text: They are actually Jor-El's underwear, which Superman wears to honor his late father & the entire Kryptonian race.  However, since no one wants to wear the same underwear that covered the junk that helped to conceive him, & have it pressed against his own junk, especially since his father's junk also touched his mother's junk, Superman decided to wear these outside his tights.  That way, he could honor his father, but not feel all dirty about it.\nIn an ironic twist of fate, Superman saved a young girl during the 70s.  She, too, wondered about the underwear outside the clothes.  She also thought that was a very bold & inspiring fashion statement.  Therefore, she also decided when she got older, she would occasionally wear her underwear on the outside of her clothes to honor the Man of Steel who saved her life, on those rare occasions when she would wear any underwear.  Today, we know this woman as Madonna.