too.

In the Middle Ages, men's underwear became looser. They wore baggy clothing called braies.

These were tied around the waist and legs. Women often wore a shirt called a chemise.

This was tucked into their other clothes. Some women even used a farthingale to make their skirts stand out.

Different eras had very specific styles. During the Renaissance, men wore hose to cover their legs.

Some men even wore a codpiece. This was a flap on the front of their clothing. King Henry VIII of England even padded his codpiece to make it look larger.

Women sometimes wore corsets to support the torso. These were often stiffened with materials like whalebone or reeds. In the 18th century, new machines made cotton very easy to get.

This changed how people made and bought clothing. New inventions like the spinning jenny helped make fabrics more available.

Today, we use many different names for these clothes. Undergarments is a formal term.

In Australia, people might call them "Reginalds." In the United Kingdom, people sometimes use the word "smalls."

Women's clothing is also sometimes called lingerie. Some items are so versatile they work in many ways. A T-shirt can be underwear or an outer shirt.

If made of the right material, underwear can even be used as swimwear. It is a part of daily life for almost everyone.

Underwear, also known as underclothing or undergarments, refers to clothing worn beneath outer garments.

These items usually maintain direct contact with the wearer's skin. They serve several practical and social functions. Primarily, they protect outer clothing from being soiled or damaged by bodily excretions. This includes perspiration, urine, feces, and menstrual blood.

Underwear also lessens friction between outerwear and the skin. Some garments are designed to shape the body or provide support for specific body parts.

Undergarments are generally categorized by the area of the body they cover. Some items cover the torso, such as undershirts or vests.

Others cover the waist and legs, like underpants or drawers. Certain garments, such as T-shirts, can cover both the torso and the waist.

There are also many specific styles used for different purposes. Men often wear boxer briefs, boxer shorts, or classic briefs.

Women frequently wear bras and panties, which are called knickers in British English.

Some styles, such as thongs, G-strings, or T-fronts, are worn by both sexes.

Specialized undergarments are designed for specific activities or environments. Athletes use specialized gear for support and protection. Men may wear jockstraps, sometimes with a protective cup, during sports.

Male dancers may use dance belts for modesty and support while wearing tights. Women may use sports bras to reduce the chance of ligament damage during high-impact exercise like jogging.

In extreme environments, undergarments provide vital insulation. They are used under space suits and dry suits. For dry suits, the insulation value is chosen to match the water temperature and activity level.

For many people, undergarments hold deep religious or traditional significance. In Judaism, some adherents wear a tallit katan beneath their shirts. Members of the Mormon faith wear special temple garments after their endowment.

This helps them remember temple teachings. In Sikhism, one of the five articles of faith is the kacchera, a style of underpants similar to boxer shorts. Zoroastrians wear a Sedreh, which is an undershirt, fastened with a sacred girdle called a Kushti. These traditions show how clothing can connect a person to their faith.

History shows that the loincloth was likely the first undergarment. It is the simplest form, consisting of a strip of material passed between the legs.

Archaeologists have discovered leather loincloths dating back 7,000 years. In ancient Egypt, King Tutankhamun was buried with linen loincloths of a triangular style called a cache-sexe.

In the Middle Ages, Western men's underwear became looser. They transitioned to wearing braies, which were loose, trouser-like garments tied at the waist.

Men also wore chausses, which were garments that covered only the legs.

The Renaissance brought more complex styles, including the codpiece. A codpiece was a front flap on braies or hose that allowed men to urinate without removing all their clothing.

King Henry VIII of England famously padded his codpiece to make it appear larger. This trend continued through the end of the 16th century. During this era, women's clothing also evolved. They wore chemises, which were shirt-like garments tucked into other clothing.

Some women used farthingales, which were petticoats stiffened with rods to create a cone shape. Others wore early versions of corsets, called "pairs of bodies," to flatten the bust.

Technological changes in the 18th century transformed the production of undergarments. The invention of the spinning jenny and the cotton gin made cotton fabrics widely available. This allowed for easier access to affordable textiles. Over time, terminology for these items has varied by region. In the United Kingdom, undergarments are sometimes called "smalls."

In Australia, they are colloquially known as "Reginalds." Women's undergarments are also referred to as lingerie or intimates. Today, the use of underwear is shaped by fashion, societal norms, and even the law. Some items are versatile enough to serve as swimwear or nightwear if the material is suitable.