Thursday Special February 26, 2009 from One Foot In The Grave

Now that it seems like the weather has turned once again and we're back in the 30's from our balmy 60's, this is an extremely relevant topic. Enjoy.

No body has ever come up with a good substitute for friendship.
Irony is when you buy a suit with two pair of pants, then burn a hole in the coat.

Men’s underwear is our subject for the day. In 1915 men’s underwear was all wool material and gray in color. They were called long handle underwear, long John’s and union suits. What did you call yours? They cost $4.70 in Montgomery Ward & Co. at Chicago. The same catalogue had women underwear were of fine wool and cotton with drop seat. That was expensive in 1915. Who could afford two pair? The material at that time would shrink. So you didn’t wash them very often. You all have seen the above in The Western movies. John L. Sullivan world heavy weight champion lived in Boston and he wore wool drawer in the boxing ring. That how they got the name long John’s. They were common by 1830 at that time they cost 10 cents.

1876 Samuel T. Cooper a retired minister manufactured socks and short underwear.

C.F. Bennett invented the jockstrap in 1897 his first customers were bike riders.

During WW1, the first cotton boxer shorts with buttons was issued to service men.

The sanforization was invented by Sanford L. Clutt in 1940. The trademark was registered in 58 country’s. This means you have very little shrinking of material.

1950 T shirts stop being underwear. Marlo Brando and James Dean made them popular to wear any place.

1934 was the year Jockey introduce a Y vent shorts.

I have my Grandpa garters for holding up his socks. Before elastic all men wore garter to hold up their wool socks.

The first Olympic athletes wore no under wear.

I’m sure you have all been holding your breath for the above knowledge. Glad to help out.

The popular thong dates back to early Greece.

Happy to share.