A visible panty line is the situation when the outline of a person's underwear is visible through the clothing.[1] The underpants may be seen as a ridge or depression in the clothes, or as a result of the clothing material being sufficiently transparent.
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Many cultures disapprove of the display of underwear, and a visible panty line is generally considered undesirable and embarrassing. The problem arises especially with tight-fitting clothing and the use of thin materials for the outer clothing. Underwear manufacturers try to reduce the creation of a panty line by the use of thin materials in the underwear and avoiding use of elastic or other bulky seams. Lace edges can help also. The colour of the outer garment against the undergarment may also enhance the visibility of the undergarment.
At the same time, a visible panty line is at times deliberately created for its erotic impact.
This phenomenon is seen much less frequently in men; however, it can happen when briefs or boxer briefs are worn under thin or tight pants. Regardless of the underwear style, it is often referred to as visible panty line, or VPL for short.
The origin of the term is probably traced to barracks humor, the term VPL for 'visible panty line' as a mockery of overused bureaucratic initialisms, coined in an analogy with water line.[2] The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English claims that the phrase was popularized by Woody Allen's 1977 comedy film Annie Hall.
The term "panty line" is also used in places where British English is favoured, such as the UK, Ireland, South Africa, India, and some other Commonwealth nations such as Australia and New Zealand, even though in those places panties are often referred to as knickers.