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This is probably TMI, but I’ve never been a fan of a thong.
I don’t care what anyone says; they’re just not comfortable. And don’t even get me started on G-strings.
But it seems to me that these days, it’s not just the fabric version of dental floss that appears to be designed to ride up where the sun doesn’t shine — I’m certain that all women’s underwear is getting smaller and flimsier.
And I’m not the only one feeling bitter about this.
A revolution of sorts has begun online, with thousands of women demanding the return of ‘proper’ knickers.
Uncomfy undies have caused such an issue that one woman became convinced her vagina had ‘changed shape’, when the truth was her underwear had been the problem all along.
What’s happening to our knickers?
The great knicker debate started when a social media user known as Jennifer took to the r/AskUK forum on Reddit to pose a serious question to women of the UK: What’s happening to knickers?
In her post, she explained that underwear at the likes of M&S was ‘driving her crazy’.
‘In recent years, I’ve noticed underwear no longer has proper elastic around the edges (not including the waistband). I cannot understand the logic here. Is it cheaper?
‘Because the elastic was there for a reason, now my knickers are just moving around left, right and centre,’ she writes.
‘Even the ones that look like they have elastic in have no elasticity on the edges.’
Thousands have upvoted and commented on the post, with many quick to bring their own underwear gripes to light. And the most common was to do with the gusset, or rather the lack thereof…
Redditor u/Kim_Catiko replied, saying: ‘I have also noticed that the undercarriage bit (the bit that has a cotton lining) seems to not even sit under my f*nny.
‘It goes up my a*se, which then means my discharge goes through the thinner part of the knickers rather than catching on the cotton lining. It also means pads sit weird, too. It is so f**king annoying.’
And u/MrsCosmopilite agreed, writing: ‘Yes! The gusset has started to be about two inches further back than it should be.’
While u/tiny-brit commented: ‘I’ve been noticing this for a while, and it seems to go hand-in-hand with underwear now often being designed ridiculously high-waisted, and/or the gusset area being weirdly long and narrow.
‘I personally just want an appropriate amount of coverage of the important areas, without my underwear having to be adjusted every time I move.’
Several women on the thread were thrilled the topic was being brought to light and admitted they’d come across the issue so many times they’d convinced themselves something had to be wrong with the shape or size of their vagina.
‘I thought my flaps were getting bigger or something. Amazing how much we’ll gaslight ourselves about our bodies when something changes,’ u/AtLeastOneCat confessed.
This comes as new research by underwear brand Stripe & Stare found that 44% of women want to ‘retire’ thongs in 2026, opting instead for full briefs and ‘granny pants’, as comfort is key.
‘Gussets have truly evolved’
The consensus was that underwear had changed drastically over the last few years, but is this actually the case?
Michael Thomson, the CEO and founder of lingerie and swimwear retailer, Pour Moi, has confirmed we’re not imagining things — gussets are shrinking.
‘Women’s underwear and gussets have truly evolved and changed over the years, to adapt to evolving clothing trends and advances in new technologies,’ he tells Metro.
He credits the ‘surge’ in a need for smaller gussets to women wearing more leggings and athleisure wear, post-lockdown. This, he says, has triggered a requirement for shops to stock more seamless briefs, with no VPL, to be worn under tight-fitting gym clothing.
M&S has been doing just this, and it’s paid off for them. The retailer, which sells around 60 million pairs of knickers annually, has seen sales of its High Waist Thong soaring by over 160% this year, versus last year, again likely due to the trend towards wearing leggings a gym gear day-to-day.
Charlotte Davies, director of M&S lingerie, says that customers have had an appetite for ‘invisible’ underwear of late, but they still want it to have a little spice.
‘What’s particularly exciting is the growth in cheekier, more sculpted shapes. The High Waist Thong and High Waist High-Leg are leading the way,’ she says.
‘These silhouettes are redefining everyday lingerie, offering flattering fits that are comfortable and invisible under clothes, featuring innovative no VPL, with 360 degree stretch for all day comfort.
‘It’s proof women are looking for lingerie that balances both style and practicality in equal measure.’
Less elastic doesn’t mean more wedgies
To create that seamless look, designers are getting rid of traditional cotton and woven elastic, which is what often causes a visible panty line. Instead, brands are using elastane to create stretch, which is more commonly known as Lycra or Spandex.
But the issue with elastane is that over time, it can lose its shape and elasticity. This is especially the case if it’s regularly exposed to heat, such as in the washing machine or tumble dryer, which explains why, gradually, your underwear might start to move around and become uncomfortable.
Despite this, Katie Lopes, the founder of Stripe & Stare, claims that less elastic in our knickers isn’t actually a bad thing.
‘I spent six years making small production runs and selling to thousands of women, and the very first thing I did was remove any heavy elastic seams, replacing them with lace and a flat-lock stitch.’
Katie explains that this is because ‘heavy elastic is actually what causes wedgies’, so instead they use TENCEL, a natural cellulose fibre she says is ‘more moisture-wicking and antibacterial’ than cotton or bamboo.
Knickers are getting smarter, not smaller
Some brands are also taking this one step further, with WUKA creating the world’s first multi-size period pants. These are made entirely from an ‘innovative stretch technology’ to fit bodies across different sizes.
‘It’s not so much that knickers are getting smaller, they’re getting smarter,’ says WUKA founder and CEO, Ruby Raut. ‘Fabrics today are engineered to stretch, flex and adapt. We moved from offering 11 individual sizes to just three multi-size options that still cover the same range.’
Offering multi-sizes has reportedly helped WUKA customers find a better fit, which hopefully means they’re more comfortable too.
Ruby adds: ‘Fit and fabric have become top concerns, but since launching our multi-size range, we’ve seen our return rate drop from 6% to 3%.
‘In fact, our multi-size underwear now makes up 60% of our total underwear sales – that says a lot.’
Which type of underwear do you prefer?
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Full briefs
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Thongs
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Seamless with no VPL
And these aren’t the only underwear changes you can expect to see in shops these days, as the types of fabric being used are also evolving.
At M&S, Charlotte claims delicate lace knickers are out, and microfibre briefs are in, which is a much more ‘lightweight’ fabric.
Shoppers are also said to be looking for ‘pops of colour’ to bring energy to the everyday knicker drawer, so expect to see more bold shades on the horizon.
Personally, though, I’d still prefer a pair of proper knickers over a hot pink stringy thing any day…
This article was first published on November 27, 2025.
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