Types of panties

Briefs rise to the waist or just below the navel and have full coverage in the rear. In the classic (or full) brief, the sides extend below the hip. In the high-cut (French cut) brief, they are somewhat narrower. Boyleg briefs (or boyshorts) are styled after men's briefs and may have short legs extending below the crotch. Control panties (or control briefs) are a special type of briefs designed to offer support and give a slimmer appearance; these usually contain a stretch material such as spandex and may extend above the waist.

Hipsters are similar to briefs, but are worn lower with the waistband around the hips.

Bikinis are also worn at the hips, but the fabric at the sides is narrower. In the string bikini, it disappears altogether to leave the waistband as a "string". The rear coverage of the bikini is not as full as with the brief.

Tangas have somewhat full rear coverage, but the waistband is reduced to a narrow strip at the sides.

Thongs have a waistband similar to tangas, but the rear coverage is not as full. The crotch is extended to the back with a narrow strip of fabric fitting between the buttocks, which becomes wider toward the top.

The G-string is a thong with virtually no rear coverage, the narrow strip in the back extending from the crotch all the way to the waistband. Panties are made of a variety of materials and fabrics including satin, silk, pvc, cotton, nylon, mesh, lace, rawhide, leather, latex, lycra, and/or polyester. Construction is typically of two pieces (front and rear) joined by seams at the crotch and sides, often with an additional gusset in the crotch, and elastic at the waistband and leg openings. You can also find edible panties, often sold in novelty or sex shops.

In British English, and in places such as the UK, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa and India, panties are often referred to as knickers. The term knickers is not generally used in the USA and Canada, where the term "panties" is usually favored.

History

Before recent times, women's underwear was made with the primary function of body contortion. In the 1940s, Frederick's of Hollywood opened shop in Hollywood and began selling corsets and lingerie with a much more fashionable appeal to them. These new styles of women's undergarments possessed a greater sexual feel, made even more glamorized by models such as Bettie Page.