Big Bridget Jones pants are back – and this time they're sexy

Telegraph

15-02-2025

Fifty years after the thong was first introduced into our underwear drawers, the death knell has been rung. In a recent survey carried out by lingerie brand Victoria's Secret, 77 per cent of women said they prefer a full-coverage pant over a thong or G-string.
My own knicker collection hasn't featured thongs in years. Having lived through the dental-floss-as-underwear heyday of the Noughties and endured the wedgies that came with it, my taste is now steadfastly comfort first.
I'm not the only 30-plus who has been turned off tiny smalls; four in five of those aged between 31 and 45 said they preferred bigger pants. Among 18 to 30-year-olds, 51 per cent have switched from little to large. In fact, searches for 'briefs' on the Victoria's Secret website have increased by 153 per cent in the last year.
For a brand which has long promoted a high-octane sexy aesthetic and is famed for catwalk shows in which supermodels parade miniscule undies, this shift is notable. It's also indicative of a wider sea change within our underwear drawers. Big pants are back – thank goodness.
'Women have better things to worry about than wedgies and VPL,' says Katie Lopes, co-founder of Stripe & Stare. A forerunner in the big knicker revolution, the brand's original knicker - a mid-rise, full coverage style made from super-soft Tencel – is the best seller, currently accounting for 42 per cent of sales. By contrast, sales of its thongs have dropped from 15 to 5 per cent since it was launched in 2017.
'I wanted [to make] underwear that was designed by women, looked great and was so unbelievably comfortable you could put them on and forget you're wearing them. Like your favourite T-shirt and jeans,' says Lopes. Mission accomplished. So popular are the British brand's big knickers, they've garnered an international fanbase including Oprah Winfrey and mega-influencer Camille Charrière.
While comfort is undoubtedly a driving force behind the big knickers revival, we can also thank current style nostalgia: '1990's style is having a big influence on the nation's knickers, including fuller shapes such as high legs, full briefs and anti-chafing cycle short shapes,' says Soozie Jenkinson, head of lingerie design at Marks & Spencer. The retailer's new Kyoto high waist high leg knicker promises a VPL-free streamline silhouette – perfect for slipping under Nineties-inspired straight leg jeans and slip skirts.
With the fourth instalment of Bridget Jones now in cinemas, the boom in big pants is certainly timely. However, where Bridget's navel-grazing knickers were once the butt of the joke (literally) they've since shaken off their frazzled English women association and are no longer something to induce toe-curling embarrassment – even in the event of being revealed by a frisky Daniel Cleaver-type.
Just ask Kim Kardashian. The reality star-turned-businesswoman has made a fortune selling huge pants under her Skims underwear label, which has recently been valued at $4 billion. Consider the bestselling boy short, an A-list version of Bridget's signature pants, coming in breathable cotton jersey and a palette of chic neutrals – rather than custard-cream beige.
'Big pants do not mean frumpy pants any more', says Lopes. Indeed they do not. At the start of the year, Stripe & Stare launched a collection of printed styles in collaboration with popular dress label, Rixo, meaning you can now wear your leopard print midi dress with coordinating pants – choose between high-rise, mid-rise and hipster style (£18, stripeandstare.com).
On the subject of cut, it's worth thinking about which to choose for maximum comfort and desired silhouette. 'Wearing knickers that nip in at the smallest bit of your waist give all shapes an enhanced 1950s type of silhouette. High waist knickers are great if you want to avoid a muffin top,' says Georgia Larsen, founder of lingerie brand Dora Larsen, which excels in non-granny big pants. The graphic high waist knicker is the bestselling style: 'We get lots of feedback from our customers who find a bigger brief more flattering.'
If you're rounder on the bottom half and find big pants can feel somewhat like a nappy, try a mid-rise waistband with a higher cut leg for elongation. The everyday brief from Underdays (£20, underdays.com) has a shaping cross-over waist band and an extra long gusset for additional coverage, too.
For those seeking a perkier look, go for a cheekier Miami or Brazilian cut (both of which are also trending at Marks & Spencer). Speaking from experience, the slightly skimpier bottom coverage gives a lifted effect – think of it as the underwear equivalent of well placed jeans pockets.
When it comes to fabric, breathable cotton and Tencel are best for everyday wear. They're moisture-wicking too, making them a good choice when working out. After something slinkier? Larsen recommends tulle or lace with elastane, which gives a comfortable stretch without compromising on sexiness.
And to avoid the dreaded VPL, look for a flat-stitched or lace edging rather than a thicker piece of elastic which will dig in. Under particularly close-fitting skirts and trousers a seam-free style will go undetected. Uniqlo's AIRism briefs (£9.90, uniqlo.com) are so subtle I wear them under leggings – after all, no one wants to flash their knicker line when in downward dog.