I was having a chat with a friend recently when the subject of knickers came up – or to be more precise it was the word ‘knickers’ because it seems that it’s a quintessentially British word and I must admit that I often use it when I’m mildly annoyed by something. Oh knickers, or Knickers to that or Don’t get your knickers in a twist – that’s Joan’s favourite.
I had an elderly friend who was quite obsessed by knickers and it was never long into any conversation with her before the word popped out. The word knickers somehow lightens a moment and brings a smile to many a face – don’t ask me why! The word underpants just doesn’t have the same panache and briefs sounds too legal.
Anyway, I was flicking through my copy of Modern Knitting Illustrated (1945) when I came across the above ladies who are modelling what was obviously the height of wartime fashion in Britain and would have been the sort of thing which my friend Marjorie was wearing at that time.
All I can say it no wonder that old parachutes were in such high demand for making into knickers because wearing those ones illustrated must have been akin to wearing a hair shirt. Parachute silk next to the skin must have been heaven compared with wool. They’re knitted in 2-ply wool and it would have been real wool, nothing like nylon or anything else man-made, and you know how much wool makes you itch!
I wish I could remember what it was I read recently which had a woman reminiscing about London during the war and saying that there was no getting away from it – London was smelly. No wonder as what with only being allowed one bath a week and the difficulty in getting clothes dry in our weather, I suspect that knickers were only washed once a week too!
Knickers in my American English are little boys’ longish shorts – sometimes buttoned at the kneee, AKA knickerbockers. But I do like telling people not to get their knickers in a twist! And after wearing a scratchy wool/mohair sweater today, I am itching all over at the thought of those knitted ones!
Lisa,
I remember watching the Waltons donkey’s years ago and when John Boy went to college he was the only one wearing knickers, but to me they were knickerbockers. The ones fastened below the knee are called plus fours here, as they’re four inches below the knee. Joan came up with that fact!
Katrina –
Interesting note about wartime pong – you’re quite right, it would have been everywhere. I have an online friend who once mentioned that he’d asked an elderly aunt what she thought the greatest invention of the 20th Century was. Her answer? ‘Deodorant – without a doubt, deodorant.’
Knitted knickers – too funny! Here in the States during the war, there were cotton smalls for both sexes, but elastic was not obtainable, so draw-strings were used. My mother complained about them to her dying day.
Sandy,
That aunt was right, it must have been terrible before deodorant! Knicker elastic was difficult to get here during the war too and of course you need heat to grow cotton plants so all our cotton came from abroad. Ships had more important things for cargos back then and material wouldn’t have been a priority. I don’t recall anyone complaining about drawstring knickers and now there’s nobody from that generation to ask about it.
Well, now that my knickers are all in a twist ….! I love what we bloggers share with each other and how a simple comment can launch an inquiry into ‘knickers’, ‘knickerbockers’, and ‘plus fours’!
Joan,
Isn’t it great, I know that the internet gets a bad press for lots of nefarious goings ons but it can certainly enrich your life too and I’ve ‘met’ so many wonderful people online!
I have no overwhelming desire to start knitting knickers!!
Jo,
Me neither!
A very interesting post, with enlightening comments. I have always been confused about what knickers meant, and I suppose that is because there are different meanings in different areas.
tracybham,
Yes and some people insist that knickers are only women’s underwear while other people think it can be used for men’s underpants too.