Tighty Whiteys

Mark glanced up. Not a cloud in the sky.

“Let’s try something,” he said, lowering himself onto the grass between Chad’s legs. “Three colors—the sky, your tighty-whities, and that tan.”

Chad laughed. “My mom always said never leave the house without clean underwear.”

“Smart woman,” Mark said. “Step your foot up… yeah. Hand on your thigh—hold it there.”

He brought the camera up, then paused—lowering it just long enough to take it in for himself.

“This is good,” he said, still looking. “You’re giving me ideas.”

Image 1 - Unknown Model (close-up from below)

White briefs were basically the standard issue for men for most of the mid-century. Open any old magazine or catalog and you’ll see the same thing: bright white underwear, a clean-cut guy, and usually a white crew-neck T-shirt to go with it. Brands like Hanes and Fruit of the Loom practically owned the look. Back then it wasn’t a fashion statement—it was just what men wore. If a photographer wanted to capture that wholesome, all-American vibe, a pair of white briefs and a plain white tee did the job perfectly.

Image 2 - Gary Boyd (Fruit of the Looms)

Image 3 - Cherokee aka Everett Lee Jackson (slipping out)

Image 4 - Chuck Hall (without sailor hat)

Image 5 - Scott Hammond (airing in front of the fan)

Things started to shift later on. When the Calvin Klein ads hit in the late 80s—especially Marky Mark grabbing his waistband on those giant billboards—suddenly men’s underwear had a whole new kind of attention. Catalogs like International Male leaned into the moment too, offering brighter colors and skimpier cuts that felt a lot less like gym class and a lot more like nightlife. But even with all those new styles, the humble tighty-whities never really went away.

Image 6 - Steve Packard (hirsute and briefs)

Image 7 - Cody James (the great escape)

Image 8 - Kim Rawlings (shredded)

Image 9 - J.W. King (ready for action)

Maybe that’s because they were always so comfortable. I wore them for years and hated when it was time to throw a pair out. The ones with a few holes were always the best—soft, broken in, and impossible to replace. Even now brands like 2XIST still sell plenty of white briefs. Somehow that simple design, somewhere between boyhood innocence and locker-room nostalgia, remains an icon.

Image 10 - Rick Donovan (wear and tear)

Feedback?

Anyone have info on #1, history about these guys, or thoughts to share?