YOU magazine’s fashion team has selected what it calls the 51 best knickers available in Britain after testing thousands of styles, publishing a list that prioritises comfort, fit, invisibility under clothing and durability.
The roundup, published on the Daily Mail’s YOU section, draws on recommendations from women across the magazine’s editorial staff. It highlights a wide price range — from budget three-packs at high-street retailers to high-end designer pieces — and flags fabric and construction as central to whether an item makes the cut. The piece also notes that retailers such as Marks & Spencer sell more than 60 million pairs of underwear a year and that one in three women buy their briefs in M&S stores.
The selections were driven by practical criteria: no visible panty lines (VPL), no riding up or cutting in, and the ability to withstand repeated washes without losing shape or colour. Alongside style preferences, the story underlines maintenance and replacement guidance. Lingerie brand Stripe & Stare is cited advising consumers to replace underwear every six months to a year, a reminder that many shoppers may be rotating the same favoured pairs long past their best.
The list mixes everyday essentials and speciality garments. Picks highlighted by YOU staff include the Stripe & Stare Original Knickers (Tencel), praised by features director Marianne Jones, who likened them to wearing a cloud for their coverage and lack of VPL. High-street and value options from M&S — including microfibre full briefs, pure cotton bikinis and the Rosie line of silk-and-lace styles — appear repeatedly among staff favourites for their fit, price and washability.
Comfort-first briefs from Uniqlo (Airism seamless thongs), Sloggi (Lenzing MicroModal hipsters) and Calvin Klein (Modern Logo bikinis) feature for being virtually invisible under clothing and for consistent performance in active and everyday wear. Sport and performance models such as Reebok’s Suki briefs and Underdays’ Workout thong are singled out by staff who prioritise sweat-wicking and chafe resistance for exercise.
Sustainability and ethical production also surface in the recommendations. Several editors favour items made from recycled fibres, organic cotton or Tencel — a biodegradable material — including Parade Re:Play boyshorts, Baserange bamboo lyocell bell pants, Organic Basics recycled nylon briefs and Pico’s organic-cotton low-rise bikinis made by a small cooperative in southern India.
The list spans luxury names as well. Designer and luxury picks include Lise Charmel, Agent Provocateur and Stella McCartney, each chosen for a combination of cut, fabric quality and flattering lines. Some staff singled out more expensive purchases as transformative for confidence or special-occasion dressing, even if they are not everyday options.
Prices cited in the story range from budget sets such as Primark’s lace bandeau thongs at about £5 for three, up to couture briefs costing several hundred pounds. The magazine’s approach stresses that value can mean different things to different shoppers — cost per wear and fit may matter more than headline price for some buyers.
YOU’s contributors provided short notes on why particular styles made their personal rotation. Several praised seamless or laser-cut edges for eliminating lines under trousers and dresses; others emphasised cotton or breathable gussets for everyday comfort. Repeated themes in the recommendations were durability through washing, avoidance of wedgies or riding-up, and a flattering waistband that sits comfortably over the hip bones.
The Daily Mail’s item includes a disclosure that journalists select and curate products featured on the site and that purchases made via on-site links may generate commission. The editorial package is presented as a consumer guide rather than a scientific study, reflecting the tastes and experiences of the magazine’s staff.
As the underwear market continues to mix innovation in fabrics with growing attention to sustainability, the YOU magazine list offers a snapshot of what a group of professional shoppers regard as the most dependable and comfortable styles for a range of needs. The publication’s message to readers is to prioritise fit and fabric, replace worn items when needed, and consider both budget and sustainability when replenishing their drawers.