Lunar New Year, which marks another year according to the lunar or lunisolar calendar often observed by various groups around the world, comes with its fair share of fun traditions, like lighting firecrackers, putting up ornate decorations and giving red envelopes (or red packets) with money inside. There’s also the long-standing tradition of wearing new, red clothes — which includes red underwear too.
Donning a pair of red undies has been described as a “more contemporary” Lunar New Year tradition. But many have been embracing it for years. In a recent interview with Salon, actor Sherry Cola shared that wearing red underwear was one of many “funny superstitions” her mother had forced her to partake in growing up, especially when the year coinicided with her Chinese zodiac sign.
“I think it's just like vision boards, charging your crystals, manifesting, I think it is very much believing in something that is bigger than you,” Cola said while discussing her latest project, the animated Lunar New Year film “The Tiger’s Apprentice.”
“It's special, and I think it's necessary. It's very much a major part of my life to trust in a higher power and let that guide you.”
Here’s a closer look at the enduring tradition of wearing red undies:
Red underwear and the Chinese Zodiac
The Chinese zodiac, which has been adopted by other Asian countries, is a traditional classification scheme based on the lunar calendar, which follows the cycles of the moon rather than the sun. Within the zodiac are 12 animals. Those animals, along with their notable attributes, are assigned to a specific year in a repeating 12-year cycle, which is as follows: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.
As with the Western astrological calendar, it's believed that a person's Asian zodiac animal greatly influences their personality, career, marriage and fortune. Zodiac animals also determine compatibility. Animal signs that are four years apart from each other are said to be good matches. So, Rat, Dragon and Monkey; Ox, Snake and Rooster; Tiger, Horse and Dog; and Rabbit, Sheep and Pig are all suitable signs for one another.
People will run into their zodiac animal every 12 years, a phenomenon known as “ben ming nian” or the threshold year. According to Chinese superstition, one’s “ben ming nian” comes with misfortune. Wearing the color red — both on the outside and inside — is said to ward off evil spirits and ensure one will have a prosperous year. Therefore, wearing red undies 24/7, every day of that lunar calendar year is believed to provide extra protection. 2024 is officially the year of the Dragon, so those born in 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000 and 2012 should have their red undergarments on deck.
Within Chinese folklore, red is considered an auspicious color because it’s said to have scared off a vicious beast named Nian that terrorized villagers on the last day of the lunar year. Red also symbolizes loyalty, success, good fortune and joy. That’s why people will decorate their homes with red lanterns, hand out red envelopes and, yes, don red undies on Lunar New Year.
In recent years, major retailers have begun capitalizing off of the tradition. On Tmall, China’s biggest e-commerce platform, “Chinese New Year red” is its own category where long, red underwear is among the bestselling winter innerwear for local brands, reported Jing Daily. Alibaba and Temu also offer a vast selection of red high-waisted granny panties and boxer briefs for plenty of good luck.
Wearing lucky underwear is a common tradition around the world
Outside of Lunar New Year traditions, lucky underwear (regardless of color) is worn around the world in hopes of bringing good fortune in the new year, according to the solar calendar. In Italy and Spain, red underwear is worn on New Year’s Eve to guarantee success in the new year. In Brazil, different-colored underwear is worn to grant different wishes. Yellow underwear is worn for prosperity, red or pink for love, green for hope, and white for peace, per Babbel. The underwear must also be new to be lucky.
Western superstition also associates different underwear colors with different kinds of luck. Red underwear is said to welcome love and romance, white is for peace and tranquility, yellow is for good fortune, black is for power, green is for new adventure, pink is for overall happiness and blue is for health and wellness.
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