Panties

"Knickers" redirects here. For the style of trousers, see Knickerbockers (clothing).

Panties are women's form-fitting underpants. Typical components include an elastic waistband, a crotch panel to cover the genitalia (usually lined with absorbent material such as cotton), and a pair of leg openings that, like the waistband, are often made of elastomer. Various materials are used, but are usually chosen to be breathable.

A model in white panties

Various styles of panties (thong and G-string: back view).

A model in white boyshorts

Panties are made of a variety of materials, including cotton, lace, latex, leather, lycra, mesh, nylon, PVC, polyester, rawhide, satin, and silk. Construction typically consists of two pieces (front and rear) that are joined by seams at the crotch and sides; an additional gusset is often in the crotch, with the waistband and leg-openings made from elastomer.

Terminology

In the United States and Canada, "panties" is a common term to refer to female underwear bottoms.

In the United Kingdom and occasionally in other Commonwealth countries such as Australia,^[1][2] New Zealand, and South Africa, panties may be referred to as "knickers", "undies", or simply "underwear". The last two of these are gender-neutral terms and can be used for either male or female styles of underwear bottoms, the American English equivalent being underpants.

In Australia, male underpants are often referred to as "undies",^[3] although the word can also refer to panties.

History

Underwear resembling modern day panties were first invented in the 1920s, when long drawers were shortened to be made less cumbersome, although they were heavily decorated and had to be fastened. The bows used for fastening still remain on some panties as a decoration to this day.^[4][5]

Between 1930 and 1947, panties were shortened further and made with cotton instead of linen. By the 1960s, wide-legged panties were used instead of a slip by most women in the west and were often manufactured in vibrant colors and prints.^[4]

Around the 1980s and 1990s, various bottom-enhancing panties such as thongs became a common sight and in the 2000s boyshorts and hipster styles were invented as well as more traditional types such as bikinis and briefs. These are the types of panties commonly worn today.^[4]

Styles

Panties are classified into various styles based on criteria such as the amount of rear coverage, width at the sides and height at which they are worn. These categories are not necessarily distinct and usage may vary somewhat among brands:^[6]

Name	Description
Adhesive panties	Adhesive panties are sometimes described as strapless/stick-on panties. They are a form of micro-panties that cover nothing but the genitalia. They are useful when women do not want a panty line to be visible, but still want to maintain basic hygiene.
Hipsters	Hipsters are a blend between bikinis and boyshorts. They sit on the hips of the wearer and are worn slightly below the navel.
Bikinis	Bikinis, like hipsters, sit at hip level, but the fabric of the side sections is narrower. With the string bikini type, the side sections disappear altogether and the waistband consists of only string-like material. There may be less rear coverage with the bikini style.
Boyshorts	Boyshorts cover the hips and are named for their similarity to boxer briefs, a variation on boxer shorts. Some resemble men's briefs, complete with fly and contrast trim. Unlike men's briefs, this style is usually lower cut. Boyshorts often cover most of the buttocks.[7][8]
Cheekies	Cheekies can be styled as a hipster, bikini, or boyshort in the front, but in the rear, they are designed to hug the buttocks, and have a seam or ruching to make the fabric sit partially between the cheeks to accentuate the shape. They leave the outer 1/3 to 1/2 of each cheek exposed and often have a lace or scalloped trim.

Briefs

Briefs rise to the waist, or just below the navel, and have full coverage in the rear.

Name	Description
Classic briefs	Classic briefs have the waistband sitting very high on the waist. The leg holes are small so the underwear cover as much area between waist and thigh as possible. Sometimes called "granny panties" because they were the standard underpants in previous decades and have a connotation of being worn by older women.
Control briefs	Control briefs are designed to offer support while giving a slimmer appearance. This type usually contains a stretch material such as spandex and may extend above the waist. Some have an extra firm panel to flatten the tummy. Some also compress the buttocks, while other control briefs are designed to avoid compression of the buttocks. Others merely lift the buttocks and have holes cut out for maximum fullness of the buttocks.
High-cut briefs	High-cut briefs sit higher on the waist, providing more coverage in the midriff region. They are designed with larger leg holes and narrower sides to show off more leg and allow more freedom of movement.

Thongs

Thongs provide a moderate to minimal coverage with back coverage that is less than a bikini, and the waistband is reduced to a narrow strip at the sides.^[9]

Name	Description
G-string	The G-string has a vertical string at the back, which connects the crotch to the waistband, sometimes featuring a triangle of fabric which is sometimes referred to as a whale tail when it peeks out above the waistband of low riding pants.
T-front	The T-front is a type of G-string in which the string also reaches the front part. It provides almost no coverage while still maintaining the basic hygienic underwear functions and covering only the genitalia. Usually it is built by strings only, sometimes with more fabric or lace around the waist.
Thongs	Thongs have a waistband similar to tangas, but the rear coverage is mostly cut away. The crotch is triangle-shaped, as it narrows to a thin strip toward the back and sits between the buttocks, becoming wider towards the top where it connects to the waistband. Like the G-string, if the back fabric peeks out above the waistband of low riding pants, the result is also called a whale tail.

See also

• French knickers
• Leggings
  • Leg warmers
  • Tights
• Lingerie
• No Pants Day
• Pantalettes
• Pantyhose
• Teddy
• Undergarment
• Underwear as outerwear
• Underwear fetishism