I tested granny pants from £1.20 to £22 — one was comfy, sexy and invisible under my trousers

I’ve joined the 67% of women who would prefer full briefs over thongs (Picture: Metro Pics Desk)

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My relationship with underwear is something I hadn’t considered since I was a tween. 

I remember asking my mum if I could swap out my briefs for something more… flattering. Leaving Primark a few days later with various strips of neon lace, I was over the moon with my new grown-up purchases. 

What followed wasn’t the glowing picture of womanhood I had pictured, but uncomfy textures, a chill, and the realisation that you could see the glowing fuchsia under my cheapest leggings. 

As Stripe and Stare say, ‘the revolution starts from the bottom up’ (Picture: Isabel Fraser)

A feminist since day one, I decided I wouldn’t put up with the impracticality of it all, so I ditched them for the seamless, no VPL, mid-rise style, and never looked back.

And it seems I was ahead of my time. Research from knicker brand Stripe and Stare has found that in 2026, comfort is non-negotiable when it comes to women’s underwear preferences. Full briefs are now the clear favourite (44%), followed by high-waisted styles (31%), while thongs are officially out, trailing behind at just 15%. 

In fact, when asked to choose a style for life, nearly two-thirds (67%) said they’d reach for full Bridget Jones-style granny pants over thongs in a heartbeat. 

In a bid to find the best, I tried a new pair of ‘proper knickers’ every day for the working week. 

Day 1 – Underdays ‘Everyday High Waisted Style’ Size M: £22 per pair

4/5

You can see how soft the fabric is by how much it had creased en route to my home (Pictures: Isabel Fraser)

Is it ever worth paying over £20 for a single pair of knickers? I started the week with the priciest pants in my lineup to find out. 

The Underdays pair looked shockingly high-cut IRL, with a long gusset panel that I doubted would fit my actual body. However, the fabric quality – stretchy but supple – made them sit well. 

The sleek cross-over of the waistband was a flattering reminder that going granny-style doesn’t have to mean excess frills and fabric.

Invisible under my skirt… what was not to love? (Picture: Isabel Fraser)

If you’re in the market for a particularly sculpting pair of granny briefs, these probably aren’t the one for you – the material was more light than supportive. After all, the brand does promise a ‘10 hour freshness’ thanks to being made of 92% TENCEL’s Micro-Modal fabric. 

The amount of material (up to my belly button) did take a minute to adjust to. But invisible under my light-coloured trousers and comfy through the day, I almost immediately forgot I was wearing anything different to normal. And good news: no wedgies. 

Let’s be honest – £22 is eye-watering for one pair of briefs. But, I can’t deny the hefty price tag carried through to their quality. I would say, the price was worth it for the level of luxe comfort. 

Day 2 – Sainsburys ‘Black Full Knickers 5 Pack’ Size 10: £1.20 per pair (£6 for 5)

2/5

You’ll have to take my word for the VPL… (Picture: Isabel Fraser)

Next to try were Tu Clothing’s 95% cotton briefs in black.

Putting them on, the pair were comfy. The material was soft, they fit well, and – dare I say – I was somewhat relieved to return to the familiarity of the mid-cut style. The feeling of wearing the pants? No complaints.

However, the classic, ribbed elastic seam, both on the leg cuts and the high-waist, let the pair down. The fear of looking like I had four butt-cheeks was real, so in the spirit of risk-management I opted for a loose trouser.

In the comfort of my own home I would wear this pair again, and for the price it’s hard to criticise. But when wearing any figure-hugging bottoms these would be a no-go for me. 

Day 3 – Primark ‘3 Pack Invisible High-Rise Briefs’ Size M: £2.33 per pair (£7 for 3)

4/5

The material of the Primark pair was surprisingly silky (Picture: Isabel Fraser)

A far cry from my previous Primark purchases, these silky briefs – which came in maroon, dark blue and cream – looked modest, comfy and flattering. There was a lot to be excited about, especially with such a low price tag. 

They exceeded my expectations. The pair felt weightless, the proportions were spot on and the shape wasn’t something I had to adjust to. While yes, I had now been exposed to the high-waisted style for 3 days, it was the silky ‘invisible’ material which meant the fabric (still, up to my belly button) physically felt much less apparent.

I hadn’t expected to feel so confident in a full-coverage pair of pants, but here I was. 

I went about my day and forgot I was wearing anything different to usual (Picture: Isabel Fraser)

The seams were truly invisible under clothes, as the fabric promises, however the only downside to this pair is the fact they are made of 85% nylon. While comfy, research suggests this fabric isn’t the best for daily wear, particularly if you have sensitive skin.

Day 4 – Stripe and Stare – ‘Black High-Rise Knicker’ Size M: £18 per pair

5/5

The best pair of the week was from Stripe and Stare (Picture: Isabel Fraser)

Designed for women who’ve declared ‘war on wedgies’, I knew I would get on well with this pair before stepping a leg in.

Not only that, but the B-Corp business has sustainability at its heart, as every pair is made wholly from TENCEL’s Micro-Modal, which is sourced sustainably from Beechwood Trees in Austria. Plus, for each pair of pants sold, they plant one tree.

Feeling how soft the fabric of the pair was (faux-lace included), I couldn’t wait to wear them. 

I wasn’t disappointed. They were _perhaps the comfiest pair of pants I had ever worn. Sticking to their guarantee of a smooth, tucked-in feeling, without digging, rolling or riding up throughout the day, I was impressed. And they were invisible under my trousers. 

Trousers are the true test, and this pair passed with flying colours (Pictures: Isabel Fraser)

Though not traditionally raunchy, the style felt sexy in a mature way. The fabric quality on top of that made these a pair I know I’ll come back to frequently. 

Day 5 – Bravissimo – ‘Millie High Waist Brief in Bright Pink’ Size S: £20 per pair

3/5

I had put this pair off for long enough… (Picture: Supplied)

It was time for the moment I had been waiting for (and strategically saved for my work from home day). Perhaps the most _granny _granny pants of the lot.

Complete lace bum coverage? Tick. Audacious colour? Tick. Rising over the belly-button? Tick. 

All of these qualities considered, these briefs were a lot. 

First of all, I tried them with leggings. Immediately feeling the fabric bunch underneath my sports wear, I realised these may not be the most practical undergarments for my weekly Friday run. 

In defence of bubblegum lace, these weren’t promising to be workout knickers. And under joggers, the lace was harmless. I started to get used to the style and it actually did spark joy to be wearing something so flamboyant under grey sweatpants. 

While the material felt cheap for the price point, the package I recieved felt luxury (Picture: supplied)

This said, the pants are made of nylon. For a pair of this price, a more luxury material wouldn’t have gone amiss.

I’m usually a size 8-10, and the small had too much fabric for my liking. So, if you’re in the market for a full-lace, full-coverage, hot pink number (with a flattering matching bra), Bravissimo could be the place for you, just make sure to size down. 

Final thoughts 

By the end of the week, I’ve got a spot on the granny pant hype train. I’ll be more likely to wear certain pairs indoors, rather than to the office, but more often than not I loved the experience.

Comfort is by far my top underwear priority, shared with 53% of women who say uncomfy pants are their biggest knicker turn-off. On this front, I wasn’t let down.

Underdays’ message of self-care is definitely one I can get behind (Picture: Isabel Fraser)

Aside from the physical, what I wasn’t expecting from the selection was to feel confident while wearing them. As a teenager, I got my first taste of what almost all women have experienced: the expectation to sacrifice physical comfort for sexiness. We’ve all heard ‘beauty is pain’ more than once.

The pairs I wore this week showed me, actually, you don’t have to make a choice between looks and practicality. You really can have the best of both worlds.

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