men's underwear?

Question

why do men's underwear have an opening? Most of the men I questioned never use the hole when they go to the bathroom. Seems like it's useless to me. When I potty trained my son I didn't tell him to use it--just to pull down his pants

Answer 1

That's just one of those things that someone thought would be a good idea. I find it much easier to whip it out from a leg hole or pull them down altogether. Doesn't make much sense to me either. Probably could save some money if they left the fly out.

Answer 2

I believe that modern day mens underwear evolved from the OLd Royal French Court at Versailles, (as did many "styles of the day"). While most men in court still wore skirts and leggins, the fashion was changing more towards a singlle crotchless leotard affair worn under a padded an ornately decorated "diaper", into which a fancy shirt with ornate cuffs and collar was tucked, and a boddice and/or vest worn over that .

Men unlike women hate spending time dressing, and also hated constantly having to tuck in this, and having to "adjust" that. And so it was that an astute and popular visiting court tailor, from Italia, came to the rescue. He sewed the leotards to the shortpants. Then he sewed the shirt to the short pants, and the bodice and vest to the shirt - and voila - a once piece jumper that was easy to put on & take off - but which had a flaw, - how did one go to the toilet? And so he revised his design. In the front he created a flap that buttoned up on both sides and tied at the top - this could be let down to alow the man to pee.

For access to the bowel, he tried several other mechanical means. One was to divide the suit in half at the middle, and hold the lower section up with a sash, and lengthen the upper bodice so that the top half rode over the lower section a couple of inches. This seemed to work the best, and the forefather of pants with a "fly" were born.

Later as the court became more risque' - the button flap gave way to the "cod piece" which emphasized the genetalia, and was essentailly a padded flap, (or sack) that housed or covered a man's "package", (some were said to be exaggerated in size. These cod pieces were often bejeweled, and sewn with gold thread - hence the origin of the term "Family Jewels" and "Nut Sack".

Down thru the centuries, we have not lost the basic concept of providing acess to the penis thru mens garments to accomodate urination. When the concept of personal hygene began to gain popularity, people were basicaly wearing the clothes they had on everyday until they turned to rags and fell off, most people did not bathe - fearing ill health would befall them if they did.

As times changed and people finally started to bathe at least once a week - which is still customary in many european countries, as also is the practice of wearing the same outer clothes for a week at the time. So someone finaly came up with the concept of undewear!

Underwear was probably first develpoed in response to cold weather, then someone thought - "Hey my underwear stinks but my clothes don't smell bad -HMMMM - maybe if I change underwear every day, I can wear my outside clothes longer without smelling like a goat's butt!

Of courst early underwear was linnen boxer type shorts with a draw-string top, and a simple slit in the front of the shorts for access to the penis. Boxer shorts have stayed pretty musch the same over time, with the exception of an overlapping front flap and an elastic waist band. But most manufacture'ers have left the opening large enough for a man to actually reach in and grab your shaft and withdraw the penis, and then return it easily into the shorts, but it seems that in the last 15 years or so they have made the opening smaler and smaller, until you can not use the opening, Jockey shorts? Forget it. Speedos? You're joking right? Also now-a days a lot of men, (and women), are going "commando style" - ie - no under pants at all.

Hope this helps.

I'm pulling for you.

Answer 3

Men's underwear have openings for many useful reasons:

1. It is easy to pull the penis out and urinate.
2. It is easy to pull the penis out and masturbate.
3. It is less awkward for a man to pull out his penis, rather than pull down his pants at a urinal and expose his bare butt to the men in the bathroom.
4. It is just a luxury that men have.

Answer 4

Sounds like you already know the answer.

I think you want to know why people thought it would be useful, for that answer you need to remember that clothing used to be much more complicated a hundred years ago, it wasn't easy "just to pull down his pants" (suspenders were very popular at some point and still are in some locations) also some modern clothes are just as hard to work around, formalwear and costumes and such.
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Answer 5

It is so I can get it out, for what ever reason it may be. But during the summer I don't where any underwear, but I still have a zipper to open.

Answer 6

I never use the hole in my underwear either. SO I cant help you out.

Answer 7

It is a handy little spot. Also, it provides for extra growth room- for unexpected surprise visits from Mr. Wood.

Answer 8

for convenience i suppose, why would i want to pull my pants down just to go pee.it would be embarassing in a public restroom

Answer 9

you're 100% correct. i never use the pouch; always pull out and over my underwear.

Answer 10

Cause the people who invented it thought it was a good idea?