Panty glossary -full types of panty

Trying to pick your perfect panties? Here's your easy guide to what panty design terms mean, and what the cuts can do for you. Take a look, and then choose your look...sleek or lacy, demure or racy...smooth microfiber or soft cotton.

Full to Moderate Coverage Panties

Traditional Brief:

Panties that give you generous coverage, front and back. Typically the waistband comes to the natural waistline. Has a low leg line with a squared off appearance.

Modern Brief / Low Rise Brief:

Provides smooth, generous front and back coverage. The waistband sits 1-2 inches below the natural waistline, for a lower rise than traditional briefs. The low leg line has a squared off appearance.

Hi-Cut:

Gives coverage in back, leg-lengthening higher-cut leg openings in front. Full rear coverage comes to the natural waistline. The leg opening hits the high point of the hip.

French Cut:

Designed to flatter legs. Panty gives full rear coverage that comes to the natural waistline. The leg opening hits the high point of the hip and is positioned more to the front than a standard hi-cut.

Control Brief:

Looks like a brief or hi-cut, but also slims you. Can be as smooth as a conventional panty or include control panels for extra trimming.

Hipster:

A panty with a lower rise than a brief or hi-cut, for less show-through with low cut pants and shorts. Hipsters usually sit 3 inches below the natural waistline. Provides full seat coverage. The hipster has a lower leg line that is squared off in appearance.

Shorts

Boy Short / Boy Brief:

The boxy design is cute and comfortable. Boy shorts have a variety of rises in the waistline (sit at the natural waist to 3 inches below the natural waist). The leg line typically hits below the buttocks, but some are more "cheeky". Typically Boy Shorts have a fabric hem instead of leg elastic.

Girl Short:

Squared off like boy shorts, but a little more lacy and racy. Instead of the leg line hitting below the buttocks, the girl short usually shows part of the butt cheek.

Moderately Revealing Panties

Bikini:

Typically sits 3 inches below the natural waistline, making bikinis a good choice for lower-cut pants. Full seat coverage plus a scooped-out leg line.

String Bikini:

The same rise and coverage as a bikini, but the front and back panels are connected with a small amount of material or "strings" at the sides, for a flirtatious look.

Low Rise Bikini:

Has a very low rise, typically 4-5 inches below the natural waistline. Combines full seat coverage with a more scooped out leg line.

Revealing Panties

G-string:

Full coverage in front, but only a very thin (string-like) band of fabric in the back that rests between the buttocks. Comes in a variety of rises in the waistline (from just below the natural waist to 4 inches below the natural waist).

Tanga:

"V"-shaped for "very sexy". Tanga has the same V-shaped coverage in the front and back. Typically shows off about half of the buttocks. A European-style cut of panty.

Thong:

Gives full frontal coverage, but in back just a narrow piece of fabric rests between the buttocks. Comes in a variety of rises in the waistline (from just below the natural waist to 4 inches below the natural waist).