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 A codpiece (from Middle English cod meaning «scrotum») is a
covering flap or pouch that attaches to the front of the crotch of men's
trousers and usually accentuates the genital area. It was held closed by string
ties, buttons, or other methods. In the 14th century, men's hose were two
separate legs worn over linen drawers, leaving a man's genitals covered only by
a layer of linen. As the century wore on and men's hemlines rose, the hose
became longer and joined at the centre back but remained open at the centre
front. The shortening of the cote or doublet resulted in under-disguised
genitals, so the codpiece began life as a triangular piece of fabric covering
the gap.
As time passed, codpieces became shaped and padded to
emphasize rather than to conceal, reaching their peak of size and
decoration in
the 1540s before falling out of use by the 1590s. Armor of the 16th
century
followed civilian fashion, and for a time armored codpieces were a
prominent
addition to the best full harnesses.
The expansion of the silhouette in men's fashion during the
reign of Henry VIII was not limited to exposing the codpeice to view.
There was
a literal expansion as well. Although Henry VIII was considered to be
one of
the handsomest men in Europe, he was a large man later in his life and
the new
style suited him perfectly. The boxy silhouette can be explained by
Henry's
desire to hide his excess bulk, but it doesn't explain the expansion of
the
codpiece, as it was exaggerated in size, the bag was puffed and slashed,
and
even ornamented with jeweled pins. This new prominence was an effort by
men to exaggerate
their endowments. Besides, Henry VIII was very likely concerned with the
image
he was presenting to the other rulers of Europe. So much did his
inability to
beget a healthy male heir (his son, later Edward VI, was always sickly)
weigh
on his mind, that Henry VIII changed the entire religion of England.
Henry VIII
understood succession problems, having only come to the throne because
his
older brother, Arthur, died young. Ever conscious of his image, the
exaggerated
codpiece told England, and the rest of Europe as well, that his
equipment could
not be at fault.
However, as the fashions changed, the exuberance and
flamboyance of Renaissance styles were replaced by the clean cut and
elegant
precision, and men's attire changed dramatically, gradually becoming
more
comfortable. The noisy clatter of metal and jewels was replaced by the
inaudible clinking of zipper or buttons fastening without a sound.
Today, the
transformed codpiece is found in its original place though this time it
can
have buttons, zipper or a special wedge-shaped flap, which provides
maximum
comfort to a man.
After numerous design and functional transformations through
the centuries, the codpiece ceased to be a separate clothing item,
leaving only
an outline in the place where it used to be. In trousers and jeans, a
codpiece is
a zipper, concealed beneath the flap. Breeches, pants, shorts, and even
men's
tights - all these men's wardrobe items include some variation of the
codpiece,
depending on the function of clothes, its style and fabric.
Men's tights or underpants that keep men warm in the cold
season, are tight fitting and nearly clinging to the skin, and therefore
codpiece is present here as a single vertical flap, which provides
anatomical
support for the genitals. A pioneer of men's underwear design, French
label HOM
began in 1968 with the production of pants with a convenient flexible
codpiece,
intended for an active man of any age who strives for success in life
and work.
In 1997, HOM patented a new innovative underwear design which included
the
horizontal opening and using anti-allergic fabrics. The horizontal
opening in
the pants offered more comfort for men in comparison with than the
vertical opening
with buttons or zipper. The latter were designed mostly for the
right-handed
men who could easily unzip the codpiece while the left-handers faced
some
difficulties.
Modern underwear for man may include synthetic materials,
but the codpiece fabric should always be natural and anti-allergic.
Gone are the days of knights and tournaments, and kings flaunting
their tinkling bejeweled gold codpieces. Today, the original version of
the
codpiece is still worn in performance costumes for rock music and metal
musicians and in the gay leather subculture, while in everyday life
codpiece
has turned into an essential part of men's bottoms, the fly. Though some
designers
who have a rich sense of humor from time to time come up with a modern
version
of the codpiece. However, this is merely a harmless prank which hardly
goes
beyond the catwalk.
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