Panty and Bra definitions
Panties
are divided into various types based on criteria such as amount of rear coverage, width at the sides, and height at which they are worn. These categories are not necessarily distinct and usage may vary somewhat among brands.
Briefs rise to the waist or just below the navel and have full coverage in the rear. In the classic (or full) brief, the sides extend below the hip; most underwear for prepubescent girls
High-cut (French cut) brief, like a full coverage brief, but with a narrower front.
Boyleg briefs (or boyshorts) are styled after men's briefs and may have short legs extending below the crotch.
Control panties (or control briefs) are a special type of briefs designed to offer support and give a slimmer appearance; these panties usually contain a stretch material such as spandex and may extend above the waist.
Hipsters are similar to briefs, but are worn lower with the waistband around the hips.
Bikinis are also worn at the hips, but the fabric at the sides is narrower. In the string bikini panty, it disappears altogether to leave the waistband as a "string". The rear coverage of the bikini is not as full as with the brief.
Tangas/String bikinis have full rear coverage, but the waistband is reduced to a narrow strip at the sides.
Thong panties have a waistband similar to tangas, but the rear coverage is not as full as the tanga panty. The crotch is extended to the back with a narrow strip of fabric fitting between the buttocks, which becomes wider toward the top.
G-string is a thong panty with virtually no rear coverage, the narrow strip in the back extending from the crotch all the way to the waistband.
Panties are made of a variety of materials and fabrics including satin, silk, pvc, cotton, nylon, mesh, lace, rawhide, leather, latex, lycra, and/or polyester. Construction is typically of two pieces (front and rear) joined by seams at the crotch and sides, often with an additional gusset in the crotch, and elastic at the waistband and leg openings. Edible panties are sold in novelty or sex shops.
Bras
Adhesive: a bra which adheres to the breasts; features no straps or bands of any sort and provide little support to the breasts. This type of bra is intended for backless and strapless fashions. There are two types: disposable paper ones that use a strong adhesive, and the re-usable ones that use silicone and can be washed and re-used.
Bandeau bra, a simple band of cloth worn across the breasts, providing little support or shaping.
Built-in bras, sometimes known as shelf bras (not to be confused with the shelf-bra described below), are supportive brassiere-like structures on the inside of another garment, such as a swimsuit or tank top, which provide support for the bust without the need for a separate bra. In most such garments, these built-ins consist of a horizontal elastic strip, although some do have cups and underwires as with other bra types. In some cases these may easily be removed, if desired.
Bullet bras are a type of full-support bra with cups in the shape of a paraboloid of revolution with its axis perpendicular to the breast. Bullet bras often featured concentric circles of decorative stitching centred on the nipples. Invented in the late-1940s, they were still being sold well into the 1960s.
Convertible bras have straps which may be detached and rearranged in different ways depending on the outfit. Alternatives to regular straps for strapless bras are beaded bra straps or clear plastic bra straps that provide support and style.
Cupless bras (also called open cup bras or peek-a-boo) consist of a brassiere frame with no support cups. They expose the nipples with notched or contoured support cups. Usually worn as erotic lingerie, a cupless bra can cause the shape of the nipples to be prominently visible on an outer garment.
Demi bras, also known as balconette bras, are a half-cup bra style with wide-set straps and a horizontal bust line. Often seamed or boned, they give great cleavage and a frame-like effect. These offer less support, but enable low-cut garments to be worn without the bra being seen. Demi bras may be designed to provide lift as do push-up bras.
Front Closure Bra: Bras that have closures, usually hooks and eyes, on the front rather than at the back. These bras lie completely flat at the back under clothing. Some feature a racerback-style back which is great for wear with tank tops and for lending a no-slip effect to the straps.
Full support bras are a type of bra designed to offer good support for the whole of the breasts and, as such, are a typical, practical bra for everyday wear.
Mastectomy bras are designed so that a prosthesis may be held in place and are intended for individuals who have lost one or both breasts in mastectomy treatment for breast cancer.
Maternity bras are designed such that they can be expanded to adjust as the breasts increase in size over the course of a pregnancy. Maternity bras may also refer to nursing bras.
Minimizer bras are designed to de-emphasize the bust, in particular of large-breasted women (34 C or above). Minimizers, by compressing and shaping the breasts, help to create the illusion of being a cup size or two smaller, and are often more comfortable.
Novelty bras are designed more for show and sensuality than for function. They may include unusual materials, such as leather, or be unusual in design, such as Peephole bras whose cups loosely cover the breasts, but include holes around the nipples.
Nursing bras are designed to help make breastfeeding simpler by allowing the baby easy access to the nipple. Traditionally, the cups of nursing bras are covered with flaps of fabric that can be unclasped at the top and pulled down to expose the breast.
Padded bras are simply bras with padding inside the lining. They are designed to provide a fuller shape for small breasts and are an alternative to bra stuffing, a practice among teen-aged girls in which tissues, sugar packets, cotton balls, or socks ("falsies") are placed inside a bra to simulate larger breasts. Unlike push-up bras, however, most padded bras support the breasts but do not significantly lift them. (see also Water bras)
"Push-up" bras are structured so that the breasts are lifted and placed closer together to enhance the cleavage. The best-known brand of push-up bra is the Wonderbra. Many push-up bras contain padding, typically made of foam or rubber, but some contain gel-filled pads. The main distinction between padded bras and push-up bras that incorporate padding is whether the padding is centred under each breast to simply lift them, or is centred outside the centre of each breast such that the padding pushes the breasts inwards.
Racerback bras have shoulder straps that come over the shouder in a "V" pattern very close to the neck. This design is sometimes worn under strapless dresses or tops where "traditional" straps would be very obviously exposed. Many Sport Bras use racerback construction.
Shelf bras essentially a rigid band (underwired) along the inframammary line, that pushes up while covering none, or only a narrow strip, of the breast.
Softcup bras, or triangle bras, have no underwire support in the cups. Rather they rely on the strength of the underband to provide support to the bust.
Sport Bras provide firm support for the breasts, and are meant to prevent discomfort or embarrassment during vigorous exercise.
Strapless bras, with no shoulder straps, are designed for wearing with clothes that reveal the shoulders, such as halterneck tops.
T-shirt bras are designed without raised seams, so that a tight t-shirt may be worn without the bra being visible. These often have padded cups to conceal nipples and to provide a smooth line under t-shirts.
Trainer bras are designed for young girls who have begun to develop breasts but have yet to be considered "developed" enough to allow for a standard-sized bra to fit properly. They are of simple construction and offer little, if any, support.
U-plunge bra allows you, according to its shape, to wear a deep dcollet or plunging neckline.
Underwire bras are designed to give extra support and endurance. They have a wire (metal or plastic) running under each cup to provide rigid support to the bust.
Water bras or Gel bras: Bras which have water- or silicon-gel-filled cups to make your breasts look larger. Air bras were a similar concept.
