Manties or Panties? Lingerie for Men.
For gender nonconforming men who prefer lingerie under their masculine attire, manties could be for you.
Consider what happens when you put the letter M in place of the letter P in the word P A N T I E S ? Consider the power of M A N T I E S.
The word has been around a while, and it can be quite powerful. It’s a word that can allow men to feel better about themselves and give them the freedom to express their gender nonconformity in subtle or bold fashion.
The M makes all the difference to some. There are men who won’t wear underwear spelled with a P. But they will wear underwear that looks a lot like those that are spelled with a P, because of the M.
Does that sound confusing? Contrived? Well maybe it is, a little…
Because of the ridiculous rules that exist about the clothing a certain gender can/cannot/should not wear — about what underwear are okay and not okay for men — there are guys who will wear M A N T I E S, but wouldn’t be at ease wearing P A N T I E S.
There’s no harm whatsoever with wearing men’s underwear that are fashioned to look, fit, and feel like women’s underwear. To an untrained eye, a pair of panties may not look any different than a pair of manties. Manties are fashioned from silky, smooth, synthetic, and blended fabrics. Designs may include ribbon and bows, lacy or scalloped trim around the waist and legs, pretty floral prints, pale pastels or colorful reds, purples, or yellows.
Those sorts of styling and design details are not typical of conventional underwear found in the men’s department. You’ll have to search online or visit a specialty store that caters to men who dare to wear underwear with a bow on them!
This isn’t meant to disparage manties, or to infer that there is any reason why anyone who wants to shouldn’t wear them. They can be liberating, sexy and fun. But feeling like you HAVE TO wear panties spelled with a M if you want to wear them at all is just, well…unfortunate. A strange consequence of cultural and societal expectations that can be hard to ignore or get around.
Men who find women’s undies attractive, sexy, and practical, but aren’t comfortable wearing them, may find men’s panties a reasonable compromise. A way of bridging the gap — so to speak.
Manties are engineered for a man’s anatomy and physique. Many are made with an added seam, or maybe even a pouch in front to, ‘accommodate the boys.’ For the same reason they are cut a little wider in the crotch and have more elastic around the legs. Some guys prefer panties just for men, while others find a thoughtfully selected pair of women’s fit just as well.
The same is true of socks, sweatshirts, or leggings too of course, but once you’ve entered the world of intimate apparel the rules and public perception change.
As another major bonus, lingerie from online retailers like BodyAware are available in all sorts of fabrics and styles, colors, prints and patterns, and pretty embellishments. Good luck finding underwear featuring this kind of variety and feminine flourishes in an ordinary men’s department.
Are there disadvantages to men’s panties?
Economy is a huge factor. They are far more expensive than women’s, which can be purchased for fraction of the cost. A common story of supply and demand. Vanity Fair claims the number one selling panty in America is the Illuminations string bikini. Obviously popular among women, men also find them practical and comfortable. For those wishing to avoid the premium price of men’s panties, after-market retailers are a very affordable place to shop for women’s underwear…but savvy shoppers know if you like, buy ’em. These stores don’t have a standard inventory and same item may never be available again. The deals are almost as good at many leading department stores where inventory is more consistent.
Women’s lingerie manufacturers have had centuries of experience, and makers of men’s lingerie are still catching up. As mentioned earlier, a well-selected pair of women’s underwear can be just as comfortable on a man. Seamless unisex styles in plain, solid colors are indistinguishable from men’s underwear and a good choice for those who may be just getting familiar with panties. The cotton gusset typical of most styles for women is just as practical for a man. A little absorbency is welcome on a hot day or while exercising. Unfortunately, this practical patch of cloth is unusual in panties made specifically for men. Could that be because it would make them ‘too much like women’s panties?’
Variety is the biggie! Women would revolt if the selection of underwear in the intimates’ section at department stores was as limited as in the men’s section. Unless men shop online, or in an actual store that specializes in ‘fashion’ underwear for guys, there is a wider selection of socks, jeans or polo shirts. Sadly, styles available for men have varied little with time. Finding a thong in the men’s section of a department store is as about as rare as a three-dollar bill, but that’s understandable considering thongs are on the fringe even among guys who enjoy men’s lingerie.
Gender nonconforming guys who are unabashed panty buyers have great appreciation and respect for lingerie retailers who recognize some men prefer wearing women’s underwear. Katie & Laura’s Fancy Satin Panty Store deserves special mention for the sincere, informative and fun way they address this touchy topic for men, and the women in their lives.
Some retail sales associates certainly know, or suspect, men might very well be shopping for themselves. If buying panties in a nondescript retail store no one expects to be approached by a salesperson. But when shopping in a lingerie store, there are men who appreciate a friendly, salesperson; preferably one who makes no assumptions about who will be wearing the merchandise. Anyone who understands the money in a guy’s wallet is just as good as the money in a women’s, will offer to assist. And if they are good at their job, or paid on commission, they may even offer to open a dressing room!
It is hard to deal with, let alone overcome, the social pressure and fear of ridicule gender nonconforming people face. Privacy, and the affirmation of knowing there are other men who share an affinity for girly underwear may the biggest reason men buy M A N T I E S. There’s no shaming or fear of ridicule when shopping online for men’s panties, and it’s genuinely helpful to see them on a model.
Just as with gender conformity in general, buying and wearing manties can be a bit of a head game. But for men who like to ‘flexdress’ and have found manties to be a way to express their gender nonconformance, more power to ‘M.
