As women, we regularly shop for fashion items and cosmetics. We think about buying a beautiful dress almost immediately we see it. And thanks to social media apps like Instagram, these things are always in our faces. So we’re always just a DM away from owning the latest fashion item. But when it comes to underwear, it’s an entirely different situation.
First off, bras and pants aren’t as aggressively advertised as clothes and accessories. Secondly, probably because we’re mostly the only ones who see our underwear, replacing them doesn’t seem so important, unlike our clothes and accessories that other people can see and admire.
But how often should you replace your underwear?
Bras and pants don’t necessarily have a shelf life or expiry date. And while you can wear your bras for as long as you want if there are no physical issues, it might be better to replace them every six months to get the best out of them in terms of fit and lift.
While with pants, for hygienic reasons it’s safe to replace them every year.
This is because washing your pants isn’t enough to get rid of all the bacteria on it. There are certain bacteria that can survive being washed. Even if you’re washing with hot water and hanging in the sun to dry. So to reduce the risk of getting infections, you might want to rethink how long you keep them.
How long your pants last will also depend on its fabric and quality. Cotton generally will last longer than lace and other fabrics. For obvious signs that it’s time to replace your underwear, look at the stretch, fit and aesthetic. If it begins to sag, not sit on your waist as well as it used to, or have holes in it, then it’s time to replace it. Also, if you’ll be ashamed to *coughs* let anyone see you naked in it, toss it!
