These underpants are very comfortable because the elastic at the waist and around the legs is covered with soft cotton jersey fabric so no rubber or vinyl comes into contact with the skin which is great for a person with allergies or skin sensitivities. The sizing is printed right on the fabric. I have been wearing this style for 10 years and am so happy Hanes is still making it. However it needs to be said that it's not unusual to get one pair in the batch that is either way too small or way too big even though it has the same size printed on it......so just be aware that it's not uncommon to have to do a return at times. For myself.....it's something I put up with because the underpants are so comfortable and hypoallergenic. An added plus is how much easier it is to get a replacement or to do a return on Amazon vs driving back to the local store and them not having any more in stock in my size.