Author: Donald Lowery
Date:   12-04-02 09:52

Thought you might want to know more...

Author: Donald Lowery (---.accesscom.net)
Date: 12-04-02 09:51

There are a lot of meanings that have grown out of the word--Knickers.

With Grannies, Kaz is close to my teachings from the family definitions. In Golf, Knickers mean something else. In various cultures too. However...

Just for the sake of clarification for the masses that read these rambling posts...

Knickers is short for Knickerbockers.

Knickerbocker, a descendant of the Dutch settlers of New York, meant a New Yorker. knickerbockers with a small "k" came to mean--full breeches gathered and banded just below the knee, similar to golfers (After Diedrich Knickerbocker, fictitious author of "History of New York", by Washington Irving.)

Now, getting back to knickers in connection with Granny...it means long bloomers formerly worn as underwear by women and girls.

Just in case you are wondering about what "bloomers" means...Wide, loose trousers gathered at the knee and formerly worn by women and girls as an athletic costume, then later as women's underpants of similar design. (After Amelia Bloomer (1818-1894).

Finally, pure speculation on my part...Granny knickers is because the women and girls that wore such garments became grandmothers as the fashion was fading, but was never forgotten because it was passed down from family to family, and because it was well-based in people, their names, and written work.

Let me know when you need to know more. ;-))

Author: Donald Lowery
Date:   12-04-02 09:55

...Thus the New York Knicks as a name for the professional basketball team. Boo Knicks.

Author: Yvonne Oots
Date:   12-04-02 12:10

Donald I posted this for you on the last string about "knickers". since you failed to see it I brought it forward here.
"Donald,
Why do you know all of this? This is Womens undergarments that we are speaking of. So why do you know all of this? Are you not telling us something?
Yvonne"

Author: Yvonne Oots
Date:   12-04-02 14:44

Go to the back string sir donald of lowery. F. Walter left you a question you just have to answer.
yvonne lololol

Author: F Walter
Date:   12-04-02 16:04

I agree, go back to the string!
Fran.

Author: Bly Oxford
Date:   12-04-02 16:17

In the 1920s and 30s and long before (so says my research--honestly--it was research)in Texas, women and girls wore bloomers. Boys and young men wore knee-length pants called knickers.
Bly

Author: Donald Lowery
Date:   12-04-02 18:04

To F. Walter and Yvonne Darlene: I sent you a personal reply.

But to Bly Oxford: Being a Texan a large part of my life, and speaking to a Texan, I appreciate your input and thank you Bly for taking part here. I think you are right in what you said.

I interviewed my 84-year-old mother today and she knew quite well about Granny Knickers. She not only wore them, she knew much about the designs. I think she said she wore them in the 20s or early 30s.

Now this is heresay from her, but she says that...She wore knickers that were much like pants with a heavier material, not "fluffy" undergarments, i.e. similar to the much-later design of "pedal pushers", only the pants were gathered just below the knee. When I asked how they were "gathered" just below the knee, she said with elastic versus a string or other devices. The use of knickers for undergarments under large skirts, etc. is another whole subject that Yvonne wonders why I'm interested. I am always doing such research for my writing and this just happened to be an area that I was investigating.

My Mom also wore a version of knickers when she and many other women square-danced on Texas television. These were worn under skirts designed to twirl high to the waist, but because of various reasons, the women did not want to show much skin in those days, especially on television (this was in the early 50's).

Please don't encourage me. :-))

Author: Donald Lowery
Date:   12-04-02 18:42

Knee-length socks were nearly always tucked under with the outside knickers by girls, boys, men, and women.

Whoever added "Granny" to knickers should explain.

Author: Picture Book
Date:   12-04-02 18:43

In the U.K., we often refer to our panties as knickers. The women, do, anyway.


It is also an expression, "Oh, knickers, to you!"

Author: Picture Book
Date:   12-04-02 18:45

Hankies used to be kept in knicker legs, so my Mamgu tells me. (Grandmother)

Author: Donald Lowery
Date:   12-04-02 18:45

I figured if anybody should know...

Author: Donald Lowery
Date:   12-04-02 18:50

Did she say what the hankies were used for?

Author: Picture Book
Date:   12-04-02 21:03

For runny NOSES, Don.

...a handy little place to keep a hankie, in a knicker leg.