# What is the purpose of undergarments? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 7, 2019, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-undergarments/830716 "2019-03-07T18:50:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-undergarments/830716/1 "2019-03-07T18:50:18Z")
Really - what’s the point? I mean apart from having clean underwear in case you get in an accident… ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-undergarments/830716/2 "2019-03-07T18:53:39Z")
Well, it lets you rewear your outerwear for more days than you’d want to in their absence. ---
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-undergarments/830716/3 "2019-03-07T18:54:49Z")
> [@](#): > > Really - what’s the point? I mean apart from having clean underwear in case you get in an accident… Well, historically, of course, they were used to protect your clothes. Outer wear wasn’t washed that often. Both because laundry was a pain and because clothing was very expensive. So wear something cheaper and easily-laundrable underneath to catch all the sweat. Now, in the developed world? It’d be just guesses from me. Bras are easy - support and nipple-coverage (to a degree). Boxers aren’t so good for support for men, but some other underwear is. Also, some fabrics aren’t ones you want your nether regions against. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-undergarments/830716/4 "2019-03-07T19:09:57Z")
I try and get three to five days out of a pair of jeans and two days out of work shirts. I don’t wear the same shirt two days in a row but hang it on a hook in my closet. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-undergarments/830716/5 "2019-03-07T19:17:38Z")
I don’t like to be all flopping around, so I wear boxer-briefs to stop that. I wear the bra just because it feels good. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-undergarments/830716/6 "2019-03-07T19:25:50Z")
It protects my outer clothes from being contaminated by the smelly parts, so I can wear the outer clothes longer without washing. Also, it is currently winter, and it protects Mr. Happy from the chill. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-undergarments/830716/7 "2019-03-07T19:26:20Z")
The poll should have allowed multiple answers. There are multiple reasons, relating to comfort, cleanliness, convenience, and modesty. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-undergarments/830716/8 "2019-03-07T20:43:55Z")
FCM, you kill me.🙂 what a question. I voted on the “why would you ask such a question?” There must be a back story here. Spill. Personally I think women’s underwear was invented by a mean hateful man. I hate it all. But bras send me into fits. I’ve never owned one that is comfortable. Or that fit right. I only wear them if I have to. I dont know how women endured corsets and girdles. There should be a special place in hell for who ever invented those. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-undergarments/830716/9 "2019-03-07T20:56:29Z")
Protects outerwear to some extent from skidmarks, leaks, monthlies, spontaneous emissions, and worse things. And yes, as a doctor I have discovered there are worse things. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-undergarments/830716/10 "2019-03-07T21:05:53Z")
I would imagine chafing would be part of it as well. Have clothes rubbing back and forth over your squishy bits and they’re going to be raw. This way the clothes rub on your underwear. Kinda like putting a bandaid over a blister. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-undergarments/830716/11 "2019-03-07T21:13:46Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Personally I think women’s underwear was invented by a mean hateful man. I hate it all. But bras send me into fits. I’ve never owned one that is comfortable. Or that fit right. I only wear them if I have to. I dont know how women endured corsets and girdles. There should be a special place in hell for who ever invented those. Based on various conversastions I’ve had over the years with the women I know, I think it would be safe to replace the word “underwear” in the above paragraph with “clothing,” generally. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-undergarments/830716/12 "2019-03-07T21:34:29Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Protects outerwear to some extent from skidmarks, leaks, monthlies, spontaneous emissions, and worse things. > > And yes, as a doctor I have discovered there are worse things. Your ideas are intriguing to me, and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-undergarments/830716/13 "2019-03-07T22:17:08Z")
There’s a suggestion in another thread that underwear may be used in the wrangling of firearms whilst at stool: [https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=21524785&postcount=22](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=21524785&postcount=22) However, I went with the majority. j ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-undergarments/830716/14 "2019-03-07T22:19:16Z")
It keeps stuff from flopping around. I wish, in warm weather, it’d be ok not to wear outerwear. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-undergarments/830716/15 "2019-03-07T22:28:36Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Protects outerwear to some extent from skidmarks, leaks, monthlies, spontaneous emissions, and worse things. > > And yes, as a doctor I have discovered there are worse things. Did you find _another_ spleen in a pair of boxers this week? Or just a bagel-dog? I also say the poll should have been multiple choice - I wear unders both to protect my bits from chafing and less-than-comfortable-on-bits fabric, and to protect the outwear from, well, what Qadgop mentions. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-undergarments/830716/16 "2019-03-07T22:38:33Z")
They can also make a passion statement. Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-undergarments/830716/17 "2019-03-07T22:58:37Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Based on various conversastions I’ve had over the years with the women I know, I think it would be safe to replace the word “underwear” in the above paragraph with “clothing,” generally. Ain’t that the truth.☹ ---
**Author:** ![HelenGawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@HelenGawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenGawn)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-undergarments/830716/18 "2019-03-07T23:17:40Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > FCM, you kill me.🙂 what a question. I voted on the “why would you ask such a question?” > There must be a back story here. Spill. > Personally I think women’s underwear was invented by a mean hateful man. I hate it all. **But bras send me into fits.** I’ve never owned one that is comfortable. Or that fit right. I only wear them if I have to. I dont know how women endured corsets and girdles. There should be a special place in hell for who ever invented those. [Bolding added] After decades of frustration, seething anger and going braless, I found [these.](https://www.underworks.com/womens-ultra-light-cotton-spandex-compression-tank) Wonderful - I even wear them sometimes when I would ditch a bra. One word of caution: The first one I bought was too tight, so I went up a size. After a few months, they’ve stretched out, despite my following laundering instructions. I’d recommend living with a snug fit for a couple of months or hand washing, which I would never do. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-undergarments/830716/19 "2019-03-07T23:35:37Z")
Mostly to protect my clothing. But if you forget to zip your fly, underwear keeps an embarrassment from turning into a disaster. See the Lenny Bruce joke at the end of the Carnegie Hall Concert. ---
**Author:** ![as\_u\_wish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@as\_u\_wish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/as_u_wish)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-undergarments/830716/20 "2019-03-07T23:39:17Z")
Warmth, support, friction, cleanliness of clothing, absorption of sweat and other “fluids,” shape. And custom. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-undergarments/830716.md?page=2)