‘I hate my tummy being constricted’: stylish women on their most comfortable pair of underwear
There are a few small things that can make an otherwise normal day feel luxurious: good coffee, fresh flowers, a morning swim and beautiful, comfortable underwear. All of them make the day feel softer and lighter but access to each can pose its own issues. Arguably, getting your underwear wrong has the most annoying consequences.
Buying the right underwear can be a minefield. Pairs that seem like they will be comfortable all day can cut in along the waist or hips after a few hours of wear, or move in the wrong directions when worn with certain garments.
“The amount of times I’ve tried to wear pairs that just don’t fit right or are super uncomfortable and then spend the rest of the day regretting it is abysmal,” says podcaster and writer Maggie Zhou.
Here, three stylish women share their favourite, comfortable, go-to underwear.
‘I want to be as comfy as possible’
Fashion Journal editor Cait Emma Burke’s favourite pair of underwear is the mesh high waist brief from the Australian underwear label Nala. “I hate the feeling of my tummy – the biggest part of my body – being constricted by a low or mid-rise pair of underwear,” she says. “It just feels comfier for me to wear high waist and I want to be as comfy as possible.”
Nala uses a mesh that is 82% recycled nylon, andclothing production offcuts that would otherwise end up in landfill. The fabric feels breathable, and the underwear has a cotton gusset – extremely important, according to Burke.
After years making “many” underwear mistakes, like prioritising aesthetics over comfort, Burke has learned to choose the right cuts for her body, in high quality fabrics. “I was always having to re-adjust poorer-quality underwear,” she says. “There’s nothing quite like picking a G-string that feels like a piece of floss out of your arse, multiple times a day!”
Now, when she wants a more cheeky cut, closer to a traditional G-string, but with the comfort of a high waisted style, she wears Le Buns’ organic cotton high cut brief.
Related: ‘Fresh and considered’: fashion label Haulier wins Australian designer award
‘An everyday staple’
For day-to-day underwear, cook and author Julia Busuttil Nishimura turns to natural materials such as organic cotton. “My favourite would be the Tani full cut organic cotton brief from Le Buns,” she says. “They are really comfortable and an everyday staple.”
Since she likes to feel held in, she chooses high-waisted, seamless styles made from fabric that is breathable but also feels firm. She tends to choose neutral colours and tones such as beige, grey or black, but she says: “If I’m looking for beautiful pieces or something more embellished, I like Lonely, La Perla and Simone Perele.”
‘The fabric is super soft and lightweight’
Maggie Zhou likes variety in her underwear drawer. “I’m drawn to different pairs for different reasons,” she says. “I’ve got these puffy white bloomers which are very cute, these embroidered silk-like ones which are girly, and old faithfuls I turn to when I need something comfy.”
Having a mix of colours is also important. “I have a variety of black, white, brown and the odd green or purple pair,” she says.
When she wants to be comfortable she reaches for pairs made from cotton or bamboo and lyocell (both types of viscose rayon derived from wood) by brands like Boody and Hara. She prefers their cuts and likes them because they’re more breathable and they biodegrade.
When she’s wearing figure-hugging dresses Zhou turns to Boody’s ribbed high leg brief. “The fabric is super soft and lightweight, making it feel pretty seam free.” And when she’s after something pretty she goes to Hopeless Lingerie. “I love the aesthetic and ethos,” she says. “Their pieces are all made-to-order in Melbourne and they tread the fine line between feminine and romantic, and dark and edgy.”
