Why does Superman wear his underwear over his pants?

Superman was born in 1938, amidst political uncertainty and the rise of mass media. His escape from the devastated planet Krypton in search of asylum on Earth connected vitally with his creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, sons of exiled Jews. As a hopeful response to the Great Depression and, later, a symbol of the democratic ideal during World War II, Superman personifies values such as justice, truth, and equality. He represents theAmerican way of life and the self-made man, and projects the narrative of the United States as an exceptional and morally just nation. Thus, Superman not only inaugurates the age of superheroes, but lays the first stone of a new American popular mythology, through which symbolic structures are consolidated and ideologies are conveyed in the social fabric. A superman connected to the classic patriarchal ideal—combining extraordinary physical power with unquestionable ethics—and who is presented as an aspirational model of masculinity.

One of the elements that Superman establishes is the change of wardrobe as a crucial point in the superhero narrative. If men often believe themselves alien to the phenomenon of fashion, in Superman's case, it is clothing (and its alternation) that gives him his identity. While the tailored suit embodies the clumsy personality of journalist Clark Kent, Superman defines his quality as a superwith every detail of his suit, which he constructs from different references with which to emphasize his masculinity.

Superman's wardrobe draws directly from the iconography of Imperial Rome, which takes as its starting point the muscular breastplate of the Roman emperors, designed not for combat, but to display power and virtue. Furthermore, masks such as those of Batman or Spider-Man evoke ceremonial helmets with idealized features that recalled portraits of Alexander the Great and were used in parades as a symbol of an invulnerable army. This aesthetic, in addition to the Renaissance swordsman, also recovers the classic gladiator—with the boots, the cap, and the idealized body—and connects with the imaginary of the modern athlete, creating a hybrid between the athlete and the warrior. And, finally, the red cape, one of Superman's most mythical symbols, inspired by Roman military commanders, to reinforce the aura of an invincible hero. It is expensive that, if real men think about the Roman Empire every day, Clark Kent is among them!

But... why does Superman wear his underwear over his trousers? Well, it's due to another of his aesthetic references, the musclemen of the 19th century circus, who wore tight tights to define their bodies, with underpants or wide belts in contrasting colors to hold and reinforce the lower back, and which would end up being a visual code of masculinity and physical power. The result is a heroic, ritualistic, and iconic masculinity, heir to ancient myths and adapted to the values of the 20th century.

Although the origin of Superman's suit has changed depending on the version - from his mother sewing it with Kryptonian sheets to finding him on an alien ship - the surprising thing is that the cape in the latest film, released last July, was made by a Catalan company, Gr. international presence. Thanks to a crepeDouble-needle fabric, which has replaced elastane with polyurethane, has achieved a spongy, elastic feel with a more bouncy drape, which has led Hollywood studios Warner Bros. to choose this Catalan fabric over any other worldwide option. So, when Superman saves humanity from destruction by flapping his cape in the breeze and showing off his Americanism, let's not forget that he owes much of his success to Catalonia.