Men's underwear is going retro in Japan, with steteco leading the pack. Steteco are "long trunks" that date back to tight trousers worn in Japan as early as the 14th century. The knee-length pants loosened up along the way and were just the thing to wear under hakama or kimono in the Meiji Era, and they made a comeback with the mass production of gauzy crepe fabric in the 50s. By the 1970s, blue jeans and the "new traditional" look had relegated the storied drawers to the top drawers of aging dads. But now, as old-man cute makes a global fashion comeback, the old briefs are young again.
In 2008, Steteco.com, a sub-brand of an intimate apparel maker called as, not only started making a youthful version of them, they called for nothing less than a world-wide steteco revival. "The first time I wore them under a suit, I loved how comfortable and absorbent they were, and how nice it was to come home, take off the suit, and just relax in them," the head of the "Tokyo Labo" says on their site. "We decided to show the world how great life can be with steteco."