Courtney Pochin
Published November 27, 2025 7:00am
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Women just want ‘proper’ knickers (Picture: Getty Images)
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 don’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.
I’ve never been a fan of tiny underwear (Picture: Getty Images)
What’s happening to our knickers?
It all 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 there of…
Are gussets getting smaller? (Picture: Getty Images)
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.
‘Gussets have truly evolved’
The general 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 changing female body shapes and advances in new technologies,’ he tells Metro.
‘After a change in body measurement standards, more wider hips and smaller waists have allowed for the shape of briefs to change.’
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.
There’s less traditional elastic in underwear today and it’s all had to get more seamless (Picture: Getty Images)
Charlotte Davies, director of M&S lingerie says that customers havehad 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.
‘Its proof women are looking for lingerie that balances both style and practicality in equal measure.’
The high waisted thongs are leading the way at M&S (Picture: Marks & Spencer)
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 underwear brand, Stripe & Stare, claims 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.
@wukawearWhy is WUKA teen range multi size 💚 #periodtok #menstrualhealth #menstrual #periodproof #periodpants #period
♬ original sound – WUKAWEAR
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 comfort 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.’
Comment now Do you prefer traditional knickers or modern seamless designs? Share your opinion!Comment NowAnd 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.
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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 draw, 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…
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