Panties

Panties are mostly a question of coverage, and the names tell you roughly how much. A brief covers the whole seat and sits at or near the waist. A hipster sits lower, across the hips. A boyshort has short legs. A cheeky cut shows some of the seat, and a thong leaves the back almost bare. Our guide to thong, brief, boyshort, cheeky and hipster cuts goes through each one with pictures.

Fabric and edges decide the comfort

Cotton is soft and easy to wash. Microfiber and nylon blends sit smooth under thin trousers. Lace looks lovely and varies a lot: some stretches with you, some has a firmer edge that can dig in. Look at the leg openings too. Elastic trims hold the garment in place, while raw-cut or bonded edges lie flat and leave fewer lines under clothes. Commando and Hanky Panky are two names that come up often here for those reasons, the first for raw edges and the second for its stretch lace thong.

Fit points

The waistband should stay put without leaving a deep mark. Leg openings should lie flat rather than ride in. If one cut always shifts on you, a different rise or leg line may suit your shape better, and the butt shapes guide is a calm walk through how cuts sit differently on different bodies.

Members post everyday sets, new finds and side-by-side comparisons of cuts from the same brand. Comments are a good place to ask how a waistband holds up after a few washes.