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By Annemarie Conte and Zoe Vanderweide underbust corset
Your whole day can be derailed by bad underwear—a terrible pair can pinch, pull, tug, and end up in all the wrong places. Many people have a drawer full of dozens of undies that just don’t quite fit.
And then there are the few favorites that rise to the top of the pile every time, rotating from your bum to your laundry bin and back again. Our goal was to find heroic pairs that will inspire you to evict the rejects from your drawer forever.
After extensive testing by a panel of staffers—with a range of body types and underwear preferences—five styles emerged as the best everyday undies: a classic, inexpensive cotton pair that comes in a multipack; a retro-style bikini with a high-cut leg; a quick-drying, lightweight brief; a lacy pair of boy shorts; and a comfy, seamless thong.
These durable high-rise undies feel as familiar as a favorite T-shirt, and stay put without digging into skin—and the price is nice, so you can stock up. But they may create a visible panty line.
If you’re looking for affordable, 100% cotton underwear that doesn’t roll, bunch, or pinch, this is it. Our testers loved that they could put on a pair of Hanes Ultimate Breathable Cotton Hi-Cuts (also sometimes called the Hanes Ultimate High-Waisted Moisture-Wicking Briefs) in the morning, wear them all day, and toss them in the hamper at night without giving any of it much thought.
They stay put and feel good. These high-rise, high-cut briefs feel like a wonderfully worn-in T-shirt for your nether regions. Though they’re not as soft as pricier pairs we tried, they aren’t rough or scratchy, either. They have a forgiving elastic waistband that sits an inch or two below the belly button, depending on your height and build.
All four of our testers (sizes S to XL) said this underwear fit well and sat securely at the hips without moving, bunching, or slipping—and the undies didn’t lose their shape throughout the day. But the defined seams around the waist and legs will show through stretchy or tight-fitting pants, so beware of visible panty lines.
They’re 100% cotton. For many people, this is a must: Cotton is comfy, breathable, and hypoallergenic. Just note that Hanes also makes this style in a blend of 75% cotton and 25% polyester, which is often sold in multipacks on the same product page as the 100% cotton model, much to the confusion and irritation of some buyers. If you’re interested only in the 100% cotton pairs, be sure to check the fine print about the fabric content on the packaging of the exact set you choose.
The 100% cotton Hanes Ultimate Breathable line comes in additional styles, as well: a fuller-rear-coverage Brief, a low-rise Hipster, and a lower-rise Bikini.
They’re cheap and widely available. The Breathable Cotton Hi-Cuts are among the most affordable undies we tested: A six-pack costs about the same (or less!) than a single pair of our individually sold picks. And unlike many higher-end pairs, these undies can be found at almost any chain store. But they’re not as stretchy as our other picks, so they won’t fit as wide a range of hip sizes.
They’re low-maintenance. You don’t need to be cautious with the Breathable Cotton Hi-Cuts—just toss ’em in the wash on warm and then tumble-dry on low. (These undies are made of preshrunk cotton, so they won’t shrink with laundering.) And if they get stained, you can relegate them to period or laundry-day underwear without sobbing over the replacement cost.
This ultra-smooth pair is a sexy yet comfy take on the everyday brief, with a high-cut leg and a high waist. For cotton undies, they’re pricey, but the high-quality material is unusually soft.
With high-cut leg openings and delicate lace trim, the cotton Natori Bliss French Cut Brief is pretty enough for date night, yet it’s also really comfortable to wear. So you’ll want to have this underwear in your everyday rotation. It’s no wonder this brief has developed a loyal following, including here at Wirecutter.
The fabric is ultra-soft and stretchy. The Bliss French Cut Brief is made from lightweight pima cotton (a high-quality, extra-long-staple variety), which feels great on the skin. The material includes 6% Lycra, so this brief easily conforms to curves, and the stretchy lace edging isn’t scratchy or irritating.
The Bliss undies are thinner, sleeker, and softer than the Hanes Ultimate Breathable Cotton Hi-Cuts, and they’re less wrinkle-prone. Normally priced around $20 a pairr—though they do go on sale often—they’re also far more expensive. However, Natori does sell them in three-packs (usually around $16 a pair).
They have a sexy, retro cut. The Bliss undies “combine the best of everyday underwear with really cute styling,” one tester said. This is a French-cut brief, which means it’s cut high at the legs, with sleek seaming that sits toward the front of the hips. The piqué design creates an elongated leg line that reveals more skin in the front, which nicely balances the fuller coverage on the rear.
These briefs were not constricting, and they hit our testers an inch or so below the belly button—though where they land will depend on your height and build. Our tester with curvier hips, another with more of a booty, and our trans tester all loved this pair’s retro look. But our straight-hipped tester said this pair gave her a “tiny bit of a wedgie,” and she wished it hit slightly lower on her belly.
The Bliss French Cut Brief is the one we tested. But the Bliss also comes in a Full Brief (with more coverage around the hips) and a Girl Brief (a lower-rise hipster cut).
This pair lies flat and doesn’t show under clothes. The Bliss French Cut Brief has delicate lace trim at the waist and legs that has been attached with a sturdy zigzag stitch. The lace isn’t purely ornamental: Since it’s stretchy and durable, it acts as an anchor to keep the underwear in place without bunching, rolling, or digging. It also has a smoothing effect (it doesn’t create panty lines or bulges). This pair’s generous frontal crotch coverage and stay-in-place lace work in tandem to lower the probability that you’ll experience a dreaded frontal wedgie.
Made from nylon that’s ultra-light and stretchy, this semi-sheer pair is a second skin that stays in place and dries in a jiffy. Its flat, no-show seams are bonded rather than sewn, so they’re vulnerable to high heat—we recommend air-drying.
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The Tommy John Women’s Air Brief is so soft, thin, and—yep!—airy that you might forget you’re wearing it. This mid-rise style offers full coverage, particularly in the rear, but the sheer nylon fabric prevents this pair from feeling dowdy. Plus, this brief wicks moisture and dries quickly, so it’s a great option for travel or if you tend to get sweaty.
The fabric is cool and whisper-thin. These undies are feather-light—they weigh just 2 ounces. And our testers raved about the nylon and spandex mesh material, describing it as smooth and buttery, with lots of stretch. The fabric is slightly sheer, so nobody will accuse these briefs of being matronly, despite their full-coverage silhouette.
If you prefer a more-revealing or less-revealing cut, this underwear also comes in other versions: The Women’s Air Thong, the Women’s Air Cheeky (a hipster style with less rear coverage), and the Women’s Air Hi-Rise Brief (a high-rise pair with full bum coverage).
They’re the quickest-drying undies we tried. We soaked the Air Briefs in water and hung them to dry—and they were ready to wear in about four hours. Combined with how lightweight they are, the quick-drying aspect makes them a terrific choice for travel, when you might find yourself doing laundry on the go.
Even when damp with sweat, the fabric didn’t feel uncomfortable against our skin. And the gusset (crotch liner) uses a proprietary “Cool Cotton” fabric, which the company claims is more cooling and moisture-wicking than regular cotton. (We did like the way it felt.)
They stay securely in place. While other nylon undies we tested tended to slip down—either because they lacked an elastic waistband or their fabric was too smooth—the Air Briefs didn’t roll, sag, tug, or bulge.
The waistband and leg bands are secure and snappy—they stayed in place and kept their shape after laundering.
The bonded seams don’t show under clothes. The seams on the waist, legs, and hips are bonded (high-heat-glued), so they lie flat. These undies come with what the company calls a “no-visible-panty-line guarantee,” and—sure enough—they weren’t detectable beneath our clothing.
Note that bonded seams can weaken—especially around the waistband—if these briefs are washed and dried at high temperatures. One staffer told us that the waistband on her Air Briefs came apart in less than a year. According to Tommy John’s care instructions, these briefs can be machine-washed in cold water and tumble-dried on low heat. But for the sake of their longevity, we recommend air-drying.
This pricey pair is durable, and it comes in dozens of colors and the widest range of sizes among our picks. But even though the lace fabric is comfy and stretchy, it’s not buttery-soft.
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The Hanky Panky Signature Lace Boyshort defied our expectations, in the best ways. This style can be a nightmare if it cuts in too tightly at the thigh, and lace has a reputation for being fussy and delicate. But this pair won over all of our panelists with its flattering fit, comfort, and quality.
They’re made of stretchy nylon lace. The Signature Lace Boyshort is made of the same elastic, durable nylon lace as Hanky Panky’s well-known thongs. The material is sheer, with opaque detailing that provides some modest coverage. More than one tester commented that the woven lace made them feel “sexy.”
Though the intricate floral pattern looks like it could be scratchy, it’s surprisingly innocuous—not extremely soft, but not annoying, either. Plus, there are no side seams to dig into your hips, and the gusset (crotch liner) is made from smooth, breathable Supima cotton (a luxurious, extra-long-staple cotton).
The cheeky cut hugs curves. While boy shorts are typically cut straight across the thigh, with full rear coverage, the Signature Lace Boyshort has a slightly more-revealing, figure-enhancing design. The waist and leg openings are cut at an angle, to create a flattering V-shape, and these boy shorts show a hint of cheek in the back. “I can’t get over how great these made my butt look,” one tester said.
Most of our underwear picks have a front panel and a back panel attached by side seams. But the Signature Lace Boyshort has a single center seam, allowing it to smoothly hug the hips. Its wide, angled leg holes don’t dig into the thighs like those of traditional boy shorts. And the medium rise and flexible waistband were especially great for testers who had loose skin around their bellies.
The Signature Lace Boyshort doesn’t create panty lines under clothing, either: The lace edging lies flat, secured to the body of the underwear with strong zigzag stitching.
They come in tons of colors and sizes. The Signature Lace Boyshort is available in more sizes (XS to 3X) than any of our picks; the largest size fits hips up to 58 inches, according to the company’s size guide. Plus-size pairs (1X to 3X) have a slightly thicker, more-substantial lace waistband.
gym underwear Depending on where you shop, these boy shorts come in more than two-dozen colors, including a range of skin-tone shades.