Have you ever looked closely at your underwear and wondered, “What on earth is that little pocket-like thing in the crotch?” Well, wonder no more! The mystery of the mysterious “underwear pocket” has finally been solved.
Brittany said: ‘There is that second layer of fabric here for hygienic purposes but most of the clothing manufacturers don’t want to spend the extra time and money to make a final seam to close off this extra piece of fabric’
Women’s underwear typically features a gusset, a panel of breathable, moisture-wicking fabric designed to help prevent infections and provide added comfort. However, as it turns out, not all gussets are created equal.
Some pairs of panties feature a “floating gusset” – a gusset that is only sewn up at one end or along the sides, leaving a small pocket or tunnel in the front. This design quirk has baffled many a confused underwear-wearer, leading to heated discussions on forums like Mumsnet.
According to Californian lifestyle blogger Brittany Vasseur, the “floating gusset” is often the result of cost-cutting measures by manufacturers. “Most of the clothing manufacturers don’t want to spend the extra time and money to make a final seam to close off this extra piece of fabric,” she explains.
Interestingly, Vasseur notes that higher-end, more expensive underwear brands are more likely to take the extra step to fully enclose the gusset, eliminating the pocket. “The higher-end manufacturers who are making the more expensive underwear – they will go to the extra effort to close the seam here,” she says.
A mother asked users why there is a ‘rather strange gusset feature’ in her knickers which leaves an ‘odd pocket at the front’
On the Mumsnet thread, users had a range of reactions to the mysterious underwear pocket. While some found it troubling, others joked that it could be a “handy pocket to carry sanitiser gel.” One user who makes her own underwear even admitted that she leaves the gusset open, as the “polyester thread going across the gusset p***es me off.”
When one Mumsnet user reached out to Marks & Spencer about the issue, the retailer’s “knicker-expert” provided some insight. Apparently, M&S uses both “fixed” and “floating” gussets, with the latter being a design choice rather than a cost-cutting measure.
The mother revealed how she received a reply from M&S who contacted their ‘knicker-expert’
According to the M&S representative, the “floating gusset” is used “for many years” on some of their underwear designs, as it can contribute to a specific “design aesthetic.” The company also aims to be transparent about this design choice, ensuring that customers can see in the product images whether a particular pair of panties has a sewn-in or floating gusset.
In a YouTube video by Californian lifestyle blogger Brittany Vasseur, 35, she revealed, among other design hacks, why there is a secret pocket in women’s underwear
So, there you have it – the mystery of the underwear pocket has been unraveled. While the “floating gusset” may seem like a strange design choice to some, it appears to be a combination of cost-saving measures and aesthetic considerations by manufacturers. Whether you find it intriguing or simply an unnecessary complication, one thing is clear: our undergarments are often more complex than they first appear.
