Crutchless Knickers

Crutchless knickers or crotchless knickers have been in existence for a lot longer than most people would have thought.. Hundreds of years ago, a lot of women did not wear any underwear at all, although they were far more covered up than most women are today. Then underwear became fashionable in higher society, but many of those women could not dress themselves, so fiddling with one's knickers to go to the bathroom was not easy. It was far easier to wear crutchless knickers and so that is what they did.

Crutchless Knickers

The loincloth was probably the first undergarment, although in warmer climates that was often all people wore. Men are supposed to have worn loincloths in ancient Greece and Rome, although it is not so certain whether the women wore undergarments, especially knickers. There is some speculation that only slaves wore loincloths and that citizens did not wear undergarments beneath their chitons.

Mosaics of the Roman period indicate that women athletes sometimes wore strophiae (breastcloths) or brassieres made of soft leather either nothing else or subligaculae which were either in the form of shorts or loincloths.

Not wearing any knickers is known in American slang as freeballing for men or freebuffing for women. 'Going commando' is another expression used for both sexes. Some women decide not to wear any knickers for reasons of comfort, to enable their outer garments (particularly those which are form-hugging) to look more flattering, or because they find it sexually arousing.

A halfway house is to wear crutchless knickers. However, the practice is not without its risks many women have been caught in 'embarrassing' up-skirt photographs. Getting out of a car can be very tricky in a short skirt.

Crutchless knickers and silk stockings might actually be better for you than your everyday thong and tights. According to Geeta Nargund, consultant in reproductive medicine at Create Health Clinic in London, women's underwear has hidden dangers:

"Although there is no hard evidence, there is concern that tight underwear, particularly that made of synthetic materials, can cause thrush and irritable, itchy skin conditions. It is also possible that thong knickers, which move around, can transfer bacteria from the back passage, leading to infections such as cystitis.

Bacteria thrive in the warm, moist environment created by tight trousers, nylon tights and pants. Excess moisture also affects the pH balance of the vagina, making a woman more prone to infections."

Nargund advises women to wear loose cotton underwear and to avoid nylon tights and tight jeans.

There is no doubt that men find crutchless knickers erotic and wearing crutchless knickers makes women feel sexy too whether it is for their own pleasure or their partner's.

Note: men's underpants are a modern item of clothing. In the past, men tucked their shirt tails between their legs and fastened them together with buttons. Y-Fronts were invented for baseball players in 1932 and boxer shorts were created as hygienic underpants for soldiers in the Second World War. One doctor recalls how his father - also a doctor - never wore underpants because of the known health risks.