Listen…I’m the first to tell people how much I love the Victoria’s Secret Sport Total Knockout leggings. THEY HAVE COMPRESSION AND POCKETS AND PRETTY COLORS! And I thought we were making progress when I saw size XL creeping into stores and online for Victorias Secret and Pink, little by little.
And yet, with the recent “Perfect Body” campaign from Victoria’s Secret, or the opinions from the CEO about more diverse ideas of beauty not “fitting the fantasy,” it gets increasingly harder to give them my hard-earned cash. There are a lot of factors leading to them looking pretty terrible, and all signs point to “NOPE.”
I’m a girl who loves pretty intimates. In a world where I wear compression leggings or yoga pants to work at night while most of the world is sleeping, I take a special pride and comfort in knowing my coordinating bra/bralette and undies make me feel just a little more “put together.”
I may not the conventional idea of beauty, much less of “a fantasy,” but I can certainly appreciate well-made, attractive underpants. And I’ve done my fair share of shopping around, so I’m here to share some of my favorite companies you can support…knowing they support women of all (or most) shapes and sizes right back!
I remember 15 years ago, being in high school and not being able to buy any of the cute undies my friends got at places like VS. The light at the end of the tunnel came when Lane Bryant’s brand, Cacique, was introduced to me by my best friend Chelsea’s mom. She took me there for my first proper bra and I was so happy to find all of the pretty colors and prints in MY size! Since then, the brand has evolved so much that it’s an entirely separate section of their website and has even expanded to some stand-alone Cacique stores! There’s usually a great sale, and the bras and bralettes are some of the best (and cutest) I own.
I’ll admit it. I thought this was too good to be true. I’m on the RiRi bandwagon and I’m not a stranger to spending money on a bra and HATING it. I didn’t give this line enough credit…you may have seen my recent Snapchat unboxing. I took advantage of the 50% off the site for Black Friday and got two beautifully made bra/panty sets for under $65 and they are true-to-size, well constructed, and cute AF. I’m here for it. And the site has been bookmarked.
I recently fell in love with True & Co bras. The seamless, wire-free styles are perfect for 12-16 hours of 911 work! They don’t leave me with uncomfortable marks or lines and they give me a little lift without the grunt work. They cater to a larger range of sizes (which I hope expands over time, because some styles are only in straight sizes and my cup size juuuuuuuuust misses the mark), and I love the diversity in their models! Make sure you take their Fit Quiz…I was smaller than I thought for their bras and the fit was perfect when they arrived!
When the bralette craze began, I couldn’t find a good one to save my life. And I was bummed, because it was like “I want some of these cute little lace ‘almost bra’ things too!” Enter Torrid, where I was able to find bralettes that hit all the trends, but also delivered enough support to keep me from looking hella crazy.
I was introduced to this line by one of my most fave fashion bloggers, GabiFresh, when she did a collaboration with them! Her line covered straight and plus sizes and brought the heat! Since then, I’ve purchased from her line (which also sells on the Forever 21 and Nordstrom websites) and from the brands main collection and while I have to generally size up occasionally, I am always really happy with my purchases! They also did a swimwear collab with Hunter McGrady that I loved (but learned in their swimwear I need to size up 1 size for my long torso and wider hips).
A little pricier, and a little racy…but completely worth it for unique and gorgeous intimates…they even do custom orders! All of their items are handmade, and they describe the style as “Dark, modern and romantic.” I love the ways they play with strappy looks and pretty fabrics for super sexy and feminine looks!
Another site that lets you make your own custom lingerie and intimates, but also has ready-to-order collections. Again, on the pricier side, but I’ve already decided that I’ll be making my honeymoon intimates with them! I love that they have options like cute rompers or sheer jumpsuits and floor-length robes…items that really convey that romantic Hollywood starlet vibe that it’s really all about for me!
You may remember I was part of the Top 10 for the Curvy Kate “Star in a Bra” model search last year! I didn’t win, but I did get to see behind the scenes of this amazing, body positive, size-inclusive brand and I met some amazing women of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds…and got to take home both of the cute sets I wore! So…maybe I won either way? Curvy Kate has more of the fun, colorful bras and undies and Scantilly is their subsidiary that has the more sultry, sexy looks. Either way, you can’t go wrong giving this UK-based brand a try! Make sure you read the size charts and order properly, as UK sizes are different from US ones!
I didn’t really acknowledge this brand until last year, although I kept passing their store front (now gone) in a local mall. They had some killer sales on intimates and I snagged a cute mesh/velvet bra and undie set and I was so impressed with the quality and how well it fit! Moving forward, I always keep them in mind if I have a specific “look” in mind for something sexier!
I learned about this Canadian brand when Ashley Graham collaborated with them on an intimates line. I not only ordered a nice navy blue bra/panty set, but I stepped out of my comfort zone and opted for a thong instead of my usual hipsters or cheekies. Again, very well made, very unique and clearly made with curves in mind (as in, the thong had thicker straps on the waistband and the main string wasn’t as thin as dental floss). It’s still one of my fave sets to wear under jeans and a tee to make me feel just a little sexier in a laid back look.
As you can see, there are tons of options from amazing companies that are here to celebrate all bodies, all sizes, and all the people who want pretty panties!
There are tons more, but these companies specifically I can vouch for based on personal purchases and experiences. In an era where it is so easy to be offended or put off by the practices or opinions of companies like Victoria’s Secret, I realize its important to put my money where my mouth is and make a statement by supporting businesses with values and ideals like my own.
Hopefully, you find something new that makes you feel as sexy and amazing as you are, without worrying about the size on the tag or the fact that maybe it doesn’t look exactly the same on you as it does on that woman on the runway.
Spoil yourself, and love yourself a little harder in a world that tries to make you think you have to look a certain way to be loved at all.
You know I love you!
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I love the article! Good job! 🙂
Ryan – HG Agent