The Panty Drop
Knickers, undies, skivvies, bloomers, lingerie, panties…what you choose to call your underwear is as varied as the style you choose to put on your body. Are you a bikini girl? Or is less best with a thong? Maybe you like fuller coverage with a boy short or cheeky style? I’ve recently been hearing complaints from clients and friends that they couldn’t find a comfortable, quality pair of daily undies. They are the most intimate of items, so who am I to say what’s the best choice for you? I’m not sure I can, but I do know that as we go through life and our bodies and fashions change, sometimes it demands our underpinnings change too.
Undergarments are like the foundation of a house, you may not see them, but having proper coverage and support can not only make a difference in how our clothes present themselves, but in our daily comfort too. While a delicate lace panty can certainly make you feel beautiful and empowered, for this particular post I’m strictly focusing on what I’d call day-to-day underwear.
For the past several years, my preferred daily undie has been the Soma Embraceable thong. It’s basically the famous, lace Hanky Panky thong, but Soma’s are sized instead of Hanky’s one-size-fits-all approach (yeah sure). I was pretty happy with it until I noticed the quality of the lace started to change. It became stiff and scratchy, no thanks! I kept wearing them because, honestly the thought of trying on new brands felt exhausting and potentially wasteful. I tried a few pair of various selections from Target and Nordstrom, but didn’t find anything I loved.
But I still needed new underwear!
So a few weeks ago I posted an Instagram survey asking for everyone’s favorite underwear brands. Gone are the days when Victoria’s Secret was the one-stop shop. There are SO MANY brands out now, each one promising more comfort and sex appeal than the next. I could’ve spent months and literally thousands of dollars trying them all, but I ended up focusing on five brands that got the most hits; Knix, Negative, Tommy John, Underoutfit, and SKIMS.
I’ll go through each of my orders and break them down by comfort, value, and give them an overall Big Girl Panty score between 1-10; 1 = I’d rather knot my thong, these are awful! Or, 10 = Panty party! Buy all the things!
I’ll reiterate, these reviews are very personal. I prefer a high waisted brief or thong, but most all of the brands offer a variety of styles in the same fabrics that were ordered.
1.Knix
To say I’ve been wary of this brand is an understatement. Knix is known for their “period” panties and honestly the idea of just bleeding into underwear freaks me out. I’m still not sure I trust it, but because it received multiple suggestions I gave it a go. I ordered the Essential Bikini and Essential Thong (no leak protection) and the Super Leakproof Thong and Ultra Leakproof High Rise Bikini. The Essential panties were ok. Fabric was nice and breathable although the bikini rolled down when I tried it on and was too low cut for my liking.
The leak proof thong was really cute (metallic print!) and not nearly as uncomfortable as I had anticipated. I could get on board with this, but the Ultra Leakproof Bikini? I took it off as fast as I put it on. It felt like a diaper to me, but if you have bladder issues or super heavy periods it would be worth considering. I kept the thongs and returned the bikinis.
Knix only allows for exchange and store credit within 30 days.
Price point varies according to protection, $15-40/pair.
Sizes to 4X.
Big Girl Panty Score: 7 of 10
2. Tommy John
My male clients have been raving about Tommy John for years and personally, I’ve been pretty pleased with one of their wireless bras. When I saw a recommendation for the women’s panty line, I had to try it. Tommy John promotes premium fabrics that cool and wick away moisture and offer all-day comfort. Some of their pieces dry 4-5x times faster than regular cotton, also making it great for travel and sink washing /drying. My order included the Air Brief and Cool Cotton Thong. I love this thong! It’s soft, comfortable and the wide lace waistband adds a feminine touch. Unfortunately, the bikini didn’t work for me. The leg holes were far too tight for my liking.
Tommy John offers returns and refunds on unworn/unwashed items within 30 days of purchase.
Prices start around $18/pair, or currently 3 for $48.
Sizes to XXL.
BGP Score: 9 of 10
Image by Negative
3. Negative
Negative has gained a cult-like following since it was launched in 2014 and I now understand why. Of all the brands I tried this one felt the most sexy and modern, but priced around $30-45 per pair they are also the most expensive! I tried the Sieve High Waist Brief and Glacé High Waist Thong. Both boast of shaping and smoothing capabilities. I didn’t care for the double layer of nylon used for the thong and the brief felt a little too high waisted even for me. I debated for a while, but ended up sending both back. They were just too expensive to keep if I didn’t love them. I loved the mesh look though and might revisit this in the future.
Negative will return and refund unworn, unwashed items purchased within 60 days.
$30-45 per pair.
Sizes to XXL.
BGP Score: 7 of 10
4. Underoutfit
Underoutfit has relentlessly shown up in my media feed for quite a while so I guess they finally wore me down. Truthfully, there’s not a lot of info about the brand on their website, but besides offering basic underwear, they also have a line of everyday shapewear that caught my attention. My order included their Lace Brief, Everyday Thong, the Smoothing At-Waist Brief, and High Waisted Shaping Shorts. My biggest surprise was how much I love the smoothing brief and shaping shorts! Both offer some shaping and support without being overly constricting. Now I understand why they call it “everyday” shapewear. The lace brief and thong were ok, but too low of a rise for my personal preference.
The most impressive of all the return policies, Underoutfit offers refunds or exchanges for up to 180 days.
Prices start around $15.
Sizes to 3X.
BGP score: 9 of 10
5. SKIMS
I know what you’re thinking. Is there such a thing as Kardashian fatigue? I’m going to say yes, but when I couldn’t help but sing the praises of my SKIMS purchase to my friend Erin, she thoughtfully pointed out, “Well, If anybody knows boobs and butts, it’s the Kardashians!” I tried the “Fits Everybody” line of thongs and briefs and was not disappointed. SKIMS advertises seamless coverage, no digging, and a second skin feel. Indeed, anytime I’ve worn these I haven’t even thought about my underwear, which is exactly how it should be! SKIMS is also by far the most inclusive line, offering 10 different skin tones and sizes up to 4X.
Returns accepted for refund within 30 days, but must be shipped within 14 days after return is requested.
1 pair $18, or 3 pair for $36
Sizes to 4X
BGP Score: 10 of 10
Click anywhere on the board to shop my favs!
Other brands that made the survey but I didn’t order or had already tried previously: Natori, Hanes, EVRY, Bombas, and Auden. Suggested men’s brands include Mack Wheldon, Tommy John, HOM, and CDLP. Did I miss your favorite brand or style of panty? Comment below to keep the conversation going!
Also…Spring wardrobe sessions are booking now. Message me to get yours on the calendar!