# Why wear underwear?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 17, 2003, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wear-underwear/213717 "2003-11-17T16:37:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![paul\_smars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3be4f8/32.png) [@paul\_smars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paul_smars)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wear-underwear/213717/1 "2003-11-17T16:37:48Z")
Ok, they were all in the hamper, so I did not wear any. It was more comfortable and easier at the urinals. So why do we wear them. Yea, we were taught this by our mothers, but they were concerned about our integation into society. So we all do it, because everybody else does? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wear-underwear/213717/2 "2003-11-17T17:13:45Z")
There are some pretty basic positives to wearing underwear. Consider the demands put on trousers: they have to be reasonably durable. As a result, the fabrics are strong rather than soft, since softer fabrics will rapidly wear out just from the simple friction of walking. The skin covering genitalia is particularly sensitive, so why not put a layer of cotton, silk, satin etc. between you and the denim, (tougher) cotton, polyester or whatever your trousers are made of? Further, the use of metal-teeth zippers encourages the protection. It’s easy to do without if you wear light-fabric zipperless jogging pants or similar items, but underwear offers trivial inconvenience (assuming a good fit) and added protection, so why not? ---
**Author:** ![Matchka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Matchka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Matchka)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wear-underwear/213717/3 "2003-11-17T17:21:21Z")
The scientific answer boils dow to: It keeps your stuff outta the dirt & the dirt outta your stuff (ala: loincloth). From that aparatus, Humans just got more kinky and inventive. As we spend less time now than we did as prehistoric humans trekking through the brush, etc. the reasons for wearing are more related to comfort & convenience as opposed to protection. I dig not wearing the stuff, but then additional caution is needed to protect the gaments…you know what I mean. As for protecting oneself from fabric, etc–see the recent thread about “going commando” ---
**Author:** ![aahala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wear-underwear/213717/4 "2003-11-17T17:41:28Z")
Paul Thanks for providing us this tidbit of your personal dress code verbaling, rather than visually. I’m on dialup and those icons take a long time to load.😃 ---
**Author:** ![bughunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wear-underwear/213717/5 "2003-11-17T17:56:31Z")
I dunno about you, but I don’t want skid marks on my nice slacks. I also don’t want my boys caught in the zipper. (“Frank and beans! Frank and beans!!!”) Also, if I’m wearing sweats or something flimsy, and for some reason achieve… ahem… a state of excitement, then I like the confidence and support that a well-fitting pair of tighty-whities provides. (Although when they introduced boxer briefs, I switched to them, exclusively.) Now, if I’m just slummin’ around the house in a well worn-in pair of button-fly 501’s, then sure, I’ll go commando… **ladybug** rolls her eyes, but I think she secretly likes it… ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wear-underwear/213717/6 "2003-11-17T18:02:34Z")
I don’t know about anyone else, but my personal area produces quite a bit of sweat and stuff. It seems to me better to let underpants soak up all the fun, resulting in less wear and need for laundering of my trousers. Plus, trousers are often not constructed to be very comfortable right up against the family jewels. And there’s the risk of injury from zippers, etc. ---
**Author:** ![bare](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bare/32/471_2.png) [@bare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bare)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wear-underwear/213717/7 "2003-11-17T18:04:57Z")
We don’t all wear underwear. I have a virgin pair, in case I ever have to go to the doctor. I gave them up when I moved out of my mother’s sphere of influence, didn’t like washing them and felt better without them. I don’t leave skidmarks because I use the bidet method instead of the time honored smear method. And button flies are the ONLY way to go. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wear-underwear/213717/8 "2003-11-17T18:11:11Z")
Underwear: let it get most of the nastiest of your body’s offerings, then wash it in very hot water with bleach to sterilize it. You do wash your undies with hot water and bleach, right? Can’t do that to regular outerwear. ---
**Author:** ![SimonMoon5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@SimonMoon5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SimonMoon5)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wear-underwear/213717/9 "2003-11-17T19:27:59Z")
For me, it’s a matter of support and also, well, recall this “poem”? “No matter how you shake and how you prance, the last drop always falls in your pants.” Imho, it’s better for underwear to absorb that than to have a big wet spot in the front of your khakis. ---
**Author:** ![paul\_smars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3be4f8/32.png) [@paul\_smars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paul_smars)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wear-underwear/213717/10 "2003-11-17T22:21:54Z")
acsenray well the sweat is one reason for me not wearing underwear. They take forever to dry. And wife will sometimes tell me it stinks (from saturated sweat) and makes me go to the bathroom to “wash it” before we … Sometimes I say u wash it and she does, but other times she just curls up and goes to sleep (DAMN). SimonMoon5 Yes, this is my only regret and the only reason that I may start wearing them again. I always wonder about this. There must be a “last drop”, but no matter how many shakes he gets, there is always one more for the pants. (is this a divine prank?) ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wear-underwear/213717/11 "2003-11-17T23:06:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Philster \* > **You do wash your undies with hot water and bleach, right?** How about tossing them in the washing machine with some Tide? ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wear-underwear/213717/12 "2003-11-17T23:30:21Z")
Wow, third time this questions been asked within a month. [Read QtM’s reasons for wearing underwear.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=220816) ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wear-underwear/213717/13 "2003-11-17T23:35:49Z")
In his column “[Does flushing the toilet cause dirty water to be spewed around the bathroom?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990416.html)” Cecil gives five germ-fighting tips. One I always remember: > [@](#): > > When doing laundry, make underwear the last load. Don’t sort by colors (or at least don’t put colored underwear with other colored items). Use chlorine bleach, which will clean both the clothes and your washing machine. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2003, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wear-underwear/213717/14 "2003-11-18T01:40:39Z")
If you do not wear underwear I hope you wash your pants every time you wear them, just like you would wash your underwear. You do, don’t you? ---
**Author:** ![sajwalke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/edb3f5/32.png) [@sajwalke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sajwalke)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2003, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wear-underwear/213717/15 "2003-11-18T02:55:19Z")
Avoids pubic hair caught in zipper and skid marks on pants. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2003, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wear-underwear/213717/16 "2003-11-18T04:10:33Z")
Just imagine how embarrasing is to find that you haven´t zipped up your pants, now imagine the same situation without underwear. One more vote for undies. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Major\_Feelgud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3be4f8/32.png) [@Major\_Feelgud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Major_Feelgud)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2003, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wear-underwear/213717/17 "2003-11-18T09:02:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bare \* > \*\*I don’t leave skidmarks because I use the bidet method instead of the time honored smear method. And button flies are the ONLY way to go. \*\* 1. How do you use the bidet method when you are away from home? 2. What do you do about the public hairs that stick out of your button fly? ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2003, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wear-underwear/213717/18 "2003-11-18T09:14:06Z")
Well, for women, the center seam of one’s pants tends to…ahem…_rub_. Depending on the woman and the particular pair of pants, this can range from a mild, pleasant friction to some serious chafing. Then there are practical matters like being able to get a better fit on one’s pad or panty-liner, and having an extra layer to soak through in case of leakage. ---
**Author:** ![bare](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bare/32/471_2.png) [@bare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bare)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2003, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wear-underwear/213717/19 "2003-11-18T10:57:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Major Feelgud \* > \*\*1) How do you use the bidet method when you are away from home? > > 1. What do you do about the public hairs that stick out of your button fly? \*\* My bidet is portable and hooks to any water source and I haven’t noticed a problem with pubic hairs sticking out but then, I don’t wear skin tight pants either.