Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers
In our column “What I Can’t Live Without,” we’ve interviewed hundreds of famous people about their favorite products — and here, we’re delving into their favorite underwear. If you needed some proof that famous people really are just like us, many of them told us that once they find their Goldilocks pair of underwear, they stick to it. And there are some who are so obsessed with their favorite undies that they buy them in bulk. (One celebrity told us she has a collection of more than 100 pairs of the same thong.) Nothing comes between them and their Calvins — or Hanes or Jockeys: You’ll find plenty of basics from well-known brands on this list, as well as some pairs from newer brands that offer a little innovation by way of fit or performance. For the most part, these aren’t for the “special underwear” drawer; they’re the comfortable, reliable undergarments that these celebrities wear for themselves, day in and day out. To help you scan through their favorite pairs of underwear, we’ve organized this list by gender, and in cases where more than one celebrity has recommended the same pair, we’ve included all of their quotes.
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Rain Spencer
“In the morning when I wake up and I’m making coffee, I like to throw on a really small Hanes ribbed tank top — one of the ones that are high on your neck — and some little shorts. These are the shorts I put on with the tank top. But also under jeans — under baggy jeans is when I really like to wear those. That combo with a tight shirt.” —July 2025
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June Squibb
“I always get mine at Macy’s. I suppose I found them just by trial and error over the years, but I won’t wear anything else anymore. They’re wonderful and comfortable. I could have the most gorgeous event clothes on and underneath is a pair of cotton Jockey underpants.” —March 2025
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Joanna Goddard
“They’re called string bikinis, but they’re like briefs. Really good fit. I got a bunch in black, but there are also three different shades of blue in a package or three different shades of pink, so I got a couple of those too. And then of course I have some nice underwear that sits in a different drawer and are unused for now, but this is my everyday underwear.” — February 2024
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Young Kim
“[Paloma Casile] makes a lot of things in Paris, and she has people working in the basement of her shop. If you need an adjustment, they can do it right away. That’s really special. You can of course order things online, which is great, but if you’re actually there in person, they can adjust things to fit you, which makes a big difference, I have to say.” —April 2024
[Editor’s note: Paloma Casile lists prices in euros, so the prices shown here are an approximate conversion to U.S. dollars.]
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La La Anthony
“I literally have over 100 pairs of them. I’m the person who pretty much sticks to the same thing. They come in every color but I just stick with the black and nude. I love that they are seamless under anything.” — June 2019
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Rhiannon Giddens
“I’m a touring musician, so I’m always looking for things that will make my load lighter. You can literally wash these out in your hotel room and in a few hours they’re dry. I know they’re for camping, but I use them for touring and travel. You can’t overestimate the power of clean underwear on the road. I haven’t had to buy new ones because I bought like five pairs several years ago and they’re still going strong.” — December 2022
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Amanda Seales
“I am a chronic wedgie sufferer, and I like that these stay put. I’m not having to figure out how to pick a wedgie without being seen when I wear these. They give me comfort without feeling like a big ol’ granny panty. I’ve been wearing Aerie boy briefs since high school. Once I find something I like, I stick with it.” — August 2022
Editor’s Note: Seales’s original pick is sold out, but we found a similar option that’s still available.
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Christine Chiu
“I’ve been buying these babies since back when they were completely uncool. I discovered them at an airport in Europe before they sold their products online. For the next couple of years, I would purposely reroute trips to that airport just to stock up on 30 to 40 pairs at a time. They are the most soft, lightweight, seamless panties. Yes, I have my fair share of La Perla and fancy-shmancy underwear, but when I wear underwear for myself, these are my go-to. They last, so they’re cost effective. And I can wear any type of silk or super-fine body-forming clothes and can’t see the seams.” — May 2022
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Christine Quinn
“I’m a creature of habit. I have probably 500 million different types of panties, but even so, I always just want to wear these. I have them in every color. I prefer the thong style with the Calvin Klein logo on top. They are so cute and comfortable and have been my everyday underwear for years. And I don’t wear actual bras very often, but I love the matching Calvin Klein bralettes. The whole set is a must. They’re not tight but provide support. They’re also so breathable, which, believe it or not, is a hard thing to find.” — November 2021
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Rose Matafeo
“There are quite a few ‘period pants’ on the market now, but Thinx was one of the first. They’re so good that I once ordered them from America to New Zealand. I first heard of them through a friend of a friend, who was doing a big order, so I got in on it. Depending on how heavy your flow is, you don’t need to wear a pad with them. They’ve lasted me for years. They’re a high waist and so comfortable. I wish they’d been around when I was a teenager.” — August 2021
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Catherine Opie
“I primarily bought men’s underwear until I found TomboyX. This is a boxer brief that’s made for a woman’s body. They’re perfect because a men’s boxer brief doesn’t fit a woman’s body quite the same way. Again, the brand figured something out for us butches.” — June 2021
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Meena Harris
“It took me forever to try ‘period underwear,’ but I love these. I was in and out of pregnancy for like two, three years straight, and when I finally started getting my period again regularly, I was so fucking annoyed. These came into my life at the perfect time. I was extremely over having a period and having to deal with tampons. There are a couple styles, but as a mom, I choose high waisted for everything.” — March 2021
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Evelynn Escobar-Thomas
“I’m a granny-panty stan because of my pregnancy. I love anything that is soft, not going to leave a line, and goes over the bump comfortably. These 100 percent cotton briefs do exactly that. I’ve bought so many pairs because it’s the only underwear I want to wear.” — February 2021
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Sarah Cooper
“I wore the same underwear for like ten years. It was really gross underwear that my ex-boyfriend bought me for Valentine’s Day. I just never got rid of it because I never buy underwear. This club basically sends you really high-quality underwear every month. It’s beautiful. It has really high-end brands, but I never look at that. I’m just like, ‘Oh, this is so pretty.’ Now I have this amazing collection of underwear that I love. I actually like picking out the pair that I wear each day.” — November 2020
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Tallulah Willis
“My sister Rumer is my guru in terms of all things fancy. She introduced me to this brand. I love pretty panties, but I’m so sensitive to texture and comfort, so I had a collection of the underwear I actually wore and then another collection of pretty underwear. I was like, ‘This is dumb.’ What I love about these is they’re so comfortable — I’m a thong girl — but also really pretty.” — September 2020
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Barbara Corcoran
“Everyone seems to wear these. They come in every color, like 30 colors, and it’s like a lace crayon box when you open your drawer. Here’s what it is about them — they’re inexpensive and last forever. I don’t think I’ve ever thrown a single pair out. The stretch material never gives up on you, and they don’t feel like you have underwear on. I can’t say I’ve worn just these with a skirt (I need pantyhose), but they’re just great and never, never wrinkle.” — November 2017
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Kim France
“My underwear drawer is the most boring place in the world, because all I have are dozens of pairs of the same thing: On Gossamer’s Mesh Bikinis. It is so far and away the perfect underwear that I have a hard time understanding why anybody wears anything else: It’s super-light, highly breathable, and — most importantly — hugely VPL-resistant. Seriously, it’s as VPL-resistant as a thong, but without the annoyingness of a thong.” — November 2016
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John Fluevog
“I found Bonds when I was opening my store in Australia. They fit so well and last so long — they don’t get thin and they stay the same shape. I’ve tried a lot of different underwear, but these I will go to great lengths to get. I get friends to bring it over. It seems odd to do that with underwear, but it’s my little quirk. Maybe it’s because they’re made in Australia and they’re hard to find, so they’re unusual for me. I like unusual things.” — January 2025
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Harris Reed
“They’re definitely on the expensive side, and I don’t own a ton of them because they’re so expensive. But what I can say is they’re worth the money. This underwear is just so soft and comfortable. I even wore it to the Met Gala because it was the only thing that really didn’t give bad underwear lines. I feel like in men’s underwear, it’s either Calvin Klein (which there’s nothing wrong with!), very classic, or something very sexy. I think it’s kind of nice to have an in-between.” — November 2024
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Joey Fatone
“I prefer boxer briefs. Boxers are very loosey-loosey. They’re not the greatest. When I’m dancing around onstage, I want things to be in place so I don’t hurt myself. Stance’s boxer briefs are comfortable, and they have this little pouch, which sounds kind of funny even saying it out loud. And they come in lots of different fun designs, sometimes with cartoon characters on them. Because why not? You can still be a kid as an adult, right?” — April 2024
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Tim Heidecker
“I would often have chaffing issues with certain cuts of underwear, but once I found this particular cut and brand, I was all in. I love the simplicity of the fit. I have 15 pairs of them in a drawer and when I go traveling, I grab them all and throw them in my suitcase. Something I’m beginning to think about when I tour and when I travel is riding my underwear for two days in a row. I’ve been noticing that these are still fine after a day. So I might start packing less.” — September 2024
Marlon Wayans
“I have to have my Calvins. I’ve been wearing these for the last 20 years. They fit well and keep me and my fellas cool. It’s nice, clean cotton. I think almost all men should wear black underwear, because they don’t know how to clean themselves. Some of these men wear white underwear, and their wives pick up behind them and are like, ‘This is a nasty ass.’ I don’t have that problem. I wear white ones because I know how to clean myself like a grown-ass man.” — March 2023
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Dorion Renaud
“If you’re getting ready to take your clothes off with somebody, you don’t want to be in some cheap-ass underwear — anyone who has bent over with Fruit of the Loom or Hanes on knows what I’m talking about. These are comfortable, don’t shrink, come in a lot of colors, and last for a long time. A lot of underwear you have to throw away because they get old, but not these Calvins. The underwear represents the kind of gentleman I’ve always aspired to be. They’re also great if you have a larger package. They have a pouch that’s perfect for any size.” — August 2021
Editor’s Note: Renaud’s original pick is sold out, but we found a similar option that’s still available.
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Scott Disick
“I don’t wear boxers if I wear jeans. But when I’m going to wear boxers, I wear Calvin Klein boxers. It’s just the comfort value. I haven’t tried a trillion boxers, but these are good. I pretty much stick to black.” — January 2020
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French Montana
“Boxers are too baggy. And I work out, so boxers start climbing up your legs when you do certain moves, you know? These Ethika ones just kind of stick to your leg. I like patterns on my boxers. I wear all kinds of animal prints and all that jungle shit. They have a lot of prints that are very Versace, very flashy, very hip-hop. I match my boxers to whatever outfit I’m wearing. Ethika has so many colors and patterns that it’s easy to do that.” — November 2021
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Gavin Rossdale
“I discovered them through my kids, they wear them. My boy Zuma is like, ‘Dad, you can get them too.’ I love them. They’re super zany colored, and they’re on Amazon. I dress like a child under these adult clothes. I’ve worn regular underwear, but I never liked the names on underwear. I used to go to Target for years because they used to have underwear with no names at the top, but then I could never find my size. Then when I discovered these Ethikas, I was like, ‘I got a new lease on life.’’” — November 2023
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Ludacris
“They’re just really comfortable. I work out a lot. I jump a lot. I do a bunch of burpees. I’m always on the move. You know, people always ask if you prefer boxers or briefs. I like briefs because they are able to hold things together a little bit.” — November 2021
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Tan France
“I tend to wear a lot of tight pants and I don’t want the seam of my boxers to be too far down my leg, so I wear boxer-briefs because they’re shorter. The fabric on these ones from Hanes is breathable, which is especially nice in the summer. They’re the most comfortable boxer briefs I’ve found. I’ve tried expensive designer brands and they’re just not as good to me. It’s bull when people say the more you spend, the better the quality. That’s not always the case. There’s a reason why Hanes sells as many boxer briefs as they do.” — June 2021
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Shaun Ross
“For women, lingerie has always been something meant to make them feel sexy. It has felt like their garment. But as a man, I want that same feeling — like many men, I am getting more in touch with myself and my feminine side. I wear these Menagerie briefs all the time, even to the beach. The company is Black-owned and the briefs make me feel sexy.” — May 2021
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Neil Patrick Harris
“Not sure why, but when I get stressed I seem to buy underpants. I’ve done some deep dives into men’s’ under britches and ordered from multiple companies and tried a lot of different pairs. But I’ve landed on Saxx because they provide comfort and stability in a way that no other underpants do. It’s all about the pouch. I mean, I like some space. Neil-y no like-y smashie.” — December 2020
Chris Carrabba
“These are similar in the material, where they can be washed in the sink and they dry like overnight, which is great for travelers. To be candid here, they’re called Saxx because there’s a little sack where you have extra space, I guess? And so things are situated in a more pleasant way than when I wear other brands on the market.” — January 2020
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Rick Ross
“I’m a boxers type of guy. I like the relaxed feel. When I wear these Versace ones, I feel sexy — like a sexy, fat model. I wear them when I’m really feeling myself or for a special occasion. I graduated from Hanes. I still respect Hanes, but I no longer wear it.” — August 2020
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