The Best Cool Lingerie and Underwear Brands

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and the cardinal rule of giving "sexy" gifts is know thy partner. Some of our beloved boos would love nothing more than to open a tissue-filled box and find a scarlet pair of crotchless panties, while others would drop dead of mortification (then dump you once resuscitated).

Fancy underwear is one of those things that everyone loves to have, but it can be truly tricky to find in its best form to suit individual tastes. You're here because you want to try, whether this is a V-Day self-love gift or a way of saying "I love to see you in minimal clothing" to your partner in crime. And blessedly, the range of cool lingerie is far and wide for sizing, vibes, and degrees of naughtiness.

A couple of rules of thumb for buying lingerie for someone else:

• Don't try to "convert" a chill, comfy underwear-wearer into a lace-and-strap vixen by giving them what you think they'd look good in; this move is awkward at best, rude and dysphoria-inducing at worst. Instead, just shop for undies that would fit in with the rest of your partner's underwear drawer, but are made with high-end materials and construction.

• If you're buying a bra as a gift, don't try to blind-guess your partner’s bra size. You're either going to have to ask them, or sneak a peek at their tag next time their underthings are littering the bedroom floor. If that's not a possibility due to the element of surprise or just a lack of access, try going for a bralette, which will have more forgiving shapes and often come in traditional XS/S/M/L/XL sizing, which is easier to estimate. 
• Don’t forget that feeling comfortable is pretty necessary for feeling sexy. A too-small G-string is not going to have your boo feeling their best.

That being said, there’s more amazing underwear out there than ever before. These are the best lingerie brands to shop online, from cult-faves and cozy sets to the fancy and frisky.

The Best Lowkey-Sexy Lingerie

CUUP

When it comes to direct-to-consumer brands that are taking basics to the next level, CUUP is a top contender. With its luxe fabrics (mesh, modal), modern shades, flattering shapes, and pretty great size range (up to H cup), the brand's lingerie deserves to be seen. Rec Room contributor Angel Kilmister loves the sheer Balconette bra and super-soft modal Highwaist undies in particular.

Else Lingerie

If you're looking for a balance of classy and coquettish, Else's ethereal lingerie hits all the right notes, with its motto of "comfort and style in every situation." Handmade in Istanbul using sustainable lace made from regenerated yarn using solar energy, its fabrics are sheer and detailed without too many bells and whistles, frills, or scratchy bits. Please buy us this sexy plunge bra, thanks!

Cosabella

Cosabella is a bit of an OG when it comes to affordable lingerie, and the brand’s thongs were considered *the ultimate* in the early 00s. But Cosabella has continued to modernize its line in recent years, including by adding a best-in-class selection of bralettes for the DD+ crowd via its Curvy and Ultra Curvy lines. And, its thongs still rule. After all, Y2K is back, baby!

Pepper

Pepper specializes in lingerie specifically for the AA–B cup crowd, because all tatas deserve high-quality outfitting, regardless of their size. Some of the brand’s bras lift and enhance, some contour, some offer super-light support, and all flatter.

The Best Racy, Spicy Lingerie

Agent Provocateur

British lingerie house Agent Provocateur is known as "the world's most erotic lingerie," and it does not shy away from big-time statements in its designs or its marketing. Known for its high quality and cheeky pieces, it’s where you should go if you’re in search of lace, hearts, ruffles, cutouts, and all of that good stuff.

Gooseberry Intimates

These ultra-racy undies from Gooseberry Intimates are built for showing off in the bedroom rather than wearing under a T-shirt to your ceramics class—although, of course, that's always an option.

For Love & Lemons

We love this brand because its unique, detail-oriented styles really cover all of your personalities—from ditzy schoolgirl, to sexy madame, you can be anyone you want, as long as they’re confident and sexy.

Fleur Du Mal

Ooooh boy, is Fleur Du Mal's fancy, fabulous lingerie worth lusting over. It's certainly on the pricier side, but it's essentially couture. From the cute to the kinky, the brand's site is a wonderland of luxe bras, underwear, loungewear, and more—and the unisex washable silk boxers make the perfect gift that you and your partner can steal back and forth from each other.

Adore Me

Looking for teddies, bodysuits, and other slinky little numbers? Adore Me is your spot, and you can slip into something more comfortable for less than $20 if you join the site as a "VIP." (Velvet rope and bottle of Champagne not included.) With a solid five-star rating on nearly every piece, happy VIPs describe Adore Me's lingerie as "comfortable," "enticing," and "sweet and a little naughty."

The Best Chill, Comfy Lingerie

NK Imode

Canadian sleepwear label NK Imode makes nightgowns and loungewear that are as lovely for donning when you're feeling yourself as they are for bringing on your honeymoon. If you need any further testimonials, Adele recently wore the brand's pajamas in a Vogue shoot. So yeah, nice stuff—and a superb gift for someone who loves to hang in bed and is due to ditch that holey pair of sweats.

Lunya

Lunya's ready to get you "in the mood… for bedtime." In other words, the brand's high-end sleepwear is for keeping the vibe going when it's time to knock out, after you've already knocked boots. We're huge fans of the brand's washable silk weighted sleep mask, but another bestseller is this washable silk sleep set, which is also available for dudes.

Skims

Yes, Kim Kardashian is the face—and mastermind—of this loungewear and underwear brand, but honestly, Skims is good shit, and there's a reason several of its products have gone ultra-viral (as did its recent Valentine’s Day campaign with Lana Del rey). The fabrics are indisputably sexy, the size range is known for fitting pretty much everybody, and there are constantly new drops with styles you won’t find anywhere else.

Parade

If you're Insta mutuals with any micro-influencers, you're probably well-acquainted with Parade, the colorful, casual undies brand that's sort of taken over the internet (and the butts of your friends and their thirst traps). If you're looking for ultra-comfy thongs and briefs or soft, loungy bras, Parade has both in droves—and in a huge variety of colors and patterns, including collaborations with brands like Ganni and Betsey Johnson. What other underwear brands offer Smarties-themed underwear?

Knickey

With its wide size range (XXS to XXXL) and simple, flattering cuts, Knickey is like if Hanes or Fruit of the Loom and Skims had a baby. We love the high-leg, high-waisted briefs and no-frills bralettes, which are wire-free, made with organic cotton, and, with their simple pullover style, gender-neutral.

There you have it; 14 lingerie brands for everybody and every body, for hot nights and Hulu binge-watching, for tiny-tata'd babes and big-booty Brendas, for the tarty and the tomboyish. Shop on, and have a sexy, silky Valentine's Day—or a cozy, cotton one.

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The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story.