The present invention relates to disposable absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins, panitiliners and incontinence pads that have side wrapping elements, also called wings on each longitudinal side edge of the article for protection of the side edges of the wearer's undergarment. The side wrapping elements are joined to the absorbent article such that they are predisposed towards their inuseposition, with the outermost edge of the side wrapping elements towards the longitudinal center line of the article. In this configuration the side wrapping elements can be unfolded by pulling the outermost edge of each side wrapping element in a transverse direction and applying the unfolded article to the crotch position of the wearers undergarment. The predisposition of the side wrapping elements will then support their folding around the undergarment side edges or even perform this task automatically.