BVD

This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2008)

BVD is a brand of men's underwear, which are commonly referred to as "BVDs." BVD stands for Bradley, Voorhees & Day, the New York City firm that initially manufactured underwear of this name for both men and women. BVD is now only for men. It was founded in 1876 and named for its three founders.^[1]

History

BVD first manufactured bustles for women. They then became famous for their men's union suits made of heavy knitted fabric. In 1908, that bulky and tight fitting garment was turned into a new kind of loose fitting underwear. They went on to introduce a two-piece and the popular union suit.^{[citation needed]}

They introduced a lightweight waffle-like fabric with the advertising slogan, "Next to Myself I Like BVD Best."^[1]

At the beginning of the 1930s BVD was purchased by the Atlas Underwear company located in Piqua, Ohio. During the Great Depression they were successful in manufacturing swimsuits for men, women and children. They patented their own fabric, Sea Satin, a rayon woven satin backed with latex for stretch. They also used knits of cotton, wool and Rayon, and cellophane.Their swimsuits featured in major fashion magazines and high fashion stores. Styles included form fitting maillots as well as full skirted swimsuits. They offered suits for men with detachable tops. In 1929, Olympic swimmer Johnny Weissmuller, who went on to become the most famous Tarzan in motion pictures, was hired as a model and representative. He was featured at swim shows throughout the country wearing the BVD brand of swimsuits, handing out leaflets and giving autographs.^{[citation needed]}

In 1951, the brand was purchased by Superior Mills. BVD was first to start packaging underwear in plastic bags for the mass market. In the 1960s and 1970s, they started introducing sportops, a pocket T-shirt, and fashionable underwear made of nylon.^{[citation needed]}

In 1976, BVD was purchased by Fruit of the Loom, which brought the brand to a worldwide market.^{[citation needed]} On April 9, 2002, Berkshire Hathaway purchased Fruit of the Loom.^[2]

The term "BVDs" has become, over time, a genericized trademark in reference to any brand of underwear.^{[citation needed]}

In pop culture

• In the song "Old School" on his album Me Against The World, 2Pac raps: "I had shell toes and BVD's / a killer crease inside my Lee's when I hit the streets".
• Many children are introducted to the word BVDs through the camp song, "Bye Bye BVDs". ^[3]
• BVDs mentioned in lyric to song "Guitarzan", 1969, by Ray Stevens
• BVD was a sponsor of New Japan Pro Wrestling for many years in Japan in the mid 1990's, as their logo was placed on the wrestling mat in the ring.^{[citation needed]}
• BVD is mentioned briefly in the 1991 song "Things That Make You Go Hmmm..." by C+C Music Factory.
• Lead BVDs are mentioned in the second verse of Tom Lehrer's song "The Wild West is where I want to be.
• "Two changes of BVDs" are mentioned in the song "Legend of the USS Titanic" by Jaime Brockett.
• BVD's are mentioned in the book 'Dark Lover' from the Black Dagger Brotherhood Series by J.R. Ward.
• The line "Get my BVDs from VIM" in the Beastie Boys' song "An Open Letter to NYC."
• Mentioned in the Frankie Jaxon version of "Willie The Weeper"
• Mentioned in the 1929 movie Broadway Melody (first sound film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture) directed by Harry Beaumont. At 8:20 minutes into the film the able Mahoney sister (Bessie Love) says, pointing out of the hotel window, to the beautiful one (Anita Page): "You see that electric sign of the fellow in BVDs?" Beautiful sister: "Yeah." Able sister: "Well, right there they're going to have the Mahoney Sisters." Beautiful sister: "In BVDs?"
• Mentioned a number of times in the book "Stone Butch Blues" by Leslie Feinberg.
• Mentioned throughout Cindy Gerards' 'Bodyguard' series.
• Mentioned by Chris Rock on SNL, during "I'M CHILLIN'".
• Mentioned by Andy Warhol in "The Philosophy of Andy Warhol": "After I check myself out in the mirror, I slip into my BVDs. Nudity is a threat to my existence."
• Mentioned in some versions of the pop standard song Hard Hearted Hannah (The Vamp of Savannah) .^[4]
• Mentioned in 42nd St. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0024034/ Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. The Vitaphone Corp.,1933. In the scene where Billy (Dick Powell) and Peggy (Ruby Keeler)are in the dressing room prior to the show's opening night.

Other languages

In Ecuadorian and Peruvian Spanish, the term bividí (pronounced like the English initials) is an eponym for a man's sleeveless underwear T-shirt.^{[citation needed]}

Mentioned in Magnum P.I., episode 3x07 (11/4/1982). A retro episode that takes place in the 1940s.

References