Bikini underwear is one of several types of underwear for women. This style of underwear typically provides coverage of a woman's backside and genitals while not providing a significant amount of coverage or support to the tummy or hips. Instead, as with a bikini swimsuit, bikini underwear features a low waist and relatively narrow bands of fabric at the top of the leg holes so as to minimize both bulk and the visibility of the underwear. This type of underwear is generally considered to be a very popular style.
Women's underwear styles can vary considerably. This is because women frequently must match their underwear style to the style and fabric of the clothing they wear. In some cases, women rely on their underwear to improve their figure, as underwear can be made of materials that can contain and restrain excess body fat. At the same time, full-coverage underwear can also add bulk under clothing, making a woman appear larger than she really is. Full-coverage underwear may also be obvious under certain garment styles, requiring women to wear bikini underwear or underwear that provides even less coverage.
For women who wear low-rise jeans or trousers, bikini underwear may be the most suitable type of panties to wear, as the tops of bikini underwear are less likely to be visible over the waist of the jeans, as the waistband of the underwear typically rests much lower than other types of underwear, such as briefs. Unlike thongs, however, bikini underwear can provide some support and shape to a woman's backside, as it typically provides some significant coverage of that area. Women who wear bikini underwear should be aware that, because of its low waist, the underwear will not provide tummy control.
Other considerations when wearing bikini-cut underwear or any of the other underwear styles is fabric. Some bikini underwear is constructed of materials that may gather and bunch, creating unflattering bulges and ripples underneath clothing. One way to avoid this is to purchase seamless underwear, which is typically made from fabric that fits close to the skin and does not have raised seams. When buying underwear, women should take care to try underwear on and make sure that it fits them properly. If it is too small, the wearer will be uncomfortable and her clothing won't fit right. If the underwear is too large, it will be noticeable under her trousers, dresses, or skirts.