This is an article on the different types of panties that are out there.
Have you ever wondered about the variety of underwear available to choose from? The market today offers various types of panties for us. One can pick from the diverse range of underwear styles, from classic briefs to sexy thongs.
Traditionally, it is a piece of cloth used by women to cover the lady region ( it is important to know that calling the area that panties offer coverage to as a lady region exclusively is not right, we should be mindful of the fact that a vagina owner may or may not identify themselves as cis-gender woman, i.e., a lady).
But if we talk about panties more inclusively, it is not just a mere women’s underwear but a garment that anyone with any sexuality or gender can wear.
History of Panties
While little is known, a strong connection based upon resemblance can be established between modern panties and those found during the Badari period in Egypt back in 4,400 BC.
Women’s underwear in Rome, Greece, Egypt, China, and other European areas provided as much coverage as possible, often looking like a sheer dress or gown, giving the body full front and back coverage.
The reason why women started wearing panties altogether isn’t found out. Still, a popular belief says that it could be related to climatic conditions, the possibility of infections, or even to prove chastity.
Today, underwear is a part of our everyday attire, but there was a time when underpants had little to no role. During the Renaissance, period panties served three primary functions.
The first being is ensuring cleanliness, the second was to stay protected from cold, and the third, perhaps the most controversial one, was to refrain genitalia from being seen. At the same time, a woman rides horses or, in general, keeps the hands of men off-limits.
Considering full coverage underwear as a barrier doesn’t sound so wrong, but many people believed that panties rather drew attention towards vaginas which made them disregard the use.
Only prostitutes and little girls wore panties. It was only until the 1850s when more and more women started wearing them. Various terms such as underpants and knickers were used to describe female underwear.
At this time, the leg holes were separate, and the crotch area was sewed.
After various public displays of underwear, such as in 1949, an American tennis player, Gertrude Moran, played tennis in frilly panties; panties became regular underwear.
Over the last century, different types of panties have emerged. There are boy shorts, classic briefs, french cut panties, etc.
Let’s take a look at the underwear styles presented to us today. In the age of varying waist sizes, the industry has come up with comfortable, sometimes body-hugging and sometimes not, panties made with elastic material to accommodate your precious skin.
Different Types of Panties
Boy Shorts
Men’s briefs inspired this type of panty. It is rectangular, unlike others. People who wear hipsters might find boyshorts similar, but a sharp difference of lower cut leg makes it different.
Classic Brief
This refers to what you wear daily. Classic briefs are also commonly called granny panties. They have a high waistband, and you can wear them with almost anything.
It is advisable not to wear them if you wish to look flawless in fitted dresses or body-hugging ones as panty lines show ruin the outlook of the outfit. It also provides full coverage.
Thong
If you ever wear thongs, you either feel sexy or uncomfortable, for this type of panty gives minimal coverage to the buttocks. It has high cut leg holes and the panty lines are not visible if you choose to wear fitted dresses.
You can pair it with low-rise jeans and skinny jeans. It follows an erotic style having a triangular patch in front.
G-string
A thin string across the waist and a triangular patch providing coverage to a bare minimum is called the g-string. It is very popular lingerie wear. It is underwear similar to the thong, but people who wear g strings deem it a different erotic version.
Tanga briefs also look like g-string. They provide moderate to minimal coverage. A different yet sexy alternative is the Brazilian briefs.
C-string
Yet again, offering basic minimum coverage, c-string ideally has no strings attached, unlike g-string. It is commonly worn on beaches and is considered a new-age swimwear. This, too, can be regarded as an element of sexy lingerie.
Control Briefs
Probably one of the most comfortable panties, control briefs provide good rear coverage, have a tight elastic waistband, and can be paired with a pencil skirt.
Your hip bone gets full coverage, and if you wish to have a smooth silhouette, then control briefs tuck your tummy just right by being high waist covering. Visible panty lines are hardly there.
French cut panties and french shorts like tap pants
That’s a lot of French. French cut panties are often called high cut panties as the leg holes are slightly above than in classic briefs. They have a fair share of high-cut briefs look. French shorts or knickers also provide great convenience.
Inspired by the same tap pants came into existence as lingerie wear. The leg openings of tap pants are broad enough, making for no visible panty lines and comfort.
Bikinis
Bikinis are the most famous of all the women’s underwear and perhaps have undergone variations over time.
It looks like briefs but has low cut leg holes, doesn’t give the granny panties look, can be worn with high waist jeans, and the fear of panty line being visible is also negligible.
This underwear gives moderate coverage, and the waistband sits perfectly with high-waisted pants. Bikinis are popular swimwear too.
Different types of panties within the bikini section include string bikinis with strings and no panty lines, Brazilian knot bikinis ( this further has two kinds, one-sided knot, and two-sided knot Brazilian bikini), etc.
The string bikini is extremely popular during the summer, gives back coverage, and can be fashionably paired with high-rise lowers.
A fact about string bikini is that its formal representation was first done by Glen Tororich, who was a public relations agent and his wife.
Seamless Panties
seamless underwear works like a charm when panty lines decide to play you dirty and ruin the appearance of your attire. This kind of underwear can be worn with bodycon dresses as the panty line has no visible stitches.
So when you get ready, put on a body-hugging tube dress with a strapless bra and see the elastic waistband showing from beneath the cloth, switch to seamless underwear, and avoid the untidy look.
This underwear doesn’t have superficial seams. They go great with almost any type of tight-fitted clothing. Hence the name seamless is used.
Adhesive Panties
As the name suggests, these panties have strips of adhesive silicon with cotton liners. These panties became popular among runway models.
Adhesive panties are very stretchy, and you can wear them when you don’t want to have visible panty lines.
Hipster
Hipsters are simple low-rise panties with wide hip coverage. These panties are best suited to wear with low-waist pants. Other than that, they also go well with any overalls, fitted dresses, and skin-fit jeans.
Mid-Rise
These panties provide more area coverage than hipster style but are less than the high-rise ones. Mid-rise panties are a perfect fit for those who want to tuck their tummies in.
Tangas
Tangas are panty silhouettes with light weights and moderate coverage. These panties have narrow lines just like bikinis, although they provide a range like thongs.
They are comfortable to wear and allow the vagina to breathe, which is important during the summers. They are usually made of lace, cotton, or mesh and are best paired with harem pants, bikinis, or slip dresses.
Butt Booster
The Butt Booster is for those who want to enhance their butts. The silicon foam of these panties perfectly shapes your butts and gives you the desired look.
Butt Boosters are mostly used for casual, and cocktail wears. Apart from enhancing your butt, these panties also flatten your tummy.
Wait, there’s more?
The world of erotic lingerie to make you feel hot or comfortable underwear for days when you wish to relax doesn’t end here.
There’s cheeky giving you an alluring fit, slip shorts, T-string, V-string, corset briefs, butt lifters, suspender belt panties or garter belts, and other shapewear.
Not to forget, just like adhesive bras, adhesive panties are also available in the market. You do not have to go from shop to shop to find your desired underwear. Many online shopping platforms supply a wide variety of beautiful lingerie for you to buy from.
What to Choose?
Ever since we were born, our underwear has gone under transition many times. We all grow up from wearing bloomers at the age of bedwetting to wearing lingerie when feeling romanticized and turned on.
There are indeed different types of panties to choose from. While someone may wear briefs, the other can like the thong.
What matters the most is what your genitalia likes or is breathable and keeps your private parts clean and healthy.
Comfort, too, should never be compromised. If tight G-strings are not your thing, maybe go in for boyshorts. Bikinis, hipsters, and briefs/ high rise briefs are the most popular, out of which briefs are regarded as the most comfortable and modest, too, as they provide good coverage.
If you choose to wear high waist jeans, short skirts, or skin fitted lowers, remember there’s a perfect option out there for you to compliment your look with.
Lastly, what cloth or fabric must you choose?
Different types of panties use other fabrics. There’s the lacy type, the cotton ones, the spandex and nylon ones, and more. Too tight of underwear can hurt your vagina, so it is best if you go in for loose underwear as your vagina requires fresh air too.
Cotton is the best fabric choice for undies, especially if you are worried about rashes or have sensitive skin. Clean. And dry underwear is better than moist one, which can give rise to fungal infections.
Another thing I must add since we are talking about types of panties is a very sustainable option for people who menstruate.
Period panties are a great alternative to sanitary pads, which have increasingly added up to pollution due to the inefficient disposal system in India. Period panties are just like your normal underwear with the properties of absorbent sanitary napkins.
Plant-Based Fabrics
When speaking of plant-based fabrics, we are talking about modals or rayons. These materials are initially extracted from plants and then are processed chemically.
In terms of absorbance, they are even better than cotton.
Silk
Silk is not generally used for regular undies but is expensive lingerie. It is to give you a luxurious feel and is an excellent absorbent. Silk feels very smooth against the skin. That is why people prefer buying it in the first place.
Synthetic Fibers
Well, synthetic fibers as in polyester and nylon. These materials are mostly used for seamless and microfiber panties. And they dry easily.
The debate on the best material for different types of panties has been ongoing for a long time. And the choice is down to these four materials in particular. All of these materials have both plus sides and downsides.
So, these are just a few types of panties that are out there in the market. If you need to find more types of panties, click here.
You can choose your type from our list of 14 different types of panties. Although there are different types of panties, what will be the best for you is the biggest question. And the answer to that lies in what you are looking for.
Depending on your style, comfort, and ease preference, you will need to choose your panty. I hope this article on 14 types of panties somehow helps you make a decision.
Last Updated on by Himani Rawat
