[KnickerLad]

One thing that has always intrigued me about undies is the terminology. I remember us boys (in the 70s/80s) mostly referring to our undies as "knickers" and I know that some young boys today still call their briefs this. The most common word for briefs here in the UK is "pants" and yet in the USA "pants" mean trousers, right?

So I guess that may be where the term "panties" comes in. I grew up in the 'knowledge' that ladies wore "panties" and that girls wore "knickers" but that boys often called theirs "knickers" also. Probably that's why I have never known any different and call my underwear "knickers" whether they are masculine or feminine.

Do others have memories of what they called their undies while growing up and what term for briefs do you like best, "knickers" or "panties"?

This post has been edited by KnickerLad: 09 December 2010 - 08:50 AM

[Pantied Suzi]

Panties are what you wear if you are not wearing men's undies. Does that clear it up?

[nadesha]

I hale from NW England and grew up with Knickers or Bloomers.Later to become pants or panties.

Pants has become the American term for Trousers.Figure it out!xxxxxxxxNadesha

[KnickerLad]

Pantied Suzi, on 09 December 2010 - 09:28 AM, said:

Panties are what you wear if you are not wearing men's undies. Does that clear it up?

Kind of. On that basis then, there is nothing wrong in calling my men's briefs "knickers"... yet I would mostly get laughed at for doing so.

[ms bikini]

When I was a kid I called them Underpants later just "my Undies" Its about four years ago I started wearing panties
but I call them undies so as not to give the game away. On pantykin I call them panties or knickers.

[pestilencexp]

I use panties for women's underwear
Knickers for girl's underwear
and
Pants or Boxers for male underwear

[KimberlyMN]

In the US girls/womens underwear have since the 70's been called panties or undies mens underwear on the other hand used to be called by their generic term Underwear, since then most will use that term or use the style of cut such as Boxers, or Briefs ocasionally other terms too but this is the most common here.

[fourinches]

In America... Panties, thongs, knickers are for females.
Undies, underpants, and underwear are unisex, but underwear is usually reserved for males.
Boxers, boxer briefs, briefs are for guys even though there are brief-styled panties for girls.
Pants are jeans and everyone wears them.
I rarely hear trousers being used, but they usually refer to overalls or work pants.

[KnickerLad]

pestilencexp, on 09 December 2010 - 11:00 PM, said:

I use panties for women's underwear
Knickers for girl's underwear
and
Pants or Boxers for male underwear

LOL that's how it absolutely is in the UK and so is why if I refer to my briefs as "knickers" it appears girlish or odd to most.

[Pantyholic]

One of the funniest and one which could land you in trouble is pumps. In the UK pumps are what we kids wore at school for PE (Physical Education) they were black, and had elasticated sides. In the US pumps are a whole new ball game. Imagine going into a US store and asking for a pair of black pumps for my little boy.

But to answer the question I called mine underpants or Y-fronts. Then stopped wearing at around 20 years of age and knickers I only use when I am in my one of the lads mode, any other time its panties because the word is just so erotic.