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Underwear

(73 Posts)
watermeadow Sun 28-Jun-26 20:59:06

The thread on what we’re wearing mentions underwear a few times. Are people adopting the ambivalent American term? Do you mean pants?
Underwear in English includes bra, knickers, petticoats, chemises. For men it would be pants and vests.
Why are American euphemisms usually vague, like bathroom for loo and nothing to do with baths? Their puppies also go potty or go to the bathroom, which means wee or poo.
When I was a child we weren’t allowed to say toilet because it was American, so we’ve had creeping Americanisms for a long time.

Nancat Wed 01-Jul-26 16:09:23

Thinking back to my days at Catering College, table napkins were linen, serviettes were paper.

Notagranny44 Wed 01-Jul-26 15:53:56

I think that the men's knee-length trousers that are worn now for shooting and for casual wear by men before the war are usually called "plus-Fours" in the UK. Knickers is an Americanism I think. The "plus-four" refers to the addition of four inches of length added to the measurement of the waist to knee when the are being made, so you can bend your knee easily when wearing them.
You can also have "plus-sixes" and "plus-eights" giving a baggier look. My Dad had a pair in his youth.

BlueBelle Wed 01-Jul-26 15:23:00

Bra and pants
Loo or toilet
Serviette
I m a simple gal

(Didn’t it used to be the lavvy in the old days or the little room or go to powder your nose)

Who the heck has ever worn a chemise ? What is a chemise is it a petticoat
We had vests and liberty bodices with their covered buttons and petticoats or slips

MissAdventure Wed 01-Jul-26 15:11:44

Smalls. smile

labazs Wed 01-Jul-26 15:05:07

drawers or bloomers! i personally call them knickers or pants, the little room we call the loo! a bra is a bra so quite straight forward

Paperbackwriter Wed 01-Jul-26 14:51:25

NotSpaghetti

I don't even like the word "panties" it always seems rather coy.

I wear knickers!

Ugh - the word 'panties' gives me what da yoof call the ick!

NannaBarbra Wed 01-Jul-26 14:41:34

I, along with others, hate the word panties, definitely an Americanism.
I wear a bra and knickers, sometimes a slip or shapewear, it's all my "underwear"
Pants are what some men wear under their trousers, jeans etc again it's still their underwear.

LauraNorderr Wed 01-Jul-26 14:19:08

I say knickers, goodness knows what the teenage grandchildren call the bits of string that they wear.

LauraNorderr Wed 01-Jul-26 14:18:05

Disselschtopumfloppin
Should proof read

LauraNorderr Wed 01-Jul-26 14:17:00

Romola

Going back to underwear, the word brassière originally meant a little vest in French. But the French call it a "soutiengorge" (support the throat) while
the Germans, in their usual direct way, call it a Büstenhalter or BH. Italian and Spanish have different words meaning 'hold the chest".
Funny how no-one wants to say breast.

The German bra factory in Disselschtopumoppin is worth a visit

Astitchintime Wed 01-Jul-26 14:14:26

Hmmm…….knickers rather than panties…….but have you ever seen ‘knickers liners’? Just curious 🤨

MissAdventure Wed 01-Jul-26 14:12:13

I stull say serviette.
A napkin goes on a baby's bum.

GrannaKaye Wed 01-Jul-26 14:10:16

Lol, guess most Canadians are middle class then Grantanow because the term "serviette" is very very common in most households here...as is "panties" for women's knickers, and "washroom" (as opposed to American restroom) for loo. I wonder if it those terms can mainly be traced back to the immigrants from the UK who ended up here in the 19th/early 20th century...

Grantanow Wed 01-Jul-26 13:55:22

I think 'lavatory' was upper class and 'toilet' was middle class but it's changed now. A bit like 'napkin' was upper class and 'serviette' was middle class. One doesn't hear 'serviette' much nowadays.

butterandjam Tue 30-Jun-26 13:26:57

NittWitt

Everyone said bathroom when I was young, in Scotland.
I now tend to say convenience.
I've never liked toilet or lavatory and I always thought loo was an English word (as opposed to Scottish).

To go back to underwear, I agree with the OP.
I'd never say underwear if I meant just pants.

Many Scots words used to be French, from the Auld Alliance.
"LOO" was gardyloo, when tenement occupants in Edinburch tipped the "po" out of the window.

Here's lots more Scottish words borrowed from French

<https://scilt.org.uk/Portals/24/Library/MTOT/resources/French%20Scots%20words.pdf>

dinnae fash yersel, they include tartan, caddy, hogmanay.

Oreo Tue 30-Jun-26 12:32:52

NittWitt

Oreo do you get men's boxers or ones for women?
I'm due some new pants and I'm fed up of nasty little briefs but I don't think I want granny pants either.

Womens boxers,
Type that into Amazon and see the choices that come up.I like the cotton jersey ones in dark colours.They fit well and don’t show under trousers and ideal for under dresses too.
I am a 14-16 so go for L and the sizes go to 3XL
Wish I’d discovered them years ago.Wash well, stay very soft and don’t shrink either.

butterandjam Tue 30-Jun-26 12:21:08

Romola

Going back to underwear, the word brassière originally meant a little vest in French. But the French call it a "soutiengorge" (support the throat) while
the Germans, in their usual direct way, call it a Büstenhalter or BH. Italian and Spanish have different words meaning 'hold the chest".
Funny how no-one wants to say breast.

Shirley every one knows what B stands for in "B-cup" {hmm]

butterandjam Tue 30-Jun-26 12:16:46

Bellanonna

Quoting the OP -

“Their puppies also go potty or go to the bathroom, which means wee or poo.”

I think Americans use “poop” for dogs.

About 50 years ago, an American friend was visiting with her articulate toddler age 2 to 3 who informed us all " I have done a BM in my pants. Please don't hit me Mommy".

That's what happens in America when you don't go potty.

Farmor15 Tue 30-Jun-26 11:51:38

Following dotpocka's post mentioning " smallclothes, my mother used to refer to her "smalls", meaning her knickers or pants.

dotpocka Mon 29-Jun-26 19:36:15

panties coy about wee and poo and knicker were knee length
trousers pants etc knickerbockers
noun plural

The name for a style of short breeches; smallclothes; called also knickers.

noun

Men's or boys' baggy knee trousers, of a type particularly popular in the early 20th century. Trousers ending above the knee.

JamesandJon33 Mon 29-Jun-26 17:14:28

I dislike the word ‘panties ‘ also. Much in line with hubby’
I wear knickers .

M0nica Mon 29-Jun-26 16:20:23

Underwear is anything you wear under your clothes that is not meant to be seen. It includes bras, pants, vests, corsets, socks, tights etc etc.

Romola Mon 29-Jun-26 16:02:06

Going back to underwear, the word brassière originally meant a little vest in French. But the French call it a "soutiengorge" (support the throat) while
the Germans, in their usual direct way, call it a Büstenhalter or BH. Italian and Spanish have different words meaning 'hold the chest".
Funny how no-one wants to say breast.

Shel1951 Mon 29-Jun-26 16:00:58

I waer knickers my dh wears pants

Bellanonna Mon 29-Jun-26 15:49:39

Quoting the OP -

“Their puppies also go potty or go to the bathroom, which means wee or poo.”

I think Americans use “poop” for dogs.