What colour were a Romans boxers?

[Ian61]

I am sure I am not the only member of the forum who has had to restrain the urge to kick some scruffy 'yoof' with their trousers at half mast so displaying their tasteless jazzy boxers but I have currently hit the reverse problem.  I have just started to paint some 28mm Roman Auxiliary troops and below their tunics they are clearly wearing some loose fitting shorts.  I suspect these would be linen or wool to keep them warm in winter.  I have painted the first two using 'taupe' a sort of light brownish-grey this seems to look OK  as a natural unbleached effect where red definitely does not look right but am I missing some odd factoid here? In short - did the Romans dye their boxers? or could I even start a new trend?
Any thoughts?
Ian61

[Duncan Head]

I'm struggling to visualise what garments you mean. The "classic Trajan's Column" auxiliaries wear breeches, but it sounds like you mean something shorter. What are the figures?   

[Ian61]

I am attaching a photo - taken an age as I have just converted to windows 10 and it seems to be stopping me copying stuff until I share folders all the time - I suppose that breaches are knee length so you could be right.

[Mark G]

Board shorts length,  britches not boxers.

Mind you, to paraphrase an add worth searching you tube for, the difference between togs vs. undies is visibility of the sea.

I think off white of some sort

[Duncan Head]

Yes, I think those are the usual femoralia/feminalia/braccae breeches. They are usually thought to have been made of wool - earlier writers used to say leather, but that idea's gone out of fashion.

The only definite evidence for colour I can think of is that the Historia Augusta says that Severus Alexander wore white breeches instead of the usual red, and that is of such a late date that he might well have been wearing long trousers rather than knee-breeches. (And who was red "normal" for?) There are earlier Latin writers - Martial and I think Pliny - who comment on the Roman use of brown wool; this is usually associated with cloaks, but the passages in question don't all mention what garment they're talking about, and I think that brown would work for breeches as well. That's certainly a common view in modern reconstructions such as  http://bottega.avalonceltic.com/catalogo/prodotto_2300/en__ancient_rome_roman_clothing_roman_outfit_1st_cent.php

[Erpingham]

I think off white of some sort

Doesn't it depend on what you think they were made of?  Presumably unbleached wool would lead to grey (maybe dark - some ancient breeds like Soays have dark wool)?  But they used to be reconstructed as made of leather, when a brown might be appropriate.

[Ian61]

The thought of leather seems very uncomfortable but I hadn't thought of wool as being naturally dark but of course it can be. I think I might have to go with what seems more acceptable in terms of the look of the models and the dark colours just don't look right.  Thanks for advice all - I had not seen that you tube clip until, very funny and very true.  The Avalon link was interesting - what a strange site though Roman armour, guns and fairy dolls!
Ian

[Prufrock]

I'd hate to think what colour they might be after a few weeks in the field! 'Off-white' is a nice euphemism

[Mark G]

Togs, togs, undies, togs...