Just wondering

[resonant]

This question brought to you by ten million words of BBC Sherlock slash:

Is there any canon support for this idea that fandom seems to have that Sherlock doesn't wear underwear?

[Res drifts off happily into a world where one could have direct and explicit canon confirmation of something like this.]

Comments

[carolyn_claire]

I really, really wish there was, but, no.

[amberfox]

Nope, not at all. I mean, I could go re-watch a few times to be absolutely sure, but I'm 99% sure right now, and I'm in the middle of re-reading Jean Johnson's Sons of Destiny right now. (Those who shipped HG/SS in HP fandom may remember ladyofthemasque; well, these days she does paranormal romances in print.)

[basingstoke]

Wishful thinking. Though I do think he steals John's clothes, including knickers, without compunction.

[amberfox]

Absolutely. Ownership is a matter of complete unconcern for Sherlock. Or at least, other people's ownership of things he could use. Not needs or aything, mind, just, you know, would be handy at this point.

[carolyn_claire]

I don't know--Sherlock's underwear are probably designer. And, now that I think of it, he may be a pants wearer to protect his designer suits. You should try to clean suit pants as seldom as is practical, especially if they're wool. Which is another reason to wear underwear under them.

[temaris]

If they're both wearing knickers that's a whole world of shared kink we need to hear more about :)

[liviapenn]

I think I read a story once where the idea was, if it can't be laundered by people that aren't Sherlock (ie, the dry cleaners) then Sherlock doesn't own it. Which would support the whole "Stealing John's underwear" thing since you could just sneak them back into John's room when you were done.

I'm still waiting for the story where Sherlock gives in to John's nagging about the kitchen and puts an ad out on Craigslist looking for someone who gets off in a big way on mopping kitchen floors and doing dishes while being verbally abused by someone with a really sexy voice.

Result: the kitchen floor is really clean! The dishes are really clean! Presumably, whats-his-name with the fetish enjoyed himself. Sherlock doesn't really understand why John has a problem with this.

[resonant]

I have a friend who actually did this! But she made conversation, and sympathized, and got drawn into fetish guy's life to some extent -- like, he would call her when he needed a listening ear. She ended up wishing she had just paid somebody to mop the damned floor.

[anatsuno]

I WOULD READ THAT SO HARD. :D

[laurajv]

I remember that story; it seemed silly to me because around here there are at least 3 places within walking distance where I can have my knickers washed, and I'm in a medium-sized city...I refuse to believe that there is no one in London who can scrub Sherlock's pants.

[lobelia321]

I am fascinated by this. I know not the fanon of this fandom and even to learn that this conviction about underwear exists, supported by (as far as I can tell) only the flimsiest of canonic allusions (if that) -- how I love fandom.

And yet we care! We care.

[resonant]

I love fandom for the coexistence of prurience and scholarship.

[schemingreader]

If the BBC authors wanted to make this canon, they could. I'm not sure whether it's part of their idea of Sherlock, though. I mean, he is a lot weirder than ACD Sherlock Holmes (though not as unconventional as Guy Ritchie's/RDJ's interpretation.)

I haven't seen any stories in which he doesn't wear underwear, and I think I've read quite a few! It does make sense, though, with someone who doesn't believe in having sexual relationships, doesn't care very much about eating, and doesn't sleep much, to not care about underpants either.

Plus it makes slash so much more interesting.

[resonant]

It seems impractical and uncomfortable to me to go around without underwear, and I see it so much that I wondered whether there was canon -- I mean, it's just the sort of thing that some dedicated fangirl might have explored in depth before I joined the fandom, with a picspam and red circles and arrows pointing at visible waistbands or the lack thereof. Right? That's what fandom is all about.

[the_oscar_cat]

I suggest repeated watching of Sherlock-in-jeans from the pilot, to see if there is any evidence.


*snirk*

[shrewreader]

There is!! When drugged and stumbling about in 221B, you can see the waistband of his pants under his jeans.

It's utterly awesome. :)

[resonant]

Just for scholarship. No other reason.

[wesleysgirl]

I would just like to say that I approve of many of the comments to this post.

[resonant]

I know. I love fandom so much today.

[shrewreader]

I second Wesley's Girl's approval, and also second the Oscar Cat's recommendation, and also recommend watching the early bits of TBB to get a good look at the wrestling bits.

[resonant]

Somewhere I'll bet some avid screencappers are taking notes even as we speak. I love fandom.

[fox]

I had no idea fandom even had such an idea. Though it's not unique to Sherlock, now that I do know; I seem to recall similar such fanon about Snape or Sirius or both (sometimes), Ray Kowalski, Blair Sandburg, and you know one could probably go back in the mists of time and apply it to the quirkier half of any pair you care to name. (I have now identified Ray Kowalski as quirkier than Benton Fraser, which may turn out to be problematic, but you see what I mean. Quirky on a respect-for-authority scale.)

[resonant]

True -- no-underwear is right up there with hidden-piercing as a quirkiness indicator.

The HP books gave some canon support for wizards wearing nothing at all under their robes, as I remember.

[copperbadge]

This makes me the tiniest bit glad I've decided not to read anything not directly recommended to me in Sherlock fandom.

The fic, it frightens.

[resonant]

It's been years since I was so engaged with characters that I was willing to read un-vetted stories about them. Stories where they cry! Stories where they quote song lyrics to one another! Even gen!

[via_ostiense]

I think he wears briefs or those nicely clingy boxer-briefs rather than boxers, so as to prevent bunching underneath those chic suit pants.

[resonant]

I asked my 31-year-old co-worker what sort of underwear men her age wear, and she said mostly boxer-briefs. Of course, she's just young, as opposed to young and British, but she's the best I have access to.

[treewishes]

Sorry to bug in late here, but I vote no - because he hates buying them. Undies are not a necessary piece of clothing... A waste of time and money! I know several family members (it's a running joke at the holidays) who believe this, and only have a couple of pairs for doctor visits. Men and women :/

[resonant]

Wow, I just can't relate to this. Of course, people younger than me tend to remove all the hair that would otherwise get caught in their zippers, but still!