By Sasha Moedt (The Cascade) – Email
Print Edition: November 13, 2013
Underwear lines are the worst. They turn the most sleek, fashionable outfit into something sloppy. Often the outfits that give you underwear lines are the formal ones—a sheer dress, a pencil skirt, or dress pants—the outfits for occasions when you really want to avoid slovenly panty lines.
If you’re like me, some of your top priorities in fashion include comfort and affordability. And those old cotton panties are so easy to wear. But avoiding panty lines doesn’t have to give you wedgies (yes, I know that’s what you were worried about). Here are three ways you can avoid underwear lines – and stay comfortable.
Seamless boycuts
These would be my first recommendation. Boy-shorts resemble men’s underwear; they sit high up and run straight across the top and straight across the rear. No seam equals no panty lines.
Boycuts are designed to sit comfortably. Don’t mess that up by buying a fancy one with lace fabric. Lace is notoriously itchy. Polyester is often the cheapest, but it doesn’t breathe, which means getting sweaty and itchy – same goes with nylon and spandex. Your best bet is a cotton blend – simple, light, and breathable.
Thongs
Thongs come in extremely diverse styles. I will include g-strings, tangas, and high-cut Rios in this section—hopefully I won’t offend true underwear buffs by doing so—because they are all the same to me: wedgie threats.
For thongs, it’s all about the fit and the fabric. Because you can’t try thongs on in-store for obvious reasons, you have to eyeball it. Think of the thong like the panty; if it’s too big, it might bunch at the front or sit too high up on your waist. Too small will cut off your circulation and be terribly uncomfortable. The same fabric rules from before apply. Unless you’re purchasing a thong specifically for sexy-time, don’t bother with lace. If you buy a gorgeous thong, but it’s super uncomfortable, you’ll never wear it. Keep it breathable, simple, and not itchy with cotton. There is no foolproof plan to get the right size, but generally whatever your underwear size is, thongs should be the same.
To make sure it fits right and is comfortable, wear the thong around the house before going out with it on. Give it a test drive. If it chafes, or if you have to change the way you walk at all while wearing it, it’s probably a no-go. Don’t expect thongs to be ultra-comfy. They’ll never rival your old cotton panties. But if you have the right fit, you’ll get used to them very quickly.
Going commando
It takes a special person to go commando. That, or someone who forgets to do laundry. Going commando is the easiest, breeziest way of going about having no panty lines. It’s also the cheapest. Going commando is best when it’s a hot summer day and you’re wearing a light, filmy skirt.
There are some drawbacks. First of all, you risk flashing strangers driving down the road on a breezy day. Then there is the common-sense thing: you know how every day you put panties in the wash? If you go commando a lot, you might have to put your pants in the wash way more frequently. Regular daily discharge will guarantee that.
But going bare below can be fun. It’s risqué, and can make you feel kind of sexy. As Archie said to a Ministry of Magic official in The Goblet of Fire, “I like a healthy breeze ‘round my privates, thanks.”
