The loin cloth is the oldest known piece of fabric that was used as an undergarment. Its use dates back some 7000 years ago mainly with the ancient Hawaiians and Japanese. Those first loin cloths were usually made out leather. The two types of loincloths were triangular in shape and looked like the modern day bikini, and the other one was basically two pieces of cloth tied around the waist which would have looked like a miniskirt. In ancient Europe the slaves wore the loin cloths and the rest of the people did not wear any type of undergarment.
Much later during the renaissance things did not improve much in the Undergarment world. European ladies wore what's known as a chemise in France and a smock in England. This smock or chemise was basically a tight fitting shirt that was worn underneath the clothes. This was the early ancestor of the modern day stoking or panty hose.
Like with many things that involves technology with the arrival of the industrial age, changed the way clothes could be made. The invention of machines like the "spinning jenny" and the "cotton gin" made fabric manufacturing much easier and faster. This is when mass production of clothes including underwear took place and people stopped making their own undergarments at home.
With this mass production came different styles. It was in this period that undergarments such as the "union suit" and then later, long johns which is basically a type of union suit came about. A little later the jock strap was invented for cycle jockeys to help with riding comfort.
With the arrival of the 1950's and post war materials such as nylon and spandex, women's hosier products changed dramatically. Something that once was a simple piece of cloth that was worn in a way not be visible, was now long gone. Hosier products are generally tight fitting and can be worn as a under and outer garment. They help in the overall sex appeal of the legs by hiding any sort of blemishes.
Learn more about Women's Hosiery. Stop by Alexander Stone's site where you can find out all about Womens Underwear and what they can do for you.