The Very Best Women’s Underwear

Sizes: XS–L/XL| Cut: Bikini, seamless edges | Material: Cotton, elastane | Price: $$$

I know, I know: $36 makes for a pricey panty. But in the making of this guide, we heard about Commando the most (and just shy of 60 pairs were discussed). The label’s underwear was repeatedly praised for its right-there-in-the-name, almost-gone-commando fit.

“If you’ve ever wondered what the stars on the red carpet were wearing underneath those sheer, unforgiving gowns, the answer is almost certainly a pair of Commandos,” explains Alison Freer, a costume designer and Strategist contributor.

The bikini was the most-cited cut. Stylist Jasmine Caccamo describes them as seamless with a shape that easily works underneath body-skimming clothing. Bee Stuart, a personal stylist and the founder of QueerYorker, is another Commando convert, describing its bikinis as luxe-feeling even for every day, showing off a hint of skin while offering full (comfortable) coverage; her favorite style is the frillier Double-Take.

This ultrasmooth cotton panty might be the best of all the undies Commando sent me to try out so far (I’ll be reporting back soon about the rest). It’s so barely there — I couldn’t see any lines from the bikini no matter how much I looked (including my most leaves-little-to-the-imagination pants). Although the elastane blended with the cotton makes for a super-stretchy fit, I’m not pulling at these — or shifting around to keep them in place.

Sizes: XS–4XL | Cut: Brief with a higher rise | Material: Cotton | Price: $

These Jockeys “could be the least risqué panties you ever own,” according to former Strategist senior editor Margaret Rhodes. They have tighty-whitey energy but don’t actually feel that way thanks to an elastic waistband that’s covered in a layer of cotton. Unlike other waistbands that grip your midsection, Rhodes says, “the Elance embraces you.” And whereas Baserange, Araks, and Arq make grandma-esque briefs that still have some sex appeal, this pair “leaves pretty much everything to the imagination,” she says. “You don’t wear these undergarments — they wear you. More exactly, they swaddle you.”

Sizes: XXS–6X | Cut: Brief, high-rise | Material: Cotton, spandex | Price: $$$

If you’re looking for a high-rise brief that doesn’t veer quite so much into granny-panty territory, turn to Arq, maker of small-bust-friendly bralettes. Creative consultant Harling Ross Anton introduced us to this pair from the brand, which she owns in a checkered print (you can choose from colors like cherry, cocoa, and olive, some of which rotate seasonally). “I’ve heard underwear described as a ‘hug’ before but always suspected the comparison was hyperbolic until I got these,” she says of the “insanely comfortable” cut with edges that never dig into her thighs or stomach. And as she’s prone to UTIs, Anton points out that the high-rise undies are made from organic cotton that’s ethically and sustainably sourced. She isn’t alone in her praise: Lily Sullivan, senior brand marketing manager at Maude, likes to wear these around the house with one of the brand’s matching bras.

Sizes: XS–XL | Cut: Bikini, low-rise with dipped waistband | Material: Modal, elastane | Price: $$

Free People’s in-house intimates line, Intimately, runs the gamut from super-sporty to effervescently frilly, but I thought this lace-trimmed bikini was a good middle ground, so I requested one to try out. The most important thing to know about these bikinis is that they’re impossibly soft — the modal is light and feels great against the skin. And even with the seams along the bottom border, I don’t see a VPL. The low-rise, dipped waistband keeps the bikini from sitting too high and peeking out. I have worn my pair once a week since its arrival, and I am planning on buying more, thanks to Free People’s three-for-$30 deal. (Another bikini on my testing docket is Journelle’s very pretty Victoire, which matches one of my favorite bralettes.)

Sizes: 1X–3X | Cut: Hipster, higher logo waistband | Material: Cotton, modal, elastane | Price: $$

For a plus-size-specific pair, it was impossible to ignore the power of this hipster. Shanel Esaloo, buyer at luxury plus-size label 11 Honoré, has only two pairs of underwear that she “would literally scream off of the rooftops for people to buy” in multiples: Negative Underwear’s briefs and these classic Calvin Kleins. She wears a pair of the Calvins almost every day — they’re just that comfortable. Plus, Esaloo says, their thick, logo’d waistband offers some midsection support.

Sizes: XXS–XXL | Cut: Brief-boyshort, mid-rise | Material: Nylon, elastane | Price: $

Aerie’s Real Me underwear line is much-loved among Strategist staffers. Former Strategist senior writer Karen Iorio Adelson wrote that her Real Me thongs are “comfortable all day, stay in place, and provide full front coverage.” Because Aerie has a “seven for $30” deal, you can usually buy all the Real Me styles in bulk for cheap. But it’s the Real Me boybrief, which sits at the intersection of a brief and boyshort, that really caught our eye. Although the boybrief is available in only two colors (a nude called “sand” and black), Lauren Chan, founder of plus-size womenswear company Henning, owns about 20 of them. In addition to being soft and lightweight, they have a mid-rise, low-cut hip and full bum coverage that Chan considers to be the perfect silhouette — one that’s not always easy to find with the high-rise, high-hip cuts popular these days.

These also come in a colorful crossover version, if you like a lower rise in the front. Strategist junior writer Brenley Goertzen likes that the ultraflattering waistband can be lowered for less coverage or moved up for more. The “airy” pair also served her well during a bachelorette trip to Vegas when she wore them beneath a mesh dress that was a “tad see-through.” Strategist senior editor Jen Trolio owns several pairs; she rebuys them for their “unbeatable” price and minimal look (“I’m extremely averse to logos on my underwear,” she says). No matter which Real Me style you prefer, Aerie typically has a six for $30 or ten for $38 deal, so you can usually buy the brand’s underwear in bulk for cheap (same with the pair below).

Sizes: XXS–XXL | Cut: Brief–boy short, low rise | Material: Nylon, elastane | Price: $

Strategist writer Latifah Miles has had a hard time finding underwear that’s cut right for her — she blames the combination of being tall with having larger hips. (“It’s not rare for me to have a perpetual wedgie.”) But the Sunnie Blossoms from Aerie check all her boxes: The undies don’t show, ride up, and aren’t too tight. “They’re a tiny bit cheeky” without making her butt “look like a can of exploded biscuits.”

Sizes: XS–XL (equivalent to 0–18) | Cut: Thong, invisible panty line | Material: Mesh, spandex | Price: $$

Thongs are probably the most polarizing panty: Some swear by them, others curse them all. The words comfortable thong have historically been an oxymoron in my mind, but for the sake of doing this guide due diligence, I requested Tommy John’s Air thong for testing after Strategist editor Maxine Builder evangelized it. Though Tommy John is much more well-known for its men’s underwear, the Air thong is Builder’s “favorite underwear of all time.” She credits the material — “the lightest, softest mesh you’ve ever touched” that also happens to be “no show whatsoever.” As Builder promised, there’s decent coverage — about the same in the front as I would expect from a bikini. The string doesn’t dig in, which is usually my biggest complaint with thongs. (With that said, I do suggest cutting off the branded tag in the back, because it rubbed against my butt annoyingly.) Originally I awarded the “best thong” medal to a Hanky Panky pair, but now I stand by Tommy John holding the title instead. I especially appreciate that the Air comes in a range of sizes (and a three for $48 deal), in contrast to Hanky Panky’s one size-fits-all approach. Builder advises checking this more thorough size guide than the one on the product page to make sure you get the best fit.

Sizes: XXS–XXL| Cut: Thong, high-rise | Material: Cotton, spandex | Price: $

This Gap thong is about half the price of Tommy John’s but comes highly recommended by former Strategist deals writer Leah Muncy, who believes it to be “peak underwear.” The combination of the thong’s high leg and dipped V-shaped waist makes them much beloved. “I am so glad that we as a society have rediscovered the universally flattering V-waist,” she says. She buys them in bulk, especially when they’re on sale (which is often, as Gap is known to do). For a perfect fit, Muncy suggests sizing up to make these more comfortable. You won’t regret it: “I don’t think a better pair of underwear exists,” she says. And you can get three for $18, too.

Sizes: XS–3X | Cut: Thong, dipped waistband, laser-cut edges | Material: Lycra, elastane, spandex with cotton gusset | Price: $$

For truly undetectable underwear, ballerina Erica Lall relies on the Under Statements Thong from Spanx. She tends to skip underwear when she’s dancing, so when she does wear a pair, they have to have a similar invisible feel — these do just that with no VPL. “A lot of seamless underwear isn’t actually seamless, but this is,” she says, even going so far as to call the thong the softest she’s ever put on. (Spanx offers three for $48, if you’re hoping to stock up and save a few bucks.)

Sizes: XS/S–L/XL | Cut: Boyshort, high-rise, raw-cut edges | Material: Microfiber (nylon, elastane) | Price: $$$

Commando sent me an assortment of its underwear, including its Classic Boyshort to try out. It’s ultrastretchy and made from the most paper-thin microfiber, so it contours to curves rather than squishing or digging into them. Boyshorts have been hit or miss for me in the past, particularly because of the unseemly panty lines they often create. But you can’t even tell I have these on, a fact confirmed via multiple double-checks in a mirror and requests for second opinions. The raw-cut edges also have a smoothing effect. They make for a really reliable pair of underwear that you can wear underneath anything, which helps softens the $30-for-one price tag.

Sizes: XS–5XL | Cut: Cheeky with paneled front and double-layer mesh back | Material: Recycled fabric | Price: $

The Feels Like Nothing Cheeky from Parade, which the company gifted to me, is cut in a way that stays put. Though the pair is cheek-baring, there’s still some modesty because of the double layer of mesh in the back. These also have a super-stretchy waistband and paneled front that holds me in, even as the rise is a little lower than what I would usually go for. These also have a bulk promo price of five for $30.

Intimates line Cou Cou makes a knicker inspired by French lingerie — it’s sewn from bespoke pointelle, edged with a little lace, and topped with a ribboned bow. As the pair is friller than a standard brief, but slightly more practical than the This Belongs To panties above, I think they’re great if you want something that looks knicker-like but without too much bulk. The brand sent me a pair to try, which I’ve been wearing almost weekly since getting them back in March. Since these are slightly fancier, they’re like a pick-me-up when I want an underthing that’s not as unassuming. (You can see their outline when wearing closer-fitting clothes, but not when sporting something like jeans, for example.) These are reminiscent of traditional briefs, but they sit right at the hipbone and they don’t have as cheeky of a cut in the back. The cotton is breathable, especially thanks to the eyelets in the pointelle fabric. You can get them in a thong too, or a tanga (which is similar to a G-string).

Sizes: XS–XL | Cut: Bikini, French cut | Material: Cotton | Price: $

For decades, Baywatch nostalgia from her formative years has led novelist Molly Prentiss on a quest for underwear with the same “vulgar V shape of those exaggerated high-cut suits.” Online window shopping has only led to disappointment — the Mishas from Arq have “substantial seams” that interfere with the look she’s going for, and high-rises from Pansy aren’t high enough for her taste. But a “midnight off-market marketplace deep dive” led her to Elsy Marie on Etsy. Prentiss says that she “hit the intimates jackpot” with this high-cut pair, which have a triangle shape well-suited “when slung above a curvy pair of hips,” are made from sustainably sourced cotton, and cost less than $15. She adds, “It was just the jolie laide my private parts needed, and I’ve ordered multiple times since. The rest of my underwear have begun to depress me in comparison.”

Sizes: S–XXL | Cut: Brief, high-rise | Material: Tencel lyocell, elastane | Price: $$$

Montinique Dever, founder of Riot Swim, wore Boob’s briefs all throughout her pregnancy, but even after giving birth, she still reaches for these. They were designed with postpartum bellies in mind and have a double-layered front to provide more support (especially for those recovering from a C-section). The panties are made without any seams to dig into your skin, a feature Dever says she’s especially grateful for.