The year was 2007, and the Solow Yoga Pant was on the rise. Every girl in my seventh grade class would sport them – along with neon Sugar Lips and Converse high-tops – and I wanted so desperately to join the movement.
And so, on the morning of my 13th birthday, I finally got what I wanted: a pair of navy blue Solows, carefully imprinted with a tie-dye design around the waste band. My teenage dream had come true. And yet –
And yet. As I rocked my brand-new, cool-girl pants to school that day, I noticed everyone staring. “Well of course they’re staring,” I thought as strutted down the hallway exactly like the contestants on America’s Next Top Model, “I look fabulous!”
But when I asked my friends why people were giving me the stink eye later that day, they quickly hustled me into the nearest girls’ room, pushed me in front of the mirror, spun me around, and viola: my underwear had bunched itself around the perimeter of my too-tight yoga pants, allowing everyone to get a perfect view of my panty line.
This is where my long-term and somewhat tumultuous relationship with the thong began.
Thongs are staples in any woman’s wardrobe. Wearing a bodycon dress to formals? Hanky Pankys will always have your – ehem – behind. Planning on wearing that new pair of form-fitting jeggings to class on Monday? Have no fear, Victoria’s Secret is here (rear? Okay, we get it).
But as of recent, critics have been skeptical of the lacy undergarment. OB/GYNs claim that while thongs are comfortable, sexy, and versatile, they can also put you at risk for bacterial infections and irritation. Many thongs are made of synthetic materials, increasing women’s chances of developing YIs and UTIs, especially after exercise and during their periods. And so, while thongs are great for yoga pants and maxi skirts alike, they aren’t always the best underwear for all situations.
Luckily for us underwear-lovers, there’s a newer, trendier undergarment on the market: the granny panty. Yes, the unforgiving panty that once haunted my teenage nightmares is making a comeback, and fast. With campaigns like #myCalvins and Instagram “belfies” (behind selfies), granny panties are undeniably the hottest, well, hot pant on the market this year. According to the New York Times, thong sales have decreased by seven percent in the past year, while more traditional underwear, boy shorts and briefs sales have increased by a whopping 17 percent.
The article also attributes modern granny panties to creating new alternatives for everyday undergarments. Gone are the days where women can only feel sexy and comfortable in one type of underwear, the thong. Now, lingerie brands are designing more full-coverage options for the active, sexy woman. The article points to up-and-coming designer Me and You, which rapidly sold out of its social media phenomenon granny panty-style “Feminist Underwear” this year.
Yes, the times where thongs were the only mode of undergarment have passed. I, like many women my age, have taken the plunge to diversify my underwear drawer, recently adding a pair of Victoria’s Secret boyfriend briefs to the mix. Of course, I’ll save them for the days I don’t wear yoga pants. I’ve long learned my lesson.