I was folding some of my wife’s underwear this weekend – as I have nearly every weekend for the last 20+ years – and discovered something I had never noticed before. In the crotch area of her panties, where they have a little extra cloth sewn in for reinforcement, I noticed that it wasn’t sewn shut at the top; it was open like a little pocket. And then, as often happens when you notice something that has been right in front of your face the whole time, I realized that every pair of her panties was like this.
So, what’s the little pocket for? It’s awfully small. You can’t fit much in there. And it doesn’t seem like it would be very convenient to get to if you needed to get something out of there. C’mon ladies, fess up, and fight some ignorance here!
I’ve been wearing women’s underwear for half a century, and it’s been a long time since I had a pair like this.
Condom storage, maybe? Can’t think of anything else. Definitely not a pocket for reusable sanitary napkins (which some women do use). That would defeat the whole purpose.
I don’t know, but it might be a good place to store a spare key.
My guess is it is not a pocket, per se, but an extra layer of fabric - something to do with “absorbency” or some such, for non-monthly secretions. Perhaps also to mitigate camel-toe.
I don’t remember ever having a pair with one end left open- but I have had some where the extra strip was only sewn at the sides, not at the top and bottom ( or front and back?). I would assume it cuts the manufacturing cost by a couple of cents.
When I worked a part time job at Macy’s years ago, two salesgirls were in the stockroom with me, showing me their underwear. One was particularly proud of her condom pocket.
If keeping a condom in your jeans pocket is a bad idea because body heat will break it down, I shudder to think what keeping a condom in your panties crotch will do, with heat *and *friction.
Can you post a picture (ya know, just a generic one from the internet), depending on where it is, it could just be for, um, leakage.
You said it’s too small to fit anything in, but my first guess was that these are sports underwear, in which case, that’s where the women keep their balls. I learned a long time ago that there’s specific undergarments meant to be worn under tennis skirts that have pockets to hold a tennis ball for a second serve.
While I believe that to be true, I don’t think it’s the case to keep it in there for a night here and there when you think something might happen. My understanding has always been that it’s a bad idea to carry a condom on you (say, in your wallet) as a matter of course, for that reason. Weeks/months/years of carrying it on you can break it down.
If you think you’ll be getting some action that night, I think you’re okay to carry one in your pocket for a few hours.
Given that little girl’s undies and swimsuits have them, it’s definitely not a condom pocket.
It’s just an extra layer of fabric placed to absorb any dampness. On non-cotton underwear, it will often be made of cotton, which is a better fabric for that region. Sometimes it is sewn, but usually it’s not.
It’s just an extra piece in of fabric. I’m not sure I can think of a more awkward, inconvenient place for a pocket. Although I guess it would be a good place to store secret codes or plans if I decided to become a spy.
Huh. I wear the most basic of cotton underpants (Just my Size or Hanes) and the “pocket” is sewn up. I wasn’t even sure what you were talking about until I checked my swimsuit and remembered that they are like that.
Thank you OP for saying “underwear” in the title so I don’t have to see the P word.
I think this is the most correct answer. If it was sewn at both ends, not only would you have a potentially abrasive seam against a sensitive part of your anatomy, but it would prevent the garment from flexing in that area.
Can’t think of anything else. Definitely not a pocket for reusable sanitary napkins (which some women do use). That would defeat the whole purpose.
