People are discovering why men's underwear has a hole in the front – and how it’s not just to pee
Christopher Harper
Published Sep 13, 2026
THE mystery has finally been solved as to why women’s pants have a bow on the front and a pocket in the gusset.
And although you might think you know what the hole in men’s boxers is for, you might be surprised to hear it has several purposes.
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The obvious of which is to give men easy access when they need to pee as confirmed by underwear brand Sheath.
Experts at Sheath say: “The hole in your boxers is also called a fly.
“You’re free to call them whatever name you want, but the functional term is still fly. Why is it there? You guessed it!
“The purpose of the fly is to make it easier for you to pee while wearing boxers.”
However, according to experts the fly has a secondary use, and that is to provide comfort to its wearers.
Sheath added: “Today's modern underwear is nothing like what men wore even a few decades ago.
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“The actual pouch where the fly is located has also been changing drastically. In the past, this area used to be flat. This design does not give the man a natural way for his penis to be contoured.
“Thankfully, men today have a better option. New boxer briefs and men's briefs have a design that actually has a roomier pouch. This new pouch design gives the man more definition, comfort, support, and freedom.”
So there you have it, mystery solved!
But if you’re still unsure why we have that pocket in our pants, you can find out here.
And there’s even a reason for a bow on your undies too!
