I have to say, my discontent with the cost of women’s underwear continues unabated.  I am still in amazement at the amount of money these relatively small pieces of fabric cost.  I was at Kohl’s last week and they had a sale where different panty styles were available (e.g., thongs, tangas, boy cut panties) for 3/$14.99.  Now that was a deal!  Only $5 each.  I believe they were originally $8.99 each (which in the world of underwear expense is hardly the top of the line). 

Why is it that women happily buy underwear at this expense?  How does one rationalize this expense given the actual product received?  Well, never fear – I have been pondering this phenomenon and will share my critical thinking on the topic.

If you have underwear savvy you know that mass produced underwear is typically sized from 5-9.  The size 5 underwear are smaller than the size 9.  This is important because the size 9 underwear uses more fabric than the size 5 underwear, but the cost is exactly the same.  Not that the amount of fabric is dramatically different from one size to the next, neither size has all that much fabric, but the point is the cost does not waiver based on the cost of the materials needed to produce the garment.  So in this one instance, size apparently does not matter.

Now, there may be those of you out there who are wearing underwear that cost less than $8.99 a pair (or 3/$14.99 on sale) and would be quick to point out that there are underwear in packages for sale that have a lower per item cost…yes, I know these things…this isn’t my first rodeo.  Seriously though – have you really compared the low cost and packaged underwear with the $8.99 a pair underwear?  Typically the low cost and packaged underwear have more fabric, less lace, and tend to look and function in a very utilitarian manner.  It is my assessment that low cost and package underwear are intended solely for the wearing and are meant to be seen only by the wearer.  Which really is just fine in some situations…but what about the situations where others are getting a peak at your skivvies? 

And therein my friends lies the reason why $8.99 or more can be charged for the barest of coverage – they look pretty and we don’t want to be seen by others in ugly underwear.  When you add to that reality the fact that at times we may even actively seek out being seen in our underwear, well then you realize that these underwear makers pretty much can charge whatever they want. 

I have concluded that cute underwear are like gift wrapping for your fanny and other parts, while those other underwear are like the brown paper wrapping on men’s magazines. And let’s face it folks, the gift wrapping matters. 

So there you have it – we pay because presentation is important. Another mystery solved…I feel like Nancy Drew.

Day two hundred and ninety-seven of the new forty – obla di obla da

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