Good news, grandmas! The Daily Mail reports that “large knickers” are all the rage, with sales of high-waisted ladies’ briefs up 42 percent in the U.K. over the past three months. Who’s to blame for the influx of bottom-swathing undergarments? Mad Men and Lady Gaga, of course.
The trend for high waist briefs is being credited to a revival in Fifties and Sixties waist-cinching styles, made famous by curvy actress Christina Hendricks on US TV drama Mad Men, which has helped big pants shake off their Bridget Jones image [it] is also due to the patronage of stars, such as Lily Allen and Lady Gaga, who have sparked an ‘underwear-as- outerwear’ trend.
The article claims that “big pants” are flattering on normal, non-celebrity folks, too: “Waist-nippers flatter the hourglass figure by trimming in a woman’s stomach and pushing out the hips and breasts.” We’re not quite sure how a pair of panties can manage to do all those things (except for those terrifying full-body Spanx contraptions, which is a different discussion altogether), but stranger things have happened.
There’s also the comfort factor: As anyone who’s ever had their rear end coddled by a nice pair of granny panties would know, it’s an infinitely more pleasant experience than squeezing into briefs’ smaller, lacier counterparts (particularly their skanky nemesis, the thong). Speaking of, G-string sales are plummeting, having had their reputation ruined by drunk girls falling out of cabs.
“Unflattering pictures of celebrities — such as Melanie Blatt, a singer with girl group All Saints — flashing their G-strings as they fell out of taxis and nightclubs, fuelled a backlash against the tiny string briefs.”
At least if you fall when wearing granny panties, you won’t skin your butt cheeks on the pavement.
’The big news in lingerie: Large knickers make comeback as Mad Men style leads the way’ [Daily Mail UK]
