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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Furman chapter.

We are living through the “Free the Tata” era. Especially with COVID causing so many people to go to work and school from home, time spent in bras has significantly decreased for many women. But this raises the question: Is it time to abandon all undergarments? 

Let’s talk about the reality of panties. Sometimes I really do wonder if the people designing panties are the people wearing them. From panty lines, to back wedgies, to front wedgies (ouch), to skin irritation, to lip slips, to unnecessary muffin tops, and everything in between, I think it’s time we ditch panties. 

I stopped wearing underwear full time at the beginning of quarantine last year because I honestly just didn’t feel like it. Since then, I pretty much only wear underwear when necessary. Let’s talk about the benefits of going commando! 

  1. It can help avoid infections! Going commando increases blood circulation to your vagina which is beneficial to avoiding and preventing infection.
  2. It can decrease irritation. We all know that awful post shave irritation along the panty lines, these can be avoided by being commando.
  3. Going commando can increase libido. Knowing that there is one less layer of clothing between you and the outside world can have a psychological effect and increase libido! 

Despite all these great benefits, there are definitely downsides of freeing your coochie. You can experience different kinds of infections and new odors than you are accustomed to. You can also experience new kinds of chafing. There is medical evidence however that letting your vagina breathe for a few hours a day is very beneficial. 

As I sit here commando in my skinny jeans, I am reminded that the bottom line is comfortability. Bra or no bra, panties or no panties, it’s time to do what is best for your body no matter what anyone else around you is saying. 

Margaret Bovard is a senior at Furman University from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and she is a Health Science major. In addition to being a writer for HerCampus, Margaret works in a cardiology lab on campus and participates in theater. She is very passionate about sustainability and hopes to be an alpaca farmer one day. Margaret is an old soul, in her free time she knits, cross stitches, and complains about her back pain :). She can not wait to see the impact that HerCampus will have on Furman's Campus.
Hailey Wilcox is the Editor-in-Chief and one of the two Campus Correspondents of Her Campus at Furman University. She is a senior Educational Studies major, and hopes to pursue a Master's in Applied Behavior Analysis. Aside from Her Campus, she is President of Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed community service fraternity. Her passions include self-care, helping her communities, and makeup!