The Best Women's Underwear That Won't Ride Up! Or Show Lines! I Tried Them ALL...

Today we’re on the hunt for the best women’s underwear.

Because there are few things worse than bad underwear. You’ve experienced this, right? You thought your outfit looked great until you checked your butt in the mirror at work and realized your panty lines were on full display. Or a new pair of underwear seemed so soft and slinky until you spent all day subtly trying to pick the wedgie they were causing.

And unfortunately, the world is full of so. many. pairs of not-so-great underwear.

Friends, let’s prevent you from buying any more bad undies.

Today, we have a gigantic comparison post. I tried ALL the underwear so you can have the info you need to decide which underwear are worth your hard-earned dollars.

Buckle up!

Here’s what we’ll cover:

My criteria for amazing underwear (plus more context if you like that)
The best women’s underwear IMHO
The best women’s underwear runner-ups (in other words, the more budget-friendly underwear I’d absolutely consider repurchasing)
Underwear I didn’t love but you might
Underwear I don’t recommend (because you gotta know what to avoid, too)

First, let’s discuss – what makes the best pair of underwear?

My criteria for the best Women’s underwear

So what do I mean when I say “best” underwear? Here’s the elusive criteria I’ve been searching for approximately my entire life:

No show. The visible panty line thing has been a struggle for FOREVER, and I feel like I’m especially prone to it. (Is that possible?) I need all of my underwear to not be visible through skinny pants and the majority of them to not be visible through leggings.
Wedgie-proof. No one should have to deal with wedgie-causing underwear. Life is too short. (As an aside, why is the above combination so dang difficult? It feels like you get one or the other. I’m on the hunt for the elusive pair that does BOTH.)
Comfortable. No rolling, no digging in, no scratchy fabrics, no bunching.
Cute. My everyday underwear doesn’t have to be stunningly sexy, but I want to feel at least borderline attractive.
Under $25. So many of the brands recommended by sites like the Wirecutter, the Strategist, or women’s magazines were too pricey. I just cannot pay $45 for underwear. While $25 might also be a bit of a splurge, it is within my budget if the underwear are really good quality or if there’s a deal for buying multiple pairs.

My Underwear Preferences

No thongs, thank you, unless they’re so exceptionally comfortable I can’t tell that I’m wearing a thong. I typically gravitate toward hipsters or cheekier styles. For fabric, I’d ideally prefer cotton, but I struggle mightily to find pairs that lie as smoothly as I require. For that reason, I’m okay with microfiber or other fabric as long as the underwear have a cotton gusset.

How I Chose These Underwear

I started my hunt for the best women’s underwear by looking in my own underwear drawer at pairs I already owned. Then I scoured comparison sites, blog posts, and Reddit forums and purchased additional styles and brands of underwear I saw repeated over and over. That said, I may have missed your favorites. Tell me if I did, and maybe I’ll do a round 2!

A Few Disclaimers

I want to make this post as helpful as possible for the average person searching for underwear. Sure, underwear can look fantastic on a model – but how do they look on a non-model body? Do they dig in? Show lines?

Therefore, prepare for a lot of picture of my backside (under clothing! don’t worry!) so you can see what these underwear actually look like under leggings. For all photos, I’m wearing Prana yoga pants that are medium thickness and not compressive. They should hopefully be a decent representation of how VPL would appear for *most* leggings and bike shorts. I’ll also include an IRL photo of the product and whatever image was available from the website.

For fit context, I’m an athletic-ish pear shape with a somewhat muscular (but also relatively wide and flat) booty. I wear a 10/12 or 30/31 in most pants and took a large in nearly all of these underwear.

I also want to make it very clear that I was not paid by any brand for this post, and none of these underwear were gifted or sponsored. I bought these with my own cash dollars, and all opinions are 100% mine.

Whew. Ready? Let’s dive in and find the best women’s underwear!

Heads up, the links below may include affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links, it does not raise the cost for you, but it does send a few pennies my way. Thanks for helping to keep this site running!

The Best Women’s Underwear

Best Women’s Microfiber Underwear for Everyday: Soma Vanishing Edge Microfiber with Lace Hipster

I first bought these underwear when I was going on a trip and didn’t have time to do laundry beforehand. (Yep.) But for a spontaneous mall purchase years ago, they’ve been AMAZING.

$20 or 5 for $60 (through the buy 3, get 2 free deal)
No show? Yes! These are invisible, even under leggings.
Wedgie-proof? Yep! The silicone bands around the legs keep these from moving around.
Comfortable? Yes. You might find the silicone bands a bit weird at first, but I truly don’t notice them unless I’m doing a very sweaty workout. I will say that I find the Vanishing Edge cuts with a lace waistband are more comfortable than the one without – the waistband lies better, and they fit better in the back. If I’m wearing a pair with the lace waistband, I don’t think about these at all during the day.
Cute? The cut of these is more generous, so they lean a tinyyyyy bit more matronly. There are lots of colors and patterns, though, and they’ve introduced more cuts since I first bought these. The lace waistband does help zhush things up if you buy that style – I just wish the lace continued onto the back as well.
Overall recommend? Yes. These are absolutely among the best women’s underwear, and they remain the standbys I reach for when I need something undetectable and comfortable. These underwear also last a long time. I’ve had a few pairs for 3.5 years, and I just now started getting a hole in the lace of one pair. Otherwise they still look great. Plus, there are lots of cuts available, so if you prefer a high waist or bikini, you’re covered.

Find them here.

Best Women’s Cotton Underwear for Everyday: Natori Bliss Cotton Girl Brief

I’ve heard these recommended by bloggers as some of the best women’s underwear for years, but this was my first time trying them. I see why they’re well renowned!

$20 or 3 for $48
No show? Note quite – though they were probably the closest of any cotton pair. These were undetectable with jeans, but with tight leggings, I could see some slight lines on the butt and hips.
Wedgie-proof? Yes! I forgot I had them on.
Comfortable? YES. When I first took these out of the package, I didn’t think much of them, but as I put them on, I was super impressed by the fabric. It’s amazing. Incredibly soft and stretchy, but still feels like cotton. The lace is also really nice – not a hint of itch.
Cute? Yes. The lace is cute and modern, and while these are full-coverage, they don’t feel at all frumpy.
Overall recommend? Wow, yes. If you’ll be wearing denim and not leggings, these are excellent. I will absolutely repurchase, especially if they go on sale or I spot them at the Nordstrom Rack. (Natori also makes my favorite Feathers bra, so I’d wholeheartedly recommend the brand overall.)

Find them here.

Best Women’s Underwear for Working Out: Tommy John Air Mesh Brief

I’ve seen Tommy Johns gaining popularity online for women over the years. I tried the Air Mesh, the Second Skin, and the Cool Cotton, all in the regular brief cut.

$22 or 3 for $48
No show? The Air Mesh live up to their promise and aren’t visible! The Cool Cotton and Second Skin didn’t pass this test, though.
Wedgie-proof? Yes! All pairs stayed put.
Comfortable? YES. The Air Mesh and Second Skin in particular feel amazingly smooth and stretchy.
Cute? These are the most basic of basic underwear, so they’re pretty utilitarian.
Overall recommend? Yes to the Air Mesh! (The Second Skin also gets a thumbs up if you aren’t worried about lines, but the Cool Cotton weren’t worth the price for me.) I’ll be paying attention to longevity, as the band showed a little wrinkling after one wash. BUT. They feel amazing on, and I will absolutely repurchase the Air Mesh as long as they continue to hold up – especially if they go on sale!

Find them here.

most Comfortable Women’s Thong: Cosabella Never Say Never Comfie Thong

So I know you have to buy these on sale or get multiple pairs to meet the under $25 criteria. But I love them so much that I’m including them.

$28 or $67 for 3 (using the buy 3, get 20% off deal)
No show? Yes! No lines, and the lace typically doesn’t show its texture through clothes.
Wedgie-proof? Yep. They’re better than any other thong I’ve tried. These don’t move around, and I don’t feel the need to readjust them throughout the day.
Comfortable? Yes. I notice them the slightest bit more than if I was wearing a hipster, but as thongs go, they’re almost undetectable.
Cute? Yes! They’re great. For what it’s worth, they aren’t *quite* as sexy as the regular non-Comfie Cosabella thong, but I’ll take that very tiny trade-off for the wearability factor any day.
Overall recommend? Yes! My favorite thongs. You will pay for the quality, and I’m keeping an eye on longevity to make sure they’re worth the price. But if you can swing the cost, they’re so good. (Pair them with a matching bralette and they also make a great bachelorette gift.)

Find them here.

The moral of the story? Apparently you get what you pay for. (But don’t worry if you’re looking for something a little more budget-friendly – there are more solid options ahead.)

The best women’s underwear runner-ups (Plus the best budget underwear)

I’d still recommend the following underwear – they’re all ones I’d consider repurchasing for myself!

Runner-Up Best Women’s Underwear for Working Out: Under Armour UA Pure Stretch Hipster

These were the first kind of underwear I discovered years ago that wouldn’t show lines through my work pants. And I’d still recommend them!

3 for $25
No show? So darn close! They do show very slightly, including a bit of an indent on the hips, but I am 95% certain that would be fixed by buying my actual size. (These used to be one size fits all, which Under Armour has since remedied.)
Wedgie-proof? Kind of? These will get up in your business a bit by the nature of the shape and perhaps will feel thong-adjacent. But as long as you’re wearing pants, they don’t really feel like a wedgie. Once they’re on and in position, they don’t slide around. Be warned, though, I do find these do shift around and require wedgie-picking with a dress.
Comfortable? Yes. The waistband doesn’t roll or pinch. The fabric wears really well, effectively wicks away sweat, and is not itchy or scratchy. I’ve run half-marathons, backpacked 9 miles, and skiied for hours in these and they’ve worked just fine.
Cute? Good enough! They’re pretty utilitarian, but the cut and colors/patterns definitely feel modern.
Overall recommend? Yes, particularly for working out in leggings or bike shorts, or if you’re looking for a less expensive alternative to the Tommy Johns Air Mesh.

Find them here.

Runner-Up most Comfortable Women’s Thong: Under Armour UA Pure Stretch Thong

3 for $25
No show? Yes. These are virtually undetectable under just about anything.
Wedgie-proof? So, so close to perfection. I wear these exclusively with leggings, under bodysuits, or with anything else that’s very close-fitting. I don’t notice them at all in those conditions. With any other bottoms, even jeans, they do shift around more than I’d prefer.
Comfortable? For a thong, they’re pretty great, especially with anything tight. The silky fabric helps. I’d still choose any other cut of underwear for maximum comfort, though.
Cute? Good enough – utilitarian but sleek.
Overall recommend? Yes, if you need something to wear under leggings, shapewear, or bodysuits. I don’t really reach for them otherwise, but I’ll keep them in my drawer because they’re so good for those specific purposes.

Find them here.

Best Budget-Friendly women’s Underwear: Gap Body stretch cotton

These were recommended all over Reddit forums as the best women’s underwear if you’re on a budget. I tried the Stretch Cotton Hipster and the Stretch Cotton Bikini (wearing the Bikini above) and the Lace Cheeky.

$10.50 at full price (But don’t pay that! There are sales and discounts almost constantly. Mine were $6.36.)
No show? Not quite. The Stretch Cotton pairs definitely show lines with leggings and occasionally do with denim depending on the fit. The lace cheeky were closer but not quite 100% under leggings.
Wedgie-proof? Yes. None of these pairs moved around during the day.
Comfortable? Yes. I was so pleasantly surprised by how stretchy and smooth the Stretch Cotton pairs felt in particular. They were almost on par with some of the more expensive brands. My only caveat is that the back does slide down a tiny bit. The Lace Cheeky were totally fine – not especially soft, but not scratchy, either.
Cute? Sure! Nothing mind-blowing, but there’s a good mix of basic colors and cute patterns.
Overall recommend? These are my favorite extremely budget-friendly pick of the bunch. If you’re not as concerned about VPL or if you’re looking for great cotton underwear to sleep in, these are an excellent choice for the price.

Find them here.

Everlane Cotton Bikini

Kendra Adachi of the Lazy Genius said that these were her decide-once, ride-or-die underwear. So of course I tried them.

$15 or 3 for $36
No show? Surprisingly not bad! Not quite invisible under leggings, but the elastic dug in way less than I anticipated.
Wedgie-proof? Yep. Even though these were cheeky and had less coverage than I was expecting, they didn’t move around.
Comfortable? Yes. Just the right smoothness and stretchiness combo, and no digging in.
Cute? They’re very basic, but the cut is unexpectedly flattering.
Overall recommend? If the Natori option is out of your price range and you’re looking for 100% cotton underwear, these are a very solid choice. I continue to be surprised by how much I liked these – I keep reaching for them basically as soon as they’re out of the laundry. For the price, I will almost certainly repurchase specifically for jeans-wearing. I just wish they had more nude shades!

Find them here.

MeUndies hipster and feelfree lace tanga

If you listen to podcasts, you’ve probably heard an ad for these. I tried the Hipster and the FeelFree Lace Tanga.

$18
No show? The hipsters came surprisingly close. These are actually long enough to go around the bottom of my butt (not cut through the center) so lines were mostly negligible. The lace seams on the tanga cut were a little more obvious under leggings but still were fine with jeans.
Wedgie-proof? They pass! Neither pair moves around at all.
Comfortable? Yes! The fabric is light, stretchy, and very, very comfortable.
Cute? Yes. MeUndies leans into funky rather than sexy styles, but their patterns are (ahem) cheeky and the colors are fun. Even though the hipsters are pretty full-coverage, I still found them flattering in a wear-around-the-house-with-a-cami kind of way.
Overall recommend? Yes in terms of comfort! I do have two slight hesitations for repurchasing for myself. First is that after a few wears, the hipsters showed some slight pilling on the seat. I’m curious to see how well they’ll last for the price. Second is that if I’m going to have to deal with lines, I would rather buy 100% cotton? We’ll see. If you’re not worried about lines and want something comfy and light, these are great.

Find them here.

Underwear I Won’t Repurchase, But They Might Work for You?

The following pairs aren’t ones I’d personally repurchase for my own personal criteria. But if you have a different body type or different priorities, they might be just what you’re looking for! Keep reading for the full details.

Hanky Panky Original Rise Thong

This is another brand I’ve seen lauded across the Internet for years. (And I wouldn’t repurchase them?! What?)

$24
No show? For a thong, surprisingly not quite. Because these are one size fits all, I got some indents around my hips. The elastic seams on the edges of the lace also showed a bit in the back.
Wedgie-proof? Surprisingly yes. They didn’t shift around and were pretty unnoticeable.
Comfortable? As thongs go, pretty good! Didn’t scratch or bother me.
Cute? Yes! I do like the lace pattern on the Cosabella ones more, but these also look great.
Overall recommend? I’d honestly rather spend the money on Cosabella – they impressed me more. But Hanky Panky may work for you if you’re, um, most people on the Internet? Especially if you’re smaller than a size 10 and won’t deal with the hip indents. There’s also a plus size option if you’re in that size range.

Find them here.

On Gossamer Mesh Bikini

These come up in multiple online lists of stylists’ favorite underwear.

$20
No show? I was worried about the elastic around the legs digging in, but these were pretty undetectable most clothes – even some pairs of leggings.
Wedgie-proof? Yes. Surprisingly for being mesh, these don’t ride up.
Comfortable? They’re okay. The mesh feels lovely and silky. However, I wanted these to have a higher rise, as they felt a little bit like they were sliding off my butt. If your butt isn’t long, this may not be an issue for you.
Cute? These are sexy – even moreso than the pictures appear. The mesh not only feels soft; it looks really nice.
Overall recommend? I won’t repurchase these for a weird reason. (TMI WARNING AHEAD!!) If you have not been recently waxed, the mesh loses some of its appeal. Things get, ahem, prickly. I can see how these are recommended by celebrity stylists, who presumably are working with a crew of freshly Brazilian-ed women. So if you’ve got very regular grooming habits and a smaller booty, you may love these.

Find them here.

Everlane Invisible High Rise Hipster

$18 or 3 for $45
No show? It depends? With some leggings, I could not detect these, but later I found them showing lines. I think it depends on the amount of compression in the leggings – the underwear don’t have seams but are quite thick and little compressive, so you can still see where they end if the leggings aren’t the same compression level.
Wedgie-proof? These stayed put relatively well for not having seams.
Comfortable? They’re pretty good. The material is very utilitarian – it’s thick, not especially silky, but it’s not uncomfortable. For the amount of coverage these have, I thought they would roll up around the legs or move around, but it wasn’t as bad as I anticipated.
Cute? These look more like shapewear than anything else I tried, especially because they come up really really high. But if you’re into a full-coverage boy short look, they’re just fine.
Overall recommend? Not quite. I can’t put my finger on why I don’t love these. Maybe it’s a combination of small things: the material could feel more luxe, the panty lines still can happen, the side seams don’t lay perfectly flat. That said, if you like a thicker, more shapewear-esque feel but with very gentle compression, you might enjoy these.

Find them here.

Aerie Cotton Eyelash Lace Cheeky

$8.95
No show? Almost. They’re fine with denim but noticeable with leggings.
Wedgie-proof? They’re pretty good, but I did find that they rode up slightly throughout the day when wearing jeans.
Comfortable? For the most part! The cotton itself feels nice, and the lace isn’t scratchy (though it’s also not particularly stretchy, either). I do wish the back came up higher – they feel slightly like they’re riding down on me.
Cute? Very! The lace and ruching are nice touches.
Overall recommend? If you’re prioritizing cuteness on a budget and you’d prefer to shop at your local mall, Aerie underwear will work for you. I personally won’t repurchase as there are other underwear that are better for my priorities.

Find them here.

Underwear I Don’t Recommend

Soma Embraceable Signature Lace Hipster

I feel bad putting these underwear in this category, because they’re really completely fine! I still wear them! I just like other Soma options so much better. Here’s why.

$12 or 6 for $39
No show? Almost. The lace band is just visible under leggings. I can also see a tiny bit of the lace on my hips when I wear certain tight-fitting pants as well.
Wedgie-proof? Yep. These cause no wedgies.
Comfortable? Mostly? My biggest criticism is that the back waistband slides down a bit throughout the day. I may need to size down and it could fix the problem. The fabric also feels like basic cotton, but it’s actually rayon. If I’m not wearing cotton, I’d prefer something smoother. This feels the worst of both worlds, if that makes sense.
Cute? Again, I probably needed to size down, but these have a lot of rear coverage. On the pairs that don’t have fun patterns, these justtttt start to veer into the matronly territory.
Overall recommend? They’re fine, but I think the Vanishing Edge pair are less detectable and wear better. I’ve had these for less time, but some pairs are starting to pill and look a little shabby. I think there are much stronger Soma options.

Find them here.

Parade ultra-soft re:play cheeky and high rise brief

I tried the Ultra-Soft Re:Play Cheeky and High Rise Brief. The Cheeky is pictured above.

$11 for High Rise Briefs and $10 for the Cheeky
No show? Not quite – the seams do still show a bit.
Wedgie-proof? OMG, no. Wedgie central. The mesh on the Cheeky style in particular is folded in a double layer with no seams, which it means they do not stay put AT ALL. The high waisted style is slightly better but still not perfect
Comfortable? The mesh on these feels lovely. But it is COMPLETELY cancelled out by the ride-up factor.
Cute? If you like bold colors and modern design, yes, absolutely. The high rise, especially, somehow manages to feel fun even though the cut is full-coverage.
Overall recommend? I wish – I really wanted to like these! But I will not be repurchasing.

Find them here.

True & Co true body hipster

I bought these to go with with the True Body Lift V-Neck bralette (which for the record is fantastic). The underwear, though…

$16
No show? Yes. These are pretty invisible.
Wedgie-proof? NOPE. These do not stay put. They shift around and ride up like nobody’s business. It drives me bonkers.
Comfortable? No, as the ride-up factor wrecks this. Though the fabric is very soft and silky, I’ll give them that.
Cute? Sure. Nice colors and a solid pairing with the True&Co bralettes.
Overall recommend? Unfortunately, no. These linger until last in my drawer and I’d get rid of them if I didn’t have a bra that matched.

Find them here.

Calvin Klein Modern Cotton Boyshort

Similar styles are $20. (FWIW, mine are a few years old and I can’t find my exact pair anymore – maybe for the reasons I’m about to list.)
No show? It’s not especially obvious in the photo, but nope. The cotton seams are too thick.
Wedgie-proof? I should have known I was asking for this with boy shorts, but these absolutely ride up.
Comfortable? The waist band is a bit too thick and digs in a bit, and the leg seams also roll slightly. And who on earth puts a center seam down the front of a pair of women’s underwear? Bad move, Calvin.
Cute? I mean, the whole Calvin Klein logo waistband peeking out over jeans is a vibe.
Overall recommend? So maybe most of my issues with these would be solved by getting a style other than the boy shorts. But I don’t love wearing these under actual clothes. (And fair warning, if you’re buying these to go with the matching CK bralette, I found that the bra band rolls and it wasn’t especially comfortable.)

Boody Lyolyte Hipster and Brazilian bikini

I tried the Lyolyte Hipster and the Brazilian Bikini (pictured above). I had such high hopes for these! But…

$15.95 for the Lyolyte Hipster and $13.95 for the Brazilian Bikini
No show? No. The seams were either too tight or way too thick (and yes, I got the right size)
Wedgie-proof? The Brazilian bikini didn’t ride up, exactly, but the seams got all up in your business. The Lyloyte ones were okay on this front.
Comfortable? Not especially. The Brazilian bikini had bulky seams in strange places, and the lyolyte hipster had seams that were too narrow and a little pinchy.
Cute? They’re pretty basic.
Overall recommend? These weren’t my favorite. I think you can find far better pairs for the price.

Find them here.

PACT cheeky hipster and lace hipster

I’ve been curious about PACT and its relatively affordable, sustainable cotton basics for a while, especially after hearing an influencer recommend their underwear. I tried the Cheeky Hipster and the Lace Hipster (pictured above).

$14
No show? Nope. The lace on the legs had little to no stretch, so these dug in.
Wedgie-proof? Honestly, I don’t know. I was too distracted by the rest of the things I hated.
Comfortable? NO. Because the lace didn’t stretch, the leg holes on these killed me. When I took off the Cheeky Hipster after one hour, I had red indents where the bands were. And yes, they were the right size according to the size chart online.
Cute? They were fine – less cute in person than on the website.
Overall recommend? I mean, I literally wore one of these pairs these for an hour before I had to take them off because I couldn’t deal. So nope. I don’t understand the Internet recommendations.

Find them here.

Okay, one final underwear word before I let you go:

DO NOT PUT NON-COTTON UNDERWEAR IN THE DRYER.

All of my top underwear picks will last you much, much longer if you wash them in a lingerie bag on cold and then hang to dry. I know it takes more time. But it’s SO much better for your clothes. If you’re buying nice underwear, you want them to last. Treat them well.

That’s all friends!

What do you think are most comfortable women’s underwear? Best no-show underwear? Underwear that won’t ride up? Tell me everything about the brands I missed in the comments!