Figure 1.-- .

Underwear was garments worn for various purposes, including comfort, sanitation, clothing care, warmth, and modesty. Clothing was minimal, but imprtant given that the earlt-riverl valley civilzatiobs were in warm lcations. We thought that underwear might be a fairly modern invebron, but in fact archeologits have founder underwear from a very early point in civilkization (5000 BC). ANdfor most of the histry of human clhing, underwear was kept in place by strung. Eventually the draw-string was invented which became very important. We see buttons appearing in the medieval era. There are three basic types of underwear garments: shirts (vests), pants, and union suits combining tops and bottoms (shirts and pants). Styles and conventions have changed considerably over the years. Actual vintage underwear adds to the informaton we have collected in the catalog section. Underwear also began used as support garments. We have found more support garments than underwear. This is important because these garments have disappeared and are thus so poorly understood by modern readers. There were several different types of support garments. These garments became very common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Of less importance are children's posture garments. They were less important for children than adult ladies. Some garment support garments, however, were marketed with claims of posture benefits.

Underwear Garments

Underwear was garments worn for various purposes, including comfort, sanitation, clothing care, warmth, and modesty. There were three basic types of underwear" shirts (vests), pants, and union suits combining shirts and pants. Thanks to archeologists there is evident of underwear dating back millennia. We believe the earliest underwear appears to be underpants. Archeologists have found underpants dating back to very early civilizations (5000 BC). Both climate and wealth were a factor. Styles and conventions have changed considerably over the years. Actual vintage underwear adds to the information we have collected in the catalog section--an especially important source of information on underwear which is not well represented in the photographic record. Thus vintage clothing is an important source of information Since the dawn of time, string was used to hold up underwear. Eventually this became the drawstring. We also see buttons being used. One of the earliest underwear garments archived on HBC is pantalettes. Plain versions were called drawers. We note a plain white pair worn in the 1860s. An early example of more modern underpants. An HBC reader has provided some scans of a pair of underpants that may date to the turn-of the 20th century. Underpants underwent a huge change (20th century). Elastic was a very modern 20th century innovation. Elastic was used for boxer shorts--actual pugilists (1925). Soon after we see elastic being used for underpants, first boxers and then briefs (1930s). We have, however, been able to archive only a few vintage underwear garments. An important American manufacturer of underwear was Nazareth, named for the eastern Pennsylvania town where the factory was located. Nazareth underwear was popular with mothers who purchased children's school clothes (rather like Hickory garters manufactured by Stein). Here we have a Nazareth waist union suit (figure 1). We note short-leg long johns which look to date to the 1930s. We notice an American Pilgrim one-piece drop-seat underwear for younger children from the 1930s.

Support Garments

We have found more support garments than underwear. This is important because these garments have disappeared and are thus so poorly understood by modern readers. There were several different types of support garments. These garments became very common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They were used to both hold up long stockings and pants. They were also advertised as having value for posture. They garments were especially common in America. We note what looks like an underwaist dating from the early 20th century. One readers has sent us an image of a nainsook suit which was worn by American children in the 1930s. We also note a German World War I paper-fabric Leibchen which was a kind of stocking supporter. We note a cloth Leibchen a few decades later in the 1940s or early 50s.

Posture Garments

Of less importance are children's posture garments. They were less important for children than adult ladies. Some garment support garments, however, were marketed with claims of posture benefits.