This is not a comprehensive list of everything we’ve tested for previous iterations of this guide, just what’s still available.Cotton undiesThe Aerie Superchill Original Cotton undies have thick seams that are easily discernable under clothes. Meanwhile, the Aerie Superchill No Show Cotton styles run small, and their raw edges roll and slip.The Calvin Klein Modern Cotton Bikini earned points for being well made. But testers were turned off by the giant sewn-in tag and in-your-face branding.The 100% cotton Cou Cou Intimates Pointelle underwear have a sweet front bow design and charming pointelle fabric, but testers complained of fit issues (they run small) and visible panty lines. These pairs are also expensive, and they come in a limited range of sizes (from US 0 to 12).The Cuup Cotton styles felt fine — but not remarkable — and we experienced some digging and pinching.Many of the inexpensive cotton multipack options that we tested were poorly made. The Fruit of the Loom Eversoft Cotton underwear had loose threads and wonky seams galore, as did the Hanes Pure Comfort Organic Cotton and Hanes Original lines, both of which also caused major VPL. Another VPL offender: the Jockey Elance French Cut, which has thick, puckered seams.The Gap Organic Stretch Cotton undies are made from smooth, organic stretch cotton; we ended up preferring other organic cotton options, but these are solid, and they go on sale regularly.There was nothing wrong with the soft and comfy Harper Wilde Cloud Cotton undies; we just preferred the airier cotton styles from Natori and Tommy John.I liked the Intimissimi Seamless Cotton underwear. But ultimately, cotton isn’t ideal for seamless styles, and the raw-cut edges had a tendency to roll. These undies also run a touch small.The Skims Lightweight Cotton underwear wasn’t especially soft, and testers found the edges too “pinchy.”Modal undiesKnown for its zero-panty-line silhouette, the Commando Butter Hipster can be great for short-term wear. But the raw edges rolled and slipped with minimal movement, and the fabric felt perilously thin.The Cuup Modal underwear is smooth and silky-soft, but we preferred the airier textures of our similar picks from Tommy John and MeUndies.Fruit of the Loom’s BeyondSoft Modal undies are, indeed, beyond soft. Alas, they run small, are shoddily constructed, and emerged from the laundry misshapen (we didn’t even tumble-dry them!).Made from whispery-soft MicroModal, the Negative Whipped undies feel wonderful to wear to bed. But they’re not terribly practical for daytime: The edges slip, roll, and show through clothing.The Universal Standard UltimateS underwear is made from a stretchy modal and cotton blend, and it comes in an outstanding range of sizes (from 00 to 40). But testers complained about the overly thick fabric and “digging” waistbands.Synthetic undiesOur testers didn’t like the feel or fit of the Auden Women’s Seamless Thong from Target’s house brand.Several collections felt too slick, slippery and thin for our taste, including the polyamide-blend Cosabella Lisciante, Cuup Micro, Gap Second Skin, and Thirdlove 24/7 Classic lines. Testers also found the thicker nylon fabrics of the Harper Wilde Bliss and Negative Glacé collections to be too “synthetic and swimsuit-like.”Compared with our Hanky Panky Signature Lace picks, the (very expensive) Cosabella Never Say Never lace underwear felt itchier and less breathable. We also tried the Thirdlove All Day Lace undies; they’re relatively soft but not on a par with Hanky Panky underwear.The Fruit of the Loom Breathable Micro Mesh undies are made of a comfy — albeit weird — fabric that reminded us of basketball shorts. Like other Fruit of the Loom undies that we tried, these were poorly constructed, with wonky seamwork.The Gap Breathe underwear is soft and stretchy, but it runs small, and some testers reported that the mostly polyester material trapped heat.Sadly, the Harper Wilde Smooth Seamless underwear come in just one (high-cut) style, which most panelists didn’t like. These undies also have a fully synthetic gusset (crotch liner), which isn’t optimal for breathability and vaginal health.The Negative Sieve line includes a number of see-through mesh styles. These pricey undies are sexy, but I found them a bit too sweaty.Like our adaptive pick from Skims, the Slick Chicks Adaptive Underwear have fasteners that open and close at the hips. Cara Liebowitz, a disability-rights activist and wheelchair user, tested a pair for us. But the clasp dug uncomfortably into her side, making all-day wear impossible.The Soma Vanishing Edge undies have grippy, sweat-collecting silicone strips at the leg openings to keep them in place — more like shapewear than regular undies.I liked ThirdLove’s seamless, laser-cut Zero Edge line and its light, breathable TempSync undies. But the Zero Edge styles were, ahem, edged out by our invisible Evelyn & Bobbie picks. And testers complained about the “unremarkable” look and feel of the TempSync pair (which comes only in a hipster style).The Tommy John Women’s Air Brief is a former pick in this guide, and many Wirecutter staffers still swear by these ultra-light undies. Unfortunately, multiple long-term testers (including me) have complained that the bonded waistband separates from the body of the underwear with less than a year of wear.I found the well-priced Uniqlo AIRism collection marvelously comfortable, but most testers complained about the cut and wedgie-inducing fit.This article was edited by Ingela Ratledge Amundson and Jennifer Hunter. Annemarie Conte wrote an earlier version of this article.
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