The Best Cotton Underwear for Every Kind of Outfit

Your everyday underwear choices aren't always on display—unless you're joining street style with a peekaboo thong or sheer crochet dress. The way you feel wearing your underwear matters more than anything else, and the best cotton underwear feels better than anything else filling your top drawer. Easily.

What sets the best pairs apart from ones that are just fine? "Cotton underwear tends to provide the most breathability, which is effective for maintaining good hygiene and staying cool and comfortable,” says Tracy Freno, Bare Necessities senior manager of customer service. It also comes with all-day comfort for skin on the sensitive side.

While a few pairs are all-around essentials—Natori feathers briefs, Parade boy shorts—the ones you’ll wear most often may depend on the outfit you’re wearing on top. Hipster or bikini styles won’t rise above the waistline of your Y2K cargo pants but thongs that won’t pinch or leave extra lines may be preferable for when you’re slipping on a slip dress (or any dress, really).

Fabrication is essential to fit, Freno adds. One hundred percent cotton tends to shrink, so she recommends ordering a size up in those pairs. Underwear made from a cotton-elastic blend usually stretches and conforms to your curves.

If the best women's underwear does its job, you’ll hardly know it’s there. Shop our 21 favorite cotton pairs from SKIMS to Araks to Victoria’s Secret below.