Panty Glossary

• Bikini
  One of the most common and popular panty styles, a bikini is an undergarment that sits below your navel and on your hips. Bikinis usually have a high cut leg design and a low to medium rise. Bikini panties provide medium coverage and are slimming on women with rounded tummies.
• Boyshort
  As the name implies, this panty style look like a regular short, only shorter and more form-fitting. Alternatively called hot pants or culottes, boyshorts may have medium to high rise with legs that extend up to the top your thighs. This modern silhouette is also ideal in preventing visible panty lines as they end below your rear.
• Briefs
  This refer to underwear with waistbands that rest at or just below the navel. Briefs provide full rear coverage and have long sides for hip coverage.
• Crotch
  This is the strip of fabric in between the front and back horizontal seams of your underwear that come in direct contact with your privates. Most panties have a two-layer crotch, your panty crotch plus another sewn in layer. Cotton is a widely used material in crotches as it is more breathable and comfortable.
• Crotchless
  This refer to panty styles with a split crotch. Crotchless panties are not actually without crotches, rather their crotches are split in the middle to allow your privates to show through. Crotchless panties are mostly used as sexy wear.
• Cut
  This refers to how high or low the sides of your panties are. High cut or hi-cut panties offer more ease of movement as they free up much of your legs while low cut panties are the best option if you want more coverage along the sides of your legs.
• G-String
  While often used interchangeably with the term thong, g-strings are actually skimpier with only a thin waistband and an equally thin string running between your cheeks to the crotch. Unlike a thong, there is no triangle of fabric at the waistband to provide some measure of coverage to your rear.
• Hipster
  Hipster panties, as the name implies, rest on your hips. They provide moderate coverage and rest lower on your hips than regular briefs. Most hipster panties have a low rise which makes them ideal under low-riding bottoms.
• Keyhole
  A decorative arched opening in the center back or center front panel of a garment. This is often used in panties for an added feminine touch.
• Lace Panties
  Lace panties are underwear made predominantly of lace. Scalloped waistbands and leg holes are common design features. Some lace panties may have lining for modesty while almost all have a cotton crotch.
• Padded Panties
  Padded panties are panties with removable extra padding on the rear. Some styles even have padding along the sides of the hips for a gentler, more womanly shape. Padded panties help enhance your rear for a curvier look. Most padded panties have built in control in front to rein in tummy bulge.
• Rise
  This refers to the measurement from the waistband to the first horizontal seam of your panty. You may choose from high, medium, low and super low-rise panties depending on your comfort.
  • Modest Rise – 6-7 inches
  • Low Rise – 4.5 to 5.5 inches
  • Super Low Rise – 4 inches or lower
• Satin Panties
  Panties made of satin. While not for everyday use, satin panties are prominent sexy wear and often come with matching bras. Their soft and smooth texture and high sheen promote a sensual experience.
• Silk Panties
  Panties made of silk. They are softer and more luxurious than regular panties which are often made of nylon, cotton, and elastane. They also figure in sexy wear but are often less ostentatious than satin panties due to the lack of or minimal sheen.
• Tanga
  A tanga is between a bikini and a thong. A tanga provides less back coverage than a traditional panty, but is not as narrow as a thong.
• Thongs
  A popular panty style with a triangle shaped front panel, thin side panels and minimal coverage in back for a seamless look under clothes.

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