Waistband

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A waistband

A waistband is a strip of material that is either elastic or some other confining fabric that encircles the waist, [1] usually as a component of clothing such as skirts, trousers, shorts, swimsuits, and undergarments.

Contents

A waistband can be a complete undergarment, worn to limit expansion of the abdomen, to meet various objectives including to help prevent overeating, to encourage mindful eating, to encourage good posture, or to immediately slim the appearance of the waist (much like a corset, also sometimes called a waist cincher, or girdle).

A waistband can be an outer garment, worn for fashion, or for utility.

History

Historically, in northern India, waistbands served various purposes including fastening miscellaneous items to oneself, such as knives. [2] In ancient history in the southern Levant, the waistband could serve as a status symbol when people would adorn themselves with ornaments attached to their waistbands. [3] In the early 19th century, members of some Taoist branches had their waistbands colored as a distinguisher and in order to symbolize their membership of the sect. [4] In the western world during the 19th century, the contortion of waistbands was less pronounced due to the fashionability of suspenders. [5]

Material and culture

Among some members of the Yoruba, the placement of beads upon their waistbands is an established tradition that is believed to enhance and accentuate a women's femininity. [6] The dimensions of the waistband serve as a contrivance for streamlining waist measurements. [7] Waistbands are often designed with belt loops in order to allow for variation in case of manufacturer subtleties or weight variation in the wearer. [8] A recent Debenhams survey revealed that the placement of one's waistband by males varies with age, with mid-teen boys placing them the lowest, while it steadily rises until the age of 57. [9] The exposure of the underpant waistband has become a trend among followers of grunge music and hip-hop. [10] In stretchy waistbands, the material can be made of various materials including rubber and latex. [11] In contemporary times, waistbands are more picturesque and scintillating compared to previous designs. [12] In western culture waist bands are now often used to achieve body goals such as to prevent overeating in order to maintain a healthy weight. For example, see the Wilhouette Waist Band, which is worn under clothing and which claims to limit expansion of the stomach to make you feel full earlier. [13]

Unwanted erections

Some men use the waistband in order to hide a genital bulge (also known by the informal terms man-bulge [14] [15] or moose-knuckle [16] ) in order to avoid embarrassment. [17] During an erection, this is done by jutting it upwards beneath the waistband. [18] This approach may on occasion be colloquially and informally referred to by slang terms such as a waistband tuck, [19] the waistband trick, [20] [21] the uptuck [22] or the tuck, [22] the "6 to midnight", [23] or the boner tuck. [24] Although such penile concealment is common in many cultures, some analysts have proposed limiting such a sentiment to informal etiquette so it mitigates the possibility of a young male's propensity for genital dysphoria and subsequent gender dysphoria or body dysmorphia. [25]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lingerie</span> Womens undergarments including sleepwear

Lingerie is a category of primarily women's clothing including undergarments, sleepwear, and lightweight robes. The choice of the word is often motivated by an intention to imply that the garments are alluring, fashionable, or both. In a 2015 US survey, 75% of women and 26% of men reported having worn "sexy lingerie" in their lifetime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loincloth</span> Cloth worn around the loins, usually in warm climates

A loincloth is a one-piece garment, either wrapped around itself or kept in place by a belt. It covers the genitals and sometimes the buttocks. Loincloths which are held up by belts or strings are specifically known as breechcloth or breechclout. Often, the flaps hang down in front and back.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweater</span> Piece of clothing made out of knit or crocheted material

A sweater or pullover, also called a jersey or jumper, is a piece of clothing, typically with long sleeves, made of knitted or crocheted material, that covers the upper part of the body. When sleeveless, the garment is often called a slipover, tank top or sweater vest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacket</span> Clothing for the upper body

A jacket is a garment for the upper body, usually extending below the hips. A jacket typically has sleeves, and fastens in the front or slightly on the side. A jacket is generally lighter, tighter-fitting, and less insulating than a coat, which is outerwear. Some jackets are fashionable, while others serve as protective clothing. Jackets without sleeves are vests.

A jockstrap, also a jock (male), jill (female), strap, cup, groin guard, pelvic protector (female), supporter, or athletic supporter, is an undergarment for protecting the testes and penis or vulva during contact sports or other vigorous physical activity. This article deals chiefly with the genital protective sports gear designed for the male body, colloquially known as a "jock".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chemise</span> Loose-fitting, straight-hanging shirt-like underwear for women

A chemise or shift is a classic smock type of women's undergarment or dress. Historically, a chemise was a simple garment worn next to the skin to protect clothing from sweat and body oils, the precursor to the modern shirts commonly worn in Western nations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Petticoat</span> Skirt-like undergarment, sometimes intended to show, worn under a skirt or dress

A petticoat or underskirt is an article of clothing, a type of undergarment worn under a skirt or a dress. Its precise meaning varies over centuries and between countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of corsets</span> The history of the corset and stays

The corset is a supportive undergarment for women, dating, in Europe, back several centuries, evolving as fashion trends have changed and being known, depending on era and geography, as a pair of bodies, stays and corsets. The appearance of the garment represented a change from people wearing clothes to fit their bodies to changing the shape of their bodies to support and fit their fashionable clothing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camisole</span> Womens undershirts usually worn over corsets or brassieres, reaching to or just below the waist

A camisole is a sleeveless undershirt typically worn by women, extending to the waist. The camisole is usually made of satin, nylon, silk, or cotton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slip (clothing)</span> Womans undergarment worn beneath a dress or skirt

A slip is a woman's undergarment worn beneath a dress or skirt. A full slip hangs from the shoulders, usually by means of narrow straps, and extends from the breast to the fashionable skirt length. A half slip hangs from the waist. The word petticoat may also be used for half slips.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleeveless shirt</span> Shirt without sleeves, including tank tops, camisoles, and tube tops

A sleeveless shirt is a shirt that is manufactured without sleeves or with sleeves that have been cut off. Depending on the style, they can be worn as undershirts, by athletes in sports such as track and field and triathlon, or as casual wear by both men and women.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Briefs</span> Type of undergarment and swimwear

Briefs are a type of short, form-fitting underwear and swimwear, as opposed to styles where material extends down the thighs. Briefs have various different styles, usually with a waistband attached to fabric that runs along the pelvis to the crotch and buttocks, and are worn by both men and women. Swim briefs are a variation used as swimwear.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1100–1200 in European fashion</span> Clothing in the period 1100-1200

Twelfth century European fashion was simple in cut and differed only in details from the clothing of the preceding centuries, starting to become tighter and more similar for men and women as the century went on, which would continue in the 13th century. Men wore knee-length tunics for most activities, and men of the upper classes wore long tunics, with hose and mantle or cloaks. Women wore long tunics or gowns. A close fit to the body, full skirts, and long flaring sleeves were characteristic of upper-class fashion for both men and women.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tucking</span> Transgender and drag queen technique

Tucking is a technique whereby an individual hides the crotch bulge of their penis and testicles so that they are not conspicuous through clothing.

<i>Sokutai</i> Traditional Japanese outfit worn those in the Japanese imperial court

The sokutai (束帯) is a traditional Japanese outfit worn only by courtiers, aristocrats and the emperor at the Japanese imperial court. The sokutai originated in the Heian period, and consists of a number of parts, including the ho, shaku (笏), a flat ritual baton or sceptre, and the kanmuri (冠), a cap-shaped black lacquered silk hat with a pennon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trousers</span> Clothing for the legs and lower body

Trousers, slacks, or pants are an item of clothing worn from the waist to anywhere between the knees and the ankles, covering both legs separately. In the United Kingdom, the word pants generally means underwear and not trousers. Shorts are similar to trousers, but with legs that come down only to around the area of the knee, higher or lower depending on the style of the garment. To distinguish them from shorts, trousers may be called "long trousers" in certain contexts such as school uniform, where tailored shorts may be called "short trousers" in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Underwear</span> Clothes worn under other clothes

Underwear, underclothing, or undergarments are items of clothing worn beneath outer clothes, usually in direct contact with the skin, although they may comprise more than a single layer. They serve to keep outer clothing from being soiled or damaged by bodily excretions, to lessen the friction of outerwear against the skin, to shape the body, and to provide concealment or support for parts of it. In cold weather, long underwear is sometimes worn to provide additional warmth. Special types of undergarments have religious significance. Some items of clothing are designed as undergarments, while others, such as T-shirts and certain types of shorts, are appropriate both as underwear and outerwear. If made of suitable material or textile, some underwear can serve as nightwear or swimwear, and some undergarments are intended for sexual attraction or visual appeal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Underwear as outerwear</span> Fashion trend

Wearing underwear as outerwear is a fashion trend popularized by celebrities, sports and media. It began as a practical and comfortable variation of clothing, such as the T-shirt and the sleeveless shirt, but would later become fashion statements that would be controversial and accused of being provocative. 21st century versions include the display of thongs and bras in women's clothing, and the display of underpants under low-slung pants in men. Wearing underwear as outerwear has historical antecedents in the display of undergarments in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

<i>Ryusou</i> Traditional clothing of Okinawans

Ucinaasugai, also known as Ryusou and referred as ushinchi in Okinawan, is the traditional dress of the Ryukyuan people. Ryusou is a form of formal attire; it is customary to wear it on occasions such as wedding ceremony and the coming-of-age ceremony. The ryusou became popular during the Ryukyu Kingdom period. It was originally worn by the members of the royal family and by the nobles of Ryukyu Kingdom. The Ryukyu Kingdom was originally an independent nation which established trade relationship with many countries in Southeast Asia and East Asia; they held their relationship with China as especially important. The development of the ryusou was influenced by both the hanfu and the kimono, demonstrating a combination of Chinese and Japanese influences along with local originality.

References

  1. Frank, Herter. "Belt-type side pocket waist adjustment for garments." U.S. Patent No. 3,638,242. 1 Feb. 1972.
  2. Hansen, Kathryn. "The virangana in North Indian history: myth and popular culture." Economic and Political Weekly (1988): WS25-WS33.
  3. Hesse, Rayner W. Jewelrymaking through history: An encyclopedia. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007.
  4. Li, Xiaobing (2012). China at War: An Encyclopedia: An Encyclopedia. p. 111.
  5. Condra, Jill (2008). The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing Through World History: 1801 to the Present. p. 57.
  6. Falola, Toyin (2016). Encyclopedia of the Yoruba. p. 46.
  7. Schroeder, Warren C. "Garment suspension waistband." U.S. Patent No. 4,516,275. 14 May 1985.
  8. Hawkins, Sherry D., and Saundra L. Lennartz. "Pants With A Weight-Distributing Waistband." U.S. Patent Application No. 12/948,333.
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  10. Kimmel, Michael (2014). Cultural Encyclopedia of the Penis. p. 226.
  11. Turkington, Carol (2009). The Encyclopedia of Skin and Skin Disorders, Third Edition. p. 20.
  12. Davenport, Irese. "Pants construction stabilized by integral undergarment." U.S. Patent No. 8,074,298. 13 Dec. 2011.
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  18. "Boner Blocking Boxers - Underwear Conceals Your Erection". Esquire . 2015-07-15. Archived from the original on 2021-02-25. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
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