Knickers

[Clare]

Where is the go to place for women's plain cotton knickers these days?

I bought a 5-pack from M&S in December and the elastic has already become separated from the fabric on three of them.

[Peter]

Have you been having too much fun?

[Clare]

No, this is just normal wear and doing a sedentary day job so nothing to cause damage expect either shoddy materials or poor construction.

[Kim]

Good question.  Mine are from BHS (remember them?) and about three sizes too big...

[Gattopardo]

The male boxer shorts and basic sock have gone the same way.

[Canardly]

Promoting yourself as a premium brand with a pricing policy to match, whilst passing on poor quality goods is not a recipe for success. Marks historically was always a bit staid but garment quality was really good. Also not that long ago, their USP was 100% UK manufacture with a rigorous quality control process.

[T42]

Holey, holey, holey... (hey, it is Sunday...)

[BrianI]

The male boxer shorts and basic sock have gone the same way.

Queue obligatory joke about Russian underpants and fallout?

[Mrs Pingu]

I'm still exclusively on M&S but not sure I've bought any in the last year. Might be worth trying a different batch, they will probably be made all over the place.

[rafletcher]

I bought some M&S tee undershirts. The necklines have gone baggy after half a dozen (I’m being generous) wearing. I’m tempted to try Sloggi, who of course also do women’s underwear.

[Mrs Pingu]

Just looked at Sloggi, they're defo not M&S prices.

[hellymedic]

I have not had any recent trouble with M&S.
When my washing machine died in the summer, I did not need to buy emergency undies but used all of the 55 pairs I had hoarded over the years and eventually washed when the new machine arrived.

My skimpy M&S offerings, bought in the 1980s had mostly been resewn where the elastic parted company with the fabric. (I could sew then.)
The Woolworths knicks' elastic failed and were mostly thrown away when they didn't stay up.
The BHS Size 18s I bought in 1984 were still OK but some developed small holes. The labels were still legible.
Some of the larger M&S offerings from 2009 hardly stay up now.

My latex-allergic friend told me latex was replaced (with Lycra, I think) so that people would not suffer anaphylaxis from their undies. I'm not sure when this happened but think probably 1990s.

The knickers before this change have stood up well, unlike their wearer.
My post 2000 purchases have not.

[hellymedic]

Just looked at Sloggi, they're defo not M&S prices.

I have 4 pairs of Sloggi.
They are ancient but fine.

[Polar Bear]

Speaking from a quality perspective albeit with regard to male underwear, I have found that John Lewis's own brand garments are both comfy and of reasonable quality.

[Mrs Pingu]

I've been & looked on Mumsnet so you don't have to. Several posters there reporting swapping from M&S to Sainsbury's Tu knickers and being happy.

[hellymedic]

M&S labels usually indicate the month and year (MM/YY) a product was first sold.
My most recent were made in Bangladesh.
Different languages on labels specify sizes in different ways.

The ru sizes specify waist, hip and height ranges in cm, rather than the bland and useless '14' or whatever.

[andrewc]

The last pack of undies I bought were Costco’s “Kirkland “ brand . I was sufficiently pleased with them that I bought another pack to stash in the wardrobe.  Their wool walking socks are very good as well & almost identical to the much pricier Smartwool ones.   


I can also recommend EDZ merino undies, comfy but not cheap!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/EDZ-Merino-Boxer-Shorts-Underwear/dp/B017XUZVO4?th=1&psc=1

[orienteer]

Haven't used M&S for decades. Underwear from Uniqlo, especially their Heatech thermal stuff, now available in three grades of insulation.

[Gattopardo]

The male boxer shorts and basic sock have gone the same way.

Queue obligatory joke about Russian underpants and fallout?

That is what happens.

[ian]

Blokes generally stop buying underwear in their mid-twenties and make it last. The female of the species may hold opinions about such matters. They've got holes in. You're seriously still wearing those? Any man in his mid-forties who comes home with new underpants is either having an affair or hoping to have an affair.

[Sergeant Pluck]

Howies is worth checking out.

The thing with Uniqlo is their dubious reputation re working condition and child labour.

[hellymedic]

*I* didn't need emergency underwear when my washing machine died.
Partner did.
I mostly bought from M&S online for him. Total purchase.
9 pairs woven cotton boxers - quite pricy and cool. Wimbledon issues. Decent enough to be adequate to open front door wearing nil else.
5 pairs budget cotton Y-fronts. I think these are fine but D seems to be using others. They must be at the bottom of the pile.
4 pairs knitted 'keyhole' trunks. Navigation issues for which I blame right-handed design and a left-handed wearer...

[ian]

Howies is worth checking out.

The thing with Uniqlo is their dubious reputation re working condition and child labour.

I confess that I did buy some new undies the other year in Uniqlo when BA lost my bag. So I'm not having an affair, that was BA's fault. I'm sticking to that story.

(Basically, assume any clothes you buy these days will be made by people in virtual slavery.)

[Clare]

I've been & looked on Mumsnet so you don't have to. Several posters there reporting swapping from M&S to Sainsbury's Tu knickers and being happy.

Thank you I appreciate your sacrifice.

[Jurek]

(Basically, assume any clothes you buy these days will be made by people in virtual slavery.)

That's a rather sad (but, most likely, accurate) indictment of the times in which we live.