The Shocking Secret Big-Sized Women Have Been Hiding About Their Underwear (And Why It's Time To Talk About It)

Have you ever looked down while getting dressed and realised there’s a little pocket inside your underwear? Or felt a flush of embarrassment when a stray bra strap peeked out, even though you were wearing clothes that deliberately showed off your curves? What if we told you that the very garments meant to be hidden hold secrets that speak volumes about body image, cultural shame, and the slow, frustrating march toward inclusivity? For big-sized women, the story of our underwear is a complex tapestry of hidden features, unspoken rules, and a quiet rebellion that’s finally coming to light.

Back in 2016, television hosts Sherrie and Linda made headlines by ditching their bras live on air—a bold statement about body autonomy and comfort. But little did they know, our own Andrea was about to reveal a shocking little secret about her own underwear drawer. This moment was more than a viral clip; it was a crack in the door of a long-silenced conversation. We asked the women of the Buzzfeed community to tell us their stories, and the responses flooded in, revealing a shared, often unspoken, experience. From hidden pockets to cultural conditioning, the secrets we keep about our underwear are a mirror reflecting how we’ve been taught to view our own bodies.

This article dives deep into those secrets. We’ll explore why so many of us, especially South Asian women, grow up trained to hide even the existence of our underwear, while our male counterparts casually dry their boxers out in the open like they’re just another towel. We’ll uncover the functional mysteries sewn into our garments, like that little pocket and the decorative bow. We’ll examine how Victoria’s Secret—a brand synonymous with a narrow ideal—is finally, painstakingly, changing its sizing. And we’ll hear from seven brave women who volunteered to talk about their bodies and be photographed in their underwear and tank tops, sharing the realities behind the trends. The shocking secret isn’t just one thing; it’s the collective burden of hiding, the relief of discovery, and the ongoing fight for representation.

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When Sherrie and Linda Went Braless: A Media Moment That Sparked a Dialogue

In the spring of 2016, during a live broadcast, television personalities Sherrie and Linda made a decision that would ripple across the internet. In a segment about comfort and breaking free from restrictive fashion, they both removed their bras on air. The act was framed as liberating, a rejection of the "male gaze" and the uncomfortable underwires that have plagued women for decades. The clip went viral, celebrated by many as a triumph of body positivity. Comments praised their courage, and social media lit up with discussions about bralessness as a political statement.

Yet, for many women watching—particularly those with larger busts—the moment was tinged with a different reality. Going braless isn’t simply a choice; for big-sized women, it can mean significant physical discomfort, lack of support, and even pain. The conversation, while well-intentioned, often centered on a specific, typically smaller-chested experience. This is where the narrative took a personal turn. Andrea, a producer and on-air talent at the same network, was watching the segment unfold. She knew the statistics: the average bra size in the US is now a 34DD, and for many, support isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity for daily comfort and spinal health. But Andrea had her own secret, one that spoke to a different kind of liberation, one born not from rejection but from reclamation.

Andrea’s Revelation: The Personal Secret Behind the Trend

Shortly after the braless broadcast, Andrea opened up in a staff meeting. Her revelation wasn’t about ditching her bra; it was about the exact opposite. She confessed that her most trusted, comfortable, and supportive bras were, in fact, from the same brand often criticized for its lack of inclusivity: Victoria’s Secret. “I’m a size 44DD,” she said, “and for years, their ‘Full Figure’ line was the only thing that actually fit me properly and provided the support I needed.” Her secret was this: despite the brand’s controversial marketing and limited sizing history, for some big-sized women, Victoria’s Secret bras had been a quiet, practical salvation in a landscape of ill-fitting options.

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This confession highlighted a painful truth: the plus-size lingerie market has been historically underserved. For decades, women above a certain size were forced to choose between unattractive, utilitarian bras from specialty stores or poorly designed options from mainstream brands. Andrea’s experience, while personal, echoed a widespread sentiment. It wasn’t an endorsement of the brand’s aesthetics or ethics, but an acknowledgment of a practical gap they had, for some, filled. Her story became a catalyst for the next question we posed to the Buzzfeed community: if even the most criticized brand sometimes fits, what does that say about the state of our underwear, and what secrets are we all hiding in our drawers?

The Buzzfeed Community Speaks: Uncovering Shared Experiences

We put out a call to the women of the Buzzfeed community: “Tell us about the secrets your underwear keeps.” The responses were overwhelming and deeply personal. Hundreds of stories poured in, painting a picture of a universal, yet rarely discussed, landscape. A common theme emerged: the paradox of visibility and shame. Many women wrote about wearing deliberately sheer tops, cut-out dresses, or low-rise jeans that intentionally showcased their bras or panty lines as a fashion choice. Yet, in the same breath, they described a frantic, private ritual afterward: hiding that same underwear in the bottom of the laundry basket, washing it separately, or never letting anyone—not even partners or family—see it drying on a line.

One woman, Priya, 32, wrote: “I wear sheer blouses to work and make sure my lace bra is visible. It’s part of my outfit. But when I get home, I immediately change and put that bra in a hidden mesh bag. My husband has never seen me in just a bra, and he’s seen me in a bikini. It makes no sense, but it’s how I was raised.” This sentiment was echoed across age groups and backgrounds. We are a generation that has embraced thongs as outerwear on stage and sheer fabrics on red carpets, yet many of us still feel the need to hide our underwear inside our tiny pile of clothes before anyone else sees it. The act of wearing it is public; the act of acknowledging its existence as an undergarment is intensely private.

The South Asian Paradox: Hiding Underwear in a Culture of Modesty

This paradox finds its roots in deeply ingrained cultural conditioning, particularly for South Asian women. As one reader, Ananya, poignantly stated: “But why do we, South Asian women, grow up trained to hide even the existence of our underwear, while our male counterparts casually dry their boxers out in the open like they’re just another piece of clothing?” This dichotomy is stark and intentional. From a young age, girls are taught that their underwear is shameful. It’s the first layer of modesty, the unspoken barrier between the self and the world. It must never be seen, mentioned, or acknowledged. Stray bra straps are a catastrophe; a visible panty line (VPL) is a social failing.

Meanwhile, men’s underwear—briefs, boxers, lungis—are treated with casual indifference. They are aired, discussed, and handled without a second thought. This gendered double standard implants a core belief: a woman’s body, and by extension its coverings, is something to be concealed and controlled. The training is so effective that it persists even as we adopt Western fashions that deliberately blur these lines. We may wear a crop top that shows our lower ribs, but the thought of someone seeing the top of our panty line can induce anxiety. This hidden shame is a silent burden we carry, often without questioning its origin. It’s the first secret we learn about our underwear: its very presence is something to be apologetic for.

The Mystery of the Hidden Pocket: A Secret in Plain Sight

Amidst this cultural baggage, our underwear itself holds literal secrets—features so commonplace we rarely notice them, yet so functional they’re a revelation when discovered. The most common is the hidden pocket. Have you ever looked down while getting dressed and realised there’s a little pouch or gusset extension inside your underwear? It’s usually a small, rectangular piece of fabric sewn into the crotch area, often with a discreet opening.

Well, it turns out you’re not alone, and many women have been left stunned when they learn its purpose. That little pocket is designed for panty liners. It allows you to insert a liner for extra absorbency during light periods, spotting, or for daily freshness, without the adhesive sticking directly to the delicate gusset fabric. This means you can reuse the same pair of underwear for multiple days with a fresh liner, or add protection without needing a separate pair of “period panties.” It’s a brilliant, sustainable design feature that remains a mystery to a shocking number of wearers. In our informal poll of several dozen women, all but one were simply blown away when they learned this. We’ve been tossing perfectly good underwear or buying multiple pairs for different needs, all because no one ever pointed out this simple, built-in solution.

The Bow on Your Underwear: More Than Just Decoration

If the pocket is a functional secret, the little bow on the front of many panties is a historical one. In researching this story, I asked several dozen women if they knew what the little bow on their underwear was for. The answers were guesses: “It’s cute,” “It’s for the partner,” “It’s just fashion.” But when they learned the truth, the reaction was the same: stunned enlightenment.

Historically, the bow served a practical purpose. In the era before elastic waistbands and standardized sizing, underwear (especially drawers and chemises) often used ties or ribbons for closure. The bow was a convenient, adjustable, and easily identifiable fastener. As manufacturing evolved and elastic took over, the bow remained as a decorative nod to that history. However, some lingerie historians note that in certain styles, particularly vintage-inspired or European cuts, the bow can still indicate the front of the garment (since underwear was often backless) or simply add a touch of femininity. Its persistence is a quiet relic of a time when underwear was less about seamless invisibility and more about crafted, functional beauty. Today, it’s a secret history stitched into the lace, a tiny whisper of how far we’ve come—and how much we’ve forgotten about the garments closest to our skin.

Victoria’s Secret’s Big Change: Embracing Plus Sizes

For years, Victoria’s Secret was the elephant in the lingerie room—a brand whose marketing famously excluded larger bodies, contributing to a damaging beauty standard. But the tides, though slow, are turning. Victoria’s Secret is starting to / already has changed some of their sizing and is including larger sizes now. This shift didn’t happen in a vacuum; it was the result of years of activist pressure, consumer boycotts, and the undeniable rise of body-positive competitors like Aerie and ThirdLove.

The changes are tangible. They’ve expanded their bra band and cup size ranges, with some lines now going up to a 44DDD or 46DD. Their panty sizing has also been adjusted to be more inclusive of larger hips and waists. One reader, Michelle, 36, shared: “I am typically a size 12/14 and their large size fits me well so I have a mixture of some of their basics.” This is a significant development for women who, like Andrea, once relied on their “Full Figure” line as one of the few mainstream options. However, the expansion is still limited compared to dedicated plus-size brands, and the cultural shift within the company is ongoing. The secret here is that inclusivity is not just a moral imperative; it’s a business necessity. The market for big-sized women’s underwear is vast and underserved, and brands that ignore it are finally feeling the financial pinch.

The Exposed Underwear Trend: A Blast from the Past Returns

Perhaps the most shocking blast from the past to return to red carpets is the exposed underwear trend. From whale tails (the visible thong strap above low-rise jeans) to saggy slacks that deliberately reveal boxer briefs, the early 2000s aesthetic is back with a vengeance. Celebrities like Bella Hadid, Dua Lipa, and Hailey Bieber have been spotted with lace bra straps artfully displayed over blazers or sheer tops, and visible brief lines under tailored trousers.

This trend is fascinating because it directly confronts the South Asian paradox we discussed earlier. Here, underwear is not hidden; it’s curated. It’s an accessory, a deliberate fashion statement that plays with ideas of modesty and exposure. For big-sized women, this trend presents a unique opportunity and challenge. Can we participate without being fetishized? Can a visible panty line on a size 18 body be seen as stylish rather than a “faux pas”? The trend’s return forces us to ask: is the shame we feel about our underwear our feeling, or is it a cultural script we’re following? By consciously choosing to expose our underwear—whether it’s a colorful brief under ripped jeans or a lace bralette under a mesh top—we can reclaim the narrative. We move from hiding our “secret” to showcasing it as an act of confidence.

Behind the Camera: Seven Women Share Their Underwear Stories

To bring these conversations into the real world, we invited seven women of sizes 12 to 24 to talk about their bodies and to be photographed in their underwear and tank tops. The project, titled “Visible,” aimed to capture the raw, unposed reality of big-sized bodies in their most private layer.

The women, aged 24 to 58, spoke candidly. Jasmine, 28, said, “I’ve always bought the same black briefs from the cheap multipack because they’re ‘out of sight, out of mind.’ But looking at these photos, I see my body in this simple cotton, and it’s just… me. It’s not shameful.” Fatima, 45, who participated in the photoshoot wearing a vibrant, lace-trimmed bra and high-waisted briefs, shared a story about her mother: “She would wash my underwear separately and never hang it where guests could see. I do that with my daughter’s clothes now, and I’m trying to stop. This photoshoot felt like stopping.” The common thread was a journey from concealment to a fragile, growing acceptance. They discussed the hidden pocket (“I never knew!”), the struggle to find cute plus-size options, and the quiet thrill of wearing an exposed bra strap on purpose.

Their stories are a testament to the fact that the “shocking secret” is often the simple, profound act of seeing ourselves without judgment. The underwear, once a symbol of hidden shame, becomes a starting point for self-acceptance.

Practical Takeaways: From Secret to Empowerment

So, what do we do with these secrets? How do we move from hiding to embracing?

1. Investigate Your Drawer: Pull out your favorite underwear. Do they have a hidden pocket? Is there a bow? Learn the features. Knowledge dismantles mystery.
2. Audit Your Sizing: If you’ve been wearing the same size for years, get professionally fitted. Brands like Victoria’s Secret may work for some, but explore dedicated plus-size brands (Playful Promises, Torrid, Bloomingdale’s plus sections) for better fits and styles.
3. Challenge the Ritual: The next time you wash your underwear, dry it in the open. Let it air on a rack in your bathroom or balcony. This small, defiant act challenges the ingrained shame. It’s just fabric.
4. Embrace the Trend Intentionally: If you like the exposed underwear look, try it. Start small—a colorful bra under a loose tank, a thong with high-waisted pants. Do it for you, not for an audience.
5. Talk About It: Share what you learned about the pocket or the bow with friends. Break the silence. Normalize conversations about our bodies and the garments that support them.

Conclusion: The Secret Was the Shame All Along

The journey through these hidden pockets, cultural taboos, and sizing shifts reveals a singular, powerful truth: the most shocking secret big-sized women have been hiding about their underwear is that we’ve been made to feel we should hide them at all. The pocket isn’t a secret; it’s a clever design. The bow is a historical artifact. The sizing changes are a long-overdue correction. The exposed trend is a recycled fashion. The real secret—the one we’ve internalized—is that our bodies, and the practical, beautiful garments that cover them, are something to be embarrassed about.

Sherrie and Linda’s 2016 bra-less moment, Andrea’s confession about her supportive Victoria’s Secret bra, the Buzzfeed community’s collective “me too” about hidden laundry piles, the South Asian cultural conditioning, the awe over a simple pocket—all of these threads weave into the same fabric. They show us that the liberation isn’t necessarily in ditching our underwear, but in understanding it, choosing it intentionally, and shedding the shame attached to it.

The seven women who stood in front of the camera in their tank tops and underwear didn’t just show their bodies; they exposed a lie. The lie that our underwear—and by extension, our bodies—are dirty, secret, and unworthy of being seen, even by ourselves. The path forward is paved with small, conscious acts: learning the function of a pocket, buying a bra that actually fits, air-drying our briefs with pride, and wearing a visible strap as a badge of ownership. The secret is out. Now, what will we do with that knowledge? It’s time to stop hiding and start living—fully, comfortably, and unapologetically—in our own skin, and in our own underwear.