Why A Pair?

 
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Why are they called a pair of underwear??? A pair of pants?? I remember asking my mom when I was little girl, and I'm not sure I even got a good ANSWER then!!

So why are they called a pair of underwear? Is it because they have two openings? But wait----they have three openings! They have two leg openings and a waist opening. We don't call them a three of underwear.

Maybe we should call them a few of underwear.  If two is a pair and three or more is a few, then I should go put on a few underwear. No, wait---that sounds stupid.

We should call them a one of underwear! I am putting on an underwear. Ugh. That's no better.

SO what about I move on to pants. If I put on a pant, does that mean I put on one leg of cloth and leave the other leg naked? Ok, well, in that case that would make sense---a PAIR of pant legs.

But back to the underwear----they don't have legs. They have holes. Sometimes more holes than they should. In that case they should be called rags and not underwear.

All kidding aside----so why are they a pair? A pair of what? They are a single item with three holes. There must be some reason that goes all the way back to some ancient time when some lady was sewing a piece of cloth or hide into a butt covering but I just can't figure it out.

 
 

by Candy T. 9/23/03