The Best Underwear Brands, According to Fashion Editors
If there's anyone who can appreciate a good pair of underwear, it's a fashion editor. Choosing a great outfit is only half the part. What good is a beautiful dress if the undergarments beneath aren't up to par?
While we've covered a few of the specific lingerie styles our editors swear by in the past, we thought we'd dig a little deeper into the key underwear brands we have on speed dial. These brands are not just for comfort, but they're also high quality, meaning they'll actually last. The best underwear is only as good as how it stands up after countless wash cycles.
So with all that in mind, keep scrolling to check out which underwear brands we'll always have stocked in our lingerie drawers. From the pretty to the pragmatic, they're the quintessential building blocks of any wardrobe.
1. Hanky Panky
"There's a reason Hanky Panky's been around since 1977. The brand's signature thongs—I prefer the original rise, but many people like the low-rise version—are the best out there if you ask me. My mom is actually the one who introduced me to the brand, as she always wore Hanky Panky when I was a kid, which goes to show that they really work for everyone. I also love that the brand recently launched an eco-friendly collection that's just as comfortable and soft as its signature styles and that it offers bralettes and underwear in sizes up to 24 and 3X. I have around 20 pairs and very rarely wear anything else."
Shop Hanky Panky:
2. Calvin Klein
"When it comes to underwear, you cannot go wrong with a classic—Calvin Klein. You've probably seen plenty of 'in my Calvins' ads, and I have to admit I, too, love to do anything in my Calvins. The material is comfortable and breathable, so I'll always rely on them."
Shop Calvin Klein:
3. On Gossamer
"I've been wearing On Gossamer for longer than I can remember and particularly love the brand's mesh thongs, which have been my favorite underwear style for years. They're incredibly comfortable and work under practically everything. Plus, they come in a wide range of shades, including the neutrals I always wear."
Shop On Gossamer:
4. Victoria's Secret
"You know you are attached to something when you buy it 10 times over, and that's how deep my love runs for this V-String panty from Victoria's Secret. I've exclusively been buying my underwear from this brand since I was a teen, and it's a fact that I'm truly attached to my favorite pairs from there."
Shop Victoria's Secret:
5. Spanx
"I guess you could say I'm an underwear loyalist. Once I find a brand that I like, I'll literally wear it for at least a decade. Spanx Under Statements Thongs are the only ones I care about these days. They're ridiculously comfortable and seamless, and they come in low-key colors and seasonal prints if that's your thing. I've ordered more pairs than I can count at this point."
Shop Spanx:
6. Boody
"The number one quality I look for in underwear is if I can comfortably walk around with it staying in place (aka underwear that isn't prone to wedgies). My current favorite is Boody's boyshorts. The extra coverage means they're incredibly comfortable. Plus, the material is made of breathable and eco-friendly bamboo."
Shop Boody:
7. Cosabella
"No matter how many pairs or different brands of underwear accumulate in my drawer, I always end up reaching for Cosabella. The brand's pieces are so comfortable while still looking both pretty and seamless where it counts. The Dolce Thong is the one I tend to rebuy the most, but I love anything it makes, honestly."
Shop Cosabella:
8. Fruity Booty
"I ordered Fruity Booty's fun-loving lingerie once on a whim, mostly for the cute prints, but ended up being pleasantly surprised by the quality and fit. The small London-based line crafts all its lingerie out of deadstock materials and counts Kendall Jenner as a fan. The underwear is supremely comfortable, but if I were you, I wouldn't miss the opportunity to cop one of the brand's cool sets."
Shop Fruity Booty:
9. Eberjey
"I've always been a huge fan of Eberjey's comfy pj's, but I recently tried the brand's undies, and I'm hooked. They're incredibly soft and comfortable, and they look pretty too."
Shop Eberjey:
10. MeUndies
"MeUndies is the type of underwear that you want to buy in bulk—its pieces are so soft and breathable that it's hard to compare with other brands once you've tried it. I like that they're not too fussy and stay intact after countless washes in the laundry."
Shop MeUndies:
This story was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
Indya Brown is a fashion editor, stylist, and writer living in Los Angeles. While going to school at Columbia University in New York City, she got her feet wet in the fashion industry interning at Elle magazine, Harper's Bazaar, and New York magazine's The Cut. After graduating in 2016, she joined The Cut as a fashion assistant, eventually working her way up to fashion editor. There, she worked on a multitude of projects, including styling inbook feature stories for New York magazine's print issue, writing and pitching market stories for The Cut, and serving as fashion lead for The Cut's branded content. While New York has been her home for over 10 years, she moved to Los Angeles in the midst of the pandemic in 2020 for a new chapter. Now she is a fashion market editor for Who What Wear, focusing on emerging designers, rising trends on and off the internet, interior design, and BIPOC creatives and brands. Aside from her duties as a fashion market editor, Brown is also a freelance stylist and writer, working on national print and video commercial campaigns for Sephora, The Independent, and Cadillac. Her bylines also include Harper's Bazaar, Vox, and The New York Times. But once the computer goes down and the emails turn off, she's likely eating her way through Koreatown, hunting down vintage furniture, scoping out new outrageous nail designs to try, or taking a hot cycling class.