Women gobsmacked after learning why their underwear has small bows on the front

07 February 2024 , 12:15

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Undergarments date back to 4,400 BC in Egypt (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Most women see a small decorative bow on their underwear every day, but not many have stopped to wonder why it's there. Wanting to know the answer once and for all, a Reddit user asked: "Why do so many panties have that little bow on the front? Where did the tradition come from?" According to Belle Lingerie, women didn't wear underwear until the 19th century. Instead, they wore undergarments known as drawers, which can be dated back to 4,400 BC in Egypt.

A statement reads: "These were two separate legs that were joined at the waist, sort of like a baggy pair of shorts that came to the knees. "Eventually, by 1920, drawers and bloomers had become shorter, finishing above the knee instead of below it. This was likely to accommodate the new, shorter dress styles."

It turns out the central bow was originally used to keep the underwear from slipping down before elastic was invented. The statement adds: "Pierre Valton also had a big influence on women's underwear. In 1918, this Frenchman designed cotton knickers that had an elastic waistband and were much shorter in the leg, making them more practical for both adults and children."

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Commenting on this revelation, one Reddit user said: "[Why do we keep them] now? Because it's cute, it's feminine, it evokes innocence, and it makes it really easy to tell which side is the front when dressing hastily in the dark.

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"As for the roots of the tradition? It comes from pre-elastic days when your underthings were held in place by a bit of ribbon threaded through the eyelet lace at the tops. "The little bow is where you tied that ribbon, and of course, it's in the front because that's the easiest place to do something like that."

But this isn't the only reason. Centuries ago, before electricity was invented, women would often have to get up before dawn and dress in the dark, or by candlelight. So, the bow was used to distinguish the front from the back.

Now, the piece of ribbon is seen more as a decoration. Another person said: "I always wondered what that damn bow was there for. I always found them a bit stupid but I learned to ignore them. It's interesting to know why they were there to begin with (as a practical way to tie your underwear)."

"Holy s**t you just blew my mind," said a third. Others admitted they always remove the bows themselves, with one person commenting: "I always take them off." While another said: "They're really annoying. I always tear them off."

Paige Freshwater