What Do You Prefer?

[Melanie]

Hi Girls,

having been born in the U.K and raised by a British mum, I was always exposed to the word "knickers" when mum,an aunt or some woman on TV was refering to panties.

I prefer the word 'knickers' myself.To me it just sounds more fem and makes it clear that women do wear very different(and much nicer) undewear than males do.

So who prefers which?

Hugs,
Melanie :hugs:

[paula_cd]

Oh Knickers!

Love Paula x

[linnea]

I think that most people prefer what they are used to; that's how it is with me. Although I think that "knickers" is a pleasant, feminine, and appropriate term for the garments that I call panties, I prefer "panties." It's a conditioned preference. I do think that "panties" connotes a sense of childishness, being a diminutive form of pants, but it also connotes (to me, at least) a frilly, womanly, delicate quality that the term "pants" does not.

[Annie(ozcd)]

Melanie, I was interested to read that you think "knickers" is more feminine. I call mine panties and my wif'es knickers - because mine are more feminine. :-))

[MarinaTwelve200]

Over here in the States, "Knickers" were a BOY'S garment in the first half of the 20th century---The knee length trousers worn by "old fashoned" boys and worn with long stockings. They could be fancy (like Lord Flaunteroy) or rough and tumble utilitatian pants for rough play. they seemed to dissapear after WWII.

What do or did you call THOSE pants in the UK?

[carol ann]

Definitely knickers in the UK

[Rachel Morley]

As someone who lived all their life in the UK until I was 39 (I'm 43 now) I must say that (to me) knickers does sound so nice....but mostly for nostalgia reasons as that's what I was always thinking about in my teen years! :D

Now I've lived here in the US for a few years panties sounds just as lovely and feminine to me, and I visualize the same image when I think of both words. :happy:

[Wendy Kiss]

I prefer panties because that word always creates an exciting stimulus. Lingerie, underwear, knickers just doesn’t do it. But "Panties" strikes deep.

Wendy

[AmberTG]

I sometimes have a problem with the word "panties" , it's probably just the lingering boy side of me, foolish, I know. My wife laughs at me about these kinds of things. She says "you wear them but you don't want to call them panties because it's too girlie?":rolleyes:

[ColleenCD]

Stateside it's been panties. It's just what we say, what we've come to know. My wife says "underwear". That looses the femininity. I'm not fully sure what connotation "knickers" presents in the UK, but it always sounds great with the dialect.

Colleen

[Karen Donna]

I prefer calling them "panties". To me it denotes femininity,girlie girl,
and perhaps eroticism. My wife will always say underwear,not even undies.
Perhaps she feels that is too bold of a word.Knickers sounds soooo
harsh and unsexy.( forgive me UK)
Love Panties.

[GG Vanya]

Hi Girls,

having been born in the U.K and raised by a British mum, I was always exposed to the word "knickers" when mum,an aunt or some woman on TV was refering to panties.

I prefer the word 'knickers' myself.To me it just sounds more fem and makes it clear that women do wear very different(and much nicer) undewear than males do.

So who prefers which?

Hugs,
Melanie :hugs:

Oddly enough, and perhaps it's a regional thing, I grew up thinking that knickers were like knee britches. Until I joined this forum, I'd never heard panties referred to as knickers.

[Jenna1561]

:yt:

Always thought of Knickers as boys' short pants from generations ago. Panties are what I always referred to for girls' underwear. So, my choice is panties.


Jenna

[GG Vanya]

Oh, and my maternal Grandmother (Cherokee) called them "step ins". Mom has told me that growing up, it was shameful to have her brothers EVER see her "step ins" while laundering them. Mom, Grandmother and her sisters HID them from sight to dry.

[Barb Valentine]

What ever you like to call them
They all feel sooo good to wear
:2c: I like to call them panties

[trannie T]

I wish you Brits would learn the language. The word is panties.

[Jennaie]

It's what we grew up with I think. Either one sounds better than Drawers or Underpants.

[Kiwi Primrose]

Panties for me, I have always been a panties person, the softer and frillier the better.
Just the thought of panties, no matter who is wearing them, is enough to set me alight and wearing them has always been one of my greatest joys.
Love from New Zealand
Primrose

[cd_michelle_mpls]

i think this discussion has made it clear that the english language differs across the pond, regardless of what side of the pond you live.

as a u.s. citizen my entire life, one who views herself as submissive...nothing reinforces the fact that i'm a submissive CD more than the fact i wear panties. well....a crinoline or petticoat is a better reinforcement, but the term panties makes it clear i am a woman.

[KarenSusan]

Oh, and my maternal Grandmother (Cherokee) called them "step ins". Mom has told me that growing up, it was shameful to have her brothers EVER see her "step ins" while laundering them. Mom, Grandmother and her sisters HID them from sight to dry.


That's amazing, Vanya, I haven't heard that for 50 years but now I remember That my mother and grandmother called them "step-ins" also. I grew up in New England am not Cherokee so "step-ins" must have been pretty universal.

[Sandra]

I wish you Brits would learn the language. The word is panties.


No it's not it's knickers :D

[Sally2]

Born in USA and entirely exposed to 'panties" which was a forbidden fruit. But like Adam after the first bite there was no stopping and panties became a very cherished word and a favorite undergarment. Sally2

[Mandie]

well, girls, really!

If you're offered a chnce to wear knickers, wear 'em -

If you like to wear panties, that'll do too -

I say, a rose is a rose is a rose -

They look like panties but they're pronounced knickers.

If you prefer, they look like knickers but pronounced panties.

I like to call mine thongs . . .

[suzy]

When in the USA I call mine panties and when in the UK I call mine panties...:D

[Tina T]

For me it definitely has to be - Knickers.

Panties bring up the image of what very little girls wear.
You know like "pull your panties up dear, now put your feet into the leggies" :D

[coral_s]

I wish you Brits would learn the language. The word is panties.

I agree with Sandra, after all we did invent the language........

[sally Dickson]

Its knickers for me too-specially french ones

[Angie G]

I live in the U.S.A. and have always called them panties :hugs:
Angie

[Susan Johnson]

Definitely knickers or when refering to them while speaking to my wife I might refer to a pair of 'Knicks'.
susan

[Maureen Henley]

I prefer the term girdle myself. Frivolity aside, my wife always says underpants, and I say panties.

[Charleen]

Panties was what I grew up with. As has been said, knickers here refer to knee length pants that were originally worn by men in colonial times, and which I wear at work as I interpret colonial times. By the mid 1800's long pants (trousers) were worn by men, and the short pants by boys untill the age of 13 or so, than got to wear long pants. They did disappear around WWII. It's an in-joke for me at work as I wear the long socks and a leather strap to hold them up as the socks are called stockings and the straps garters! The knee pants were called knickers here because of a story written by Washington Irving (1700s) about a man named Knickerbocker in New York who wore them and the name Knickerbockers stuck not only to the pants, but New Yorkers in general. The remnant is the N.Y. Knicks basketball team. At one time there was also a pro baseball team called the Knickerbockers. Shorten Knickerbocker, and you get knickers.
I would love to know what you across the Pond call the pants I wear at work, as I know in colonial times they wore worn by every man in what is known as Western civilisation. Love and xxxx, Lily

[Diana]

Well, from reading all the posts on this issue, it seems that only those of you inside the U.K. refer to female underpants as 'knickers'. In the U.S. the terms for female underpants, as far back as I can remember (and I'm 57), is 'panties'. I see that those in N.Z. & Austuralia also refer to them as 'panties'. Do we have anyone from Canada or any other country that would care to chime in of this issue?

Anyway, while they are referred to as 'panties' in the U.S., I personally, call mine 'underpants' or "thongs" since thongs are what I wear 24/7. I don't call them panties because my wife will ask me about my 'panties' using a derogatory tone of voice, as she does not approve of my choice in clothing.

But, being from the U.S. and being that female underpants have always been called 'panties' (at least during my life time), I just could never get used to the term 'knickers'. In fact, when I first joined this group a long time ago (I am a lurker and seldom post), it took me a bit to figure out what y'all were talking about when the term 'knickers' was used. :happy:

Anyway, my personal, preferred term is simply 'underpants'.

Diana

[LouiseCassell]

knickers for sure.

My fav pair of thongs I have called American Knickers - ie one Yank and they are off :D :devil:

[julie w]

Dont get your knickers in a twist , If the english say knickers then knickers it
is, its their language

[Butterfly Bill]

Lots of times I still call them "skivvies".

[secrets]

Impartial thoughts from someone whoe doesnt care for frilly things:
I have always lived in england, but have also lived in the internet for 5 years!
to me, knickers are what your mum or gran wears, panties are what supermodels wear.

lol!

[Melanie]

I wish you Brits would learn the language. The word is panties.


Sounds like Tranny T,has a problem with us Brits?,perhaps.I call them knickers because I choose to,perhaps you could use just a little couth in your reply sister?.The cheek of you!

Have a nice day,

M :tongueout

[trannie T]

Dont get your knickers in a twist , If the english say knickers then knickers it
is, its their language

Don't get your panties in a knot. It's our language too, it is too bad they get it wrong. Was it Churchill who said that we were two nations divided by a common language?:hugs:

[Melinda Lou]

Panties bring up the image of what very little girls wear.
You know like "pull your panties up dear, now put your feet into the leggies" :D

Maybe my "buttons" are different from many of yours, but, I prefer "panties" largely for that reason. When I was little, little girls wore panties, and boys didn't, and thus they were something forbidden for a little boy to wear--and thus embarrassing if anyone found out you were wearing them. :blushing:

[Helen MC]

Knickers every time. I only use the word Panties on Forums like this as some Americans still think of the words knickers to mean what we would call "plus Fours" that is the old fashioned and now very seldom seen knee britches that boys, golfers, game-keepers used to wear many years ago.

No, what I have been wearing since age 12 under my trousers (pants to Amercians) are KNICKERS!

[Emma England]

Americans will always say panties.

Us Brits will always say knickers - I do anyway.

When in a lingerie store, I always refer to them as knickers when speaking to a sales assistant.

It depends on what you have heard when you were brought up.

[Charleen]

I forget who said it, but the quote is- America and England, two great countries seperated by a common language.

[Penny]

As children we used to say a rhyme:

I see London, I see France
I see Melanie's underpants

Well then, since I now know that panties are knickers, the rhyme should
go:

Look below it brings some snickers
I see Melanie's pretty knickers

After all, who am I to dispute a country that's older than US:heehee:

[allisonrn06]

I think that panties sounds more fem,bbut then if I had grown up using 'knickers',probably would feel that was more appropriate.

[KateLongman27]

Definitely knickers....panties to me sound weird though I admit I do use it sometimes especially on here.

[Dawna Ellen Bays]

I prefer "panties." Having grown up on Benny Hill and Python, "knickers" always sounded too funny to me...

[Nina UK]

Even tho im in the uk i have to disagree with most of the uk girls on here(sorry) . I prefer to call mine panties, i think its feminie, knickers just sounds nasty lol.:heehee:

[Cathleen]

I forget who said it, but the quote is- America and England, two great countries seperated by a common language.
(It was probably George Bernard Shaw . . . but some have attributed it to Churchill ????? :idontknow:)

As Lily points out we are hamstrung by the tyranny of language. Helen has noted that in the U.S. "knickers" is short for "knickerbockers"; and that "Knickerbockers" are referred to as "plus fours" in the U.K. It is the garment that the late great golfer, Payne Stewart, wore. While I would prefer to use the term "knickers," geography (and desire) demands that I wear "panties."

Cathy

Here's a 1983 picture of Payne Stewart in his knickers :rolleyes: and two lasses in theirs :heehee: :

[phoebe61]

I wish you Brits would learn the language. The word is panties.

i prefer knickers it sounds more femine ps english has being spoken over here longer:tongueout

[Sweet Marie]

Panties. How about bloomers? LOL


Marie

[shawnaraylynn]

Girls, I think that we can get along if we think one thing americans think they speak englich but when faced with the Queens english we are lost, but on the other hand Brits dont speak American, when was the last time you heard a brit say Y'all. we are all a bit different but then we have more to share.
:2c: :be:

[dave]

No it's not it's knickers :D

yikes!! I'm English and I call em panties-not knickers. Oh dear- I'm so confused!!

[Melanie]

Don't get your panties in a knot. It's our language too, it is too bad they get it wrong. Was it Churchill who said that we were two nations divided by a common language?:hugs:


I don' think us Brits have gotten anything wrong here tranny T.What you seem to be getting wrong is how to talk to others with a bit of tact and respect,if you don't mind me saying.
I never posted this knickers vs pantie comment to get into a race war or a skuffle over such.It was more a survey type thing.

M :tongueout

[jacquelinenord]

I think both terms of the word are both very fem. I would prefer knickers. Butr i still get a lil girlie feeling when i call them panties so either word is quite nice. kisses

[BlkNYLONS]

Word "Panties" for me....and the silkier/sheerer the better!

[Patty]

Panties

[Melinda Lou]

I never posted this knickers vs pantie comment to get into a race war or a skuffle over such.It was more a survey type thing.

M :tongueout

I think most of the comments have been posted in humor; let's not get all worked up. After all, at the end of the day we're just a bunch of guys in girly undies, which is silly in itself, talking about a silly topic. :P

[Erica007]

Panties or knickers they are all the same thing, its just that some people prefer to call them different things. I call them panties myself but in the end they are all just soft, lacey, sheer sexy bits of material that are great to wear. Much better than the old y-fronts. So just enjoy them and agree to disagree over what to call them.:love: :2c:

[Jasmine Ellis]

Knickers Knickers Knickers
Blue Red White
Knickers Knickers Knickers

[Vash]

Well on this side of the pond(american) the word panties is the common usage but I really do prefer Knickers. To me it sounds so much more proper. I can just hear the queen mum herself saying it. Oh wait...........nah she would NEVER say knickers <g>

Vash

[Lisa Golightly]

Well, Darling, it simply has to be flimsies or frillies for me. Chin, chin :)

[Khriss]

.. and then there's "Commando" oops..hehe :eek: :D

[Tiana]

knickers for me x

[veronica]

Drawers... No Just Kidding

It's Panties For Me:d

[Dawn29680]

definately panties for me. sounds more fem.

[JennaisahottieNC]

i prefer the word panties but i dont wear panties i wear thongs and g-strings!!!!!!

[ranma 1/2]

I prefer to call them pooh pooh undies :p

But given the choice of the two I would have to go with panties. It sounds more fem to me.

[Emma England]

but don't like women saying pants (which is what boys normally wear for underwear in the UK).

[luv2dress]

for me as a french canadian i call them ''petites culottes'' and in english i call them panties. I learned the word thong not long ago while shopping on e-bay and the word knickers is new to me its the first time i hear it. :heehee:

[alison4men]

I like the all

[Carole]

Knickers it is for me too. Much more fem. Pants (or Y-Fronts as they were called in my youth) is such a male name. The knee length trousers (pants to you Yanks) were called plus-fours over here and much loved even today by the golfing fraternity.
O fcourse in OUR version of English 'Knickers' can also mean 'rubbish' as can 'pants' as in 'that story is a load of old PANTS'
You Colonial cousins may think you have the correct usage of our mother-tongue but just remeber who invented it - the Angles, Saxons, Vikings, all before 1066, then we had the French but-in in 1066, let me see now Oh yes we'd not heard of America then had we.
Please note that this reply is very much tongue-in-cheek, and I expect you all to shout 'KNICKERS' at me...................
:tongueout :heehee: :2c: :love:

[Melissa Jill]

I prefer the word panties.

[Scurlock]

panties for me athough "draws" is also used in my part of the world which I do not like

[sparks]

What's British for thongs?

[Emma England]

What's British for thongs?

The same word thongs.

Thongs are a certain style of knickers