She's lying on the edge of the bed, posing like a pinup model, wearing a pink bikini style panty. She came home from work, tired and cranky, but now she was another woman, confident, passionate, lusty, and free to be a little wild....

It's common for women to feel repressed and bound by the social roles assigned to them by their environment, whether it's being a mother, a lover, or a career woman. Identities are as fleeting as the latest fashion trend. Personal style and fashion complement one another, moreover fashion is centered on the concept of self-expression—you are what you wear—but what about your underwear? If the basis of psychology is rooted in the notion that our external actions represent very deep and powerful forces acting within our subconscious mind, wouldn’t it be logical, then, for a woman's undergarment to represent what she is really feeling at a particular point in time? Her "unmentionables", in fact, have much to say about her inner life and emotional state of mind. Soft, smooth, and delicate fabrics suggest that she is very feminine. While boyshorts may indicate that she is sporty and playful with a hint of aggression.

The idea that a woman's underwear and lingerie reflects her personality is not new. There have been occasional magazine articles, quizzes, blogs, websites, etc. that have asked readers to identify their "panty personality". Pantyology is an informal school of thought that focuses on consolidated and articulated these various ideas and concepts concerning the underlying psychology behind female undergarments. While sounding cheeky and humorous, it is the serious attempt to uncover a woman’s authentic personality.

It's an interesting concept. I also think it will promote women to be more self-aware and empowered as consumers. It will also put the clothing companies on notice. As women become more in touch with their personal sense of self and style, they will not be easily persuaded by trends, and the fashion companies themselves will be forced to listen to their consumers rather than simply mass produce merchandise and sell poor quality garments at expensive prices. Maybe it will also encourage more local production and less globalization and outsourcing. After all, if you’re an American, wouldn’t you feel more represented in a pair of panties made in the USA? But then again, maybe there is an appeal to escape into the exotic with something imported. I’m not sure what the answer is, maybe it’s all psych—I mean panty-ology.