MtMan-List: underwear

[Allen Chronister <almont@mt.net>]

I just returned to this list after being gone for
a while.  Noticed an inquiry about "union suits"
and assume that someone is looking for info on
underwear in the 1800-1850 or so period.  First,
you might review the piece on trapper clothing in
BOB VII.  In summary, before about 1850 there WAS
male underwear.  The waist down was covered by
"drawers" which could  be any fabric, but were
usually wool flannel.  The most common
configuration seems to have been knee length, with
a simple button overlap in front and a drawstring
at the waist in back.  
During this same time period a wool flannel shirt
was commonly thought of as the preferred garment
to wear next to the skin and therefore could be
thought of as the upper underwear.  
One-piece knitted (or woven fabric for that
matter) underwear suits do not seem to have been
around before 1850, or at least I've never found
any evidence of them.  If someone has, please pass
along the cites.  Knitted wool upper body garments
were relatively common in the early 19th century
for men and seem to have looked exactly like a
modern crew neck sweater.  They seem to have been
outer garments, not underwear.  Most seem tohave
been English manufacture and were sold to trapers
in the West during the 1830s.
Allen Chronister.