THE KNICKERS GUIDE (PANTY)
Know your knickers and when to wear them
By Marsha Fry
Table of Contents
THE KNICKERS (PANTY) GUIDE Introduction
3
Types of Knickers (Panties)
4
Cheekiness Scale
4
1. Thong
5
2. Hipster
6
3. Bikini
7
4. Boyshort
9
5. G-String
10
6. Classic Brief
11
7. Tanga Brief
12
8. High-Cut / French-Cut Brief
13
9. Control Brief
14
Fabric: Seamless, Cotton & Lace
16
Name the Knickers
18
Picking the Right Colour Knickers
19
Eye colour
20
• Blue eyes
20
• Green eyes
20
• Hazel eyes
20
• Brown eyes
20
Hair colour
20
• Blondes
20
• Brunettes and darker
21
• Redheads
21
Skin colour
21
• Fair-complexioned
21
• Mid-range skin colour
21
• Darker skin
21
“Period Pants”
The best underwear to wear during your period
22
Introduction
There is one for every occasion and every outfit. Our bums come in just as many shapes and sizes as breasts, but they’re definitely not as complicated. A lot goes into determining the types of bras we wear, but not as much goes into choosing our underwear. It’s more about your style preferences and what feels comfortable to you. Knickers (panty) style and designs are based on function for different types of clothing, so the right (or wrong one) can make or break an outfit. There is a reason why the saying “Don’t get your knickers in a twist!” exists. Ill-fitting knickers can seriously kill your mood. Innovation in types of knickers has come a long way – and there’s still quite a way to go – but now that there are so many options, it’s hard to know which type is best for what. That’s where I come in. Let me take you through the different types of knickers and which ones are best for what you’re looking for.
TYPES OF KNICKERS (PANTIES) CHEEKINESS SCALE Before I get into the different types of knickers, let’s talk about cheek coverage. Underwear styles differ primarily by how much cheek they show, from full coverage to none at all. As I list the different types of underwear, I also note their “cheekiness” level.
01
Thong
Thongs are made for super minimal coverage (to avoid visible knickers lines) with a T-shape string in the back. It sits approximately 8 centimetres (three inches) below the waist, with the sides usually hitting right at or above the hip bone. They come in a variety of fabrics, from cotton to lace, so that you can wear them every day and on special occasions. Your thongs should complement your outfit, whether you are wearing a bodycon dress, leggings, or light trousers. Thongs must go well with your bottoms—high-rise thongs with high-waist trousers and pencil skirts, while low-rise ones work well with low-rise jeans. Your thongs should never hang over the waist of your bottoms.
WEAR THONGS WITH: Form-fitting / bodycon skirts and dresses; tights and leggings.
CHEEKINESS LEVEL: Bare cheeks.
02
Hipster
As the name suggests, the waistband on hipster (or hip hugger) underwear sits on the hips, a few centimetres below the waist, and have low-cut leg holes. They come in a range of fabrics for comfort and style, including lace, mesh, cotton, and microfibre.
WEAR HIPSTERS WITH: Low-rise jeans and trousers (pants if you are from North America).
CHEEKINESS LEVEL: Three-quarter cheek.
03
Bikini
Bikinis sit approximately eight centimetres (three inches) below the waist and have high-cut leg holes. They come in comfy fabrics such as cotton, microfibre, and nylon, but also the more delicate ones like lace and argyle mesh. They also come in string bikini form, in which the leg holes are constructed with a thin string of fabric.
WEAR BIKINIS WITH: Bikinis are super versatile. You can wear them with anything from your favourite pair of jeans to a mini skirt, as long as their lines are not showing under your clothes.
CHEEKINESS LEVEL: Hint of cheek.
04
Boyshort
Boyshorts are modelled after boy’s briefs, hence the name. They take on a more rectangular shape than most underwear and are similar to hipsters, the key difference being that they have a lower-cut leg. Some legs go down as low as the thigh. Comfort is key with boyshorts, so fabrics tend to be cotton, microfibre, and nylon.
WEAR BIKINIS WITH: Medium to high-rise trousers. With all the coverage they provide, you’ll want to reserve these for a casual day. They’re a good choice for lounging around the house.
CHEEKINESS LEVEL: No cheek.
05
G-String
G-string types of underwear have the least coverage, i.e. none, only covering your lady bits (barely). Like a thong, it forms the same T-shape but with a much skinnier string in the back. G-strings tend to be made with more delicate fabrics, including lace and satin.
WEAR BIKINIS WITH: If you’re going for a no-underwear underwear look, a g-string is what you want. Great for form-fitting / bodycon skirts and dresses, and leggings. They are probably not the most comfortable while wearing jeans, but that’s your choice! When you want to avoid visible underwear lines, wear a g-string.
CHEEKINESS LEVEL: Bare cheeks.
06
Classic Brief
Briefs are underwear that provide a lot of front and back coverage. They can come in a variety of rises from low to high. In a nutshell, they’re designed to be comfortable. Because they’re more about comfort, the most common fabrics used for briefs are cotton, microfibre, and nylon.
WEAR BIKINIS WITH: Low to high-rise trousers.
CHEEKINESS LEVEL: Bare cheeks.
07
Tanga Brief
Tanga types of underwear provide moderate to minimal coverage, with back coverage that is more than a thong but narrower than a bikini. They’re a good option if you want something between a bikini and a thong.
WEAR BIKINIS WITH: Under trousers, dresses and skirts.
CHEEKINESS LEVEL: Bare cheeks.
08
High-Cut / French-Cut Brief
High-cut / French-cut types of underwear have the same high waist as the classic brief but feature highcut leg holes that rise just above the widest part of the thigh. They’re a sort of bikini-brief hybrid. You can find them in fabrics from mesh to microfibre.
WEAR BIKINIS WITH: Full and flared A-line skirts and dresses.
CHEEKINESS LEVEL: Hint of cheek.
09
Control Brief
Control briefs are like regular briefs but with the added function of shapewear. This underwear style creates a smooth silhouette around your abdomen and sits high on the waist, just under your belly button, with some styles going as high as under the breasts.
WEAR BIKINIS WITH: Form-fitting / bodycon skirts and dresses; tights and leggings. Choose seamless shapewear to avoid underwear lines showing under your clothes.
CHEEKINESS LEVEL: Hint of cheek.
Fabric: Seamless, Cotton & Lace Seamless, cotton and lace fabrics are the most common (and most-loved) fabrics for underwear. Girl’s underwear types with cotton give our bums that pillow-soft comfort we love, perfect for days when you just want to throw on your favourite track bottoms and t-shirt. Lace types of underwear are a favourite because they’re an elegant everyday option.
WEAR THESE WITH:
Pretty much anything! Girl’s underwear types made in these fabrics come in all different styles. Cotton thong or lace thong? Just let your mood decide. Lace types of underwear are a favourite because they’re an elegant everyday option. When it comes to girls’s underwear styles, we can and should have all types of underwear in our wardrobe, ready for whatever outfit we decide to rock. The best part about shopping for underwear is choosing the fabrics and styles we want without worrying about whether it’s right for our bodies.
Name the
Knickers
PICKING THE
RIGHT COLOUR KNICKERS Colour selection either makes an outfit explode or fizzle. Yes, you could buy black and white, but that will eventually lead to a boring collection of knickers. After all, who eats only vanilla and chocolate ice cream when you mix it with flavours like cookies and cream or raspberry ripple?
Let’s also mention that the colour of your underwear should never show under your clothes. Do not commit the unforgivable sins of picking the wrong skin-coloured knickers or wearing white under white. Your skin-coloured underwear should match your skin colour to ensure it does not show under your light-coloured outfits.
EYE COLOUR BLUE EYES All shades of the blue spectrum will do the job for blue eyes. Browns or a mix of blues with browns also work well for those with blue eyes. This can give you several options considering the existing shades of blue.
GREEN EYES For the green-eyed girl, anything with green works. However, reds and floral prints with reds and greens amalgamated are just outstanding. Olives and earth tones will also match the green-eyed lady well.
HAZEL EYES Girls with hazel eyes have a wide range of possibilities. They can get away with blues, greens, browns, and all earth tones.
BROWN EYES Brown-eyed girls look fabulous in purples, browns, and darker colours.
So remember, when shopping for the perfect knickers, you need to consider colours that will make your eyes stand out.
HAIR COLOUR BLONDES Blondes are inclined to look best in pastel colours. The blues, pinks, purples, and greens do not overpower the light nature of the hair colour. Too dark of a colour can make your face look washed out and won’t compliment you.
BRUNETTES AND DARKER Brunettes look wonderful in stronger colours, earth tones, and colourful prints. You need to stick with colours that will not be so light that they fade out of the main focus. Green, navy blue, red, and purples will all look great with darker hair.
REDHEADS Redheads look astonishing in bright, sassy colours like emerald green, red, purples and crisp blues. They work as well as earth tones too.
SKIN COLOUR You don’t want to pick colours that will subdue your natural skin colour, nor do you want to choose ones that will blend in with you, except when there is a need to wear skin-coloured undies. FAIR-COMPLEXIONED Fair-complexioned girls are recommended to stick to pastels and powder colours. Of course, unless you match your hair or eye colour, which can generate an air of effervescent beauty.
MID-RANGE SKIN COLOUR Girls who have a more mid-range skin colour can pick out stronger colours, but, as always, use your hair and eye colour as a guide. Light colours will offer a stark contrast and make your skin stand out, which can be pretty alluring.
DARKER SKIN Girls who have dark skin have a wide assortment of options available to them. They can pick both intense and darker colours.
“
PERIOD PANTS The best
UNDERWEAR TO WEAR DURING YOUR PERIOD
”
If you menstruate, you probably own a pair of “period pants” — aka, the underwear you first reach for when you are on your cycle. Depending on your flow and preferences, period pants can vary hugely in cut, hue, and thickness, but for the most part, they’re full coverage, comfy, and not very expensive. The best type of underwear for your period is layered cotton. Cotton is breathable on your body and also absorbent. Some underwear brands have gone as far as creating underwear to replace pads and tampons, with added layers of fabric that function as extra protection.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marsha Fry
Marsha Fry is a mother, entrepreneur, educator and self-confessed fashionista. She is passionate about girls’ education and is on a journey to enlighten as many young women as possible about topics that are not usually at the top of the list of things to talk or learn about.
Lots of love, Marsha xxx
Published by Out and About Media
2023