Underwear: how to choose the right underwear

When it comes to doing matches with the perfect underwear, the road can be long: there are times when we buy more than one, because we are not convinced of the sizes; On other occasions, we look for specific designs or materials that go ad hoc with our needs. Just as some of the panties in your drawer become your gifts, there is also the corner left behind with those who never entered or who are very uncomfortable.

The problem, everyone knows, is that underwear cannot be tried on. There’s no way to know for certain, unless it’s an already known brand or model, whether it will fit us well or badly just by looking at it. Will it be too tight? Will it be too loose?

Buying new pants therefore often resembles a bet, a game of chance where there are as many chances of winning the prize as staying forever with a garment that you will never wear again.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. We spoke with three lingerie experts about the best decisions to make when buying panties and how to get the right one, even if purchased online.

Cinthya Toro is a creator of on time , an iconic company that has been manufacturing and marketing underwear since 1982. It suggests that buying panties should always be done in person, since touch is key to choosing the one that suits us best. “You have to check that the waist and leg elastics are soft and not hard: a bad decision in this regard can affect not only the comfort but also the aesthetics of your outdoor wardrobe”, analyzes T- he.

“It’s always good to carefully check the material of the clothes and their details, because some elastics can be too tight and cause discomfort, such as marks on the skin or discomfort”, adds Melissa Arce, founder of Meliva a brand that has been in the industry for over five years and is characterized by a wide range of sizes.

The softness of the fabric is also essential: if from the first contact they feel a little rough or rough, it means that these pants will bring you more problems than peace of mind when using them. Although their price is enticing, it is better to pass them up.

Polette Auger is one of the owners of Angela Hincapie Chile , a brand present in the country for eight years. His best trick for shopping for pants in the store is: “Measure the pant size with your forearm, from cuff to elbow,” he says. If the garment and the arm measure approximately the same, it will most likely fit you well. On the contrary, if it is too short or too long then you are not on the right track.

“The most important thing is always to see the material of the garment well,” explains Arce, creator of Meliva. Check its softness, thickness and above all its elasticity, which is the first thing that usually fails. “If the purchase is in person, I recommend stretching the garment horizontally but also vertically; in this way you can check its level of elasticity and the seams which are resistant in the case of lace”, specifies t -he.

When shopping online, there is little you can do other than trust the information provided. “It’s always best to be guided by the measurement chart rather than the garment measurement, as the pants may have different cuts which will make the fit look different,” Arce adds. The greater the quantity of the product delivered, the more reliable it will be. Especially when it comes to the materials with which it is made.

Cotton is the most recommended, because thanks to its natural properties, it regulates humidity better, produces fewer allergies and prevents vaginal infections.

To buy online and have the right size, you have to review the size charts of each site, and check that it corresponds to what you are looking for. Unfortunately, there is no size standard and each brand has its differences. In fact, last year Sernac published a study where the disparity and the little information that exists in the industry on this subject has been demonstrated. The organization, analyzing the main clothing stores in the country, detected that for the same size of jeans, the difference in waist circumference can reach up to 24%.

The study also concluded that 60% of these companies do not follow a basic equivalence table that allows different sizes to be compared, which represents a great obstacle when purchasing a product. Especially underwear, which due to hygiene policies people can’t try on, and stores usually don’t allow them to be returned. This is how a pile of panties that never fit you end up at the bottom of the drawer.

In any case, more and more online stores have a size chart for clothes. You should always review them and, after measuring yourself, check which size best fits your body.

“The most accurate way to measure yourself, to get your size accurately, is to do it with a tape measure on the part of the hip that you consider to have the most volume, without squeezing it,” Arce suggests. It is not always easy to measure yourself: “the ribbon must be straight to form the circumference, but it is easy to unroll. If you’re not sure if you’re measuring yourself correctly, it’s always a good idea to ask for help and get measured,” she points out.

We’ve already told you before: there are panties for all tastes and they come down to this type of design.

• Glues or string : the smallest (and most famous) panties. “The front part is a triangle of fabric and the back is smaller. Ideal for tight clothing, such as body or dresses, they’re great for hips that look like a boxy shape,” says Toro.
• Bikinis : It’s a hybrid between the standard panties and the thong. “They are generally thin on the sides, but with good back coverage. Being low rise, it will go great with your favorite jeans, always staying in place,” the designer shares.
• cheeky : They are larger and cover part of the back and sides. “Because it’s so much roomier than a bikini and a thong, they help show off curves. They have the advantage of having greater freedom of movement, without neglecting sensuality,” he comments. -he.
• cheeky : covers half of the buttocks and is cut at the hips. “They help the buttocks look rounder. They work best for women with a heart-shaped or inverted-V buttock,” she says.
• maxi briefs : It is a high shorts. “They cover a lot. It contains the abdomen and lower back, and from behind it covers almost the entire buttock,” he explains.

Fortunately, we are in an era where there are sizes, designs and models for all tastes, as well as different materials. Still, there are always some styles that outsell others. At Meliva, the ones that are all the rage are the high-waisted panties, which reach up to the navel. “They tend to be more comfortable for everyday use. There’s cotton with lace details or all-over lace,” he says.

At Ángela Hincapié, the best-seller is the Octavia, “panties that do not mark, in lace, wide, flexible and very comfortable”, describes Auger. Others that sell as well are the Augusta—smaller and sexier—or the Alicia panties, “seamless, very comfortable and full of lace”.

From Intime they indicate that the underwear that Chilean women prefer by far are the elastic cotton panties. “All of our fits cover the needs that everyone is looking for, we use flat and soft elastic so that the experience of using it is unparalleled,” adds Toro.

*Prices for products in this item are updated as of February 22, 2023. Values ​​and availability may change.