Not a lot of technology blogs writing about underwear these days, but let's be honest: it's an important topic. Especially in this dreary era of downward projections, sub-prime forecasting, and ghost town economics. "Underwear? What's that got to do with anything," you ask, mouse careening towards the Unsubscribe button. Quite a lot, actually, so hear me out.
Underwear is a subtle socio-technological innovation that most people born after 1950 simply take for granted. An idea engrained. But imagine the person that came up with it. Imagine him trying to convince his friends and family that they would be more comfortable wearing these lightweight cotton undergarments (not to mention cleaner, healthier and less odorous).
Undergarments have a remarkably long history, dating back almost to the beginning of humankind and the grandfather of all clothing: the loin cloth. I'm not sure what the tipping point was, but it certainly wasn't long after homo sapiens became self-aware that someone shouted, "Hey, put some pants on!" This, coincidentally, was the same event that touched off modern stand-up comedy.
The most interesting undergarment of all is the T-Shirt. Modern western culture doesn't tend to think of this as underwear, except perhaps the plain white undershirt. But the T-Shirt began as an undergarment. Exact origins are disputed, most accounts attribute the widespread adoption to the American armed forces, most likely the Navy.
In the 19th century the most common piece of underwear was the union suit, or what we'd today call "long johns." This staple was accompanied by numerous other obscure articles, most of which are long forgotten. But the late 1800s were a remarkably innovative time for undergarment apparel and the T-Shirt evolved out of increasing interests in comfort and hygiene.
If you weren't around for the late 19th century, it was a much more fragrant time. Unfortunately, believe it or not, hygiene and aroma were not altogether enough to inspire adoption of this new technology.
According to the vintage skivvies history page, the Navy had distributed one of these new products to it's sailors. When they returned en masse from World War 1, they became trendsetters and T-Shirts were suddenly the new black.
The T-Shirt, known as one's "skivvies" at the time, appeared everywhere and touched off a trend best described by "underwear as outerwear." A harbinger of the 20th century's long and persistent theme of sexual revolution. Sex appeal was born.
Later innovations gave the world a wide array of T-Shirts and T-Shirt technology, including: the Smiley face, the tie-dye, the baby-doll, the college jersey, and more recently, CafePress and Zazzle. Today's culture views these shirts as acceptable informal day-to-day apparel and no longer a titillating exposition of one's undergarments. Most people today don't even think of it as underwear.
This simple idea has lead to 100+ years of business and profit. It's touched almost everyone in the world, from shoppers at hip boutiques in Brooklyn, NY to refugees in Africa, recipients of international clothing donations. But it's underwear.
The T-Shirt, a modern afterthought, represents the essence of innovation. It is a platform that has serviced a century's worth of trends in fashion, politics, humor, and marketing. Like any good platform, it has the power to unify, to create a network. Visit a sports arena or political rally to see how.
A common lament amongst recent generations has been that "all the good ideas are taken." That we're running out of new things. But if the history of the T-Shirt teaches anything, it's that ideas are more prevalent and have broader dimension than is immediately obvious. That even the simplest idea needs 100 years of exposition before it begins to be understood, let alone perfected. We don't need new T-Shirts (design), but we do need new T-Shirts (platform).
Thanks to vintageskivvies.com and Wikipedia for the historical details.
Intresting post jesse. This is certainly a different post.... Good chronological narration...