'Granny panties' are sexy again, thanks to Gen Z in time for Valentine's Day

July 2024 · 4 minute read

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Love is in full bloomers.

For the naughty knockouts of the early aughts, gift-wrapping their privates in sexy thongs, G-strings and booty-boosting lingerie sets wasn’t just a sweet treat reserved for a partner on special occasions like Valentine’s Day. 

Instead, donning wedgie-inducing drawers became a way of life — with Sisqo’s 2000s hit, “Thong Song,” as the trend’s buzzy battle cry. 

Today, rather than following sore suit, Gen Z and younger millennial fashionistas — enabled by a host of celebs — are comfortably kicking it extremely old school. 

Think Tweety Bird’s grandma. 

“I am a champion of the granny panties movement — I hate thongs so much,” Colby Taylor, 28, fashion content creator from Nolita, told The Post. 

“I’m a New Yorker, I’m going to wear cozy shoes when I go out in a fancy outfit,” continued the blonde, “and I’m going to wear cozy undies when I get dressed every day.”

Taylor is one of the many Gen Z and millennial fashion plates who openly prefer full-size panties to skimpy thongs. Emmy Park for N.Y. Post

Rallying alongside Taylor in her unabashed advocacy for full-coverage smalls are the thousands of big panty proponents on social media. Resolute in their stance, youngish cover-up girls online are hailing bloomers, boy shorts, hipster and high-waist cuts for their form-friendly fits, saying the ergonomic numbers make them feel “better” about themselves. 

Drew Barrymore voiced identical sentiments last spring, saying: “the bigger the underwear, the better I feel,” to talk show fans during a segment about the rise of granny panties on A-lister rears. 

Hadid and other Hollywood “It” girls have made large undies a chic must-have for stylish dressers over the past few years. GC Images
Jenner and her fashion-forward family members have slayed at the forefront of the granny panties movement. TheRealSPW / MEGA

Bella Hadid, 27, as well as Kendall, 28, and Kylie Jenner, 26, have lead the charge as top tastemakers in the no-shame “no-pants” trend — a haute swing towards rump-spanning skivvies. 

Large undies have, too, dazzled in the limelight thanks to “naked dress” mania. The sultry style’s inspired the posh likes of “Madame Web” star Dakota Johnson, 34, to rock a $105 pair of “Rhythm of Desire” Italian briefs by Aubade under a sheer frock after her “SNL” hosting gig in January. 

Rita Ora, 33, wowed in a barely-there frock and set of glamorous granny panties by Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS at the Alaïa spring 2024 haute couture show. And Dua Lipa, 28, also left much to the imagination at the Academy Museum Gala in December, cloaking her hind in full-coverage finery for the red carpet. 

“Madame Web” star Dakota Johnson got into granny panty glam while celebrating her recent gig as host of “SNL” at the top of the year. GC Images
Ora recently gave an unabashed nod to the granny panties look at a high-fashion fete in Paris. GC Images

Meleen Chuang, an Obstetrics and Gynecology specialist with NYU Langone says the cushy coveralls don’t just feel good — they’re actually good for you. 

“Full-coverage underwear can provide more protection to a woman’s private area,” said Chaung, adding that excessive thong wear could lead to genital irritations, micro-tears to the skin, urinary tract infections and bacterial vaginosis. 

“The added fabric [of granny panties] helps reduce friction and irritation, providing a barrier between the genitals and clothing,” explained the doc. “This can help prevent chafing and the development of undesirable issues like odors, irritation and infections.”

The added fabric of granny panties helps reduce friction and irritation, providing a barrier between the genitals and clothing, according to Chaung. Emmy Park for N.Y. Post

Manufacturers of women’s unmentionables have noticed a surprising rise in demand for the “old lady” look from everyday shoppers — who’d normally go for a more skimpy style around this time of year. 

“The Valentine’s Day season is usually when customers buy more sexy, less coverage pieces,” Kathryn Rambo, Senior Designer at Adore Me, a NYC-based intimates imprint, tells The Post. “But this year, we’re seeing our sales for thongs and G-strings slightly decrease (by 4%) compared to last year.”

Silvia Campello, general manager of luxury lingerie line Cosabella, says the brand has, too, seen an uptick in demand for bigger bottoms on special occasions since the COVID lockdown 

“Women [are buying] more full coverage intimates ahead of Valentine’s Day because full coverage lingerie can still be sensual and romantic, offering a different aesthetic from more revealing styles,” said Campello. “Post-pandemic fashion trends have evolved to prioritize comfort and functionality over traditional standards.”

Nakya Joi, 24, a natural beauty influencer from Oakland, Calif., fancies herself a “Granny Panty Supremacist” given her lifelong allegiance to the togs. 

And the zillennial tells The Post that her preference for king-sized knickers hasn’t dampened her love life one bit. 

“My boyfriend knows that I’m all about dressing for comfort, and he loves me in my granny panties,” said Joi, noting that her goodies are good regardless of her choice in underclothes. 

“It’s the same stuff underneath,” she laughed, “so why would he care what I wear?”

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