Aerie Superchill Cotton Bikini
Trying to decide where to start with reviewing my collection felt like an exercise in picking favorites among a group of friends. No matter what I landed on, I immediately thought, "Yeah, but this one...". In the end, recency won out over priority and I decided to start with Aerie's Superchill Cotton Bikini.
Superchill Cotton Bikini (image: aerie.com)
If you've read my comments on why panties you may have noticed my enthusiasm for the stretchy, high-recovery fabrics in women's panties. It was specifically because of this enthusiasm that I almost didn't try the Superchill cotton line. That would have been a mistake.
Unlike any men's underwear I've tried, the cotton in these panties doesn't relax into uselessness within minutes of putting them on. The cotton (95%) is mixed with just enough elastane (5%) that they hold their shape and stay snug and smooth for the whole day. The cotton makes the material a bit thicker than other panties, but not so much as to be bulky. It still breathes well, moves easily, and is very soft and comfortable. And while I have enough panties that no single pair gets washed super frequently, so far this material has held up very well and still looks brand new after laundering.
The bikini cut is full coverage but not "too much". The leg opening hits me right at the very bottom of the cheek. Not enough that I'd consider calling it "cheeky" at all, but enough that it feels like a bikini and isn't crossing over onto the legs. The rise is advertised as "low rise" and I would agree with that completely. For the male anatomy, a bit more rise needed to span the distance between the waistband and the area between the legs. With that in mind, these have just barely enough rise. It is enough and it is exactly how I like my panties to land on me, but if you are hoping for an easy low-mid rise or higher and you have male anatomy, these might not be the answer for you. Unfortunately, if visibility under clothes is a concern for you, I can't offer much insight there. The rest of my clothing doesn't make it easy to notice "show through" one way or another.
The gusset width in my size (L) is great. Enough width to comfortably support me, with sufficient fabric to keep anatomy from sticking to my legs, but not so much as to be loose and unsupportive.
The seat fit is going to be a highly personal thing. Let's just say nobody will be writing any songs about my "back". But the seat in these fits me very well. It also has enough stretch that I believe it would likely work well for all but the most well endowed backsides.
The waistband is minimal but works surprisingly well. I've not experienced any rolling or digging. The amount of stretch available is perfect and the recovery is as good as any other part of the panties. After a full day, if I compare to a freshly washed pair, there is some extra width, but the feeling of the fabric is only that it has adjusted to accommodate me, not that it has become loose or lost any structure. I've been very pleased with the waistband here.
Having said all of that, a word about sizing is warranted. If my goal was pure relaxed comfort, I'd size up to an XL in these. And, indeed, if I'm planning to lounge around the house and just want soft comfort, that's exactly what I grab. But, for me, at that size, things are just a little bit looser than my preference and if I wear XL all day, by the end of the day I'm definitely noticing the movement and looseness, particularly at the lower front and lower back. Less support for my male anatomy and just a touch of looseness near the very bottom of the seat. But, your mileage may vary. I'm being very nit-picky here. The fit of an XL pair at the end of the day is, by no means, bad. Still 100% better than any men's cotton underwear after even 15 minutes. But for my preferences, going with the L gives me that snug, firm support and smooth all-over fit that I enjoy, and it stays that way all day.
For me, these strike a great balance between softness and structure - something that’s surprisingly hard to find in cotton.
Until next time... stay comfy!
Published on by Chief Pantyist