Young Blonde Girl Undresses From The Blue Underwear In The Museum

During World War II, elastic waistbands and metal snaps gave way once again to button fasteners due to rubber and metal shortages. Undergarments were harder to find as well, since soldiers abroad had priority to obtain them. By the end of the war, Jockey and Hanes remained the industry leaders in the US, but Cluett, Peabody and Company made a name for itself when it introduced a preshrinking process called "Sanforization", invented by Sanford Cluett in 1933, which came to be licensed by most major manufacturers.
Meanwhile, some women adopted the corset once again, now called the "waspie" for the wasp-shaped waistline it gave the wearer. Many women began wearing the strapless bra as well, which gained popularity for its ability to push the breasts up and enhance cleavage.
• 1950s and 1960s
In the 1950s, underwear manufacturers began marketing printed and coloured undergarments. What had once been a simple, white piece of clothing not to be shown in public suddenly became a fashion statement. Manufacturers also experimented with rayon and newer fabrics like Dacron, nylon and Spandex. By 1960, men's underwear was regularly printed in loud patterns, or with messages or images such as cartoon characters.