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Panties

Women's underwear

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

Panties are form-fitting underpants typically worn by women. 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.

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, 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", 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.

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.

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.

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:

Rear coverage	Type	Example	Description	Minimal (thongs)	Adhesive / C-string	T-front	G-string	Thong	Moderate
[[File:C-string pink.jpg	frameless	upright=0.7	alt=Pink C-string, retained using underwires]]	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.
[[File:T-front string underwear.jpg	frameless	upright=0.7	alt=White T-front, obscured by trousers.]]	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.
[[File:G-string (back) photomodel Jassi.jpg	frameless	upright=0.7	alt=White G-string, rear view]]	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.
[[File:Melange thong.jpg	frameless	upright=0.7	alt=Rear view of a woman wearing a gray thong.]]	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.
[[File:Brazilian thong 2.jpg	frameless	upright=0.7	alt=Woman wearing a tanga, also known as a Brazilian thong.]]	Tangas can be considered as an intermediate step between thongs, which have minimal rear coverage, and bikinis, which have moderate to full rear coverage.
[[File:Two pairs of briefs at fashion show.png	frameless	upright=0.7	alt=Two women; one is wearing black conventional bikini underwear and the other is wearing white string bikini underwear.]]	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.
[[File:Girl in bra and panties - black and white cropped.jpg	frameless	upright=0.7	alt=Woman wearing black hipster underwear.]]	Hipsters are a blend between bikinis and boyshorts. They sit on the hips of the wearer and are worn slightly below the navel.
[[File:Woman with afro-textured hair (cropped).jpg	frameless	upright=0.7	alt=A model in white boyshorts]]	title=boy shorts	url=http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/boy-shorts?q=boy+shorts	url-status=dead	archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119181330/http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/boy-shorts?q=boy+shorts	archive-date=19 November 2015	website=Oxford Dictionaries}}
[[File:Cheekies underwear with ruching applied to center seam.jpg	frameless	upright=0.7	alt=Rachel Starr wearing red cheekies at AVN 2011.]]	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.
[[File:Woxer Modern Briefs.jpg	frameless	upright=0.7	alt=Two women wearing "Woxer" brand high-cut briefs and sport bras]]	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.
[[File:Classic brief (granny panties).jpg	frameless	upright=0.7	alt=Model dressed in lace-trimmed sheer 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.
[[File:MiederhoseKurzPatte.jpg	frameless	upright=0.7	alt=White control briefs with lace trim]]	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.
[[File:Grace Bros mannequin parade, Sydney, November 1936.jpg	frameless	upright=0.7	alt=Two women wearing tap pants]]	Tap pants are short pants with a short inseam length.
[[File:Bloomers Rear Image.png	frameless	upright=0.7	alt=]]	Bloomers are shorts with a variable inseam length and bloused leg holes.

;Notes

References

Burgdorf, Katherine. (12 November 2013). "Say 'NO' to dodgy knickers". The Hoopla.
(1985). "Hole Proof - No Knickers". Bonds underwear, Australia.
"Translations of Australian English words into American English".
Ulloa-Torres, Gidgette Natasha. "The Invention of Panties in the Victorian Age: A historical Breakdown of The Function of Panties".
Windham, Daniel. (2024-02-07). "Reason women's underwear has a small decorative bow on the front".
Parkinson, Ann. (9 September 2011). "Women's Panties". LoveToKnow Lingerie.
(1 October 2009). "Underneath It All". Harlequin.
"boy shorts".
Riese. (June 22, 2020). "Boyshorts and Girltrunks 101: Your Queer Underwear Guide".

Info: Wikipedia Source

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