The way women are fighting over whether going panty-free is liberating or disgusting has me DYING. Which side are you on? 💀
by Krista Torres · BuzzFeedGoing commando, or skipping underwear altogether, may or may not be more common than you expect. In a Vanity Fair poll, about 25% of Americans say they don't wear underwear when they leave the house. Since that survey wasn't broken down exclusively by women, we found other research suggesting that around 10% of women opt out of wearing underwear for various reasons, such as comfort, avoiding panty lines, or personal preference.
And now Reddit user u/liquidbuggy has all sorts of questions for these women who go commando: "How are women going commando? Genuine question from a 19-year-old girl...How are women leaving their homes without underwear? My main concern is discharge. I don't know about others, but I'd say I wouldn't want that all over my leggings, or if I'm in a dress, all over my legs? 😥 Is this just something you ignore? I am not trying to be funny 😪. I have always wondered this. No shade tho, let her breathe girl," she concluded.
Here is what other women are sharing:
"I can't go commando because I stay so wet. Also, I have an outtie, so like... that just enhances the situation! IDK how these women do it. I assume they have tiny little dry boxes, and their thighs don't touch."
"Mines an innie and commando wouldn't be an option either, it's always wet, but I notice a difference if I'm fully shaved or full bush though and what time in my cycle I'm at, I assume that plays more a role than anything else."
"I think the bush hairs catch some of the moisture, so your underwear is less wet. Especially when it's the snot discharge vs. the watery discharge. The snot gets caught in the long hairs! Sort of how your hair gets wet with sweat, but if you're bald, the sweat would just run right down instead of staying in your hair. But some women have told me the opposite, that they are drier when bald, so IDK! It's a toss-up."
"I’m 42. Been going mostly commando since my 20s. I have an IUD and no periods. Never have an issue with discharge. I only wear underwear when I’m wearing a skirt (for cooch-covering purposes) or if the design of the pants is camel-toe-inducing. I wear underwear so infrequently that I can just keep a couple of nice pairs. Unless something changes, like with menopause or something, I’m never doing differently. So glad I finally had a chance to pop off on this subject, which, actually, I’m kinda passionate about."
"I still get slimed up my thighs and crotch of my sweats when I go commando, regardless of whether I sweat a lot or wear underwear/go commando, my pants still smell like vag 😭."
And here are the responses to this:
"Ah yes, you solved the Mystery of the Pussy-Scented Pants!"
"I'm 50 and still waiting for some drying effect from perimenopause. Sorry, still too juicy LOL."
"The mystery is: "Why does my dad's beard smell different on a hot day?"
"That's it, I'm done with Reddit for the day, and it's only 6:49am. 😭"
"I'm 49 and pretty sure I could just put on wet panties straight from the wash and my parched nethers would have them bone dry in seconds, so I don't need underwear. Outside of a few humid years in my teens and early 20s, I've always run pretty dry, though."
"I don’t go commando in 'hard' pants or dresses. Only sweatpants or other flowy pants/shorts. It dries out naturally down there due to the lack of restriction. However (TMI warning), it does mean if you’re sweating a lot in a day, the crotch of the pants will smell like pussy by the end of the day."
"I once wore crotchless panties with a skirt, which is basically going commando. And I was on a hot date, so rather turned on. I realized when I stood up that I had a literal wet spot on the back of my skirt, which was very uncomfortable, especially since it was winter. Luckily, the skirt was black, so it wasn’t super noticeable, but yeah, not likely to do that again."
"I wouldn't say I have an excessive amount of discharge, maybe more than the average woman. I really don't have a point of comparison, but I do not require panty liners. Still, going commando would be a no from me. I can't predict my discharge! It's different textures and amounts at different times of the month, and occasionally I get a bit of a 'flood,' which I also believe is normal. It is completely unpredictable! Also, discharge can bleach underwear. Would it not bleach your clothes if you went commando? What about getting caught by the unexpected arrival of a period? There are just so many ways I can see it going wrong. If you feel comfortable going commando, go for it. You do you."
"Yeah. I feel like I must be juicier than average because there's no way in hell I'd even remotely consider not wearing underwear (and a liner)."
"At 19, I wouldn’t have been able to either, I don’t think. At 35, one week out from my period, it's a no-go. But I think the rest of the month, besides my period, it's not really an issue."
"Sometimes the vagina 'slime' is not an issue, but sometimes it is. I think it varies with the time of month, at least for me. Sometimes I'm more juicy than others."
"I do it all the time. There is more discharge if your pussy cannot breathe! I feel like in Finland, it is women's magazines and sex ed that you always hear about how 'air baths' are good for your vagina. I've heard it is best to do it in loose pants, but a long skirt is fine as well."
"I only go commando in pajamas or sweat pants, so if there’s discharge, it’s not a huge deal. They get washed. The idea of wearing jeans or a dress commando is just viscerally upsetting."
"I HAVE to wear panties! Do you know the old '80s Calvin Klein campaign? 'Nothing comes between me and my Calvins?' I was horrified at the thought! Like hard '90s denim and a zipper just right there?!?"
"Some people just have way less discharge, some use pantyliners, some only go commando for short periods or in certain outfits, and some genuinely just do not care if there is a little discharge because it wipes off when they pee or shower. You are not weird for wanting that extra layer. Your coochie, your rules."
"A gal at work asked if I sleep naked. I asked her the same question. She said, 'I'll let you in on a secret. No woman sleeps naked because they leak.' I waved my friend over and had her explain why she loves sleeping naked on silk sheets. So, moral of the story is: One gal leaks and the other doesn't."
And finally, we hope you also feel how this person does after reading this: "This comment section has been strangely affirming and wholesome. And I unexpectedly feel better about my body than I did before I got here, so thanks for asking the question."
NOTE: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.