Women's Technical underwear

The first choice of the day

Underwear is the first thing you put on in the morning and the last thing you want to think about for the rest of the day. That is why buying it online can't be guesswork. Two years ago we asked women what they wanted, then spent a long time at the drawing table. New styles are built on 3D patterns. The old ones we measured, one by one, so the size tables now describe people, not letters.

It's Only Underwear. Until it isn't.

This is what we heard

Guessing the right size is hard when one brand puts me in an S, another in an M, sometimes an L.

Woman, 35, M

They would absolutely be high-waisted, possibly a string, with a waistband firm and wide enough to stay put and support, and still be hot.

Woman, 28, XL

It would be lovely to concentrate on the riding instead of the stinging.

Woman, 60, XL

Boxers roll up inside riding breeches, and some materials even cause chafing.

Woman, 54, L

At the gym and especially in the saddle, it feels like I could keep picking my underwear back into place the whole time.

Woman, 31, M

They wouldn't press or pinch even in the strangest yoga-like positions.

Woman, 25, S

It's embarrassing to pick your underwear back into place in front of a customer.

Woman, 41, M

In summer my thighs rub together and I get painful chafing, and I don't always want to put cream on it.

Woman, 37, S

Those wannabe legs are usually just a couple of centimetres, so they don't stay on the inner thigh but bunch up in the groin.

Woman, 59, L

Legs long enough for summer, so my thighs don't chafe under a dress.

Woman, 62, XL

I understand why people wear strings. I'd like the same result without the chafing cord between the buttocks.

Woman, 51, M

The waistband would be firm and wide enough to stay put and support, and still be hot.

Woman, 28, XL

When your hip-to-waist ratio fits the men's range better than the women's, the options are almost always a waistband that digs in or a bottom that sags.

Woman, 38, L

Something might fit well at first, but almost every time there's something: it presses, chafes, falls down, twists, slips, rides up in the wrong place.

Woman, 40, M

I don't dare buy expensive ones, because you can't try them on in a shop and the misses would get far too expensive.

Woman, 43, M

In 2024, together with Sanoma Media Finland, we asked women why good underwear is so hard to find. 2,380 answered, and the answers settled one thing: what fits one woman does not fit the next. A narrow hip and a firm thigh call for a different cut than a wide hip and a fuller thigh, and no single pair serves both. Nobody's body is the problem; the pattern is. That is why every number on this page is a body measurement, and why each style says who it is for. (Sanoma Media Finland and the other danish guy, reader survey, 2024, n = 2,380. Quotes translated from Finnish.)

Read the article (in Finnish)

BY NEED

We wanted to know what kind of underwear women need, and whether that is what they want to buy. Different needs call for different answers. Each need below has a structural answer. The last line names which of our styles comes closest, and the table under each style tells you whether it is for you.

Form follows function

NO ADJUSTING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE

Underwear you forget at work.

"It's embarrassing to pick your underwear back into place in front of a customer." What answers it is fewer seams and flatter ones: a flat waist, a short firm leg.

Bouncy Boxer Brief See the style

Undies that keep up

Works best for those who work out

Yoga, pilates, skiing, and running—every activity demands underwear that can keep up. Essential features: a wide enough waistband and a technical, moisture-wicking fabric.

High String See the style

STAYS PUT IN HARD TRAINING

A band that holds

"Stays on 100 %, whatever I'm doing: running, squatting, a riding lesson." What answers it is a wide, firm waistband and either a leg that grips a firm thigh or no leg to move at all.

Boxer Short W See the style

Strings are too extreme

Invisible and comfortable

A woman in her fifties said: I understand why people wear strings. I'd like the same result without the chafing cord between the buttocks.

Cheeky Hiighwaist Thong See the style

THIGHS THAT RUB.

Fabric between them, long enough to stay.

"In summer my thighs rub together and I get painful chafing." What answers it is a leg that ends below the widest point of the thigh; a leg that ends on it rides up.

Discovery Lightweight Boxer See the style

A long day in the saddle

No seam where you sit, no leg that climbs.

"It would be lovely to concentrate on the riding instead of the stinging," What answers it is a flat waist, a seam-free seat and a leg that either grips or is not there.

Boxer Short W See the style

3D Engineered, Refined by You

No More Size Lotteries: 3D Patterning & Real Body Measurements

Two years ago, we began transitioning from traditional pattern making entirely to 3D pattern engineering, and you can see that reflected on this page. Some styles were patterned the old way, and some the new way.

It can be confusing, but to make sure buying online doesn't feel like entering a giant lottery, we have measured every single garment and created a dedicated chart for each style, where the numbers match real body measurements.

Many people assume that if they wear a certain size in one style, they’ll wear that same size in all of them. The purpose of these style-specific charts is to help you pick the product most likely to fit you.

Still, a chart is just a chart. The rest we learn from you. If a leg rides up, a waistband digs in, or a cup runs small, we’d love for you to share that with us: tell us your measurements and a bit about your body shape. Suggestions for improvement like these are warmly rewarded—and beyond that, your feedback helps every woman who faces the same challenges you do.

The main advantage of 3D pattern engineering is that we can adjust the pattern for a single size within a style, whereas previously a change to one size had to be carried through to all sizes. Your feedback doesn’t just improve your own underwear comfort—it elevates the fit for every woman built like you.

How to choose your size

A letter tells you nothing.

One respondent put it this way: 2XL can mean anything between a 44 and a 56. So this page does not ask what size you usually wear. Every number in the tables below is a body measurement, not a garment measurement. All you need to do is take two measurements in centimetres and compare your numbers with ours. A tape measure and two minutes are enough. If waist and hips point to different sizes, hips decide. Underwear sits on the hips and thighs; the waistband stretches. If you land between two sizes, each style says which way to go. Those instructions came from the women who tested the styles, not from us.

Waist. Measure around the narrowest part of your waist. Tape against the skin, not tight. Don't breathe in.

Hips. Measure around the widest part of your hips and bottom. Feet together.

Low waist. In two styles the waistband sits below the navel. For those, measure three centimetres below the navel. It is a different number from your narrowest waist.

Bust and underbust. Bust over the fullest part, 2.5 centimetres below the armpit. Underbust directly under the bust.

Size tables

Find your size, style by style.

All measurements are body measurements in centimetres. If two rows point to different sizes, hips decide; for tops, the bust. Sizes are not the same from one style to the next, so choose from each style's own table.

Bouncy Boxer Brief

A short-legged boxer brief with a low waist, cut on the new 3D pattern. Made with Smoothshell Light fabric. The waistband is wide and stretches over a long range, so the hips choose the size almost on their own. Reviewers wear it under training tights and for riding, and the most common word is "unnoticeable". The most common mistake is also clear: nine reviewers ordered one size too big, one too small. The fit is more generous than in our earlier boxers, so do not pick the size you took in those.

	XS	S	M	L	XL	2XL	3XL
Low waist, 3 cm below navel	70–88	75–91	80–96	85–101	90–106	95–111	100–116
Hips, widest point	86–91	92–97	98–102	103–107	108–113	113–118	118–130

For you if you want a short leg without a firm thigh grip; you wear leggings or training tights over it; you have sensitive skin; you want the everyday boxer.

Not for you if you want a high waist; you want a firm, held-in feel, because Bouncy is soft rather than tight. The gusset sits far back for some; that is the cut.

Which size hips decide. Between two sizes, take the smaller. If you were an L in Boxer Short W, start from M here. A new batch arrives at the end of October on an updated grade, and its table will be different; check the date under the table.

Bouncy Boxer Brief

Boxer Short W

A short-legged technical boxer cut close to the body. Made with Smoothshell fabric. The 4 cm wide waistband sits at your narrowest point and is firm; the leg is short and firm around the thigh. Cut on the traditional pattern, measured piece by piece in our warehouse, so the table below describes the pair you receive. When it fits, it is the one you do not adjust: reviewers wear it for basketball, running, the gym and long shifts. When it does not fit, it is nearly always the leg.

	XS	S	M	L	XL	2XL
Waist, narrowest point	60–72	64–77	68–82	72–86	76–91	80–96
Hips, widest point	85–91	92–97	98–102	103–107	108–112	113–117
Thigh, where the leg ends, up to	56	58	62	64	70	79

For you if your thighs are narrow and firm; you move a lot and want a leg that never needs pulling back; you want a boxer, not a string, that does not show under tight trousers.

Not for you if your thighs are soft or wider than the leg opening, because the hem will ride up whatever the size; you use panty liners often, since the centre seam gets in their way; you want a soft, loose waistband.

Which size hips decide. Between two sizes, take the larger: the waistband is firm and does not forgive. The leg opening at rest is 37 cm in XS, 38 in S, 40 in M, 42 in L, 44 in XL and 47 in 2XL; it stretches, but the further it has to stretch, the more likely it is to move.

Boxer Short W

Boxer Long W

Women's Technical Boxer with 4,5 cm longer leg than Boxer Short W. Made with Smoothshell fabric. The same body as Short W, so the hem sits lower on the thigh, where it starts to narrow. Cut on the earlier pattern and measured in our warehouse. Reviewers wear it under skirts in summer, under breeches, on bicycles and motorbikes, and on long runs; several say it is the first boxer whose leg does not bunch in the groin. The same reviewers also tell us where it stops working: on a full thigh the hem lands on the widest point and climbs.

	XS	S	M	L	XL	2XL
Waist, narrowest point	60–72	64–77	68–82	72–86	76–91	80–96
Hips, widest point	85–91	92–97	98–102	103–107	108–112	113–117
Thigh, where the leg ends, up to (NOTE: Garment measurement)	54	55	57	59	61	63

For you if your thighs rub together and you want fabric between them; you wear dresses and skirts and do not want separate shorts; you ride, cycle or run; your thighs are firm.

Not for you if your thighs are soft or full, because the hem then sits on the widest point and rides up; you want a low waist. In both cases Discovery, with its longer leg, or High String is the better choice.

Which size hips decide, same table as Short W. Between two sizes, take the larger. The leg opening at rest is 35 cm in XS, 36 in S, 38 in M, 42 in L, 44 in XL and 46 in 2XL. In the three largest sizes the opening grows only 2 cm per size while the body grows more, so if you are XL or 2XL and your thighs are full, choose Discovery.

Boxer Long W

Discovery Lightweight Boxer

A long-legged boxer with a fairly high waist, cut on the new 3D pattern. Made with Smoothshell Light fabric. The leg is the point: it is long and firm around the thigh, and it stayed down on the testers and, by their own account, on the reviewers who cycle in it, wear it under leggings and under skirts. "Finally, legs that don't roll up." Two things to know before you order: the fabric is light and can show through as shorts on their own, and the waistband is firmer than the rest of the boxer, which a few reviewers found tight in relation to the leg.

	XS	S	M	L	XL	2XL	3XL
Waist, narrowest point	58–76	62–80	66–84	70–88	74–92	78–96	82–100
Hips, widest point	86–91	92–97	98–102	103–107	108–113	113–118	118–130
Side length, cm	42.5	43.75	45	46.25	47.5	48.75	50

For you if your thighs rub and the shorter legs have failed you; you cycle, walk or wear skirts; you want a boxer that does not look like underwear.

Not for you if you want a soft, loose waistband; you want an opaque fabric to wear on its own. If the waistband is your worry, Bouncy has the softest.

Which size hips decide. The rise is long and comes up to the waist; if you are short (around 160 cm) and between two sizes, take the smaller, otherwise the waist sits high. The leg is firm; it does not need a bigger size to stay down.

Discovery Lightweight Boxer

Cheeky High Waist Thong

A high-waisted thong cut on the new 3D pattern. Made with Smoothshell Light fabric. It sits at the narrowest point and comes up properly; the back is seamless and, as one reviewer puts it, "doesn't sink too far". Thirteen of fifteen reviewers gave it five stars, and one who normally cannot wear synthetic underwear can wear this. It runs snug: nothing squeezes, but there is nothing to spare.

	XS	S	M	L	XL	2XL	3XL
Waist, narrowest point	54–64	58–68	62–72	66–76	70–80	74–84	78–88
Hips, widest point	86–91	92–97	98–102	103–107	108–113	113–118	118–130

For you if you want a high waist that stays up; you want a thong that does not disappear; you wear it under dresses and high-waisted trousers.

Not for you if you do not like anything between the buttocks; nothing in the cut will change that. If you want the high waist without the thong, High String has more coverage in front and Bouncy has a leg.

Which size waist and hips both matter; if they disagree, hips. Between two sizes, take the larger, because Cheeky runs snug. A new batch arrives at the end of October on an updated grade with its own table; check the date under the table.

Cheeky High Waist Thong

High String

A high-waisted string with a wide, firm waistband instead of a cord. Cut on the earlier pattern and measured in our warehouse. Made with Smoothshell fabric. It is the style women come back to after years without strings: "the first string that feels like nothing", "fits like trousers", worn for yoga, riding and work. The waistband is what they praise: it stays up when you bend and nothing shows above low-rise trousers or through tight ones. The one recurring complaint is the front panel, which several reviewers find narrow.

	XS	S	M	L	XL	2XL
Waist, narrowest point	60–72	64–77	68–82	72–86	76–91	80–96

For you if you gave up strings because they chafed; you want nothing to show under tight trousers; you want a waistband that holds without digging; you ride or do yoga.

Not for you if your torso is short, because the high waist then shows above your trousers; you need more fabric at the front, since the panel is narrow and a bigger size does not widen it. Shameless is the same idea with a low waist and a narrower band.

Which size waist decides; in a string the hips do not limit the size. Between two sizes, take the smaller: several reviewers found their usual size generous. The waistband at rest is 60 cm in XS, 64 in S, 66 in M, 72 in L, 75 in XL and 78 in 2XL.

High String

Shameless Low Waist Thong

A low-waisted thong cut on the new 3D pattern, with a narrower band than High String. Made with Smoothshell Light fabric. It sits under the belly, not on it: "you don't have to haul them up over the rolls, they settle neatly underneath." Every review so far is five stars. Two reviewers who own both say the low one is better for them than the high, and one says the narrower band fits her better than High String's.

	XS	S	M	L	XL
Low waist, 3 cm below navel	65–81	70–86	75–91	80–96	85–101
Hips, widest point	86–91	92–97	98–102	103–107	108–113

Hips decide. Testers had nothing to say about this style's sizing, which is a good sign. Between two sizes, go by the hips.

Shameless Low Waist Thong

Paramount Top

A pull-on top with thick straps and no hooks, cut on the 3D pattern, with a high side. Made with Smoothshell fabric. It gives light support: a 75D reviewer wears it for the days when she does not want a bra but does not want to go without either. It is the top for the desk, the walk and the light session, and reviewers who wanted exactly that gave it five stars. It is not the top for a large bust or a hard workout, and we would rather say that here than read it in a review. Two other things reviewers report: the front of the armhole sits high on some and chafes, and the light fabric can show more than you may want under a thin shirt.

	XS	S	M	L	XL	2XL	3XL
Bust, 2.5 cm below armpit	70–88	74–92	78–96	82–100	86–104	90–108	94–112
Underbust	64–78	68–82	72–86	76–90	80–94	84–100	88–105

For you if you want light support without hooks or underwire, roughly A to D; you want a top that works at work and on a walk; seams and underwire have always bothered you.

Not for you if you have a large bust and need real support, because the cut does not hold it whatever the size; you have broad upper arms, because the armhole sits high; you need opacity under thin shirts.

Which size the bust decides, measured 2.5 cm below the armpit; the underbust is the second row. Between two sizes, take the larger. If your bust is large relative to your frame, this top is not the answer, and a bigger size does not make it one.

Paramount Top

Metropolitan Top

A soft bralette-style top with wide straps and a snug band, cut on the 3D pattern. Made with Smoothshell fabric. For a smaller bust it is, in reviewers' words, "quiet comfort": you forget it is there, nothing rubs, the seams do not show under a dress, and it works as a nursing bra with no clips. For a larger bust the current version does not hold: cups run small, the band rides up and the straps slip for some. A new version is in development; until it arrives, this is the top for smaller busts, and we say so.

	XS	S	M	L	XL	2XL	3XL
Bust, 2.5 cm below armpit	59–87	64–92	69–97	74–102	79–107	84–112	89–117
Underbust	58–74	63–79	68–84	73–89	78–94	83–99	88–104

For you if your bust is small to medium, roughly A to C; you want the softest top we make; you are nursing; you want no seams under a thin dress.

Not for you if your bust is large, because the cups and the band are not cut for it; your shoulders are narrow, because the straps sit wide and may slip. Paramount holds a little more; a larger bust is better served by neither until the new version.

Which size the bust decides. Between two sizes, take the larger; many testers and reviewers would have. The straps are short for some, and a bigger size does not lengthen them.

Metropolitan Top

FUNCTIONAL, DEFINED

Functional & Technical underwear: what does it actually mean?

Technical, breathable and moisture-wicking are the three most misleading words in underwear. On this page, each of them means something.

Breathable means nothing by itself. What can be measured is moisture vapour transmission, in grams per square metre per 24 hours (g/m²/24 h). Below 5 000 is modest, around 10 000 is good, above 20 000 is what you want for running and mountains. Without the number, even a brick wall qualifies as breathable.

Moisture-wicking means the fabric does not hold water. Cotton feels lovely when it is dry, then absorbs your sweat and stays wet against the skin. Polyamide absorbs almost nothing, so moisture moves to the surface and evaporates, and the fabric is dry again long before you are home.

Every product on this page is made from ECONYL® yarn. According to its maker, Aquafil, it is 100 % regenerated polyamide, made from waste such as discarded fishing nets. The yarn comes in two weights, and so does our fabric. Smoothshell is the denser knit: Boxer Short W, Boxer Long W, High String and both tops. Smoothshell Light is knitted from the finer yarn and is what makes Bouncy, Discovery, Cheeky and Shameless feel airy. Both dry quickly on a hanger.

Technical, in our world, means the pattern and the construction: where the seams sit, how the waistband is built, where the fabric is allowed to stretch and where it is not. Functional means fit: the underwear stays where you left it, squats, long strides and the saddle included.

One thing to know about the Light knit: worn as shorts on their own, it can show through.

What they said afterwards

Metropolitan Top

★★★★★

Finally a top to go with the boxers that feels the same as they do: like nothing at all.|

Laura M-S.

Shameless Low Waist Thong

★★★★★

I'm sitting in the stands at a match right now. If I didn't remember putting them on, I wouldn't be sure I'm wearing any.

Monna A.

Paramount Top

★★★★★

Surprisingly comfortable, even though the thick strap made me wonder. With bust and underbust measurements I found the right size straight away.

Marika

Cheeky High Waist Thong

★★★★★

Feels like nothing. Comfortable, no chafing, the seams don't show and the air moves.|

Mari M.

Boxer Long W

★★★★★

No squeezing or chafing even on a long run, breathes well. In the shorter style the leg rolled; in this longer one, no problem.

Anonymous

Discovery Lightweight Boxer

★★★★★

Long legs were a wild experiment for me, but damn, they look and feel good. They don't even look like underwear, more like cool gym shorts.

Ella V.

Metropolitan Top

★★★★★

On, you almost forget it exists, and that's why it's my favourite. No rubbing, no pressure, no fiddling.

Anu K.

High String

★★★★★

I hadn't worn strings regularly for about 15 years because of the discomfort. These fit so well you can actually forget they exist.|

Heli S.

Bouncy Boxer Brief

★★★★★

Excellent for riding. They don't chafe the important places, and otherwise you don't feel them at all.

Kaisa L.

Boxer Short W

★★★★★

Really comfortable in everyday use, and when exercising you don't have to adjust them at all. As in not at all, which is strange and nice

Jenna H.

Bouncy Boxer Brief

★★★★★

Really lovely, thin and invisible under training tights.

Paulina R.

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