Several weeks ago, UNB Tim asked me to select the top 5 bikinis.
While researching the available pairs, I noticed that some pairs I consider to be a bikini style are called a brief by the brand. That got me thinking about what makes a particular pair a bikini vs. a brief. I engaged my Twitter followers to give me their opinions and tried to get input from various brands as well. Here’s what they had to say:
@UNBKyle – I think bikinis have a slimmer side. Just like how trunks are usually shorter than boxer briefs in the legs, bikinis are smaller and shorter on the sides than regular briefs.
@In2yourbriefs – Briefs are more full, more material where bikinis are very thin sides, small cut on the bum.
@Bikiniboiatl – Bikinis have at a 3” lower rise than full briefs and 2” lower rise than low rise briefs.
@Undyguy79 – Bikinis have a higher cut in the front leg and are smaller around the package. They often don’t have a separate waistband. Plus the distance between the leg hole and waist is smaller.
@Underweardude – I’d say the major difference is that the bikini is higher cut around the legs, and possibly a smaller read, both to varying degrees. Some modern low rise briefs might be called a bikini by someone who only wears the classic kind of briefs.
@underwearCEO – A bikini is a more petite version of a brief. Thinner on the side and not a full sear on the rear!
@cambiocalzones – I think bikinis are narrow at the sides and back the waistband is smaller too and they don’t have any kind of fly.
@UndieLvr – For me bikinis are similar to briefs but much thinner than your average brief. You can have bikinis from possibly an inch on the sides down to a side string (the thinner the sexier). To me briefs are your typical full brief and I’m not much a fan because they tend to not flatter a person’s shape the way a bikini 
would.
@Jockey292 – Bikinis have sides of an inch or less, or just a waistband with a pouch and back.
@N2NBodywear – Bikini 1” sides, Brief 3” or more.
Almost everyone uses the height of the sides to distinguish a bikini from a brief. But is this enough? Bikinis are a version of a brief and are typically smaller as most of my Twitter followers alluded to; however, I think there’s more to the distinction. Here are the criteria I use:
- Briefs often have flies. Bikinis do not.
- Briefs have formal elastic waistband (often advertising the brand name) that often stick out from the rest of the pair.. Bikinis do not; their waistbands are more subtle and blend in.
- Briefs usually provide more coverage all around. Bikinis tend to be smaller and skimpier, but can also have a fuller cut.
In my opinion, the top two criteria are the most important and the third is more of a guideline.
NOTE: Was written by BikinisNThongs on Twitter
