Althouse: Historic underpants.

August 26, 2005

Historic underpants.

In the bedroom of the Thomas House museum (in Central City, Colorado):

I took a picture of a 19th century man's underpants:

15 comments:

Nick said...: Yet more in the continuing saga of Ann Althouse's obsession with covering up legs. ;); 8/26/05, 12:32 PM
Ann Althouse said...: I think it could be a new style to just wear pants like this. They look comfy! And since you guys are already going about in the equivalent of boxer shorts... I think this underwear trend has... legs!; 8/26/05, 1:37 PM
Simon Kenton said...: Obscure 19th century primary sources note the unpleasantness when a miner or cowpoke finished the winter and was ready to bathe in the spring. By that time, the underwear not having come off since the previous summer, body hair had grown through the fabric, and was ripped away during the unveiling. I never fully appreciated this until an 8-mile run at -10F wearing a balaclava; unbeknownst to me, my beard had passed through it and frozen, and came out in patches when I stripped off the balaclava.; 8/26/05, 1:49 PM
Ann Althouse said...: The women's underwear looked a lot like things women still buy! Women go for the old-fashioned look.

By the way, this house had an entry to a gold mine in it. You may have had to go outside to use the bathroom, but if you wanted to mine for gold, you just went into the equivalent of the basement.; 8/26/05, 2:05 PM
P_J said...: Ann,

Would you really rather see men going about in the equivalent of pajama bottoms than in shorts?; 8/26/05, 2:16 PM
Ann Althouse said...: Jeff: Not just any pajama bottoms, but well designed pants modeled on long underwear/pajama bottoms would be great. I, myself, look for clothes that are as similar to pajamas as I can get away with.; 8/26/05, 2:20 PM
knox said...: The question is: If wearing this sort of thing *did* become a trend, would men wear underwear beneath them, or would they just let it fly?; 8/26/05, 2:27 PM
P_J said...: Ann,

Ha! I don't know why, but the pajama comment just struck me as funny. The overlapping clothing/gender issues threads have been some of the more enjoyable lately.

I must say that the wonderfully eclectic mix of topics keeps me coming back - law, politics, art, music, food, religion, culture, gender roles. And the comments (both serious and humorous) make it all work. Thanks again for hosting.

Knoxgirl,
I guess it works for some guys, but I can't go commando. "The only thing between him and us is a thin layer of gabardine!" Yech.; 8/26/05, 2:33 PM
Meade said...: After Ayatollah Ann imposes sharia law on American men, we'll all be wearing these.; 8/26/05, 2:41 PM
Ann Althouse said...: Lmeade: Great link. Why shouldn't men take advice from people who've lived in the desert for so long? Not for women's clothes, but presumably the men have taken good care of themselves.; 8/26/05, 2:46 PM
P_J said...: Well, Native Americans have lived in the desert for a long time and favored the loincloth...

Why not a pair of crisp, tailored shorts instead of those baggy, pajama-y things? Linen wrinkles when you look at it. You'll spend all day looking like you just rolled out of bed.; 8/26/05, 3:20 PM
Icepick said...: Ann, since I live in Florida, why would I take advice from desert dwellers on how to dress? More material is just that much more sweat-soaked clothing I'm wearing when I finally do make it to air conditioning. Skin cools and drys faster than any clothing you'd force me into. Hot dry air and hot humid air are two different things entirely....; 8/26/05, 3:22 PM
P_J said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 8/26/05, 3:28 PM
Ron said...: Ann: What, no photos of the two-button back door flap?

What would we call Union Suits today when unionism is not fashionable? 401Ks? Independant Contract Wear?

"401Ks -- the more you put in our jeans, the more you take out."; 8/26/05, 3:31 PM
Nick said...: I'm out there Jerry, and I'm lovin every minute of it!
***
Don't you need a little... help?
***
Surprisingly, no. I'm free, I'm unfettered. I'm like a naked innocent boy roamin' the
countryside!

What would we do without Seinfeld quotes?; 8/26/05, 4:15 PM