I don’t assume it’s an exaggeration to mention that the best undies can imply the adaptation between a excellent and dangerous day. Get it flawed and your day will contain retrieving fallen bra straps, pulling up socks or retrieving knickers sliding in opposition to an uncomfortable spot.
My proof? The second when, in 2020, elderly 35, I placed on my first pair of in point of fact relaxed pants. It used to be a heat day in lockdown. The banana bread used to be cooling, Joe Wicks used to be lunging, and I slid into my high-rise underwear with a “full coverage” seat. That used to be the day I presented myself to true undies contentment (the truth that bras and I have been on a smash added to the sense of convenience).
I wore them on repeat for years: no elastic snapped, no form used to be misplaced, and no pleasure used to be stolen through discomfort. The easiest undies worn on repeat will ultimately seem like a cut price in terms of price-per-wear – and it is sensible to spend somewhat extra on a excellent cloth, given it’ll spend its lifestyles in such an intimate spot.
Of path, what the most productive undies looks as if will range relying for your taste, frame form, price range and priorities (even supposing I think even probably the most trustworthy undies fan wouldn’t say boo to a posh bra that used to be additionally at ease). For many of us, what they search for in undies has shifted post-pandemic. The ricochet again to dressing up is being reflected in our drawers as smartly.
So, with a variety of wishes and wishes in thoughts – from fancy to quotidian, sustainable to seamless – I’ve searched in every single place to seek out the most productive undies for many (if no longer reasonably all) events. Much of this undies I’ve attempted, some I’ve worn for years, and others are the undies heroes of family and friends with other wishes and personal tastes to my very own.
The easiest ladies’s undies
Knickers and briefs
Best knickers for on a regular basis
M&S natural cotton excessive leg knickers
These reasonably-priced – and if no longer cheerful, then a minimum of inconspicuous – M&S knickers served me high quality for a few years. They’re extraordinarily excellent price, and those black ones are inoffensive and are available in a variety of sizes from 6 to 28.
Stripe and Stare high-rise knickers
£50 for pack of 4 at Stripe & Stare
A an identical proposition, in case you have a bit of extra price range, is that this four-pack of high-rise knickers. Made from 95% Tencel, they’re supremely cushy and – giant bonus – biodegradable (minus any lacey bits). They come in different colors that can swimsuit on a regular basis use and subtler tastes, yet there also are extra garish pairs going for part payment.
Chantelle cushy stretch excessive waist knickers
£50 for pack of 3 at John Lewis
I’ve it on excellent authority that those high-waisted briefs are superb. Their cushy stretchiness approach they’re one-size-fits-all (or 8-16 a minimum of), taking one of the jeopardy out of shopping for undies on-line. The paintings of a French logo that’s been within the undies industry since 1876, they don’t come super-cheap – yet I’d pay excellent cash to make every put on a deal with fairly than a ache within the bottom.
Best for one thing somewhat fancier
Bella yellow natural bamboo silk knickers
If you’re after one thing rather less workhorse and somewhat extra dressage, those yellow knickers from Brighton-based Ayten Gasson are lovely – and so they haven’t given up all efforts to be at ease. Handmade from natural bamboo fibres on this sustainably minded corporate’s beach studio, those pants can even biodegrade. The lace comes from the Cluny Lace Company, which additionally produced the lace utilized in Kate Middleton’s marriage ceremony get dressed.
Kiki floral embroidery knickers
If the Ayten Gasson payment feels over the top for knickers (I am getting it), the And/Or vary from John Lewis has lovely briefs that come really helpful through undies fans. These embroidered ones are a living proof: a at ease bikini form, the ornament looks as if a floral centrepiece on a harvest competition desk. Plus, there’s a matching bra, will have to you need some vertical symmetry.
Best for complete protection
Sloggi Basic+
£36 for pack of 4 at Sloggi
£36 for pack of 4 at M&S
For most of the people who have been younger within the 90s, the title Sloggi will carry again heat recollections of visual, branded pant elastic, worn simply above a low-slung jean. The logo remains to be round – providing a variety of midi, hipster and string kinds – and other folks proceed to sing its praises. If you’re after a puff that provides complete protection, its maxi taste is forgiving and cushy, whilst coming excessive sufficient to offer your abdominal button some corporate. It’s to be had in a variety of colors.
Not Basics ladies’s boxer briefs
If navel-grazing isn’t reasonably sufficient for you, those ladies’s boxer briefs give protection in numerous instructions. They’re comprised of deadstock materials – the corporate used to be arrange through two sisters right through lockdown to change into T-shirts into undies. Available in additional vintage colors in addition to a refreshing blue referred to as Salty Air, they vary from XS to XXXL. This is a great taste on days when you are feeling the desire for extra protection or beef up.
Best eco-friendly knickers
Elliot Organics Bettie hipster quick
Elliot Organics makes high quality natural cotton undies this is cushy to touch. The kinds are easy in an earthy more or less means, starting from ribbed cotton briefs to facet seam-free, high-waisted health club knickers. This pair of hipster shorts reads like an increased tackle one thing the American modernist pioneer creator Willa Cather would possibly have worn on a Nebraska undeniable. I wager hers wouldn’t have are available in “extra soft slub cotton jersey”, despite the fact that, or spared a concept for warding off a VPL. The handiest drawback: they’re pricey for a couple of underpants.
Pico excessive waist knickers
Few knicker corporations would pass to the difficulty of washing your pants the usage of cleaning soap nuts – an eco-friendly selection to washing detergent – yet this one does. Again, if you happen to’re frightened about your yoni rubbing up in opposition to cloth that has been doubtlessly dyed with destructive chemical substances, this is likely one of the maximum herbal pair of pants you’ll to find. They’re comprised of unbleached and undyed natural cotton sourced from farmers’ cooperatives in India, plus a bit of of elastane. Numerous concept and care has long past into this straightforward pair of pants. Crucially, they’re superlatively relaxed.
Best seamless knickers
Bamboo Clothing seamless excessive waist transient
Stretchy and high-waisted, those pants come up with numerous protection – an identical to convenience, in my thoughts – with out chunky seams screaming that you just’re dressed in an enormous pair of pants. They’re comprised of viscose bamboo and are available in both vintage black or racier red. There also are briefs and midi shorts if you happen to’re after the seamlessness with out the entire protection. There are seamless bras to compare, too.
Skims cushy smoothing seamless transient
Seamless doesn’t need to imply huge, in fact, so if you happen to’re searching for one thing skimpier those seamless briefs is also extra tempting. I hate to power extra industry within the route of the already all-powerful Kardashian circle of relatives, and Skims is very a long way from a pacesetter in moral or sustainable practices when judged in opposition to maximum requirements, yet I will be able to’t forget about the truth that undies aficionados swear through this shapewear logo.
Best thong
Organic Basics flex thong
Cotton jersey appears like a wise cloth for a thong: cushy sufficient that it gained’t go away you smarting. This thong is available in neutrals, in addition to lime and melon purple, and is available for purchase in a package deal. It is the paintings of Organic Basics, purveyors of sexy underwear that still prioritise convenience – and planet.
Best for an unexpected-but-great pair of pants
Merino wool briefs
I as soon as met a person who wore cashmere boxer shorts, testifying that he’d “put them through their paces in Berlin’s clubs” and so they have been definitely worth the money. I gained’t repeat what I considered him right here – no longer least as a result of I now not have a leg to face on. This iciness I purchased a couple of mulesing-free merino wool pants and I will be able to no longer glance again. They’re snug and breathable and, whilst they’re deeply unsexy, they make me really feel as though I belong in a cabin in Maine, about to shuck oysters. A no longer unenjoyable feeling. They additionally are available in plus-size.
Bras
Best on a regular basis bras
Organic Basics core triangle bralette
For me and plenty of others, convenience merely can’t be discovered when dressed in an underwire. However, it unquestionably may also be discovered – and is being discovered whilst I sort – on this cotton jersey triangle bralette. It is available in a variety of infrequently reasonably unforeseen colors, from XXS to XXL. Considering you’ll disregard you’re dressed in it, this appears like excellent price to me.
Boody Lyolyte triangle bralette
For me, “everyday” approach moderately complete protection – who wishes to peer nipples within the place of work – so the double entrance layer is a pleasant contact in an another way unpadded bra. The deep V fits a variety of outfits, specifically as summer season hits and buttons are unbuttoned. The paintings of a B-corp, this bralette is made the usage of lyocell and in a seamfree development that it seems that reduces waste.
Best eco-friendly bra
Pico crop best
Once once more the paintings of Pico, the corporate that washes with cleaning soap nuts, this crop best made in large part from natural cotton is a worthy contender. It’s minimum and inoffensive – plus lets in that dream state of affairs of being so relaxed you’ll disregard you’re even dressed in it – even supposing it “provides light support”, which is most likely why it’s to be had handiest as much as a length 14. The handiest drawback I’ve found out: the underband can get somewhat twisted within the wash and wish rejigging.
Best strapless bras
John Lewis Ivy seam-free bandeau bra
While strapless bandeau bras can admittedly really feel somewhat bit extra like a bandage than a bra, there are specific outfits the place that’s what is wanted. This John Lewis seam-free bandeau bra gained’t win any awards for taste, yet it’ll simply make the outfit worn over it that a lot more streamlined. Some strapless bras pincer you to stick put, yet this one opts for a extra mild squeeze. It would possibly want the occasional hoiking-up yet I’m but to fulfill a strapless bra that doesn’t. Bra tape can assist.
M&S Flexifit multi-way bra
If you’re after one thing with extra construction, you want to do so much worse than this M&S bra. If, like me, you wish to have a strapless bra handiest each and every once in a while, it is sensible to get one that may double as a bra with straps. Available from a 30A to a 42E, this can be a vintage form and is available in a variety of skin-toned sunglasses.
Best bras for greater busts
Freya undetected moulded bra
Bras don’t come a lot more vintage than this. Some bras designed for additonal beef up can glance somewhat over-engineered, yet this one is graceful, chic and seam-free, so it gained’t be too visual beneath garments. Unless you need it to be, this is: the chilli pink iteration is the great more or less pink flag. Available as much as a double H cup, and in a extra inconspicuous black.
Bravissimo Millie Bra
Underwired, non-padded and comprised of cushy stretchy lace, this gorgeous bra from the bigger-boob experts that my bigger-boobed buddies favour, Bravissimo, is to be had as much as a Ok cup. Opt for cobalt, inexperienced or a extra vintage coloration if you happen to would fairly one thing extra low-key.
Read our information to the most productive bras for extra relaxed and supportive kinds
The easiest undies units
Dora Larsen Bea graphic lace bralette
Dora Larsen Bea lace knickers
Dora Larsen makes extraordinarily lovely undies, minus the standard tropes: much less Ann Summers, extra Patricia Arquette’s iconic True Romance bra (with a contemporary shake). The colors pop, with incessantly courageous mixtures, equivalent to this brilliant pink with sky blue, and the materials are impeccably cushy.
This lace bralette is available in sizes 32B to 36D. A suite with matching pants will are available in at greater than £100 – yet this isn’t undies for each day, which means one set will have to have an extended lifespan than your workhorse bras and pants. The corporate, which is known as after the founder’s canine additionally spares a concept for sustainability: the place numerous undies is natural virgin polyester, the Dora Larsen lace and tulle are made in part of recycled fabrics. Sort the bras through payment to seek out some relative bargains, specifically if you happen to’re a much less “typical” length.
Pink City Prints Feeling Fresh bra and pants set
Speaking of lovely undies, this screen-printed natural cotton set may be price reward. With groups in London and Jaipur, the corporate puts emphasis on retaining conventional craftsmanship – therefore the block printing. The effects glance virtually too excellent to be worn beneath garments. Be warned: they run giant and are extra of a method to be worn for lounging than for marching to the nook store and again.
Socks
Best on a regular basis socks
Arket cotton rib socks
Multipacks are the sock an identical of a cereal selection pack: very best for many who don’t really feel like Frosties each day. This explicit three-pack will upload pizzaz to a idler on a Monday (the pink), glance Scandi and elegant on a Tuesday (the beige), and mysterious and intellectual on a Sunday (the plum). There are bolstered ft and heels for extra sturdiness, which is a pleasant function for a sock you intend to put on at the regs.
Colourful Standard vintage natural
Everyday doesn’t need to imply boring and Colourful Standard is aware of it. Its natural cotton socks, made in Portugal, are available in 31 other colors. From burned yellow to spring inexperienced, there’s a couple to fit each and every outfit, temper and instance. They’re somewhat pricey for an on a regular basis sock, yet mine had been brightening my ft for a while and display no indicators of dimming.
Best socks for chilly climate
M&S Thermal Sumptuously Soft socks
Of path M&S is aware of its means round a couple of socks. Thermal, cushy and inexpensive, those socks are to be had in black or a charcoal combine, with bolstered ft and heels that are meant to stay your socks wearable smartly into 2026 and past.
Le Bon Shoppe Margot socks
Le Bon Shoppe makes pleasant, if pricey, socks. This chunky, fuzzy pair is designed to stay ft heat and toasty. The lavender color is an unforeseen sprint of levity on a gray day.
Best for a special day
Nishiguchi Kutsushita linen socks
There are fancy socks after which there are very fancy socks, and this pair from Toast is the latter. Made from linen and crafted through Nishiguchi Kutsushita, a Japanese sock corporate established in 1950, the Toast web page tells us pleasingly that they’ve been made “in a small workshop using old knitting machines”. The color feels recent even though the makers are heritage and the breathability of the material will ensure that ft really feel contemporary.
Swedish Stockings Elin top rate knee-highs
£20 for pack of 2 at Swedish Stockings
These apple-green 20-denier knee-high socks won’t have the plushness of the Toast pair, yet they’re very a lot right here for a great time. Knitted from recycled yarn in Italy, they’re simply as excellent for paintings as for events, with both a couple of kitten heels or a extra businesslike idler.