Help me buy underwear (post-baby body edition)
June 23, 2014 4:51 PM Subscribe
I need underpants that fit my post-baby hips, thighs, and belly flop and do not ride up. Tell me what to buy, Metafilter!
I have a curious habit of falling in love with underwear styles that are almost immediately discontinued. My favorite-ever underwear were these, which I hoarded after they were disappeared from all stores and wore until the waistbands were all unraveling. I've since had a baby and I need new panties.
I gained about fifty pounds during the pregnancy; I'm only about ten pounds over where I started, but a significantly different shape. My butt and thighs seem smaller, but I have a pretty poochy belly (like so). My post-partum pants fit and then rapidly slide down beneath the flop, and my old size 7 underwear keeps falling down, too. I currently have a 43" hip and my natural waist is 36", but, you know, it's all pretty floppy.
My biggest concern with underpants is no wedgies (and good god, please, no thongs, and no seams across the crotch either, thanks). My second is that it all looks pretty seamless under clothes. I've always preferred low-cut styles (because I mostly wear low-cut pants) but I'm starting to wonder if some kind of high-cut panties are called for now to suck it all in. I loved that the hanes prevented chub rub--I had pretty thunderous thighs even when I weighed next to nothing in high school--and I've tried to wear men's boxer briefs to replicate that, but they fit weird all over--the waistband cuts across my belly, and they're always saggy baggy in the front. I remember that I liked microfiber panties years ago (mostly low cut bikini briefs) but have worn cotton since.
So help me find underpants, metafilter. I want to hear your favorite styles for post-baby bellyfloppy bliss.
I have a curious habit of falling in love with underwear styles that are almost immediately discontinued. My favorite-ever underwear were these, which I hoarded after they were disappeared from all stores and wore until the waistbands were all unraveling. I've since had a baby and I need new panties.
I gained about fifty pounds during the pregnancy; I'm only about ten pounds over where I started, but a significantly different shape. My butt and thighs seem smaller, but I have a pretty poochy belly (like so). My post-partum pants fit and then rapidly slide down beneath the flop, and my old size 7 underwear keeps falling down, too. I currently have a 43" hip and my natural waist is 36", but, you know, it's all pretty floppy.
My biggest concern with underpants is no wedgies (and good god, please, no thongs, and no seams across the crotch either, thanks). My second is that it all looks pretty seamless under clothes. I've always preferred low-cut styles (because I mostly wear low-cut pants) but I'm starting to wonder if some kind of high-cut panties are called for now to suck it all in. I loved that the hanes prevented chub rub--I had pretty thunderous thighs even when I weighed next to nothing in high school--and I've tried to wear men's boxer briefs to replicate that, but they fit weird all over--the waistband cuts across my belly, and they're always saggy baggy in the front. I remember that I liked microfiber panties years ago (mostly low cut bikini briefs) but have worn cotton since.
So help me find underpants, metafilter. I want to hear your favorite styles for post-baby bellyfloppy bliss.
Hanes still has this women's boxer brief.
Anther search term is probably "Boy Short". Here's a sport boyshort.
I honestly have luck going to any department store and searching the sale racks. Then if you buy something you don't like, it's usually not much money.
posted by Crystalinne at 5:25 PM on June 23, 2014
Anther search term is probably "Boy Short". Here's a sport boyshort.
I honestly have luck going to any department store and searching the sale racks. Then if you buy something you don't like, it's usually not much money.
posted by Crystalinne at 5:25 PM on June 23, 2014
I LOVE the Champion booty shorts from Target. You'll find them in the activewear department, not the lingerie department.
I also love the mula bandhawear from lululemon when I want something facier and/or bikinis instead of boyshorts. No ride, no VPL.
I have also really loved these Patagonia hipsters. You *might* get a pantyline with these, but check out how wide that waistband is...
posted by Brittanie at 5:28 PM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
I also love the mula bandhawear from lululemon when I want something facier and/or bikinis instead of boyshorts. No ride, no VPL.
I have also really loved these Patagonia hipsters. You *might* get a pantyline with these, but check out how wide that waistband is...
posted by Brittanie at 5:28 PM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I've been wearing the Hanes boxer briefs crystalinne linked to since my baby was born about a year ago. I initially got them bc they were high enough to cover, but not have the waistband touch, my c-section scar, but they were really comfy and I kept wearing them. They've been good for no wedgies, at least until recently when I needed to go up a size bc of second pregnancy weight gain. The larger size seems to have fixed the problem though.
posted by pennypiper at 5:32 PM on June 23, 2014
posted by pennypiper at 5:32 PM on June 23, 2014
I don't even have kids, but I remember Maggie at Mightygirl doing a post on this very issue. Good luck!
posted by maryrussell at 5:35 PM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by maryrussell at 5:35 PM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
Your post-baby body is pretty similar to my never-baby body (as in, bigger belly, less butt), and I love love love my shimera boyshorts. Oh the love. They do not require adjusting. They are comfy as can be. They feel secure yet do not pinch (and the darker colors tend to feel a bit more substantial). They are not "low rise" but they also are not high. They do not wedgie, nor do they fall down. They are the win of seamless boyshorts for belly-ful, buttless ladies, and I highly recommend them.
posted by amelioration at 5:48 PM on June 23, 2014
posted by amelioration at 5:48 PM on June 23, 2014
Jockey skimmies- short length. Otherwise I like the Gillian Omalley- but don't get the ones with lace as they ride up.
posted by sulaine at 5:50 PM on June 23, 2014
posted by sulaine at 5:50 PM on June 23, 2014
I like a different Jockey product - the modern micro boyshort. I need to size up in these to keep them from sliding down/riding too low (I don't like low-rise anything).
posted by tealcake at 5:59 PM on June 23, 2014
posted by tealcake at 5:59 PM on June 23, 2014
You look awesome.
I just test drove a bunch of high end underpants options because I was tired of everything. Of them, these were my absolute very favorite. Lovely and so comfortable I forgot I was wearing them.
posted by Pardon Our Dust at 6:19 PM on June 23, 2014
I just test drove a bunch of high end underpants options because I was tired of everything. Of them, these were my absolute very favorite. Lovely and so comfortable I forgot I was wearing them.
posted by Pardon Our Dust at 6:19 PM on June 23, 2014
Response by poster: Hanes still has this women's boxer brief.
Not at all the same! The old authentic core boxer briefs were made of super thick cotton and the butt had two seams across either butt cheek, just like men's boxer briefs. They were 100% wedgie proof and truly a thing of beauty. The new "boxer briefs" are a much flimsier material, with a seam right where your butt crack goes. They're comparatively terrible. Generally, I like the idea of boyshorts but almost all of them slip right up into my crack. As I suspect they're supposed to, based on pictures like that rear view shot of the pair on amazon crystalinne linked to.
Keep the suggestions coming, though! There are some awesome looking options here.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 7:26 PM on June 23, 2014
Not at all the same! The old authentic core boxer briefs were made of super thick cotton and the butt had two seams across either butt cheek, just like men's boxer briefs. They were 100% wedgie proof and truly a thing of beauty. The new "boxer briefs" are a much flimsier material, with a seam right where your butt crack goes. They're comparatively terrible. Generally, I like the idea of boyshorts but almost all of them slip right up into my crack. As I suspect they're supposed to, based on pictures like that rear view shot of the pair on amazon crystalinne linked to.
Keep the suggestions coming, though! There are some awesome looking options here.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 7:26 PM on June 23, 2014
I am also horribly disappointed that Hanes cancelled the best underwear EVER. I've been searching for a replacement as well, and have found that their cheaper, thinner boyshorts are not really that good, but will do for a while. They don't have the seams, so they ride up my butt a little bit, but after wearing them for a while, they've stretched out a little and are more comfortable now. Still, I anticipate they will have a very short shelf life and will soon be sad and floppy.
posted by ohisee at 8:03 PM on June 23, 2014
posted by ohisee at 8:03 PM on June 23, 2014
May I piggyback on this question? I'm noticing most of the suggested items are made out of microfiber. I thought one was supposed to wear only cotton underwear. Am I showing my age? Is microfiber okay?
posted by The corpse in the library at 8:04 PM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by The corpse in the library at 8:04 PM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
I'm pregnant and my rear has grown - no panties I own fit right. I found this brand at Wal-mart on a whim and for $3 it was worth a shot. I tried the bikinis but am pasting the link for all cuts. I've never been more happy about underwear before! The best fitting underwear
posted by JacksonandFinch at 8:17 PM on June 23, 2014
posted by JacksonandFinch at 8:17 PM on June 23, 2014
Nthing Patagonia, though I prefer the briefs, which aren't too high waisted. I won't wear anything else. Also they last forever.
posted by charmcityblues at 9:10 PM on June 23, 2014
posted by charmcityblues at 9:10 PM on June 23, 2014
i don't know if you're plus size or not, but the ulla popken short panties are pretty decent (though PRICEY). i wear them on days i need to avoid chub rub. their smallest size is a 12.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 10:12 PM on June 23, 2014
posted by misanthropicsarah at 10:12 PM on June 23, 2014
I have the same problem with most boyshorts- but the Jockey skimmies are longer than most boy shorts. They are really amazing- definitely are not going to ride up (on me at least).
posted by sulaine at 7:40 PM on June 24, 2014
posted by sulaine at 7:40 PM on June 24, 2014
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Get 'em when they have 3 for $30 or a deal like that. More spendy than Fruit of the Loom, but they absolutely ROCK!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 5:05 PM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]