Since their boxing culture origins in 1925, boxers have evolved greatly in their design and styling in both menswear and womenswear. In the beginning, Jacob Golomb created the shorts to advance mobilization for martial artists. Around the World War 2 era, drawstrings were largely removed from the design, allowing boxers to be utilized as undergarments for men or masculine-presenting individuals once the war was complete. However, they were mainly used for the comfort and freedom of army soldiers’ needs.
The mainstream identity of these undergarments has been on the rise in the past 100 years following its origin. The casual nature of boxers being displayed on big screens, billboards and massive campaigns have likely desensitized the public to the air of eroticism initially associated with them. This shift stemmed from one of the world’s largest apparel companies, Levi’s, back in 1985 when they featured an advertisement with a model stripped down to his boxers. Soon after in the 1990s, the hip-hop trend of “sagging”—wearing pants low enough to expose one’s undergarments—emerged and continues to be widely seen today.. Far from being a relic of the past, this trend continues to thrive in contemporary music culture. When I was at Lollapalooza 2025, the amount of individuals I saw wearing boxers was shocking. On the days headlining artists like Gracie Abrams and Role Model, red and white gingham boxers and short shorts were at an all time high.
Paul Mescal’s appearance during Gucci’s spring 2024 show in micro-hemlined, striped boxers helped cement the evolution of them as fashionable items today. Since then, celebrities and the public have shifted and started wearing them as outerwear. Though boxers have been inherently dominated and worn by men, the transition of them to outerwear has allowed it to be opened up to untapped markets in women.
This sartorial shift represents more than just a fleeting trend—it signals a broader cultural movement toward comfort-first dressing and the breakdown of traditional gender boundaries in fashion. High-end designers like Jacquemus and Bottega Veneta have reimagined boxers with luxurious fabrics and tailored cuts, such as nappa lambskin and microfiber, thus elevating them from basic undergarments to statement pieces worthy of red carpets. The “boxer-as-outerwear” phenomenon has been particularly embraced by Gen Z, who view fashion as a form of self-expression, unbound by a need to adhere to conventional dress codes.
Social media platforms, especially TikTok and Instagram, have accelerated this transformation by showcasing countless styling variations—boxers paired with blazers for a high-low mix, worn in addition to sheer tops for layered looks, or produced as swim shorts for beach vacations. The versatility of the garment, combined with its inherent comfort and nostalgic appeal, has made it a wardrobe staple that transcends traditional fashion seasons. As times change, boxers continue to shift and mold to every whim thrown their way. It’s safe to say that they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon so get comfortable and used to seeing them in your home and on the streets, billboards and runways.
Credits:
Creative Director: Kristina Wise
Stylist: Miles Ragin
Models: Van Fulton-Wright, Miles Ragin
Photographer: Elizabeth Murphy