"Knickers" in England: Yes, Women Wear Them—It's Just the British Word for Panties

Yes, women in England (and the broader UK) wear knickers daily. "Knickers" is simply the standard British English term for women's underwear** that covers the hips, buttocks, and lower abdomen—what Americans call "panties."

Usage Notes

• Gender-specific: "Knickers" = women's. Men's equivalents: "pants," "underpants," "boxers," "briefs," "Y-fronts."
• Register: Neutral, everyday word. Not slang, not vulgar. Used in shops, advertising, laundry labels, conversation.
• Varieties: Briefs, bikinis, thongs, boyshorts, high-waisted, control—all are "knickers."
• Phrase alert: "Don't get your knickers in a twist" = don't get upset/agitated. Common idiom.

Cross-Cultural Translation

So if a British woman says "I'm buying new knickers," she's doing the most ordinary thing in the world—shopping for underwear. No cultural mystery, just vocabulary.