http://www.guardian.co.tt/Womanwise/wwise2.html leh meh hear allyuh woman
By Abby De Four
To wear or not to wear? This seems to be the latest fashion dilemma facing women in their choice of underwear. Panties, it seems, are no longer necessary — and some women claim that’s for a good reason.
One reason might be the influence of American pop culture. International superstar Britney Spears on at least three occasions was photographed getting out of cars revealing she was wearing no panties. Her public revelation is not uncommon in Hollywood circles; both Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton have, in the past, been photographed minus panties.
On the local scene, the photograph of a young woman wearing a short skirt and no underwear was taken at one of Port-of-Spain’s popular night-clubs. This picture, which has been circulating via e-mail, highlights the increasing popularity of the “commando” style.
It appears that women, in pursuit of that ever-elusive invisible panty line, and to accommodate increasingly daring fashions, have decided to eliminate the source of the problem altogether.
Tricia* told WomanWise that there were several factors that would influence a woman’s decision not to wear panties.
“The cut of some jeans is so low that it is impossible to hide your underwear. In a situation like that, a woman might prefer to show the top of her butt and opt not to wear panties,” she said. “The popular ultra-low tattoos also provide an excuse to go without underwear. You want people to see the tattoo, not your underwear.”
Cathy*, however, does not agree. “Under no circumstances should you leave home without underwear,” she said. Although she did recognise that a growing number of women prefer to venture outdoors without underwear in a bid to complement their clothing, she asserted that there were a variety of underwear styles available for this purpose.
“There are several styles — low-rise boy shorts, bikinis and thongs — that can be worn with any type of clothing, ensuring that your panties remain hidden,” she said.
Question of comfort?
Meanwhile, some women claim that not wearing underwear is simply a matter of comfort.
WomanWise sought some professional advice from gynaecologist Dr Vishnoodath Rajna-
rinesingh on the matter.
Rajnarinesingh said: “In the field of gynaecology, there are varying views on the topic.”
He said that there are some women who are irritated by their underwear, but that it was important to wear this garment for hygiene reasons.
“If you have decided that you are not going to wear underwear, you have to be certain that there will be no vaginal discharge,” he said.
He added that he was more concerned about the sexual implications of not wearing underwear.
“What are your sexual intentions for not wearing underwear?” Dr Rajnarinesingh asked. “I am concerned that women will be exposing themselves to sudden sexual encounters and that this could lead to unprotected sex and sexually transmitted diseases.”
The doctor also had advice regarding the type of underwear that women should wear.
“In our humid climate, a woman should wear cotton underwear along with panty shields to combat sweat and moisture which provide a haven for bacteria to grow,” he said.
The doctor said that it was his personal belief that thongs should be avoided as much as possible.
“Thongs can act as a vector for transporting bacteria from the anus to the vagina, resulting in chronic infections,” the doctor said. The belief that cotton thongs are better is a myth, he said, as they all have the potential to create the same infection.
“A woman might want to wear this type of underwear for a special, rare occasion, but it is definitely not to be worn frequently,” he said.
Dr Rajnarinesingh said that he understood the changing fashion scene, but advised women that their number one concern should be their health.
The cardinal rule of skivvies
If they create bulges, they’re no good. Think about a pair of traditional bikini panties: they’re typically made of stretchy cotton, edged with thicker elastic to help them stay in place. The problem is, especially for women with a little extra padding around the hips, that elastic can dig into your skin, creating a bulge where your padded bits pouf out into the stretchy cotton.
Put a pair of pants or a smooth skirt on top and voila! — visible panty lines (not to mention hip bulges and lumps). Your goal is to find a pair of underwear that doesn’t create these bulges.
The ideal everyday panty
A high-cut, full-coverage brief. No, you’re not going to win any sexiness awards with this item, but for wearing under clothes, nothing beats it. That’s because it skims over — instead of cuts into — the areas on a woman’s body that are likely to be soft (and therefore prone to underwear-elastic bulges). The full-coverage brief also minimises visible panty lines, since its leg elastics rest under the buttocks, not across them. What’s more, many high-cut, full-coverage briefs come in shaping fabric, which is reinforced with elastic to smooth out your middle. Look for briefs that are labelled “seamless” so no telltale seam lines show through your pants.
The “is-she-wearing-any?” panty
There are times — a special date, a big interview — where you need to eradicate even a hint of VPL (visible panty line). For those moments, nothing beats the thong. Look for one that doesn’t cut into your hip flesh (go a size bigger if it does), and go for a smooth, soft material in flesh or black. If you’re wearing low-cut jeans, be sure to find a lower-cut thong, too.
The special-occasion suck-in panty
Few of us can cope with wrestling into a support undergarment every day. But there are times — when we’re wearing a great cocktail dress, for example — that we want some extra smoothness around the hips, stomach, and butt. That’s where support garments do their best work. Whether you choose a support brief, which gives the same effect as a high-cut, full-coverage brief, but adds more sucking-in power; or you want the leg-smoothing benefit of a bicycle-short type panty, you’ll get a smooth look plus control that can make your clothes fit even better.
The sexy panty
There are times when getting a smooth look under your clothes comes in second to looking smashingly sexy. When you’re going for sexy, bumps and bulges don’t seem quite so important!
A tip: Stick to flowing skirts or loose pants when you wear these sexy undergarments, so even if there is a bulge or two, your significant other can’t see it.
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