The hunt for the perfect pair of plus size underwear is well under way, and I am starting off on a high note with a few solid options. I have bought (and tossed) a lot of underwear over the past two years, but my most recent finds became immediate favorites.
I have hated all underwear for years. Either it was terrible quality, fell apart after two washes, but fit OR it cut in, didn’t breathe, got discontinued, or didn’t feel comfortable. It is so hard to not be able to try underwear on before purchasing and also not be able to return it. So much money down the drain.
I’ve come to the conclusion that there is no perfect underwear for all occasions. Cut preference, clothing, budget, and body type are all going to factor into what YOUR favorite underwear is. This roundup is far from inclusive of every panty option out there. If you don’t know where to start, this is it!
Before you keep reading, I feel like knowing a bit about what I personally look for in plus-size underwear will really help to know if my suggestions might work for you.
My Plus-Size Underwear Preferences
- Front Coverage – As a woman who has had two kids and rocks a B-shaped belly, lots of plus-size underwear options left me with spillage on the sides. I don’t want to worry about my FUPA hanging out of my panties, ya dig?
- Breathable – Three cheers for 100% cotton underwear! But sometimes you need seamless, which is almost always made from synthetic fabrics. This is totally fine, as long as things aren’t getting too moist.
- High Quality – I refuse to give on this point. It generally means that I’m paying double premium (fat tax, plus good quality) but nothing bothers me more than spending my money on something only for it to fall apart after a few wears. Since underwear needs to be washed after every wear (obvi), it is more prone to wear and tear.
- No Rolling – I need to be able to wear a skirt with nothing else holding up that pair of underwear and not worry about it slipping down, rolling under my belly, or needing to be readjusted.
One other note on sizing… I am almost always a 24/3X across the board at this point. But with underwear (and swim), I usually size up one. Tight underwear does not look good under clothing! For the purpose of this post, everything I am referencing is “my normal underwear size” aka a 4X.
My Favorite Plus-Size Underwear
Skims
Cotton Jersey Boy Short
I really didn’t think I would love skims. I had tried a few pairs in the past (a different fabric and style) and was so unimpressed. But this particular pair is one of my favorite to wear every day! Lots of stretch, so comfortable, plenty of coverage, and has washed really well. I also really like the Fits Everybody Boy Short, but it comes in second after the cotton! I also liked the Ribbed Cotton Boy Short, but note that the waistband is a little snug.
EBY
High Waisted Seamless Brief
This one really surprised me. Another brand I had tried in the past that at some point redid their fit and did it well! This is far and away my favorite seamless option. They stay put, don’t make my ass sweat, and have great coverage all around. They are “stay put” but don’t have the traditional silicone edging(hate). Instead, it is a soft, velvety texture that keeps them perfectly in place.
EBY
High Waisted Seamless Thong
If you have an apron belly, you know the struggle to find a thong with the proper amount of front coverage is almost impossible. I LOVE THIS ONE. It is soooo comfortable, the material is really soft, and it has tons of stretch. It is thin and breathable with the same stay put lining that the brief above has. Highly recommend if you are looking for a great, high waisted thong.
Old Navy
High Waisted Supima Cotton Bikini
Just have to say I was SO happy with the variety that Old Navy brought with their new launch of underwear. So many different colors options for many skin tones, making it pretty simple to find a good “nude”. I tried almost every cut they offered and quite a few of the fabrics, because they are super affordable and accessible. I needed to give you my favorites! Along with the High Waisted Supima Cotton Bikini, I really loved the Soft Knit No Show Brief and the Multi Pack options! I will say these run generous and you can probably size down.
Girlfriend
Cocoon High-Rise Brief
I LOVE these undies. They are super comfy, so stretchy, and I really appreciate the moisture wicking fabric. It still breathes, but also keeps things dry. They are my favorite for wearing with leggings. The High Rise Thong was my second favorite thong I tried!
Honorable Mentions…
Amazon
High Waisted Cotton Brief
If you are on a budget, these high-waisted cotton briefs are the best I found. I will say, they run small. I bought my usual underwear size and kind of wish I had sized up again. They have a lot of stretch, are comfy around the legs, and are five pairs for $35. Hard to beat that!
I really wanted to love Arq undies, because they came SO highly recommended. While I love a full coverage, high waisted pair of underwear, these were just a little TOO much. They would be amazing for pregnancy ( I would have bought so many!). While they are very comfortable, I would recommend sizing down one.
Girlfriend Collection does a really good fit! I really like it. But I just felt like things were not breathing down there and it was probably the last pair that I wanted to wear.
The Not So Good…
I wanted to share a few brands out there claim plus sizes or inclusivity but just don’t hit for me. I debated publishing this section, but I wanted to share my own two cents on these popular brands that I don’t think are doing what they say they are.
Parade… Come on! You have to do better. I tried their largest size, 3X, in a bra, pantie, top, and jogger. All of them were way too small. Not even slightly wearable, let alone comfortable.
MeUndies. I get what they are doing, but their 4X fits like a 3X, their prints are hideous, and they don’t offer nude in a variety of shades. Come on now.
Auden. I know, you’re shocked. But Auden was NOT it for me. I think they run super small, they aren’t breathable at all, and again. Why aren’t we offering nudes in all sizes? We don’t want blush pink underwear. It needs to be sexy, nude, or black, please and thank you!
Hanky Panky. I knew buying these would be a crapshoot. A “one size fits most” plus-size option was destined to fail. I was correct!
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Wow, I loved this article! It’s so refreshing to see someone talk openly about plus-size underwear and the importance of feeling comfortable in our own skin. Maddy, your personal experiences really resonate with me. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much for this! I was on the hunt at the same time you were I think. I want a full coverage brief — so that my front and back are covered and comfortable. It was a much more difficult task than I imagined. I bought the boy shorts from Skims and comfort briefs from the Vermont Country Store. LOL. My search didn’t turn up the Arq briefs though so that’s a new one for me! Hooray! How was the coverage around the leg?? If it is good, I will have to try them.
Thank you! I need to know your Lane Bryant reviews. That’s where I bought mine from for years, but I feel like they are getting really cheap. I’ve stabbed my finger through a few pairs just pulling them up 😅
Thank you for taking the time to put this together!! I ordered a pair of the Eby seamless high waisted to give them a try!!
Yay! Please let me know what you think.
What underwear is in the photo for this? On top of the jeans?
The skims ribbed cotton boy shorts! They are linked in the first underwear section.
you know it’s hard as a plus size woman to find good, comfortable, breathable, full coverage underware. You can easily find reviews for any type clothing but no one ever wants to talk underware. Thank you for your insight and all the reviews you did. It truly helps when it comes to spending that kind of money knowing it may fit, it might be comfortable or the dreaded total garbage and waste of good hard earned money, that most of us just don’t have to throw out the window these days. You truly helped me on making the best informed decisions on what would be best for me. 4 months ago I spend well over 100.00 for Lane Bryant underware and let me just say….I have 0 pairs of them today. Cheaply made, unraveling from legs, or the bands just simply fell off after a few washings which was so disappointing. Wasted money because everyone knows…you can’t take them back! If you could I bet they would have a few wear houses full of just returns on panties!
again thank you so much for the insightful review, I can’t wait to see what topic you have planned next! God Bless!