There are various types of panties that women can wear and choose from but it's hard at times to pick the right ones.  With wide choices of fabric, colours, types and cuts available; picking the right panty is absolutely not an easy task and it can be quite interesting.

Brief History

Panties were first produced during the 1940s in Hollywood. Frederick's of Hollywood opened a corset and lingerie shop, with the primary function on body contortion. Later - bright, colourful and more fabric such as cotton, lace etc. became available. Since then panties became more than a simple hygienic product but developed into a symbol of pleasure and sexuality.  

Today there are more to "panty"; a pair of panties can reflect your outlook and mood.  Whatever you prefer, do not sacrifice comfort for fashion, or else, find an item which has good a combination of the two.

Read the following checklist before you buy your panties.

1. Size

The first thing that you should keep in mind while buying a panty is its size. First check your size by using a cloth tape measure. Never compromise on the size of your panty (unless you want to embarrass or hurt yourself) and always select a comfortable fit.

2. Fabric
   There is huge number of fabrics such as cotton, nylon, lace, lycra, satin, silk and/or a combination thereof to choose from. Silk or satin panties have a favoured great texture and sensual feel. Satin is less expensive than silk and much more durable and easy to care for. The choice is wide.
3. Design

There are different types of panties and they differ according to the degree of coverage, above and beyond; it is the leg opening that may be different, ranging from a very high cut through medium and to low. Namely:

• Classic/Granny/"Bloomers" or Full brief

A full panty is very popular for its comfort; it fully covers the back and rises up to the waste or maybe just below the navel. Though teenagers view it as old style and not sexy, one pair in your drawer will save you on rainy days especially. It comes in variation, namely:

1. Classic cut - has the sides covered and extends below the hips. You will mostly see these with girls under puberty because it's conservative and simple enough.
2. French cut - also called high-cut brief because the side exposes more of the hips. It's a bit sexier than the other briefs because it shows more skin.
3. Boyleg briefs - also called boyshorts, are styled after men's briefs. It looks straight across the top and below, covering the hips in full, and it has extra fabric inside the inner thighs.
4. Control briefs - this one extends above the waist to offer support and give a slim appearance. Because of the nature of this type of panty, a stretchable type of fabric is needed, such as spandex is used to make one of these. Cited: Ezinearticles, 2010.

• Hipsters

Hipsters sit on the hips and are more like briefs but the top half is not there, giving the sides more material and a full coverage on the back.

• Bikini

The bikini and string bikini, have full coverage on the back and sit higher on the hips rather than on the waist. The bikini has a thin, narrow side, and the string bikini has a string width side.

• Tanga

It gives full back coverage but the waistband is reduced to a narrow strip at the sides.

• Thongs

Thongs are teeny, tiny and sexy panties. They have thin sides and a thinner back end, leaving nearly the entire butt open. Depending on style, the width of the bottom and back material will vary, making it a G-string, V-string, T-back, or plain thong.

Tips and advice on choosing the right Panty for yourself

Whatever you prefer, the panty should not outwear your outfit. For example, showing off your panty or wearing a bright panty on a white pants or skirt, is just not Ayoba. Rather wear a dark or black panty because we don't want to see your panty. A panty is supposed to be underwear not an outfit; so keep it underneath. Hence it is wise to consider your outfit before you select any panty.

 Sources:

• Ezinearticles  
• The female view
• Syl

Last Update: 16 March 2010