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Long Johns, long underwear, warm underwear, thermal underwear…the super warm and super soft under garmnet goes by many different names.  But, no matter what you call them, Long Johns serve but one purpose: to keep us warm and insulate our bodies against cold air.

In cold temperatures your body tends to fight against rain, wind, snow, etc. When wearing a top and bottom thermal underwear, it serves as an extra skin layer that allows warm air from your insulating-mid layers to reach your body.

Long Johns: The Cold Case Mystery

No one knows for sure how the term Long Johns came into use.  According to Michael Quinion (World Wide Words) “John” may be a reference to boxer John L. Sullivan, who wore a similar looking garment in the ring.  Unfortunately, this information has never been verified, and the origin of the term is still a cold case mystery to this day.

Types of Long Underwear

Modern long underwear has come a long way from one piece union suits.  Today, long johns or long underwear is available in separates, so you can choose to wear either the top, bottom, or both.

Long underwear in the USA is most commonly made from cotton, or a cotton-polyester blend of fabric.  The most traditional types of long underwear are made with a box-weave texture (or waffle pattern as some call it).  Evolving fashion trends have encouraged manufacturers to offer varieties made from flannel with different colors and designs.

The more luxurious types of long underwear can be made using wool blends or even 100% wool, such as Merino.  Wool is known for its effective insulation properties, even when wet.  So wool long johns are particularly useful during outdoor activities like skiing or ice skating.