Pantis?

[Bobbi46]

We all wear them from thongs to long leg bloomers but has any body wondered why a person refers to wearing a pair of panties, to me a pair means two of something therefore a pair of panties should mean two panties and not one.
Or does whole thing hark back to time long ago?

[sara66]

They are a pair of panties and a pair of pants. If they had one leg would they panty of pant?
Sara

[Micki_Finn]

““Pair,” from the Latin, means two like things. And pants (pantaloons) were originally two like things. You put them on one leg at a time because they actually came in two pieces. You put on one leg, tied it around your waist, then put on the other. From the beginning, about the 16th Century, pants have been referred to as a pair. Shirts were made from a single piece of cloth, so two sleeves didn’t inspire anybody to call them a pair of shirts. Or a pair of bras.”

[Ceera]

Agree with Miki on that one. A lot of early pants designs were two pieces, so plural. Panties evolved out of pantaloons, annd kept the ‘pair of’ designation.

In more recent usage, at least in American English, ‘a pair of’ is often dropped when speaking of panties. “I put on panties,” instead of, “I put on a pair of panties”. But both are correct usage. In French usage, I am not as sure.

[Bobbi46]

Micki, Thank you for that little bit of history, I often wondered, it now makes sense to me.
Ceera, here in France the word panties does not refer to all of them a "string" (and yes the French actually use the word string) to us is either a G string or a thong A bikini panty or hipster panty is called a slip, high wasted or retro panties are called culottes and French nickers are Francais culottes

[Darla L]

That is funny, Bobbi. When I was growing up, culottes were similar to todays capris, but they were flowing and flared at the legs. They were considered a more modest form of shorts for the Christian girls.

[Crissy 107]

Go figure, You now come to Crossdressers.com for history lessons. Thanks Micki and Ceera.

[Beverley Sims]

Well I don't have a one legged one so a pair suits me.

Dat's two legs.....

Next question. :-)

[marlacd]

Ok, I buy the pair of pants explanation. Now you've got me wondering about what might have been left uncovered. How drafty those might have been. How uncomfortable those must have been to wear. (What fell out? lol) And- Who was the smart person that thought of joining the legs together at the top?

[dee anne]

well then why is a BRA singular same with brassiere (how ever you spell it), got to love spell check

[Ceera]

Mariacd, the two part pants tied to the opposing side of the hip, so the cloth overlapped front and rear, from center groin to hip. Might have had a small gap at the center bottom of the groin, but not if you tied them right. The unfastened area between the pair served the same use as the fly on men's undershorts - you could pull the two layers sideways and...

[Bobbi46]

Here in France culottes refer to both underwear and outer wear, with underwear culottes have elasticated legs close the groin whereas for outer wear culottes have a slightly longer leg, here normally being just below the knee.
I can understand panties being referred to as a pair but it does seem bizaar all the same.

[Cheryl T]

If we are going this way then I'd like to know how a Door can be A Jar....??? LOL

[Barbara Black]

Thanks for the history lessons. And it does explain why my dog pants, he never pants just once.

[marlacd]

So they may have been less drafty than I thought. Bet they were plenty uncomfortable to wear.

[docrobbysherry]

If we are going this way then I'd like to know how a Door can be A Jar....??? LOL

And, I've never seen, "A window open when a door closes". Unless I do it myself!