The Scoop on Our Best-Selling Panties

The Olga Secret Hug Scoop Hipster has a following so devoted, most celebrities would be envious. Hundreds upon hundreds leave our warehouse every day. This word-of-mouth favorite has been around for decades and remains more or less unchanged.

“Customers know it by style number,” says buyer Alyssa Barnard. “This panty runs deep, okay? I couldn’t believe it, even when I first became a merchant in this area. This is by far THE panty, our #1. It’s legendary.”

For a time, Olga discontinued it—and they heard about it from fans. This past fall, by placing an order for “a boatload of panties,” Bare Necessities was able to bring them back. The Olga Secret Hug Scoop Hipster continues to be our exclusive, and it continues to fly off the warehouse shelves. We carry the entire size range (S/5 to 2XL/9) in classic neutrals, the just-reintroduced navy and lace dot print, and the newest hue, sand.

What’s amazing about its ascendency is that, for all intents and purposes, we’re talking about “a granny panty,” in the best way possible: It’s generously cut in the seat and the wide, lacy elastic waist gently supports a tummy.

“Women also love it during pregnancy because it’s stretchy yet soft; it doesn’t dig in anywhere,” Alyssa says. She thinks this unassuming style is repeatedly referred to in near-perfect reviews as the “best panties ever” because they’re feminine, flattering, exceedingly comfortable, true to size and affordable (three for $27), yet very silky and luxe-feeling.

We had five staffers road test the Olga913, as it’s known around here, to find out firsthand what makes them so against-all-odds outstanding, and the common thread was this: You don’t even know they’re on.

Brooke Glassberg, editor: Sign me up for the fan club because I totally get it now. Because these are full-cut, I ordered a size down from my usual cotton bikini briefs. I wore them from sun up to midnight on an extremely hot, nonstop Saturday and, unlike any undies I’ve ever had, I completely and utterly did not even notice them, not once all day. Honestly, that’s saying something. They never rode up or bunched or annoyed; they’re light as air. The fit was tailor-made for my pear-shaped lower half. They were just COMFORTABLE. True, these aren’t going to score you any sexy points, but that’s not what most of us are going for on the daily anyway. If I had to make one nitpicky point, it’s that I wish they were more wicking and breathable on a summer day, but for the office or an average day, they’re pretty much all I could hope for. 

Stephanie Salardino, online merchandising manager: I’m a tried and true Hanky Panky Signature Lace Original Rise Thong gal, so this was a totally different style for me. While it didn’t unseat my favorite, I have to admit…it was pretty comfortable! It was lightweight enough for the humid temperatures and stayed in place on my body, so I can understand why it’s the go-to choice for a lot of women. I washed it once and it laundered really well, too.

Kathleen Stafford, email marketing coordinator: I was excited to try these because I’ve been hearing about them for a while now. The pros: The fit is true to size. They feel very smooth and comfortable. The cons: I like a higher cut, and I’m not a huge fan of nylon; I prefer microfiber or cotton. Overall, I can see why these are a fan favorite. For me, they’re not exactly my style of panty, but I get what the buzz is about and I’m happy to have tried them.

Justina Dickens, product merchandising coordinator: I immediately washed my pair and, against all that I’ve been taught, threw it into the dryer to see what would happen. It washed well; because of the lace, I would probably recommend air drying it as a rule to keep it from eventually separating. Maybe I should have ordered a size up because they didn’t entirely cover my rear. (In fairness, I have a bigger booty and normally require additional coverage!) I love the back center seam, which helps define and create a fuller, natural look that I love; it makes my rear look great in or out of clothing and gives this style a modern touch. I loved that the lace extends a bit higher; the extra coverage made me feel comfortable around the lower belly. I tested them with a dress, and there were no visible panty lines. The elastic was quite comfortable, if a little too visible under low-rise pants for my liking. In general, the coverage was good, the rise was modest, with good hip coverage, and the fabric was great—since it slides easily under clothing, there was no cling.

Casey Tucker, social media manager: I rarely stray from my low-rise lace thongs, so I was a bit skeptical about this hipster. After living in them for an entire day, however, I was extremely impressed. I could immediately tell that the name of the game for this style is comfort, which is not to say that they didn’t also look good on—the dot pattern and lace detailing along my muffin top was very flattering to my shape. The hipster fit me in all the right places: it hugged me where I wanted it to be more snug and gave in all the places where I wanted room to move without chafing. The lace, I suspect, is one of the main reasons for the amazing fit. It prevented any rolling or bunching when I sat down or moved around a lot. The material is extremely light but not too delicate, so I barely thought about it and certainly didn’t have to fiddle with it at any point. Call me a convert.