Underwear: a supportive friend you’ve been unknowingly ghosting! As we grow up and find everything rapidly changing around us, the one thing that keeps constant is our relationship with underwear. But have we genuinely appreciated their presence in our drawers? Did we ever wish ourselves and our loved ones a happy National Underwear Day? Better late than never to discuss the history and notability of this fantastic day of underwear celebration!
National Underwear Day originated in 2003 as part of the body-inclusive campaign by the company Freshpair. At the time, praising all body shapes and sizes was a newborn idea and eventually became a market strategy that was adopted by many other underwear brands. The popularity of body-inclusive underwear skyrocketed, leading to August 5th being named as National Underwear Day.
Underwear has existed long before most of us were even born. From the early farmers during the Stone Age to the ancient Egyptians, the concept of wrapping a cloth around to protect our intimate parts is nothing new. More so, after the era of the tight corset, underwear took on different styles and designs as wearing matching lingerie became a new-fashioned trend. Lady Duff Gordon was an acclaimed 20th-century designer who replaced the restrictive style of corsets with sheer and elegant lingerie. Since then, brands like Victoria’s Secret have earned millions of dollars selling a variety of fun and chic underwear collections. Underwear also got its own fashion show as Victoria’s Secret held its first-ever lingerie spectacle in 1995. However, the company faced a lot of backlash for only showcasing lingerie worn by skinny and so-called “conventionally attractive” models. Even though there was an abundance of variation in designs, the company lacked diversity in representation.
As the movement of body inclusivity continued to grow, more and more brands started to make and market underwear for all types of bodies. Moreover, brands such as TomboyX and Boy Smells are not only appreciating body inclusivity with their underwear, but also embracing the value of gender neutrality. Challenging the gender binary and promoting self-expression, brands like Lucky Skivvies introduced unisex boxers from sizes small to 3XL. No matter how many curves your body has, and no matter what you identify as, you deserve to own undies that make you feel comfortable—and dare I say sexy—in your own skin.
If you’re a newbie wondering how to celebrate this intimate day with your underwear, we got you! Here are a few activities you can do to truly mark this day.
Have a fun solo dance night! Dim the lights, turn your playlist on, and enjoy a night full of dancing in your most cozy underwear.
Throw a party with some friends with an “all lingerie” dress code rule.
Have a romantic date at home with your partner(s) and spice it up by deciding each other’s lingerie for the night.
Go to a strip club or a burlesque show to watch people perform incredibly erotic shows in their undies. It can’t get better than that!
Toss out your old pile of underwear and buy new stylishly sustainable pairs. Look out for more eco-friendly and body-inclusive brands.
Go sunbathing in your favorite matching underwear-bra set or boxers. You can also invite some friends and make a fun picnic out of it!
Add these to your to-do lists and spread the word around about commemorating National Underwear Day!
Written by Shreya Tomar.