At the beginning of the previous semester, I dedicated a post to the top 5 bras every college girl should own. These bras, I noted, were essentials that could totally make or break your look.
In order to create the perfect foundation for your outfit, the panties you choose are equally important! If your lingerie drawer is in need of an upgrade, if you’re unsure of what to wear under that new dress, or if you simply consider yourself a lingerie junkie like I do, read on! These five styles should be staples in every college girl’s wardrobe.
Table of Contents
1. Boy Shorts/Booty Shorts
Why they’re a must-own:
Boy shorts are surprisingly great under skirts and dresses, or anything with a more flowy construction. A great pair of boy shorts won’t show any traditional panty lines, so you can wear them underneath fairly tight pieces, too. Another reason they’re great? Coverage. If you’re wearing a skirt on a windy day, wouldn’t you rather be wearing booty shorts than anything smaller?!
When buying boy shorts, make sure you pick pairs that are snug enough to hug your body, but not tight enough to cause the dreaded muffin top. Don’t go too loose either, though! There is nothing worse than a saggy, baggy pair of boy shorts!
Top Picks:
Product Information: Sheer Lace Boyshort, Forever 21. Lace Striped Boyshort Panties, Charlotte Russe. Aerie Ultimate Tanga, American Eagle. Ruffle Mesh Boyshort Panties, Charlotte Russe.
2. Nude skinny/seamless thong
Why it’s a must-own:
A nude thong is as basic and essential as you can get. It’s a must for dressy events, or wearing under a pair of tight white or light-colored pants or leggings. If you’re into this season’s sheer trend, pick up one of these styles ASAP!
A skinny thong is likely to be your best bet with minimal coverage, while a seamless thong will create a similarly invisible look with a bit more fabric. If you’re not into thongs, a nude pair of seamless boy shorts is a great alternative! Nude skinny and seamless thongs are also great to wear out shopping–they’ll never conflict with anything you try on, from dresses to bikinis!
Top Picks:
Product Information: Aerie Lace Thong, American Eagle. Commando Better Than Nothing Tiny Thong, Journelle.com. La Perla Seamless Thong, Net-a-Porter. Seamless Control Boyshort, Forever 21.
3. Low-rise bikinis
Why they’re a must-own:
Low-rise bikinis are many girls’ “go-to” undies, and for good reason! They can be worn pretty much every day on campus. Low-rise bikinis fit perfectly under jeans, pants, and your favorite skirts, with more coverage than a thong but less than a boy short. Low-rise bikinis are comfortable, cute, and great for everyday activities, especially if you’re a low-maintenance kind of girl. An added bonus: they’re cheap and can be found almost everywhere!
Top Picks:
Product Information: Shimera Seamless Stripe Hipster, Nordstrom. Natori Bliss Brief, Nordstrom. Cheeky Lace-Trim Hipster, Victoria’s Secret. Ribbon-Trim Hipster, Old Navy.
4. Hanky Panky-style lace thongs
Why they’re a must-own:
THEY. ARE. SO. COMFORTABLE! In fact, Hanky Panky brands these one-size, stretch-lace, knit thongs as “the worlds most comfortable”. Aside from the comfort factor, these thongs never create panty lines, as they lie perfectly flat against your skin, almost blending into it. As you can probably imagine, they work well under just about everything: with a drawer full of Hanks, you’d be set for any occasion.
Hanky Panky thongs are hands down the best underwear I have ever worn, and let’s be honest–at almost $20 a pop, they had better be! This being said, because of Hanky Panky’s success, other companies have started knocking off their design at a much lower price point–you can find full-lace thongs at Victoria’s Secret, Gilly Hicks, and even Target. The St. Eve brand, often featured at Marshall’s, makes a great knock-off, too. If thongs aren’t your thing, shop around for stretch-lace trimmed boy shorts or hipsters instead.
Top Picks:
Product Information: Hanky Panky Original Thongs 5-Pack, Bloomingdales. Cheekiest Lace-Trim Thong, Victoria’s Secret. Hanky Panky Vikini Bikini Panties, Nordstrom. Wide Waist Lace Thong, Tilly’s.
5. Wild undies!
Why they’re a must-own:
So far, my picks have focused on basics and essentials–must-have pieces that will work well under specific garments. Sometimes though, you just want to have fun!
Outrageous underwear can make you feel pretty, sassy, and flirty all at once! Pick your favorite cut, then get a few pairs in prints, patterns, neons, or even as a part of a matching set. Wild undies are an instant pick-me-up, and a secret shot of confidence – even if you’re wearing sweats, you’ll feel glamorous and sexy knowing you have fabulous lingerie on underneath. So have fun and work it, girls!
Top Picks:
Product Information: Sequin Butterfly Thong, Wet Seal. Spree Girl Set of 3 Lace Front Hipsters, Bluefly. Nylon Spandex Stretch Diamond Grid Lace Panty, American Apparel. Lace Bow Thong, Wet Seal.
What are your thoughts?
What is your favorite style of underwear? Do you own any or all of my picks? What other styles would you recommend? Let us know with your comments!
this article is genius! one of my faves :]. whatever i get, i try to get it in cotton, because it’s wayy healthier to your lady parts.
also, for those who find thongs uncomfortable, try getting a bigger size. i used to think thongs were uncomfortable, but getting a size bigger than i normally wear really made a difference! it’s not slicing your butt anymore.
im a bit of both 🙂
If you haven’t already you should check out Aerie’s panties. Their boybriefs and bikinis are so comfy and great quality that I’ve had some of them for over 2 years. Love that store!
I’m a thong girl, have been for 8 years now. I have terrible luck with other kinds of panties always riding up, and I figure if my panties are going to ride up my ass anyway I’d rather have as little fabric as possible in there. Besides, as long as the thong is just a string and not a wide strap you don’t feel it anyway.
But I love lingerie, I have a million different pairs of panties and am always on the lookout for more. Great article.
actually, american apparel’s having a sale right now: http://twitter.com/americanapparel/status/8642886465
i like their lace undies. so cute!
lalalina- I never knew that about the 5 or $25, good thing to know for the next time I feel like buying underwear.
Sarah – Persevere and you will succeed! hahah, thongs rock (and if Cosmo says they’re out, they better ask the guys their opinion).
I’m a lingerie junky, but I don’t live in the US, so I can’t get any of the brands you talk about! I went to VS last time I was in NY, but it is ridiculously expensive for me (a dollar equals 4 argentinian pesos, you do the maths); I better use that money to buy the highest priced brand or double number of panties from a regular brand at home.
There’s something you didn’t mention: I don’t know about the US, but here lots of panties (from cheap to expensive) are not made out of cotton but out of lycra or symilar fibers. Though artificial fibers may look shiney and hot (sheer underwear, for example) I think you should leave those type of undies for “hot environments” (where they won’t be worn long). In your underwear, you need fabrics that let your body breath, right? (I don’t mean to be gross, it’s just plain reality).
February 4th, 2010 at 8:29 am
From: Melisa
“Cosmo says that thong is out… do you guys agree?”
Yes, I do. Well, I hope. I rarely wear thongs. They aren’t all that comfortable for me. I generally only wear them if I have a pair of pants that would show even a boyshort panty line.
I’m a low-rise bikini type of girl. 🙂
I totally agree with everything on this list! I work at Victoria’s Secret on college breaks and every time I go back I stock up on more cute and comfy undies! I never used to like thongs (I thought they were kinda skanky when I was in high school) but I started wearing them when I was at work so I wouldn’t have lines and I love them now! Who cares if Cosmo says they’re on the way out, I feel so much sexier and more confident when I go out if I’m wearing something super cute and lacy 🙂
Love that you point out a girl should own different types of undies! I totally agree. Too many girls don’t realize different clothes require different undies.
@ Melisa: Why do you care what Cosmo says? If you like your thongs, wear them! It’s not like everybody knows what you’re wearing under your pants/skirt/dress. Wear what’s comfortable to you and makes you feel good.
these are the most comfortable undies ever…. calvin klein
http://www.cku.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3062479&cp=3001613.3001635.3001642.3001724&view=all&ab=wpanties_position1_hipsters&parentPage=family
My favorite style of undies is the boy short because they provide the wearer with a lot of coverage while still coming in cute options. The only ones out of the types you featured that I own are boy shorts and the low rise bikini because I’m still in high school and I think that thongs are uncomfortable and trashy. You did an awesome job on this post because you featured pretty much all the styles of undies that are popular right now.
This dude wants to know what’s so gross about a panty line? I don’t get it, who cares if you can see that? It’s not like your underwear is hanging out of your pants.
Ok I just wanna say that after reading this post I ran off and bought the lacie victoria’s secret thongs ( they’re 3 for $30) and I have to say, I am going to buy more tomorrow! They are by far the most comfortable undies I’ve ever had on me in my life, something I never thought I would say about a thong lol. Thanks
I completely agree with your list! I am wondering how you all feel about matching bras and panties. Even though I work at VS I am not big on buying matching sets. I feel like I put all this effort into matching and my guy doesn’t really care. Opinions?
Jennifer- At VS, you only need to buy at least 5 to get the 5 for $25 deal. Any pair after 5 will also be $5. Unfortunately, the same thing does not go for the 3 for $30 panties.
Cosmo says that thong is out… do you guys agree?
personally i love cheeky and boyshort…but a thong always make me feel sexy…if i have a basic clothes but i have a beautiful underwear on, i feel confident