The Characteristics on Western Men's Underclothes in the Second Half of the 20C

20세기 후기에 나타난 서양 남성 속옷의 특성

The purpose of this study was to investigate the historical changes, and analyze functions and characteristics of western men's underclothes in the second half of the 20C. This study will examine how the social backgrounds influenced on the changes of the functions of men's underclothes and how the changes of outer garments were reflected on underclothes in the second half of the 20C. In the early, the second half of the 20C, underwears of functions was continued to cleanliness and comforts. In the later of the 20C, underwears came to be seen as expressing male sexual power when it became body-conscious. By the changes of outer garments. underclothes changed the same size of proportion. In the late 1960's, the turtleneck type of shirts were copied by outer garments, and we understand that underwear can influence on outer garments. The ruffles of the 18th century reappeared in the 1960's. This reactionism of the late 20C tells us about the relation between social environments and underwear. So the social backgrounds influenced on the formativeness of men's underclothes. We understand that underwear can influence on outer garments and outer garments can influence on underwear, too. The important characteristics of the second half of the 20C were the remarkable resemblance of some styles to those of the Past and the occasional blurring of the distinction between underwear and outerwear.