Going commando
Encyclopedia
Going commando is the practice of not wearing underwear
under one's outer clothing. The term is theorized to be related to the much earlier term "going regimental", which refers to wearing the kilt military style, that is, without underwear. (see True Scotsman
)
In Chile
, the act of not wearing underwear has been called "andar a lo gringo" (to go gringo
-style) for decades.
In Portugal, the expression used is "andar à caçador" (to go hunter-style).
magazine's Daniel Engber dates the modern usage to college campuses circa 1974, where it was perhaps associated with soldiers in the Vietnam War
, who were reputed to go without underwear to "increase ventilation and reduce moisture." The earliest known use of the term in print occurred on January 22, 1985 when Jim Spencer wrote in the Chicago Tribune
"Furthermore, colored briefs are 'sleazy' and going without underwear ("going commando", as they say on campus) is simply gross." Seinfeld
s sixth season episode "The Chinese Woman
" presented the term in 1994. A 1996 episode of the television sitcom Friends, "The One Where No One's Ready
", has been credited with introducing the term "into the popular vernacular".
Undergarment
Undergarments or underwear are clothes worn under other clothes, often next to the skin. They keep outer garments from being soiled by bodily secretions and discharges, shape the body, and provide support for parts of it. In cold weather, long underwear is sometimes worn to provide additional...
under one's outer clothing. The term is theorized to be related to the much earlier term "going regimental", which refers to wearing the kilt military style, that is, without underwear. (see True Scotsman
True Scotsman
True Scotsman is a humorous term used in Scotland for a man wearing a kilt without undergarments. Though the tradition originated in the military, it has entered Scottish lore as a rite, an expression of light-hearted curiosity about the custom, even as a subversive gesture.-Background:Kilts have...
)
In Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, the act of not wearing underwear has been called "andar a lo gringo" (to go gringo
Gringo
Gringo is a slang Spanish and Portuguese word used in Spanish-speaking and Portuguese-speaking countries in Latin America, to denote foreigners, often from the United States. The term can be applied to someone who is actually a foreigner, or it can denote a strong association or assimilation into...
-style) for decades.
In Portugal, the expression used is "andar à caçador" (to go hunter-style).
Earliest uses
The origins of the phrase are uncertain, with some speculating that it may refer to being "out in the open" or "ready for action". SlateSlate (magazine)
Slate is a US-based English language online current affairs and culture magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley, initially under the ownership of Microsoft as part of MSN. On 21 December 2004 it was purchased by the Washington Post Company...
magazine's Daniel Engber dates the modern usage to college campuses circa 1974, where it was perhaps associated with soldiers in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, who were reputed to go without underwear to "increase ventilation and reduce moisture." The earliest known use of the term in print occurred on January 22, 1985 when Jim Spencer wrote in the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
"Furthermore, colored briefs are 'sleazy' and going without underwear ("going commando", as they say on campus) is simply gross." Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
s sixth season episode "The Chinese Woman
The Chinese Woman
"The Chinese Woman" is the 90th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 4th episode for the 6th season. It aired on October 13, 1994.-Plot:...
" presented the term in 1994. A 1996 episode of the television sitcom Friends, "The One Where No One's Ready
The One Where No One's Ready
"The One Where No One's Ready" is the second episode of the third season of the American television situation comedy Friends, which aired on NBC on September 26, 1996...
", has been credited with introducing the term "into the popular vernacular".