Think you know everything about underwear? Think again. Here are 20 facts that will amaze you.
You'll be surprised...
We all wear underclothing, but there are some interesting facts that you may have never imagined relating to them.
This blog lists the top 20 interesting facts about underwear and lingerie. See if you know them.
- There's An Underwear Museum – There is an actual museum for underwear in Belgium. Known as the Musée du slip, it houses the underclothing from famous people, who have worn it at least once and includes a certificate of authenticity. It was originally located in a Brussels cafe but has since been moved to Wallonia, Belgium. A 2014 theft saw the underwear of Brussels's mayor stolen from the museum.
- 45% of Americans Wear Underwear 2 days Or Longer – According to this survey from Tommy John, nearly half of Americans admitted to wearing underwear for 2 days in a row or longer. 13% however, admitted to wearing the same pair for a week or longer. This survey was conducted on over 2,000 American men and women.
- There's A National No Pants Day – No pants day is held yearly in many cities across the world on the first Friday of every May. From subway rides in underclothing to arriving for work in boxers, the movement for underwear as outerwear is active in several countries, including the US, Canada, Australia, Sweden, Britain, and Finland.
- Over 30 Types of Bras Available – There are over 30 types of bras out there, and this should be good news for the over 60% of women who wear the wrong bras. There is the T-shirt bra, the strapless bra, the sports bra, the full-support bra, the padded bra, the push-up bra, the stick-on bra, the bandeau bra, the long-line bra, and the built-in bra, the maternity bra, and so on. You can check out the full list here to know what's best for you.
- The Mono Bosom Was Once Hot – Many early bras packed the breasts together into one mono-boob style and this, as far back as the 16th century. It went in hand with corset shaping of the body to create a smooth figure with a very tiny waist.
- Most Women Prefer Men in Tighty Whities – About 60% of women and over 40% of men said they preferred tighty-whities (51%) over other types of underwear, including boxer shorts(10%), boxer briefs(26%), trunks(10%), long johns(2%), and jockstraps(1%).
- About 5-7% of Men Go Commando – Going commando is a slang term for men not wearing underwear, and is also known as “freeballing”. The term originated from the Vietnam war, where troops chose to ditch their underwear to avoid fungal infections. About one in 20 men regularly go commando.
- G-string Wearing Women Are Considered More Sexually Confident – This might come from the comfort that thongs offer or from the fact that feeling sexy can actually make a woman have more confidence and be sexually adventurous. One thing for sure though, is that thongs are way more exciting than normal panties.
- Bra Sizes Co-relate to BMI – Many studies have placed German, Venezuelan, American, and Russian women at the top of the worldwide list of women with the largest bra sizes. They measure D cups on average and often have Double-Ds. One study, however, tried to match the breast size data with BMI data and concluded that women from countries with a higher average BMI (body fat) tended to also have higher bra sizes.
- Sagging Jeans Originated From Prison – The fashion trend of wearing jeans below the waist so that your undergarments are visible has its roots in the American prison system. Inmates were often given too large uniforms and not allowed to have belts for safety reasons. Rappers and skaters then popularized the style.
- Women Have Always Used Bras – Though the modern bra is less than a century old, ancient paintings and writings show that women of old have always used one form of specialized garment or the other to either support, restrain, cover, reveal or modify their breasts' appearance in one way or the other.
- Red Underwear Guarantees Luck & Success In Italy – Wearing red underwear for new year's eve in Italy guarantees luck and success for the year ahead. Giving a gift of red underwear also means you wish great fortune for the person.
- 80% of Women Wear The Wrong Bra Size – Chiropractors found in a study that 80% of women wear the wrong bra size. Furthermore, 70% wear bras that are too small, while 10% wear bras that are too large.
- In Japan You Can Buy Used Underwear From A Vending Machine – Burusera is a Japanese fetish for used underwear and school uniforms. There are Burusera shops in Japan, dedicated solely to this, and then, there are vending machines as well, from which you can also buy used underwear.
- There Are Over 10 Bikini Types – They range from bikini tops and bottoms to the Tankini, which is a combination of a bikini bottom and a tank top. There is the skirtini (you guessed right), the minimalist microkini, the string bikini, the stick-on bikini, the bandeaukini, and the vegetable bikini, mostly made from cabbages. There is also the burqini.
- Burqini – This name combines the words burqa and bikini to refer to women's swimsuit designs that cover the entire body, except the face. It is popular among Muslim women and skin-cancer survivors.
- Corsets Work, But – Wearing a corset over time and training your waist can help you to develop a better visual appearance, but only while you are wearing them. Your body will return to its original shape once you remove the corset. The best way to permanently transfer your body is through regular exercise, good nutrition, and a positive mindset.
- Bra Cup Letters Appeared in 1932 – Though originally used to describe the pendulous nature of breasts and not their volume, the letters A, B, C, and D were first used to describe bra cup sizes in October 1932. The term cup, on the other hand, first appeared in 1916 patents.
- Wearing A Bra Can Get You Flogged – The Somali group Al-Shabab has been reported to whip women on the streets if they are caught wearing bras, which they say is a deception. No court is necessary, all the women need to do is jump up and down to prove if they are braless or not.
- The King's Underwear Failed To Sell in 2012 – While the King of Rock's old Bible sold for a whopping $94,000 in a 2012 auction, a pair of his soiled tighty-whities, which he wore in a 1977 concert failed to get enough bids to sell. It got an $8,000 highest bid, but its reserve price was set at $11,000.
Conclusion
There you have it, 20 curious and interesting facts about underwear. Have any you might want to share? Tell us in the comments.