I'm going to apologize in advance for the girlie bias here, but Tot #1 is a girl, so this is a panties specific post. We are wrapping up the final stages of potty training (just nights left!) and though it was worth jotting down a primer on panties since she seems to have acquired quite a collection. With that said, we have discovered that all panties are not created equal.
Here is how they fit from smallest/snuggest to largest/loosest (all are 2T unless otherwise noted):
- Potty Patty Pants
- Gerber Training Pants
- Hanes/Fruit of the Loom
- Gap
- Gymboree
- Potty Patty Waterproof pants
- Petit Bateau
We've tried a lot of cotton training pants (i.e. not diapers) and big girl pants (i.e. panties) so here is the run-down of how they compare:
Pros: very soft, easy to pull up, inexpensive, available in white (so you can bleach them), unisex
Cons: not very absorbant (you might as well have them wear panties)
Price - $7 for 3 at Target
These are your classic training pants. They are probably what our parents used. They are very soft, white or patterns, unisex and inexpensive. The 2T (also called the Small) ran true to size. They aren't very absorbent, but they are very nice and a good value.
Price - $7 for 3 at Target
These are your classic training pants. They are probably what our parents used. They are very soft, white or patterns, unisex and inexpensive. The 2T (also called the Small) ran true to size. They aren't very absorbent, but they are very nice and a good value.
Potty Patty Pants (size S)Pros - very soft, very absorbent padding
Cons - runs a little small
Price - $12.95 for 3
Price - $12.95 for 3
These Potty Patty Pants are available on Potty Training Concepts. The are very soft and cushy. The fit is a bit like a women's "boy short" style underwear and is easy for a toddler to pull on and off. They also could hold a small almost-an-accident or a dribble-while-we-run-to-the-potty. Our only complaints is that the tag placement is a little weird (outside, not squarely on the back) and they tend to run a little small. We bought a size Small (24 - 29lbs) and found the fit to be similar to a small 18m size. All in all they are the best of he absorbent "training pants" we found.
Cons - balloon-like fit, not exactly water-proof
Price - $24.95 for 3
Price - $24.95 for 3
These are also from Potty Training Concepts, but are totally different. They are a soft, pull-on "water proof" pants. The best description that comes to mind is "bloomers" and they run very large (a size S fit much more like a 2T). There is also a lot of excess material that gives it a balloon like fit. They are not as crinkly as other waterpoof pants we looked at, but then again they are also are not really waterproof. They were among our least favorite training pants.
Hanes
Pros - inexpensive, easy to pull on, stays up well, lots of characters to choose from
Cons - not very thick
Price - $4.95 or less for 3
Hanes panties are available almost everywhere in almost every character you could want (Disney princesses, Tinkerbell
, Barbie
, Minnie Mouse
, Hello Kitty
, Nemo
, etc.). They are also available for even less without the characters (6 for $5.99 or less). The material is thin, but they feature a nice relatively thick elastic waistband that helps them stay up and makes it easy to toddlers to dress themselves. Although the smallest size is a 2T/3T, they easily fit a small 2 year old. Target, Walmart and most mid-range department stores should carry them.
are available almost everywhere in almost every character you could want (Disney princesses, Tinkerbell, Barbie, Minnie Mouse, Hello Kitty, Nemo, etc.). They are also available for even less without the characters (6 for $5.99 or less). The material is thin, but they feature a nice relatively thick elastic waistband that helps them stay up and makes it easy to toddlers to dress themselves. Although the smallest size is a 2T/3T, they easily fit a small 2 year old. Target, Walmart and most mid-range department stores should carry them.
Pros - inexpensive, easy to pull on, stays up well, lots of characters to choose from
Cons - not very thick
Price - $6.99 or less for 3
Fruit of the Loom are also available almost everywhere and have some of the other characters you're probably looking for (Dora
, 
My Little Pony, 
Care Bears
, etc.). They are also available in larger multipacks without characters. The fit and material is very similar to Hanes. These also feature the thicker elastic waistband so they stay up all day and are easy for toddlers to navigate. The smallest size is also a 2T/3T, but they also easily fit a small 2 year old. They should be sold in the same places as Hanes.
, My Little Pony, Care Bears, etc.). They are also available in larger multipacks without characters. The fit and material is very similar to Hanes. These also feature the thicker elastic waistband so they stay up all day and are easy for toddlers to navigate. The smallest size is also a 2T/3T, but they also easily fit a small 2 year old. They should be sold in the same places as Hanes. 
Pros - thick cotton, easy to pull on, lots of colors to choose from
Cons - stretch out easily
Price - $13 for 3
The Baby Gap panties are available in lots of fun patterns/colors that change seasonally (which means you can also occasionally find them on sale). The material is a nice thick cotton (thicker than all of the other panties, excluding the training pants). The wide bands on the legs and waist make them easy to get on and off. Over the course of the day they do tend to stretch out around the legs. Generally quite nice.
Gymboree
Pros - easy to pull on, always a bow in the front, lots of colors to choose from, often goes on sale/promo
Cons - runs a little big, stretch out easily
Price - $2 - $4.75 per pair
The Gymboree panties are also available in tons of patterns/colors and you can almost always find them on sale www.gymboree.com. The cotton is relatively thin, but soft. They run a little large and have a bit of a bikini-style fit. Using your Gymboree coupons or Gymbucks towards them makes these a steal.
Petit Bateau
Pros - soft, white
Cons - runs a very large
Price - $12 per pair
The Petit Bateau panties are nice and soft, but they have an unusual high-cut leg (women would call panties this style "French Cut"). The fit is very, very large. A 2t is much closer to a 3T. This is not a great panty for a toddler.
Conclusion:
If you need trainers, the basic Gerber pants are the most economical choice, but the Potty Training Concepts padded Potty Patty pants are a great option if your tot still hasn't mastered the scamper to the potty. For regular undies, Hanes are a great option for the petite tot or the girl who really needs princesses to make potty training tolerable. Ditto for Fruit of the Loom if she must have Dora. Gymboree is actually one of the cheapest on a $/pair basis because you can often double up Gymboree coupons (or Gymbucks) and sale prices, but they tend to run a little big.
Conclusion:
If you need trainers, the basic Gerber pants are the most economical choice, but the Potty Training Concepts padded Potty Patty pants are a great option if your tot still hasn't mastered the scamper to the potty. For regular undies, Hanes are a great option for the petite tot or the girl who really needs princesses to make potty training tolerable. Ditto for Fruit of the Loom if she must have Dora. Gymboree is actually one of the cheapest on a $/pair basis because you can often double up Gymboree coupons (or Gymbucks) and sale prices, but they tend to run a little big.
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