I debated on that post title.
Y’know, from a fear of unwanted search traffic . . .
Anyway, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about an offhanded comment I heard on one of our new favorite TV shows.
I don’t generally take lifestyle advice from sitcoms, but this one really stuck with me. Perhaps because it hit home.
We mostly love the new show Go On with Matthew Perry. It’s full of quirky, kind-hearted characters with psychological issues. Who could ask for more?
I won’t go into the whole episode with the cut-to-my-heart comment, but here’s the jist. The girls were hoping to go shopping for fancy dresses with their group leader but the trip didn’t happen. In her disappointment, one neurotic character said to two other neurotic characters, “But I wore my good underwear today!”
The response from a neurotic-but-tell-it-like-it-is character? “You’re an adult. You should only have good underwear.”
Ummmm. OK.
Was she talking to me? (And if so, does that mean I’M the neurotic person who should be in a support group?)
She’s right. I’m a grown up.
I’m old enough to drive myself to the store and pick up a package of brand new undies whenever I need them. And I may be frugal, but wearing undies with elastic strings that hang half-way down to my knees . . . isn’t frugal. It’s cheap.
So, over the past few weeks these words of a fictional character have been running through my brain and I’ve trashed multiple pairs of imperfect undies.
Because I’m a grown up.
And I should probably act like one. Even in the areas of life that no one (but Hubby) sees.
Haha! SO true! Maybe on this President’s Day I’ll go buy new undies. Thanks for inspiring a cheap & busy mamma! 🙂
“And I should probably act like one. Even in the areas of life that no one (but Hubby) sees.”
How about for Hubby’s sake we say it like this…
And I should probably act like one. Especially in the areas of life that no one but Hubby sees. 🙂
There needs to be a “like” button for this comment! You are spot on. 🙂
Haha! I need to go through my underwear drawer, too, for the very same reason. Buying new underwear has been on my list of things to do for months, maybe even a year, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it, since the old raggedy stuff still “worked”. Fortunately, my sister’s mother-in-law gave her a Costco size pack of underwear for Christmas in a style she doesn’t wear, but I do, so I managed to silence my inner cheapskate!
I am two weeks ahead of you! I JUST threw out the holey stuff and bought 2 new packages. It does make me feel like a grown up, or at least less of a slob.
But but but… what if I need them? This is what I struggle with, I always am saying “What if I end up needing them one day?” Yeah right like I will need a bazillion pairs of threadbare panties. When will I ever learn? Thanks for posting the reminder!
LOL! I broke down and got myself some new undies last weekend, while vacationing with my husband. The only problem was that I was rushing due to him standing there with an ” I hate standing in the women’s underwear isle.” expression and forgot to look at the sizes. Grabbed the wrong size. 😛 Now I have to take them back. (they are unopened. thought you all might want to know that!)
This literally has me laughing out loud! (A) Because it’s funny, and (B) because, sadly, I can totally relate. I’ve got my fair share of cotton undies that are in very embarrassing shape…and yet…there they are in my drawer and on my hiney. 😮 Me thinks it’s time to go shopping!
Thank you for sharing. I too have been guilty of this. But it dawned on me about a year ago that I needed to shift that ‘ only my husband ‘ thinking. Doesn’t the love of my life deserve as much effort as people I’d meet at a party or interview ? This is not to say I clean the house in heels but take more time on my appearance. From the ‘foundation’ up Uh hmm
Ha, I have 4 pair of what I call ‘granny-pants’ to help keep me warm in the winter: they go up past my belly button, and one pair got a hole in ‘the bottom’ which I bothered to stitch up because I like them even though most people would consider them tacky. I recommend them!
I am ruthless about undies. I may have a house that is a wreck, I may be overweight, but my underpants will not have holes in them!
I don’t want to be in a car accident and have holy undies….I mean really! 😉
If you’re in an accident, I really hope the last thing on the EMT’s mind is,”Hmm, what kind of undies is she wearing? Let me stop doing CPR and check.” LOL Besides, they usually cut your clothes off when you get to the hospital anyway. Do you want them cutting up your best pair? 😉
First…..I love Go On and Second…I don’t think I have a single good pair of undies…it’s always the very last thing on my list….in fact, I have more underwear than I can admit that tend to slide downnnnnnn when wearing jeans …and yet I still wear them. I’m just too darn cheap sometimes and always put myself last….Come to think of it, I’m pretty sure hubby has wear more good underwear than I do because I’m always buying them for him……Thanks for the reminder!!
Ha! that is hilarious.
I’m laughing…because, well, (this is TRUE) I’ve been known during truly desperate times to whip out the sewing machine and mend my undies, taking up the legs, waistline, and replacing ‘worn’ areas!!!
Yes.
Yes, I have.
…WTMI
So right there with ya!
How do I get past my Great Aunt telling me to save them for hard times?
S Ray, what you do is buy a few packages of undies so that you have some brand new ones in reserve for the hard times. The 1930’s were a long time ago.
Why do we do that? My undies fall apart and hardly stay up, same with bras…. but I feel wasteful buying new ones!
I think it goes back to us putting ourselves in last place. (I wonder how many bras I have that actually stay up on my shoulders? If I spent all the time I used ‘adjusting’ myself for other things, I’d be ahead of the game!) We’d never let our kids wear undies that have snapped elastic or strings, but we would. Thanks for the reminder! Maybe if I have some new ones, I’ll be more productive. Really, undies aren’t that expensive unless you buy the kind that need to be dry-cleaned (I worked with someone whose husband bought her a pair — no kidding).
Yikes, this also hit home. I literally marched my behind to Tar-jay and bought a 6 pack before I went on vacation. Why is it that a fear of going down on a plane was the final straw (and let’s be honest, if you’re going down on a plane, your undies probably will not make it…) But hey, I’ve got 6 new ones in the rotation now!
Oh my goodness, I’m awful about getting rid of undies. I love buying new ones, but then I feel bad about getting rid of the old ones. Can’t I trim that elastic thread that’s dangling down in the back? Surely no one will see the hole in the butt, except my husband, and I usually change into pajamas long before he goes to bed so even he won’t see!
Seriously, my underwear drawer is bulging with undies I have no business wearing. My mother would be horrified.
I was bad about getting rid of undies. It finally got so bad that I couldn’t close my drawers. I went to the dresser with a laundry basket and a cardboard box. I took the contents out of one drawer at a time. If I wanted to keep it, I put it in the laundry basket. If it was unrealistic to keep it, (too small girdle panties or raggedy) it went to the cardboard box. Then I neatly folded the keepers and put them back into the drawer.
I watched one episode of a sitcom that I didn’t think was worth watching again; HOWEVER, one of the females said to another female, “You don’t have much money, but you shouldn’t be sleeping on a mattress on the floor.” Hmm. I suppose my 23-year-old son shouldn’t have to sleep on a mattress on the floor either. I was waiting to replace his carpeting before I bought a boxspring and frame, so it would be less to move. When was I REALLY going to get around to replacing the carpet? I quickly located a free boxspring on Craigslist and we used his old metal frame. I still haven’t replaced the carpeting. 😎
Haha, its the little things you know.
I feel the same about having nice bed sheets. Weird, but true.
Last fall I broke down and bought all new underwear and threw out the old stuff. It is amazing what a difference good panties can make in your life :O) I find it funny that I have a hard time spending money on something I wear EVERY DAY but don’t think twice about overspending on a dress for the wedding of colleague’s son, who I don’t even know.
Yes. This. Exactly!
You had me cracking up. I’m right there with ya! ~hangs head in shame~ I’m heading to the Big-Girl-Panties store first thing in the morning! Or maybe I’ll shop online tonight. Hate trying to find a parking spot at the mall.
This is one thing I have always done. My house may be a mess, my hair may be a mess, my kids may be tired and grouchy, but I always have on nice underwear. Cleaned out my drawer. All but four were thrown out and six new ones bought. Done!
Annnnd…now I feel I should be looking for my car keys so I can go buy new undies…*sigh* why do we do that? LOL Great post!
Maybe we need to declare January 10th, Buy New Undies Day!
Hilarious!
I am of the mind that you should only have good underwear BECAUSE only your husband sees it. It is a sort of token of affection and respect and good for the marriage as guys are visual creatures. And what guy doesn’t want to see their wife wearing pretty undies?
It’s always on my list. But then I get distracted, and end up on the other side of the store and I see a short line, and then decide it’s not worth it to make another loop and just get in line and check out while it’s still easy to do so. lol But I TOTALLY need new undies.
LOL. Well remember to keep your grungy undies as well. I don’t know about you, but I wear them during particular times of the month – if you know what I mean – and it keeps my normal undies cleaner and nicer.
Also. It’s 10 January here, I just got back from buying 7 new undies. How serendipitious is that!
Ladies, our knickers are the closest things to our body that we (well, most of us) wear every day so, for goodness sake, respect your bum with good underwear! By good I don’t mean expensive but the only holes in them should be where your legs go in! I understand the ‘certain times of month’ we can wear the not-so-great knickers but ONLY then 🙂 It took a long time for me to get into this habit btw. Go forth ladies and respect your butt! X
I have bra’s older than my 5 yr old granddaughter! Gotta get new ones! They don’t hold up my girls!!!
I am now 70 years old, but still kinda cute! But, a very long time ago I decided that I would have pretty underwear on at all times. Of course, my wonderful Mother also warned me to wear nice underwear in case of a car wreck or some other disaster. However, I feel so much better in pretty underwear, I feel like I have a little secret !
It is so bad that I have underwear in the drawer that I bought like 2 years ago and won’t wear because they aren’t comfortable. I have been meaning to throw away but can’t bring myself to because they are like new.
Hubby & I, both Senior adults, buy new undies annually on Back-to-School Sales Tax Free Weekend. Also office supplies, shoes, anything that can wait till then that will qualify as tax free.
Thanks for your humor & all the good tips!
Back to school is the perfect time. (Although there are some quirky families that do it at Christmas.) Regardless, make it a routine part of your year.
Every year when I get my tax return, I buy myself 30 pairs of undies. So I always have plenty, and don’t feel panicked if I throw a pair out.
This is such a good idea! Since I just got my tax return I’m going to start doing this too!
I use to be, and am still, somewhat of an underthings hoarder. I’m not really sure why. I’m not of an era that felt that they needed to worry or be prepared at all times. I don’t even wear half of them! AND, I sort through them pretty often only letting go of a few at a time. So, I decided that the issue was really more of finding replacement issue. If I found a good replacement, letting go of the crappy ones would be easier. So, I went to the store and bough 4 packs! FOUR! I liked 3 packs (2 were one style and the other 2 were different). I kept the 3 and now my drawer over floweth with new, comfy and pretty panties! As I’m doing laundry, the old ones are getting cycled out. Either from coming out of the dryer and straight to trash or when I go to put them in the drawer I dig around for a sec and if I see a pair that looks grungy, out they go. I think this is going to be my new habit. Find the replacement and replace them! Sort of the same concept as with the storage containers you posted the other day. 😀
I think it’s the perfect title! Got me to click. I was just thinking about this last night. Why do I have underwear that is old or that I don’t like the way they fit? My answer, because I have the expensive VS ones that I want to get my money’s worth and wear them till they are no more. Still, I know it’s not the right way. I’m planing to do the same and throw any underwear that is no good or doesn’t fit right and buy a whole new underwear wardrobe!
I’m pretty good about the undies thing, but hubby lets his get to be a threadbare mess with elastic showing through and holes. One day I saw him in a dreadful pair and just grabbed a big ol’ pair of sewing scissors and cut one side of the undies right off his body. At first he was shocked, then laughed his (now half-uncovered) butt off. Now he buys new undies regularly and makes sure to show me that he’s throwing away the holey pairs.
I am very petite, and consequently shop in the little girls’ department for my big girl panties. I buy a six pack, but often don’t really love one or two of the pairs, because of the color or pattern. I usually save those for “monthly” days, but this post has made me realize that I don’t even HAVE to do that; little girl’s clothes are cheap. Goodby gaudy patterned panties, even while you are still new!
Ha! My obgyn once asked me a question I couldn’t answer, that I had to admit I couldn’t answer because my underwear were so old. She patted my arm and said, “don’t worry, me too. ” So then we discussed good underwear brands and promised ourselves we would get new. The next year’s appointment we chatted about how nice it was to have new undies. Ha! That’s a nice doctor!
Lol! I’m reading through backwards, and last week I bought myself two packs of undies, and a package of no-show socks? Why? Because reading your blog gave me permission to throw out the crew socks I hate wearing(but had been saving for laundry emergencies) and I’d been sorting through my clothes and getting rid of the ones I no longer wear, when I realized all my panties had holes, rips, or just felt too nasty to be putting on any more!
While I do need to ensure I have “big girl undies” right now wearing pedantic sod hat. One of the many things I enjoy about your writing is your spelling and grammar.
While the States may use the word jist I think in the context you might have meant gist. Ah, if you look at the likes of urban dictionary some of the meanings for jist might not be ones you are comfortable with.
I think the main reason undies are so hard to get rid if is because it actually involves throwing them away. You can’t (or SHOULDN’T!) donate them, but technically they can still be worn. I struggle with this with bras especially. Just throwing away a bra that cost me $40 feels hard, but once it is lumpy, the straps sag, and a wire is threatening to poke out, it is not doing me any good.