From Ancient Egypt to the present day, both men's and women's underwear has undergone numerous transformations to increasingly adapt to people's needs and tastes. But what has been the evolution of underwear? Let’s discover it in this article dedicated to what’s there but not seen.

Underwear has ancient origins. In the beginning, it didn’t serve the same purpose as we attribute to it today, but was mainly used to protect intimate areas and, later, to maintain modesty in public. Although the earliest evidence of underwear dates back to Ancient Egypt, it seems that even primitive men used animal skins to cover their most delicate parts to protect themselves from the cold. Over time, the use of linen tunics became more common among the aristocratic classes during the time of the Pharaohs, while in Greece and Rome, both men and women would wear the subligaculum, a kind of loincloth made from linen or leather, often accompanied by women with a mammillare, a band that was the ancestor of the modern bra.

The choice of fabrics for making underwear in ancient civilisations was primarily influenced by the climatic conditions and the available resources. Among the materials most commonly used in ancient underwear were linen, a fresh, light, and breathable fabric widely used in Egypt, Greece, and Rome, and which continued to be associated with luxury and comfort until the Middle Ages. The poorer classes used tanned animal skins, and only in rare cases was cotton used, as it was not yet widely available in the region.

The ancient Greeks would alternate between linen and wool during the winter months to protect themselves from the cold. However, the real change in the use of materials for underwear occurred in Ancient Rome: here, the wealthier classes could afford refined materials like silk, imported directly from China via the Silk Road trade routes. This allowed them to wear intimate tunics close to the body, underneath their togas. Soldiers, on the other hand, used more rigid materials like leather for protection in battle.

Linen remained the preferred material for creating underwear until the Middle Ages, when it was gradually replaced by cotton, which became increasingly popular thanks to trade. Wool also made a comeback, alongside hemp, a less expensive and rougher fabric compared to linen but still suitable for everyday underwear. Hemp was particularly used by the poorer classes and in colder regions.

The evolution of men's underwear was quite slow until the 19th century, when growing attention to hygiene and comfort led to the spread of more fitted and functional garments. Until then, men had worn loose, often impractical underwear fastened at the waist with cords or buttons. In the 20th century, the real revolution came with the introduction of the first elasticated briefs: these new designs provided better support and comfort, eliminating the uncomfortable strings of previous underwear, and later evolving into boxers during the 1920s and 1930s.

Today, thanks to innovative materials and high-quality craftsmanship, men's underwear has reached new levels of fit and performance, as demonstrated by Boglietti boxer shorts and briefs, designed to offer maximum comfort and breathability without sacrificing style.

In the past, underwear often had an aesthetic or symbolic function, but today the concept of comfort has become a priority. The evolution of materials has led to the introduction of softer, lighter, and more breathable fabrics that adapt perfectly to the body, providing an impeccable fit. Today, underwear is no longer just a hidden garment beneath clothes, but an element that expresses the personality, comfort, and well-being of the wearer, demonstrating how a simple piece of clothing can become a symbol of the changes in fashion, needs, and lifestyle in society. If you want to complete your wardrobe with the perfect underwear, discover all the Boglietti intimate garments: quality, comfort, and style for every need.