Best Women’s Underwear 2025 | The Strategist

Sizes: XXS–XXL | Cut: Hipster with low-cut leg | Material: Cotton, spandex | Price: $

I don’t think there’s anyone else at the Strategist who’s tried on more briefs, bikinis, hipsters, and thongs than me. After all that trying on, I can say confidently that you can’t go wrong with any of the ones sold at the Gap. There’s been a lot written about them on the Strategist over the years: our contributor Nicolaia Rips used to yank her “threadbare Gap underwear” up around her hips, imitating old photos of her mom posing in a swimsuit, while former deals writer Leah Muncy doesn’t believe a better thong than Gap’s exists. Most of the offerings are under $15 and often marked down to less than $10.

It’s the Organic Stretch Cotton Hipster that’s my new recommendation for the best underwear (a title that formerly belonged to Jockey’s Elance String Bikini). The difference between Jockey’s Elance String Bikini and Gap’s Organic Stretch Cotton Hipster comes down to panty lines. The hipster hardly shows any, unlike the bikini. I don’t get a wedgie in this hipster, either; it stays in place. It wins for breathability, stretchability, and comfortability. Made from a 92 percent cotton and 8 percent spandex (that’s used at the waistband and along the leg openings), it’s not like the other Gap-branded hipsters (the SecondSkin line) that are a nylon-elastane blend. It’s become the underwear I reach for most. Not uncomfortable like some thongs can be or unflattering the way tighty-whities are, they have just the right amount of coverage (and also come in bikini form). They’re available in a size range of XXS to XXL and, for $10.50 full price, are an excellent value.

Sizes: 4–7 (equivalent to 0–14) | Cut: Bikini, designed to be sit low-rise, mid-rise, or high-rise | Material: Cotton | Price: $

Jockey’s Elance String Bikini used to be our best underwear pick overall, and while the Gap hipster now holds that spot, the Elance is still an excellent cotton bikini. The fit and coverage are easily adjustable, thanks to the strings you can pull up on the sides, and it stays in place. (Jockey offers sizes 4 to 7, which are the equivalent of 0 to 14.) It’s made from a comfortable cotton, plus the tag is on the outside of the bikini instead of the inside, so nothing’s rubbing against your butt. For the price, it’s hard to do much better. I’m usually wary about buying super-cheap packs of underwear, but this is a great deal for what you’re getting — especially for 100 percent cotton.

You don’t have to just take my word for it — Cup of Jo’s Joanna Goddard read about the string-bikini in Laurel Pantin’s Earl Earl, and it’s been her everyday underwear since. Nowadays, Goddard counts the underwear as something she can’t live without. It’s also been a favorite of Strategist readers over the years. Just note: If you’re someone who doesn’t want to show any panty lines, this isn’t the underwear for you. The cotton that covers the elastic around the legs is a bit thick, so a line will show if you’re wearing tighter pants.

(For a similar fitting brief, there’s Jockey’s Elance Brief. Former Strategist senior editor Margaret Rhodes called it “the least risqué panties you’ll ever own.” The briefs are also available in more sizes than the string bikinis — they go up to the equivalent of plus-size 24.)

Sizes: 2-24 | Cut: Briefs in a high rise | Material: Modal, cotton, elastane | Price: $

Catbird’s chief creative officer Leigh Plessner learned about Marks & Spencer’s underwear from either “Sassy or an English novel or an interview with Kate Moss,” and stopped by the store for the first time on a high-school-theater-program trip to London. Years later, her preference for “rather expansive” underpants led her there again. “My underwear drawer is like Gatsby’s pile of shirts,” she says, “but almost entirely made up of one style from Marks & Spencer: the Cotton-Modal Full Briefs.” They hit right at her belly button, exactly where she likes her underwear to be. The little bit of stretch in them — “controversial, I know, as some are adamant that only full cotton will do” — helps keep them sag-free. Sold at five for $22, these are a better deal than Natori’s one for $20.

Sizes: XXS–XXL | Cut: Hipster, cheekier cut, high-rise | Material: Supima cotton, elastane | Price: $

Everlane makes minimalist underwear that, at first glance, could be mistaken for Hanes and are almost “aggressively plain,” says former Strategist writer Lori Keong. But that’s a big part of the appeal, especially if you’re in search of a high-waisted hipster that “makes your butt look like it’s starring in its own ’90s Calvin Klein commercial,” Keong explains. This pair rises to your navel without feeling confining or bunching up around your hips during the day, she says. They pass the very important VPL test, too. Lisa Buhler, founder of Lisa Says Gah, also vouches for Everlane, comparing its look to Hanro but at a fraction of the cost. Plus, Everlane offers a “buy more, save more” promo of three for $36.

If you’re shopping plus-size, Calvin Klein also makes a good hipster that comes exclusively in sizes 1X to 3X. Shanel Esaloo, a buyer for 11 Honoré, counts the underwear as one of the only ones she “would literally scream off of the rooftops for people to buy” in multiples for its midsection support.

Sizes: XS–XXL (equivalent to 0–18) | Cut: Thong, mid-rise | Material: Mesh, spandex | Price: $$

The words “comfortable thong” have long been an oxymoron in my mind — but for the sake of making this guide, I’m trying as many as I can get my butt into. So far, Tommy John’s are the only ones that don’t dig in. (Just make sure to cut off the branded tag in the back, because it rubbed against my behind annoyingly.)

I first heard about these thongs from former Strategist editor Maxine Builder, who credits the material — “the lightest, softest mesh you’ve ever touched” — for making the thong “no show whatsoever.” To get the right fit, Builder suggests checking this more thorough size guide rather than the one on the product page. The Tommy John thong comes in sizes XS to XXL (the equivalent of 0 to 18), unlike the sizing at Hanky Panky, our one-time best thong. While Hanky Panky’s thongs were recommended by Love and Other Rugs’s Lily Sullivan, investor Barbara Corcoran, and Richer Poorer’s Iva Pawling, they’re one size fits all (and only really recommended for sizes 4 through 14). The price of a single Hanky Panky thong and the Tommy John Air Thong is comparable — $24 for the former, and $22 for the latter — but you can get three of Tommy John’s for $42 (which works out to $14 a pair) or five for $65 (which works out to $13 a pair) — making them one of the better “buy more” discounts here.

Another Strategist-approved recommendation is Spanx’s Spanxsmooth Fit-to-You Thongs. “I’d pretty much sworn off thongs until I received these in the mail,” says our junior writer Bella Druckman. At $50 for a three-pack, these come out to around $16 each. They’re available in One Size (equivalent to XS–XL) and One Size Plus (1X-3X). I’ll be trying them out for the next update of this guide and reporting back on how they compare to Tommy John’s.

Sizes: XS–5XL | Cut: Boyshort, high-rise | Material: Recycled fabric, cotton lining | Price: $

Parade is known for its commitment to sustainability — usually using recycled materials in its undies — and curve-hugging cuts that go up to a size 5XL, one of the biggest ranges here. Its Re:Play line is meant to be ultrasoft, smooth, and stretchy. Megababe founder Katie Sturino owns at least ten of its boyshort, which she says are comfortable and never sag or roll down. “Maybe this happens more if you have a big stomach; maybe not. But you know when your underwear starts to dip and you have to pull it up in the front? It’s a horrible feeling that I never experience in the boyshorts,” Sturino says. The underwear isn’t “overly supportive,” in the best way, as Sturino likes something lightweight rather than tight. “I would be happy never hearing the loathsome term ‘control top’ again,” she adds. You can also get four for $36.

Sizes: XXS–XXL | Cut: Brief boy short, mid-rise | Material: Nylon, spandex, cotton | Price: $

Many former and current Strategist staffers own some form of Aerie underwear. You can buy in bulk thanks to Aerie’s “six for $30” deal (it used to be seven). But it’s the boybrief, a cross between a brief and a boy short, that’s a cut above the thongs, bikinis, and cheekies — at least according to those I talked to. The sheer variety of boy briefs is part of the appeal. There’s a version called Superchill that comes seamless (as seen here) or ribbed; Show Off that’s all lace; and Smoothez with a high-cut leg. And as often as old versions of boy briefs go out of stock, new versions of boy briefs are restocked. Strategist writer Brenley Goertzen owns a now sold-out crossover style. It served her well during a bachelorette trip to Vegas when she wore them under something that was a “tad see-through.” Strategist senior editor Jen Trolio also has a handful of them. Trolio likes that the underwear doesn’t have any obvious branding. “I’m extremely averse to logos on my underwear,” she tells me.

Sizes: XXS–XXL | Cut: Brief cut cheekier, mid-rise | Material: Cotton (pointelle) | Price: $$$

I like to think of knickers as better-looking briefs, often with details like ruffled edges and lace trimmings. 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. The pair is frillier than a standard brief. They’re great if you want something that looks knickerlike but without too much bulk. Since these are slightly fancier, they’re like a pick-me-up when I want an underthing that’s not as unassuming. (Note that you can see their outline when wearing closer-fitting clothes.) 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 closer to a G-string).

This Belongs To is another notable knickers-maker — though it is much more of a splurge. Former Strategist senior editor Chelsea Peng owns a knicker from the brand emblazoned with chile peppers and another embroidered with the words “ain’t my first rodeo.” Peng thinks of them as her “sporting underwear” to show off under something sheer. (Since This Belongs To is a British brand, the sizes can be confusing, so double-check the sizing chart.)

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–L | Cut: Brazilian cut in a mid-rise | Material: Cotton, elastane | Price: $

It’s been a slow conversion for Strategist updates coordinator Najwa Jamal from “nylon-ridden Victoria’s Secret” to Italian intimates line Intimissimi’s “Ultralight Cotton” (a blend of 87 percent cotton and 13 percent elastane). It’s “very light indeed,” with some verging-on-sheer flesh-toned colors available. Jamal says none of the Ultralight Cotton styles “leave anything hanging or oddly uncovered,” but for the least amount of VPL, she wears the Ultralight Cotton Brazilian daily. (If not the Brazilian, then a G-string or thong style.) It’s like a thong with more coverage. It has flat seams to be especially unseen. There’s often a “buy three, get one free” or “buy five, get three free” rule in effect on Intimissimi’s underwear — or you can stock up during the occasional sale, as she does.