Briefs
Shapes
Seven shapes, described by what they cover and where they sit rather than by whatever the label has decided to call them this season.
Naming in this category is chaotic. The same cut appears as a midi in one range, a classic in another and a full brief in a third. What does not vary is the geometry: the rise, the seat coverage and the angle of the leg opening. Read those and the name stops mattering.
The shapes
| Shape | Rise | Seat coverage | Leg opening |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full brief | High, at or above the waist | Complete | Horizontal, low on the thigh |
| Midi | Mid, below the waist | Complete | Slightly angled |
| Hipster | Low, on the hip | Most | Horizontal, straight sides |
| Short | Mid to low | Complete, with a short leg | A short cut leg, not an opening |
| High leg | High | Most | Cut steeply up towards the hip bone |
| Tanga | Low to mid | Partial | Cut high, narrow side seam |
| Thong | Any | Minimal | A narrow strip at the back |
What each one is for
- Full brief
- The most comfortable shape available and the least visible under anything loose. A high waistband sits on the narrowest part of the torso and does not roll. Under a fitted trouser it shows a horizontal line across the seat unless the fabric is fine and the edge is bonded.
- Midi
- The default in most ranges. Comfortable, unremarkable, and the shape most likely to roll at the waist if the rise is wrong for the torso.
- Hipster
- Sits low with straight sides, which suits a low rise trouser and avoids a waistband stacking on top of another waistband. Less secure on a body with a defined waist and full hip, where it will migrate.
- Short
- A brief with a short leg rather than a leg opening. The one shape that genuinely prevents thigh chafing, because it puts fabric between the skin surfaces. See skin and friction.
- High leg
- A high cut opening with a high rise. Lengthens the visible line of the leg and, more practically, keeps the leg elastic off the fullest part of the thigh.
- Tanga
- Narrow at the sides with partial rear coverage. A compromise between a thong and a brief, and often the more comfortable of the two for people who dislike both.
- Thong
- Minimal rear coverage. Covered in detail on thongs and comfort.
Choosing for a specific problem
- Visible line across the seat: a thong, a tanga, or a full brief in a fine fabric with a bonded edge. A mid coverage brief is the worst case.
- Waistband rolling down: go up in rise, not up in size.
- Rolling up at the leg: the leg elastic is too tight or the seat is too small, so the garment is being pulled towards the narrowest point.
- Chafing between the thighs: a short.
- Riding up at the back: usually a rise problem or a seat cut too small for the body, not a size problem overall.
- Marks at the hip: a wider, softer waistband, or a bonded edge.
Nothing in this category needs to leave a mark. A garment that does is either the wrong size or the wrong construction, and both are fixable.
Sizing
Brief sizing is based on the hip measurement in almost every published size chart, measured around the fullest part with the tape level. Waist matters for a high rise, and where the two measurements point at different sizes the hip figure usually wins, because the hip is the dimension the garment has to pass over and sit on.
Between sizes, go up. A brief that is slightly loose is comfortable and slightly shapeless. A brief that is slightly tight produces every problem on the list above. This is the opposite of the advice for a bra band, and for a good reason: a bra band carries load and needs tension, while a brief carries almost none and needs only to stay put.
Care
Cotton and modal briefs tolerate 40 degrees, which is warm enough for an ordinary wash. Anything with a lace panel, a bonded edge or a high elastane content belongs at 30 degrees in a bag, and none of it should meet a tumble dryer if it is expected to last. The routines are set out in machine washing.