I also recommend Maidenform, but only the microfiber ones with lace around the bottom. (The cotton ones are too thick, especially at the bottom, and they roll up when you pull up tight pants/skirts.)

They come in lots of different colors and patterns. The nude ones work great under white pants, etc.

They go on sale at Macy's frequently where it works out to about $5 a pair when you buy a few pairs.

I don't use the p word. Too little girly for me. I find boyshorts are made for women who have smaller rears than me. Or less curves. Or something. They don't work for me. I wear jockey bikini no seams made of micro fibre. Sorry I am useless with links. On a good day I can wear those under my Lululemon Yoga pants without VPLs. If I am up 5 pounds (all of which goes to my rear and upper thighs) then I wear a thong.
Lejaby used to made a full brief that was no VPL. I bought one or two. I immediately felt 20 years older and took it off.
I do think it makes a difference what kind of body type you have. I am one of those curvy types. Pear, Hourglass. One of those.

Undies : )
No real recs, as I generally wear clothing that doesn't show a VPL (slacks, denim) though I do like a certain cotton blend bikini from Target Australia.
I am very glad to hear the consensus that underwear sizing is whack! I wondered if I was the only one buying undies 2 sizes larger than my clothes.

I don't know anyone who says panties. I like boy shorts and I buy them in a department store in lots of 3 and I generally only wear black.

Subtle panty lines visible only in just the right light don't bother me anyway but under exercise wear I like Commando boyshorts. The laser cut hems make them virtually invisible but they're more coverage than thongs.
Just can't make the jump to thongs.

lisap -- I think you are right about torso length. I am long between waist and hip, so I have a kind of "tall" butt. Definitely my biggest fitting challenge. We rely so much on waist-hip-bust measurements, but they tell such a small part of the story, don't they?

I wear Soma invisible edge. They have grippies that ensure they don't ride up and don't show any VPL. They come in many cuts, styles and patterns. I love them.

Ps - I'm also not a fan of the P word!

Love this question! I am always on the lookout for good undies, it seems like when I find some I like they change the style and I can't find them any more. I will have to check out these recommendations. Anyone else out there a fan of cotton? I will only wear undies that are mostly cotton. They just feel better to me.

Like Diana, I wear the Gap low-rise cotton hipsters for everyday. Super comfy, stay put, no creeping. The right shape for my body.

When I'm wearing something that is very susceptible to lines, I usually go with a thong (I know, Karie) -- and I do kind of hate them, but I seem to get creep with most other knickers (will never use the "p" word again!) -- especially boyshorts, which I love the look of. I've tried several of the brands people have spoken of here, and I seem to recall having had good luck with On Gossamer. May need to try again.

I'm on team granny pants -- I grew up calling them knickers, a term my granny hated. She always referred to her underpinnings as her 'smalls.'

Like others, I size up. I'm a US size 2/UK 8 and all my knickers are M/L or UK size 12. Boy shorts give me awkward wedgies and tend to have seams in uncomfortable places.

I'm a fan of natural fibre undies, and these laser-cut Commandos are the only thing I've found that meet all my requirements (sorry I can't use YLF finds on my iPad) : http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/co.....color=NUDE They are truly VPL free, and second-skin comfy. Pricey, but worth it --they really last, and a little bird on the inside thinks they may be part of NAS. Simone Perele's Andora cotton line also works for me.

I recently tried Commando's modal version (think they're called Butter?) and they are too thin to function as a laser cut--the edges roll so they show under trousers.

Ugh, underwear is so difficult. I'm with LK1100 in loving OnGossamer's bikini cuts -- very lightweight and the fit is great on me. Boyshorts came to mind for you, Karie, but they don't work for me because they go straight across my widest part (saddlebags) and not only look horrible but also tend to roll up or down. I do best with cuts closest to a string bikini. Vanity Fair makes one that I have been buying for years and years, and I hope they never stop making them! But they are not no-VPL. The OnGossamer come closest to that for me, plus I keep a couple of thongs for wearing with particularly clingy skirts. I have sworn to my husband that I will never go down the granny-panty route.

Viva, I know - I won't ever use the "p" word again either!
Robin, yes, I like cotton too, especially in the heat of summer.

I like Maidenform bras, so I'll have to check out their pan(I said it in my head and almost typed it, oops!) er, knickers/underwear/tighty whites/undies/take your pick! the next time they go on sale, which is probably right now as Macy's has a sale just about every weekend.

Thanks for all your responses, girlfriends! I do think torso length and body type play a part in how undies fit. According to measurement charts, my waist is one size bigger than my hips, which probably explains why pants - and underpants - almost never fit me perfectly off the rack. But who alters underwear? Now that would definitely be a do-it-yourself project!

i like/use the word underwear….
but anyway…..for skirts and dresses, which i wear very rarely, i like the jockey skimmies because they give me the coverage i need, and i find them fairly comfortable. i have the commando cotton bikini, and it's comfortable and very low VPL, but wow, its expensive and so it's not been duplicated, as i didn't think it was worth the price….i've been wearing the Felina boy shirts for a couple of years, but don't really love them…and recently tried the Jockey hipsters, and love them, just enough coverage everywhere i need coverage, hold up well in the wash, and little VPL. i generally prefer cotton, but these are very comfortable and so far very breathable. i also tired these Calvin Klein's…again nice fit, but at the regular price not worth duplicating.

I like Hanro high-waisted boy briefs. For those who like the Shimera's, they are similar fitting but the fabric is higher quality - doesn't pick up lint and wear out as fast. The Shimera's just start looking ratty too soon, and develop a weird texture (possibly because I toss my underwear into the general wash i.e., don't treat it specially). The Hanro's also provide a bit more control, without feeling like a girdle. They are pricey (I stalk them on Amazon for a cheaper price) but seemingly last forever.

In the warmer months I vastly prefer cotton, but it seems impossible to find cotton high-waisted boy briefs lately.

Agree that sizing up is often the solution to VPL. I was getting VPL about a year ago, and finally conceded it was my weight gain that was the issue. I'd sized up my clothes -- but not my undergarments. Once I replaced the undergarments (including bras) no more VPL and I actually looked like I lost weight (an illusion, yes, but it proves that wearing the right-size clothes is more flattering).

But no matter what my size or weight, I've never been able to pull off the french briefs. I don't have the hips.

I'm thrilled to see more and more high-waisted options lately, as underwear trends follow clothing trends.

I have a variety of pairs of underwear but I realized not too long ago that I only wear the Maidenform Dream Boyshort.
I size up.
I love them! Comfy. Never think about them and no panty lines . Even with tight workout leggings.

I actually need to restock. After quite a few years I realized I have a rip in a couple. But I think they lasted a good four years!

I

Calvin Klein Invisibles Hipster Briefs.

I wear them under my very form fitting Lululemon crops and they disappear. Absolutely no lines. The edges are laser cut....no seams. They come in lots of colours and prints. I keep a stash of nude for under my Lulu gear and to wear with white bottoms. I wear 00 to 2 but buy a medium.

I really like the Natori Bliss Girl Briefs. I find them to be invisible under all but the clingiest clothing. I buy them three at a time and on sale, which brings the price down a lot. I'm an hourglass with a fairly high hip to waist ratio.

I am a compulsive underwear buyer! I am always on the lookout for my new favourites, and I have tried everything. Here are my discoveries:

I am going to be way in the minority here, but my hands-down favourites for comfort are low-rise cotton bikinis. I currently have a love affair going with the Calvin Klein "Modern Cotton" bikinis that kkards posted above. They come in all different colours, but always a broad white waistband, like the men's. I like that.

Bikini underpants almost always create VPL with thin, tight pants or clingy knit skirts. I deal with this by generally not wearing those kinds of bottoms! No yoga pants for sure. I do sometimes wear jeans that are tight enough to show VPL, and in that case, I wear boyshorts. The brand doesn't seem to matter, but what does matter is whether or not there is a centre seam along the back. If there is, they will crawl up my buttcrack.

Also, boyshorts with a bit of leg coverage will bunch up at the tops of my thighs when I pull up my tight jeans, and I have to sort of wiggle around and straighten them every time I go to the bathroom. But these ones are also less likely to migrate crackwise, so it's a trade-off.

I find that synthetic fabrics, especially on tight boyshorts that crawl inwards, encourage itchy skin conditions. For this reason I try not to wear them every day. My body seems to be able to tell the difference between all-cotton undies and ones that merely have a cotton crotch. I know this isn't true for everybody, though.

Thong underpants are horrible. They irritate my buttcrack and tailbone and look appalling to boot! I know some women swear by them, but for me they simply don't work. Plus, they require much more aggressive hair removal than I'm willing to endure.

ETA the Calvin Klein Invisible Hipster briefs that Marilyn posted above are the WORST I have ever worn, in terms to bunching up in my butt! A fine example of how what works marvellously for one woman is completely useless for another. You really just have to experiment.

For no-show, I like laser cut. I got a pair of laser cut nylon hipsters at Ross or a similar place. The Commandos I bought haven't held up as well as I would like for their price. Wide lace at the top and legs also works pretty well; a recommendation from this forum a few years ago had me buy a pair of Gilligan & O'Malleys from Target. I also like the Target ones with a thin strip of silicone at the legs and top. Sadly, I don't see either of these on the Target web site and haven't shopped for them in years.

Boy shorts don't work the best for my pancake butt.

I like the options from Soma.

Uniqlo boyshorts for me. They used to do a lovely high waisted hip hugger style which I liked very much, but they seem to have discontinued them.

Enjoying all the talk about the best words to use. I like Underwear, after one of my favourite tunes...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwRfAceTJt4