The short answer, by coverage, least to most: thong, cheeky, bikini, hipster, boyshort, high waisted brief.
The longer answer is that the shape matters less than how it feels, and almost every guide to this gets that the wrong way round. You will not remember the rise of the underwear you put on this morning. You will absolutely remember if the waistband dug in.
So this guide starts with feel, then gets to shape.
I run Feier, and our underwear is knitted in our own factory in Mumbai. I've been in the family manufacturing business for thirteen years and we moved into seamless knitting in 2023, which means I've spent a long time looking at exactly where underwear goes wrong.
Start with the waistband, not the shape
Almost every complaint about underwear is a waistband complaint. It rolls, it digs, it leaves a mark, it loses its stretch after a few months.
Most underwear has elastic sewn into the waistband. That stitched edge is a hard line against your skin, it limits how far the waistband can stretch, and it's the first part to give up.
Ours are knitted whole-garment on seamless circular knitting machines, so the waistband is knitted as part of the fabric rather than attached afterwards. There's no seam at the waist to rub against you or to restrict the stretch. It's the single biggest difference between a pair you keep wearing and a pair that ends up at the back of the drawer.
A note on the word seamless, because it causes genuine confusion here. In India, seamless underwear usually means bonded edges, where the fabric is cut and heat-sealed. We don't make that. Ours are seamlessly knitted, which is a different thing: the garment comes off the machine already formed, rather than being cut from flat fabric and joined.
Nearly all our underwear is a nylon and spandex blend, 92/8, which is where the stretch and the softness come from. Every pair also carries N9 Pure Silver™, a silver-based antimicrobial finish that works on the bacteria causing odour.
Underwear styles at a glance
|
Style |
Coverage |
Rise |
Leg coverage |
Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Thong |
Minimal at the back |
Varies |
Minimal |
Fitted clothing, no visible lines |
|
Cheeky |
Partial at the back |
Often high |
Minimal |
Low-rise jeans, wearing at home |
|
Bikini |
Moderate |
Low to mid |
Moderate |
Everyday, a middle ground |
|
Hipster |
Moderate |
Mid |
Moderate |
Everyday, the most versatile shape |
|
Boyshort |
Fuller |
Mid |
Most |
Dresses, skirts, relaxed clothing |
|
High waisted brief |
Fullest |
High |
Moderate |
High-rise jeans and trousers |
Thongs for women
Shop: Half-Zip | Classic Logo Thong | Two Way Cropped Tank
A thong has minimal fabric at the back, which makes it the one style that genuinely disappears under close-fitting clothes. If visible panty lines are the problem you're solving, this is the only shape that reliably solves it. No other cut will, whatever the packaging claims.
From our range: the Classic Logo Thong is the one most people start with, buttery soft with a tonal logo knitted into the fabric. The Sparkle Thong has a lurex stripe at the front of the waistband only, never all the way round, so you get the shimmer without anything scratchy sitting against your skin all day.
The BareLace Thong is our newest and it has been a genuine hit. Micro-rib fabric with a delicate lace trim at the leg openings, and a stitched waistband, which is deliberate: it's what allows the high cut shape that everyone currently wants. Feminine without being fussy.
The Everyday Sculpting Thong is the one to reach for if you want light shaping as well.
Hipster panties
Shop: Peekaboo Hipster
The hipster is the most versatile shape we make and the one I'd put anyone in if they could only own one style. It sits lower than a brief, covers more than a bikini, and works under almost everything.
From our range: the Classic Logo Hipster again, in the widest colour range we do. The Everyday Stripe Hipster has a tonal stripe at the waistband and comes in very good colours. The Peach Perfect Hipster has a little knitted ruching across the back, which gives a bit of shape rather than lying flat.
The Everyday Sculpting Hipster uses a smooth jersey with an extended waistband and light compression. It's the one people wear all day without thinking about it.
Bikini underwear
Shop: Twin Line Bikini
First, the thing worth clearing up: bikini underwear is a panty cut, not swimwear. The name refers to the shape, a lower rise with moderate coverage.
It's the middle ground. Less than a hipster, more than a thong, and the easiest shape to wear if you don't have a strong preference either way.
From our range: the Classic Logo Bikini, the Swirl Bikini, which is one of our most popular styles, and the Sparkle Bikini with the lurex waistband stripe at the front.
The Wildcat Bikini is the one I'd point you to if you want something a bit more interesting. Tonal cheetah print knitted in, with a micromesh so it breathes properly. Subtle rather than loud, which is harder to do than it sounds.
Boyshorts for women
Shop: Classic Logo Boyshort | Aqua Classic Logo Boyshort
Boyshorts have a longer leg, so they cover the upper thigh in a way no other style does. Two reasons people pick them: more coverage generally, and specifically under dresses and skirts where you want something between you and the world.
From our range: the Classic Logo Boyshort and the Everyday Sculpting Boyshort, which adds the extended waistband and light compression.
High waisted briefs and cheeky cuts
Shop: Peach Perfect Brief
High waisted sits above your natural waist and is the fullest coverage we make. If you live in high-rise jeans, it's the shape that doesn't fight your trousers.
From our range: the Classic Logo Hi-Waist Brief has ribbed panelling, so it holds its shape at the waist rather than rolling. The Peach Perfect Brief has the same knitted ruching across the back as the hipster.
Then there's the Ribbed Stripe Cheeky, which is a different proposition entirely. High waisted with cheeky coverage at the back, in a very soft retro striped rib with a woven label at the front of the waistband. It's genuinely fun to wear at home, and it's designed to be seen peeking above low-rise baggy jeans, which is exactly how a lot of people are wearing it.
The Classic Logo series: why most people start here
Worth calling out separately, because it's our most popular range by far and it comes in every shape: thong, bikini, hipster, boyshort and the ribbed panelled high waisted brief.
It's buttery soft, it comes in a wide range of colours, and it has a tonal logo pattern knitted into the fabric. That last bit is the point. It does the job of a plain, reliable, everyday pair, but it isn't actually plain. There's a small design in it that you notice and nobody else does.
If you're building a drawer from scratch, this is where I'd start, then add shapes from there.
Which underwear avoids visible panty lines?
Only thongs, properly.
I'd rather say that plainly than let you buy something expecting it to vanish under fitted trousers. A bikini or hipster with a knitted waistband will sit flatter than one with a stitched elastic edge, and in a looser trouser you may well see nothing. But under thin, close-fitting fabric, a thong is the only cut that genuinely disappears.
From our range, the Classic Logo Thong, the BareLace Thong, the Sparkle Thong and the Everyday Sculpting Thong.
Which underwear is most comfortable for all day?
The honest answer is the one with no seam at the waist, in your actual size, in a shape you don't think about.
If you want a recommendation rather than a principle: the Everyday Sculpting range. Smooth jersey, an extended waistband with light compression, and enough give that it's comfortable from morning to night. It shapes gently rather than squeezing, which is the difference between something you wear every day and something you wear once.
For pure softness with no compression at all, the Classic Logo series.
How to choose your style
Four questions, and they take about a minute.
What are you wearing over it? Fitted trousers or a slim dress, go thong. High-rise jeans, go high waisted. A skirt or a loose dress, boyshorts. Anything else, hipster or bikini.
Where do you want the waistband? This is personal and it's worth knowing your own answer. Some people cannot stand anything across the stomach, others feel unsupported without it.
How much leg coverage do you want? Boyshorts cover the upper thigh, thongs cover almost nothing, everything else sits in between.
Do you want shaping or softness? Everyday Sculpting for light all-day shaping. Classic Logo for softness with nothing holding you in.
Most people end up with a mix, which is the sensible outcome. A couple of thongs for fitted clothes, hipsters for ordinary days, a high waisted pair for jeans.
FAQs
Which underwear style gives the most coverage?
High waisted briefs give the fullest coverage overall. Boyshorts give the most leg coverage, since they extend further down the upper thigh. Our Classic Logo Hi-Waist Brief is the fullest coverage style we make.
Which underwear doesn't show panty lines?
Thongs, and only thongs. Other cuts can sit flatter or less flat depending on the waistband and what you're wearing over them, but under close-fitting clothing a thong is the only shape that reliably shows nothing.
Are hipster panties good for everyday wear?
Yes, and it's the shape most people wear most often. It sits lower than a brief, covers more than a bikini, and works under almost anything. The Classic Logo Hipster and Everyday Stripe Hipster are the two we sell most of.
What is the difference between a bikini and a brief?
A bikini sits lower on the hip with moderate coverage. A brief sits higher with fuller front and back coverage. A high waisted brief goes higher still, above the natural waist.
Is bikini underwear the same as swimwear?
No. Bikini here describes the cut of the underwear: a lower rise with moderate coverage. It's a panty style, not a swim style.
What are boyshorts for women?
Underwear with a longer leg and a shorts-inspired shape, covering more of the upper thigh than any other style. Good under dresses and skirts.
What is a cheeky cut?
Partial coverage at the back, between a thong and a bikini. Our Ribbed Stripe Cheeky pairs cheeky coverage with a high waist, which is a shape designed to be seen above low-rise jeans.
What is seamlessly knitted underwear?
Underwear knitted as a whole garment on a circular knitting machine rather than cut from flat fabric and sewn. The waistband is knitted in rather than being elastic stitched on, so there's no seam at the waist to rub or limit the stretch. It isn't the same as bonded-edge underwear, which is what seamless often means in India.
Which Feier underwear has lace?
The BareLace Thong, our newest style, with a delicate lace trim at the leg openings on a micro-rib fabric. The waistband is stitched on this one, which is what gives it the high cut shape.
What fabric is Feier underwear made from?
Nearly all of it is a nylon and spandex blend, 92/8, which gives the softness and the stretch. Every pair carries an N9 Pure Silver™ antimicrobial finish.
