"Double-Seat Briefs", Where Art Thou?
Part 1:
So lets pretend in 1957, you just purchased or received your first briefs and they just so happened to have the double-seat. At first you're not sure what to think, but you are aware that there is something special with how they look and feel. After researching the catalogs and departments stores, you realize that this is a common feature in both men's and boys briefs. When the opportunity rises, you notice others in the gym locker room that wear briefs that sometimes has this extra layer of thickness.
Adding to the confusion, you're wondering why you even care!
With the start of a new decade, you see that there is a new trend emerging. More and more "Baby-Boomers" are moving away from the "Silent Generation" era of white and pastel boxers. As the 1960's developed in to the hippie generation, any kid would be ridiculed if he was seen wearing his old man boxers. By 1979, wearing boxers was social suicide to most boys entering high school. Unless you had a very strong disposition at such an early age, it was just easier to fit in than face ridicule among your peers.
By the early 80's, briefs had captured the underwear market and nothing was going to stop it......
Part 2:
Remember the push in the early 80's to look for "Made in the USA" label when purchasing your clothing?
During the 1970's with rapid inflation, China had entered the US market with its more affordable clothing. Owners and CEO's from all sectors of the east coast apparel industry saw the writing on the wall and immediately started cutting jobs and quality. In 1978, the underwear giant JC Penney slowly started to eliminate the double-seat in the boy's sizes (8-20). In 1989, JCP eliminated the men's double-seat brief from their catalogs and by the early 90's, double-seat briefs had disappeared entirely from the market. They simply had to, in order to stay competitive until they had time to set-up new manufacturing plants in foreign countries where the cost of labor was cheaper.
During this same period of cheapening of men's and boy's basics there started to be a swing from briefs back to boxers. By the late 1980's, Generation X was now making their own purchases and looked at the white briefs as the sorry basic that they had become. No longer being full cut (with or without the double-seat) and an uncomfortable waistband, they had no interest in wearing these sorry little briefs. The aging Baby Boomers were also disappointed with what had happened to their favorite brief and wondering what the heck happened!
Part 3:
The rise and fall of quality men's briefs has given birth to several new underwear industries. Tiger Underwear came online in 2007 finally filling a void with the double-seat brief that was missing for so many years. Understanding that they have entered a market driven by a younger demographic, they will continue to have a following that finds this style and cut desirable for its comfort and fit.
We would like to see other companies examine what Tiger Underwear has done. Tiger has shown that they can sell double-seat briefs at $24.99 each and continue to grow in a very difficult and competitive market. It's time for JC Penney and others brands to have a "Gold" or top of the line brief that is full cut and with an optional double seat. Certainly it would be more affordable to the every day consumer and if they do, they just might bring back briefs as the new favorite for the Generation Y (The Millennial Generation).
We certainly wish no ill will on Tiger and we doubt JC Penney or any other will take us up on our challenge. Tiger assures us their pricing is in fact in line with other smaller niche companies and that their cost are high do to the fact they can't produce on the same level that Jockey or other industry giants can.
