Clothing Definitions — definitions of garments and clothing terms from Apparel Search
Briefs are a type of men's underwear. The style is Y-shaped at the front and is preferred for athletic activities because it supports without loose fabric. Briefs were first sold on 19 January 1935 by Coopers, Inc., in Chicago, Illinois — the design, with its elastic waistband and leg bands and shaped pouch front, became the template for the modern men's brief. This page explains how briefs are constructed, the variations in rise and leg cut, and where the style sits between traditional boxer shorts and the longer boxer brief.
Briefs were first sold on 19 January 1935 by Coopers, Inc., in Chicago, Illinois. They dubbed the new undergarment the "Jockey" because it offered a similar degree of support from the jockstrap. 30,000 pairs were sold within three months of their introduction.
In Britain, briefs were first sold in 1938. Soon, shops were selling 3,000 briefs per week. They were so popular that in 1948 every member of the British Olympic team was given a free pair of briefs.
In Britain the term "jockeys" has not caught on, and briefs are often referred to as "Y-fronts".
| The above article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/briefs). 11/2/04 |
Within the brief family, the main choices are rise and leg cut. Full-rise briefs sit at the natural waist and give the traditional fit; mid- and low-rise versions sit on the hips to pair with lower-rise trousers and jeans. Leg openings are finished with elastic or fabric bands that should lie flat without cutting in — a band that leaves deep marks is a sign the size is too small, while one that gaps will not keep the garment in place through the day.
Cotton remains the standard fabric for its breathability and easy care, with elastane added in modern versions to hold shape. For sport, moisture-managing synthetic blends move sweat away from the skin where plain cotton stays damp. As with all next-to-skin garments, replacing briefs when the elastic relaxes — usually the first part to fail — keeps the fit the design intends.
Briefs also anchor the vocabulary of the category: the high-cut athletic brief, the traditional full brief and fashion briefs with branded waistbands are all settings of the same variables — rise, leg opening and pouch shaping. Judged on those terms, a good pair disappears in wear, which is precisely what the close, supported design was invented in 1935 to achieve.
Briefs were first sold on 19 January 1935 by Coopers, Inc., in Chicago, Illinois. The new design offered a supported, close fit with elastic at the waist and legs, and it quickly became a standard men's underwear style.
Briefs hold everything in place with no loose fabric, so nothing shifts or bunches during movement. That secure fit, in a minimal garment that works under any sports clothing, is why the brief remains a common choice for athletic activity.
Briefs end at the top of the thigh with a high leg opening, while boxer briefs extend down the thigh like fitted shorts. Both give support; boxer briefs add thigh coverage that reduces chafing and shows a smoother line under trousers.