The Very Best Women’s Underwear

Sizes: One size | Cut: Thong, high-rise | Material: Nylon, lace (spandex trim), Supima cotton lining | Price: $$

The thong is a polarizing panty — some swear by it, others curse at it. But if there’s a brand that’s perfected the silhouette, it’s Hanky Panky, which takes second place for the “most mentioned” title behind Commando. When Sullivan worked at a boutique in college, she saw its popularity firsthand: “Let me just say that Hanky Panky reigns supreme — their thongs I buy again and again.”

Barbara Corcoran, founder of Corcoran Group, recommends the label’s Signature Lace Original-Rise Thong, which features a high-on-the-hips rise and a V-shaped waistband that’s meant to keep the panty in place. “Everyone seems to wear these,” she says. “They come in every color, so it’s like a lace crayon box when you open your drawer.” Corcoran considers these an essential, explaining that she has rarely thrown out a pair, as the stretch material never gives up. Though they’re labeled one-size, Hanky Panky recommends these for sizes 4 to 14.

If you want to stock up, Hanky Panky’s three-piece packs are your best bet. Iva Pawling, co-founder of Richer Poorer, owns several sets of the lingerie line’s low-rise thongs. “I am equal parts proud and embarrassed that I have been wearing only Hanky Panky underwear for, oh, about 14 years,” she says. “I don’t have to think about them, and they just work.”