St. Louis has just landed itself a peculiar kind of bragging rights. The city's renowned City Museum now holds the Guinness World Record for "Most People Wearing Underwear on Their Head" after staging an event that managed to draw enough participants to snatch the title away from Naperville, Illinois—the prior record-holder for 12 years. According to the Chicago Tribune, 355 individuals gathered in the museum, each donning a pair of white underpants atop their heads, eclipsing Naperville's record of 270 people that was set back in 2012.
Naperville's claim to underpants fame originally took place outside of Anderson's Bookshop in a quirky recognition of "Captain Underpants" author Dav Pilkey's ninth book release. St. Louis, aiming to fully honor their 314 Day celebration—a nod to the city's area code—decided to try and firmly secure their place in the annals of Guinness World Records. "Records are made to be broken," Katy Enrique, director of sales and marketing for City Museum, told the Chicago Tribune, emphasizing the light-hearted nature of the endeavor.
While the event might strike some as just another whimsical feat, for the City Museum, the record attempt was a fitting celebration of their civic pride and synced well with their current exhibit, "The Science of Guinness World Records." This spectacle aimed to not only break but set a new world record in a category that speaks directly to the essence of the St. Louis spirit, according to City Museum officials. Home to what they claim is the world's largest pair of underwear on exhibit, the record was too appealing for the Museum staff to pass up.
The mood at the event was one of excitement and communal joy, with participants of all ages eagerly participating in what some might view as a trivial act, but for those involved, it was a moment of unity and lighthearted competition. "We are just thrilled. It’s a weird, wonderful record for us to achieve," Enrique expressed to the Chicago Tribune. Enrique also kindly nodded to Naperville's past glory, saying, "We all have our moments of shining glory."
Meanwhile, back in Naperville, the once-unique claim to fame might have been taken away, but it still remains a fun piece of the city's history. The record-breaking day in Naperville, when Dav Pilkey visited, has been a source of local amusement and pride, certainly giving residents something to chuckle about at parties. As reported by Patch.com, the original gathering had a mix of children, teens, and adults all sporting underwear on their heads, creating a day to remember long before St. Louis ever decided to literally put on their game faces.
