In 1925, Jacob Golomb, founder of Everlast, designed the elastic-waist trunks to replace the leather-belted trunks that were worn by boxers. The choice was quite simple and the elastic band trunks easily beat out the competitor. These trunks immediately became famous, but it wasn’t until the military issued them to the soldiers during World War II that boxers gained wider popularity.   

The soldiers thought the fit, with the airy structure, was comfortable, not least because they allowed air to circulate in warmer temperatures. The fact that the soldiers kept their boxers after the war was instrumental to the general acceptance and is speculated to be the reason why boxer shorts have become a symbol of masculinity.