Undergarment - Types and Styles

Types and Styles

Common contemporary types and styles of undergarments are listed in the table below.

Type Other names Information Varieties
Worn by both sexes
Whole body
Long underwear

Long johns, long handles A two-piece undergarment worn during cold weather consisting of a shirt with sleeves extending to the wrists and trousers with pant legs reaching down to the ankles.
  • Thermal underwear – made from two-ply fabric.
Upper body
Sleeveless shirt

Tank top, wife beater, singlet A sleeveless garment similar to a T-shirt.
  • A-shirt (guinea tee, muscle shirt, singlet, wifebeater; UK: vest) – tight-fitting with large armholes and a neckline that can extend as far as mid-chest.
T-shirt

Tee A garment covering a person's torso which is usually without buttons, pockets or a collar, and has long or (mostly) short sleeves. It is worn by pulling it over the head. It can be worn as an outer garment, especially in informal situations.
  • Round-neck T-shirt
  • V-neck T-shirt
Lower body
Bikini underwear

Usually worn with the waistband lower than the wearer's waist, and often at the hips, with the leg bands ending at the groin. Men's bikini briefs normally have no fly.
  • High-sided bikini underwear
  • Low-sided bikini underwear
  • String bikini – consists of two triangular pieces connected at the groin but not at the sides, with a thin "string" around the waist connecting the pieces.
G-string

Gee-string, gee string A type of thong consisting of a narrow piece of material that covers or holds the genitals, passes between the buttocks, and is attached to a band around the hips.
Tanga

A type of thong which has no material around the sides other than the waistband.
Thong

Has a narrow strip of material along the centre of the garment's rear which sits between the wearer's buttocks and connects the front or pouch to the waistband behind the wearer. Thongs are sometimes worn to reduce "panty lines" when wearing tightly fitting trousers.
Worn by women
Upper body
Brassiere

Bra Usually consists of two cups for the breasts, a centre panel (gore), a band running around the torso under the bust, and a shoulder strap for each side.
  • Balconette bra
  • Demi bra
  • Padded bra
  • Push-up bra
  • Sports bra
  • Strapless bra
  • T-shirt bra
Lower body
Boy shorts

Booty shorts, boyleg briefs, boy short panties, boys' cut shorts, boyshorts, shorties A type of panties with sides that extend lower down the hips, similar to men's briefs.
Panties

UK: Knickers These usually have an elastic waistband, a crotch to cover the genital area which is usually lined with absorbent material such as cotton, and a pair of leg openings which are often also elasticized. They either have very short or no leg sections.
  • Control panties – usually made of stretchable material such as Spandex and extending above the waist, these are designed to provide support and create a slimmer appearance.
  • High cut (French cut) panties.
  • Hipster – worn lower with the waistband around the hips.
Worn by men
Lower body
Boxer briefs

Trunks These are similar in style to boxer shorts, but are generally shorter and form-fitting like briefs.
  • Athletic-style boxer briefs – similar to bike shorts, these are skin-tight and usually have no fly.
  • Pouch boxer briefs – these have a pouch for the genitals instead of a fly.
Boxer shorts

Boxers or BVD'S These have an elasticized waistband that is at or near the wearer's waist, while the leg sections are fairly loose and extend to the mid-thigh. There is usually a fly, either with or without buttons. The waistbands of boxer shorts are usually wider than those of briefs, and often bear the brand name of the manufacturer.

Boxer shorts with colourful patterns, pictures of cartoon characters, sports team logos and slogans are readily available.
  • Knit boxers
  • Woven boxers
Briefs

UK: Slip, Y-fronts

US: Jockey shorts, tightie-whities

 These have an elasticized waistband at or near the wearer's waist, and leg sections that end at or near the groin.
  • Traditional briefs – these have a Y-shaped fly.
  • Diagonal-flap briefs.
  • Double-seat or double-back briefs.
  • Low-cut or low-rise briefs
  • Pouch briefs.
Jockstrap

Athletic supporter, jock, strap, supporter Consists of an elastic waistband with a support pouch for the genitalia and two elastic straps affixed to the base of the pouch and to the left and right sides of the waistband at the hip. In some varieties, the pouch may be fitted with a pocket to hold an impact-resistant cup to protect the genitals from injury. A jockstrap is different from a dance belt that a male dancer wears.
  • Strapless pouch – consists of a support pouch for the genitals and a waistband, with no securing straps.
Religious Under Clothing
Whole body
Temple Garments

Upper body
Tallit katan
Lower body
Kachchhera

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