I have a confession to make: I haven't worn underwear in almost a decade. When I was a teenager, my mom would laugh at my tiny thong panties. I often received teeny tiny boxes with individual thong panties stuffed into them as gifts in my Christmas stocking. My Mom legitimately seemed to enjoy this activity; it amused her. But as I came of age and interacted with more women, many older than myself at the time, I learned that many did not wear underwear at all. So, I figured, why not give it a go?

And then I never looked back. It is weird for the first day or so, but eventually I was hooked. When I tried to go back to wearing thong panties, I just couldn't do it. They are uncomfortable. I tried boy shorts and cheeky cut panties and didn't like those either. Eventually I had accumulated so many panties that I had to ask my mom to stop gifting them to me. It was actually a bit sad. Because my mom had fun shopping for and wrapping teeny tiny panties for me.

But life goes on. My sister-in-law helped me unpack when I moved a couple months ago. She laughed at my large drawer of teeny tiny underwear. And some even still had tags on them. I chuckled and admitted I hadn't worn them in years, aside from when I am clothes shopping. It is a waste to throw them out when they are in excellent condition, right? Plus, perhaps one day I'll change my mind and want to wear underwear again.

But I don't really see that happening. The conversation with my sister prompted me to research whether underwear is necessary. (Yeah, I probably should have done that years ago.) I discovered there are real benefits to going without panties, however there are also some things to keep in mind.

Benefits to going commando:

  • Reduces chance of yeast infection.

If your underwear is not moisture-wicking and breathable, they are simply trapping moisture.

  • Reduces risk of chafing and injury.

Tight underwear can rub and cause injury on our most sensitive parts.

  • Reduces odor.

If underwear material isn't breathable, your underwear is essentially suffocating your…business. For lack of a better analogy, think of an oven.

And the benefits for men are similar! Tight underwear can injure private business and apparently, going commando (or wearing loose undergarments) can help with sperm production. You know, if that's what you're going for.

Things to keep in mind while going commando:

  • Don't wear tight clothing.

Going commando and then squeezing your bottom into a tight pair of pants defeats the purpose, as it poses risk of injury and chafing. Especially considering that outer clothing layers, like denim, are often rough. And yeast infections can still occur while going commando but wearing tight bottoms.

  • Change and wash clothes regularly.

This is a hard pill to swallow for eco-conscious folks. However, keep in mind that this is only necessary when clothes are coming in contact with your business. Yoga pants? Wash em right away. But long flowy maxi dress? Use your intuition.

  • Do not try on new clothes without panties.

By trying on clothes without panties, whether they be new in store or secondhand, you are exposing yourself to all sorts of bacteria. And should you decide you don't like what you tried on, you are then exposing the next person who tries on the clothes to your bacteria. So, don't throw out your panties! Sometimes, panties are absolutely necessary.

In recent years my style has changed alongside my attitude surrounding underwear. You won't see me stuffed into a tight pair of skinny jeans ever again. I like to think of going commando as letting myself breathe. My body and mind feel better when I can move freely. With warmer weather ahead, it is the perfect time to try going commando for yourself.

What do you think, will you throw on a flowy pair of palazzos or a maxi dress and live a day without undies?

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Photo: Inciclo via Unsplash