I think I mostly refer to 'undies' in conversation. I acknowledge that 'panties" are probably used for the girl kiddies....boys "undies". Skivvies, to me and DH, a Navy term. Living in the UK, knickers and nappies (for diapers) is common. I do think the word "panties" became more common when our young girls found "Panties", with days of the week or cute sayings on them

I recall those day of the week panties. I think the terms are mostly regional. Like a lot of words are, as are sayings. And a lot is what your grandparents and parents called them which goes back to regional. I call them undies, DH calls his undies too. Although he was Military for 4 years, never got used to civvies.

I use the word panties, which to me refers to underwear worn by females, either children or adults. Underwear is a generic word for the garment and doesn't indicate whether it is worn by males or females. I also am accustomed to hearing shorts for male underwear, although the word can describe underclothes as well as outerwear, which creates its own confusion.

Growing up they were always called step-ins. I think it's a Louisiana thing because I never heard it used after I left home. Family still uses the term.

Seems I use both panties (like my mother) or undies. I like nicknames. Underwear for the collective undergarments. Shorts or underwear for men's wear. Heck, I think I even use the word underpants, lol. I might start using bloomers now for giggles.

I dislike "panties" and generally use "undies" or "knickers".

Chisue, when your eyes stop rolling, you might like to know that "smalls" derives from "small clothing", which was the polite term for undergarments in the UK in the 1800s. Presumably because it was close fitting (small can also mean "narrow") as opposed to the looser garments which went over the top.

A "vest" is generally sleeveless, like a "tank top". In Australia they are called "singlets". If it has sleeves and a crew neck, in Australia at least it's a "T-shirt", or just a "tee".

I suspect "panties" comes from "pantalettes" (which comes ultimately from "pantaloons") , a kind of ruffly long ladies drawers in the 1800s.

The word panties is simply a diminutive of the word pants. Since they are smaller than the pants I wear over them it seems right to me.

Undies seems more of a slang term to me since is just a shorter version of underwear which can mean almost anything worn under outer clothing.

Underwear can be any item that one might wear under their clothing, but panties or underpants are one specific type of underwear. Underwear might be long johns, panties, bras, slips, undershirts, camisoles, union suits, etc.

"A columnist in the Tribune, Ellen Warren, says the majority of her readers said they thought the term was "demeaning", "creepy", or even "childish"."

To me this is suspect. How would this columnist know how many people read her column, to know how many is a majority? And I flat out do not believe that a 'majority' thought this fairly ordinary word was 'creepy'. It turns out that the way that the columnist herself phrased the question may have affected the answers she received.

(But I enjoyed this thread and hearing all the different names).

Panties

Never call them panties, don't think I even called them that when I was a kid. I call them underwear.

Actually now that I think of it, when I was a kid we called them "inside pants". LOL, haven't thought of that in a long time.

Underwear. As it applies to anything worn under clothes generally, male or female. Less stuff to remember.

I'm another one who hates, despises, and abominates the word "panties." Yes I know that may be weird and I can't even quite explain why I hate it so much.

That word is on a very short list of words that will never pass my lips.

It's underwear in my house.

Interestingly, I don't call bras underwear (even though they technically are). To me, underwear is the garment worn below (by men or women) and a bra is just a bra.

I call them "unnerwears" LOLOL! Or unders. If they are mine, usually preceded with "gianormous granny" ;). What can I say, I like coverage.

DH calls them undergotchies, grippies, or tighty whities.

DD says skivvies or udergotchies, or grosser terms LOL.

Really though, underwear.

Dances

Ms. Warren had asked for reader response on the word "panties" in a previous column. Readers responding were mostly opposed -- not presented as a 'scientific survey', and certainly skewed. Still, I was surprised.

I'm sticking with 'panties', but any other *specific* term would be fine. 'Underwear' is too general and non-gender-specific.

When I was in junior high, 'Poodle skirts' were in fashion, supported by numerous petticoats and even *hoops*! I asked my mother to make me some 'pantalettes' after noticing that my male classmates lingered on lower stairs, gazing upward. (Such 'peeking' is probably no longer necessary, now that every aspect of both genders is omnipresent, but this was in the days when nuns supposedly opposed patent leather shoes because they 'reflected'.) I started a fashion craze! LOL

I say underwear, underpants, or panties. Love the Haynes cotton ones. For hubby's, I just call them briefs.

I don't find the word "panties" offensive in any way, but it doesn't roll off the tongue very easily. So I refer to them as knickers (mostly to bug my kids) or underwear..

I don't understand the opposition to underwear being non-gender specific. That's exactly the point.

Everything worn under clothes is underwear. Then it can be further broken down by style or type. Bra, balconet, bikini, briefs, boxers, thongs, boy shorts, etc.

Panty is unspecific as it doesn't refer to a style but just to the bottom half of women's underwear. There is no masculine equivalent for men's underwear. I wonder why?

It's also frequently used in a derogatory sense towards both men and women, I.e. "don't get your panties in a bunch", "put on your big girl panties"

I suppose I see no reason for a gender specific term for women if there isn't an equivalent gender specific term for men.

That, and like I said, the word just makes my skin crawl.

Underwear

'There is no masculine equivalent for men's underwear. I wonder why?'

Shorts?

I don't think it's worth getting your panties in a twist over. It really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things...

snookums- until this thread I have never in my life read or heard someone refer to men's underwear as shorts.

Shorts are warm weather outwear, like what I've been living in for the past two months. :)

I have heard men's underwear referred to as shorts or drawers. I've heard little girls underwear referred to as panties. Except for the term 'don't get your panties in a wad'

Usually underwear, sometimes underpants.

Simply - underwear.

underwear

What has happened in the female world? I'm baffled. I grew up hearing nothing different than 'panties' in my neighborhood, but then, we were farm folks. On Mondays, on a drive down a country road one see panties flying from the backyard clothesline along with a wide assortment shirts, socks, and bed clothes. And before I forget, the male "briefs" would be there also.

Of more importance was the direction of the wind. Those old country roads were dusty. An automobile moving smartly along the road raised a cloud of dust, and if the wind was from the wrong direction, this cloud of dirt would drift over the lawn fence to settle on wet laundry. This was had an unsettling effect akin to beating on a bee hive. It might cause the Queen of the house to rush out the door waving a broom in one hand and a shotgun in the other, followed by an army of small "workers".

Here in Oz the expression is "Don't get your knickers in a knot" :-) When my daughter was young she referred to bras as "top undies" :-D

Ok, I'll chime in. I really can't say the word "panties" out loud either. Too funny! My Mom does. I say underwear.

After reading more comments I recalled that my grandmother called boy's underwear shorts, or undershorts, even if they were briefs.

If packing for an extended trip a female or maybe a crossdresser would pack underwear or undies if you want to be cutsie. That might include bras, camisoles, slips, tights,hose, girdles (you can call them shape wear but they are still girdles girls) or thermal wear. That's the short list. But for an overnight stay you might pack a pair or two of extra panties and call it good.

Now I always pack my thongs. I don't like bare feet touching hotel room floors.

I never gave this subject any thought until I read this thread last night. I don't have a problem with the word 'panties', but I've always called them 'underwear' or bloomers', because that's what my mother called them. I dropped the term 'bloomers' many years ago, though, because most people here in TX found it funny, or didn't know what I meant.

I got the giggles today, though, remembering this thread as I was reading a book. Came to the beginning of a steamy love scene, where 'he gently tugged at the delicate lace of her panties'. Can you imagine that sentence with one of the other terms used?

Rusty

P. S. I always thought either 'shorts' or 'briefs' was the masculine equivalent of 'panties'.

I've always found panties to have a sexual connotation. I think I figured out why while reading this thread. Remember in the 60s they used to have panty raids in college dorms? I was a preteen then, at an impressionable age, when I first heard of them. I didn't know why they were raiding panties but I knew it had something to do with SEX, and I wasn't even sure what that was. We called them underwear, so I'd only heard panties in that context.

LOVE the new commercial with the man fully clothed discussing how HE is modeling "under-ware" as the name implies UNDER his clothes!!

I hear butt floss, grunderware most of the time (teens are so descriptive) UNMENTIONABLES works for me. Lets.

I say panties for women & underwear for men. Just like pantyhose or pantyliners are usually worn by women only.

Nowadays my friends just say thong for women & boxers for the men folk.

watchmelol -- OK, so you want to take this in another direction? 'Thongs' are underwear now! (Haven't you been paying attention? LOL) What you're putting on your feet are 'flip-flops' or 'shower shoes' or, in Hawaii, 'slippahs'. Jeez!

"Thongs" were always footwear for us growing up. Footwear with the between the first and second toe.

I know how to walk in thongs so flip-flops is a silly "childish" word to me. (sarc) I am not a little child who walks with their sandals making that annoying slapping sound. ;-) But I guess grown women these days like that slapping sound. LOL After all they call their girdles Spanx. LOL

I have always thought of panties as being fancy /frilly underwear silk or satin the completely impracticable ones. Versus underwear was a cotton brief or bikini brief for every day wear, for sensible people. No idea why anyone would want to wear a thong might just as well go commando unless you like fabric flossing your cheeks. Men's underwear would be called boxers or briefs and now thongs, banana hammocks, and I even saw on Dragons den a company that makes for men ball bras... In the end does it really matter what you call them as long as you put clean ones on in the morning just in case you get into an accident or so the saying goes.

I thought that if you were in a medical situation, and your underwear was exposed, why would anyone notice it? If they did, you might be in trouble, you need medical attention, not medical personnel gauging your skivvies. Yeah?

I'll guarantee that if I ever get into an accident that requires medical attention, my underwear would no longer be clean, regardless of how they started the day!

Rusty

Undies. Maybe it's regional. And I'm with Rusty on the medical accident emergency.

Underwear. The word panties does not bother me but I think of something small like bikini underwear when I hear it. In my family men's underwear were called shorts haha short for undershorts.

It's been a fun topic! Thank you all!

It depends on the type I guess for me. If they are lacy and pretty I call them panties. If they are the cotton ones with no lacy pieces just everyday wear, not the I have a date or special occasion ones ( you know what I mean) I call them underwear.

Annie -- I guess that *settles it*! How on earth did you find that clip?

That will be my nomination for best post of the year. Maybe of the decade.

When I was growing up I was taught to never leave the house without wearing clean underwear or a dime in my pocket.

The clean underwear was in case I was in an accident and the dime was for a phone call if I needed a drive home.

I call them "drawers".