These items were purchased by myself, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
It’s hard to believe Studio Pia has only been around for 5 years. With a strong brand identity and a commitment to sustainability, they have found a loyal legion of fans across the world. And It’s easy to see why. Easy fit sizing, the use of peace silk, iconic embroidery and unusual colours, there is something that would appeal to nearly every luxury lingerie consumer. I’ve purchased from studio pia multiple times at full price and in the sales, directly from them and through select boutiques that have stocked them. This order in particular was via the wonderful Garnet District.
Suspender styled as a harness brief.
I had this ordered in for me in sizes 9 for the bra and Large for the thong and suspender as these are my usual sizes. It’s important to note that this version of this set is the new and improved version. The bra is now a 3 part cup compared to the original version which was only a 2 part. The 2 parts are still in some boutiques across the world and on resellers pages online so make sure if you are on the top end of the size chart that you get the 3 part, the fit is much much better.
The thong fits very true to size and there is no diversion from how all their thongs fit. The suspender does feel slightly bigger in this style compared to some of my others ones. There isn’t much to be said about the suspender and thong as they are classic silhouettes from studio pia so they are as expected.
Here you can see the suspender is tightened as far as it can go.
The bra on the other hand is quite different to styles I have had previously from them. I do have a longline bra from them previously but it was in silk and the cradle of the bra was lacking as was the depth in the cups. This bra the cradle has improved greatly and the 3 part cup has created more depth so the wires can sit flatter. The shoulder straps are fully adjustable and they are also detachable at the back to change it from regular shoulder straps to cross over ones. The 3 part cup is very delicate. The top of the cup uses clear elastic tape to keep the embroidered edge in place. The cradle and the lower parts of the cup are lined in a very fine tulle.
Fine mesh reinforces most of the bra.
It is key to mention, technically I’m two cup sizes bigger than what this bra can fit. It is the life of a big boob owner trying to squeeze into the luxury lingerie that’s available. Trying this bra on and taking photos was great but wearing it out for a day was torture.This it wasn’t anything to do with it being too small. It was to do with the boning used.
With long line bras you do have to use boning most of the time to keep the band in place, otherwise it tends to roll up. The problem is boning In the wrong place or placed in the wrong direction can be very painful to wear, especially on bigger sizes. If you have protruding ribs or belly I’d warn against wearing this for any long period of time or if you expect to bend or sit at all.
I’m not a stranger to bra injuries but this was next level discomfort.
Another thing I will note is that I thought the proportion of the set was a bit off. I think it’s perhaps because I have seen so many beautiful people wear it but without even realising they were all wearing very small sizes. It hadn’t even crossed my mind but obviously the scale of embroidery looks different when the body wearing it is bigger. I felt like it looked messier and less obvious, like the snakes got lost on me. I do also think this set would benefit from a highwaisted thong. Because the suspender and thong are so small and sparse on embroidery, the longline bra seems quite unbalanced and too heavy when worn together.
Overall it’s a beautiful set and definitely one for any lingerie addicts collection but I wouldn’t want to wear it for any long period of time unfortunately. Great for photos and short wear or all day wear if you have a straighter body shape.
All products have been purchased myself and all opinions are my own. This post does contain some affiliate links.
Let’s talk about period pants! If you have periods or know someone who does or will at some point, this one is for you.
So I’m obsessed with period pants, they are my product of choice to stop blood running down my legs once a month. Some other options incase you are unaware are pads, tampons, liners, re usable pads and moon cups.
Modibodi sensual high waist bikini, Modibodi classic bikini, Modibodi Sensual high waist bikini and finally the Thinx hip hugger thong.
So why are they my product of choice?
Well for me, I find them the easiest to use, the most comfortable and slightly more eco friendly then Traditional period products such as tampons and pads. For me when I was working in retail I found them particularly useful. Every time I needed to change my tampon I’d get stuck with a customer and end up bleeding through. Not fun. But when I discovered period pants it was a huge relief knowing I wouldn’t have to go through that trauma every time I had my period at work.
I think they are a great option for teenagers who are just starting to get their periods, I know tampons can seems quite daunting and pads just feel so bulky and foreign. They are becoming more widely available, you’ll even see them on your supermarket shelves these days. 2 years ago you would have never dreamed of it. So as they are rising in popularity, more products and coming into the market. Hopefully this little guide can help you decide which ones you’d like to try.
Today I’ve got 4 brands to show you and share my thoughts on.
First up is the first pair I ever tried. These ones are from a brand called love Luna period brief and I came across them at my local Woolworths. I’d been wanting to try period briefs after failed attempts with the moon cup and wanting to move away from disposables. They are realitivly cheap, $10-$15 AUD depending if they are on special or not. They come in 3 styles, low, mid and full brief and they hold up to 20mls or the equivalent or 3-4 tampons worth. They come in Australian size 8 to 22 and just in one colour, black.
Modibodi is a stand out brand in this area. I was put off trying them for awhile because of the higher price point and having to buy them online at the time. It was the best decision I made when I finally purchased them, these are the pants that convinced me that period pants were the way to go.
So they have an absolutely massive range. They have ones for sweat, maternity, pee and of course period. Their size range is from Australian size 6-26 or xxs -6xl. They have Bikini style briefs, full briefs, boy shorts, thongs, seam free and my favourite type, the sensual. They also have different level of absorbsbcey from light to heavy/ overnight. Also they have a lot of colours so if you want to add a little brightness and fun to your period pants wardrobe. There are so many options but my favourites have been the sensual high waisted brief in the overnight absorbency and the classic brief with moderate absorbency. The briefs are so comfortable, they are made from bamboo and spandex. The gussets liner (the absorbent parts) are made from merino, spandex and polyester. They also have a vegan range for anyone looking for that but I haven’t tried that style myself. The over night styles hold up to 20mls or 3-4 tampons worth of blood and the prices range from $25-$35 AUD per pair but they do do bundle packs at a discount.
So Thinx is an America brand and it’s the most expensive on this list. Price ranges from $35-$70 AUD. They have a lot of different products from thongs to shorts and absorbency from 4.5 mls up to 36mls. Size range is xxs-3xl. Thinx used to exclusively sell direct to consumer but in the last few years the have expanded and now sell their products globally through stockists. It’s now sold in some David Jones stores in Australia and is available on ASOS which is wear I got mine. In the uk it looks like they are available in most boots.
Their products are certified STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®️ and vegan as well, so good for the conscious shopper.
So Tom organics started of as a sanitary brand selling pads and tampons. They are the ones I’ve used as long as I can remember and I still use their tampons to this day. They have just launched a menstrual cup and now the period brief. They only have one style and it comes only in black. Size range is from xxs-3xl or the equivalent of Australian 6-20. They are only $15 but they only hold 2 tampons worth of blood so better suited on lighter days or combined wear with tampons as backup. The body of the product is made with organic cotton and elastane, the absorbency layer with 85% regular cotton and 15% polyester and then an additional leak proof layer. They also came in plastic free packing so that’s a win in my book.
But how are they to wear?
Not exactly flattering or comfortable, this is the size Large.
So it’s pretty much you get what you pay for. The Tom organic period pants I really wanted to love but I just don’t. I find the seam on the legs really firm and cuts in massively. I’m wearing a size large in them but I think I’d like to try the XL just to see if it would make much difference. They also feel quite bulky. I love the fact that the body of the pants is made from organic cotton but I just can’t get past how uncomfortable and awkward I found them.
Luna period pants holding up reasonably well after a few years.
Love Luna is ok but they still have that bulky feel to them. These ones are from when I was slimmer so they are a size 10-12. I’d need the next size up now. I do find I leak through these ones. Perhaps they have updated the product since I purchased these ones as the website does state they have a leak proof layer. I think both the Luna and Tom products are a good entry level product if you wanted to try period pants for the first time without investing a lot of money. Also great that they are both stocked in supermarkets in Australia, great when your period strikes and need an emergency pair.
Wearing Thinx lightest absorbency option the thong and the heaviest, the overnight brief both in size medium.
I really like the Thinx products and I’m glad I do, I’d be pissed if I spent $100 on two period pants and they were crap. They are super comfortable to wear, I haven’t leaked through and the fabric is nice and smooth so it doesn’t stand out too much under clothing. After washing the overnight pair, the absorbency layer felt slightly out of place but with a few adjustments it was back to normal. One main difference with this brand is that the gusset and absorbency layer is like a ribbed texture in the pairs I tried and not completely flat like the others. I thought this was a really cool detail as I think it helps the blood absorb faster.
Top images size 12 classic bikini medium absorption, bottom images size 14 sensual bikini medium absorption.
Period pants from Modibodi are by far my favourite. They are just so comfortable to wear, they don’t cut in anywhere and I love the broad range of products. I have worn and washed them more times than I can count and they still look good. The one slight issue I have with them is that sometimes I can leak through at the seams at the gusset, like the absorbency layer and leakproof layer aren’t sewn into the gusset seams completely. Like the layers are floating there. This only happens when my period is very heavy and have only noticed it a few times at night. It doesn’t leak anywhere but can stain the outer fabric of the undies.
So how do you take care of you period pants?
The best way to wash you period pants is to rinse them after use then put them in the washing machine. Don’t use bleach or softener and don’t tumble dry! I usually just rinse mine when I have a shower that way it’s easy and quick. Now, unfortunately period pants don’t last forever. You will need to replace after a few months/years depending on how often you use them and how many you have. While they are still better than using disposable sanitary items, they are not perfect.
As someone who has suffered through really painful periods I have found period pants a life saver. Sometimes cramps are just too bad to be inserting anything.
Have you tried period pants, and if so what are your thoughts?
So you may have realised that I’ve purchased and reviewed products from this brand before. My first experience from them was good, but didn’t quite meet my extremely high expectations. This time the company has sent me a few products to try out and review and here are my honest as always opinions.
I was sent both the classic briefs and hipster briefs in my regular size 10 and the Clio bralette in a 28G all in the limited edition green. The briefs retail for £20 and the bra for £55.
So to put it simply, I flat out love these products. I’ve been wearing them constantly since they arrived and I’m very glad they sent me two briefs because I like to wear matching sets and there is no chance I’m doing my hand washing everyday. (You can machine wash these in a laundry bag)
The hipster briefs.
So why do I love them? The briefs are so soft against the skin and just a pleasure to wear. I don’t have a bad word to say about them. There isn’t a lot of difference between the two brief styles apart from the classic brief has slightly more butt coverage and a very slightly wider gussset.
The classic brief.
The bralette is pretty much perfect. The sizing on this is more accurate than the previous Ava style I tried. I find this design is better suited to my size. The straps are padded if you are above a DD+ and if you are a G or above there is an internal sling to help with support and projection. My breast are pretty front and centre so I get a little bit of wrinkling around the sling section as I don’t have much tissue there. And at the front there is very slight spillage. This isn’t a problem for me at all but it just gives you an idea of the cup shape and coverage if you are a similar size and positioning as myself. Also important to note that Lara has its own sizing system so make sure you use it before ordering!!!! It’s very straight forward and easy to use and it’s been the best online one I’ve come across.
All Lara intimates are made to order to minimise wastage. They do keep a few items in stock in their most popular sizes and colours. The maximum wait time for these made to order intimates is around 6 weeks.
I’ve been wearing this set so much that I’m going to order the same bra in black with all 4 bottom options because I’m seriously obsessed!!!!! I can’t wait to see what colours, styles and sizes that they will bring out next, I’ll be eagerly waiting and wearing my current Lara sets to death.
It’s hard to find truly ethical lingerie companies. A lot of indie designers hardly pay themselves a living wage and that is far from ethical. Amaella are doing things different and it shows. This company has sent me these products free of charge, my opinions are completely my own and slightly delayed. Sorry amaella!!!!!!!!
Amaella is an English based brand but their products are manufactured in Portugal. The one thing I love about them is how open they are. If you follow them on instagram you will see regular posts behind the scenes, where their products are manufactured and all about their supply chain.
I was sent the organic cotton seamless knickers and bralette, both in a size medium. They retail for around $150 AUD. The knickers come in sizes XS-XL and the bralette in S/M/L. According to the size chart the bralette is best suited to a bra size 36B. I assume you all know this already but I’m far from a 36B. In my opinion this could fit 28FF/30F/32E/34DD comfortably. I’m currently a 28G and I wore this comfortably all day. Yes it not THE perfect fit for my size but it works. It’s important to note that you can wear this bralette militiaman ways. You are able to cross over the straps at the back to suit racer back tops by simply unhooking the rose gold tone hardware and attaching them to the opposite side.
The material is made of GOTS certified organic cotton and recycled elastin. This is also the most comfortable material I have ever worn. I know the price might seem a lot higher compared to your average bralette set, but you really can tell the difference in the material. Also it’s nice to know no one had to suffer for your lingerie.
I have worn these items so much!!! They are perfect for Australian summer and they are also perfect for travelling as they are so light and comfortable. The briefs in this collection are the real hero piece. It’s a particular combination of elements that makes them perfect but impossible to find. Thank god Amaella has made them because I was sick of searching. These are made of the same material, the GOTS organic cotton and recycled elastin and they are seamless!!!!! Not kinda seamless but actually. They hug your body perfectly and don’t leave any marks on the skin. I’ve worn them under tight dresses, white linen pants and white dresses and they have been invisible underneath. I avoid seamless underwear most of the time because they are usually made of nylon. These undies take the grossness out of seamless underwear and actually are an enjoyable experience to wear. It is two layers of the fabric so they feel secure but not bulky and there is no extra gusset lining as it’s unnecessary as they are cotton. I think that’s why they are so enjoyable to wear as there is no added bulkiness in that area.
They are well worth the hefty price tag, I haven’t experienced such luxury in basics before and come across such a considered ethical products from conception to design.
I can’t wait for their new collection to drop, I’m really hoping they bring out a 5 pack In all basic colours for these knickers. They are truly my favourite and I need more!
Lara has long been on my Wishlist of lingerie brands to try. Sadly for me and all my bigger busted babes, up until the end of last year they were only catering to the small back and core sized market. Luckily for me this brand took a chance and expanded their size range quite extensively so I was able to finally purchase something after browsing for a year.
I purchased the Ava bra in the limited edition lilac in a 28G and the high waisted briefs in a small. I was tossing up between two styles for my first purchase from Lara. The other option I was seriously looking at was the wren bra.
The main thing that first drew me to this brand is the fact that it is an ethical and sustainable brand. All products are made by a small team in their studio in London. The fabrics which they use are all dead stock fabrics that otherwise would go to landfills. They generally are only made to order with a few key items in stock and ready to ship. It may take longer for your order to arrive when it’s made just for you but this avoids having the issue of over stocking. When you see big clearances in fashion, it’s because they had to make enough to fill the shop floor, knowing most of it will go to clearance, then the outlets and if it never sells it gets incinerated or sent to landfill. Pretty wasteful way of producing right?
I’m getting distracted here but the reason I love this business model apart from the obvious is that it makes us more considered consumers. You plan ahead, you save up and you avoid that instant gratification. If you really want it you can wait for it.
So I’ve waited a long time for this set! It actually didn’t take long to make and be sent from London to Sydney, it was under 6 weeks. So here are my thoughts.
For a brand that is only fairly new, my first impression of the quality was fantastic. Everything was very neat and tidy. I was surprised how light the mesh was. It literally felt like I wasn’t holding anything. The fabric against the skin was even better, like wearing nothing at all. The briefs are a dream to wear, I don’t have a bad word to say about them. The bralette I’m slightly disappointed in but I’ll tell you in full detail why.
First of all I should have ordered a 28H. Lara intimates uses its own sizing system so it’s very important that you check your measurements and their sizing system before you order. It’s very easy to use and is one of the best online sizing calculators I’ve used. Technically I measure for a 28G in Lara but I think this style in particular came up small in the height of the cups for me as well as slightly in the cup width. I don’t find this style particular supportive even though the band fits well. It’s better than some bralettes I’ve tried but because the mesh is so soft it doesn’t have the uplift and support I would like. It’s great for lounging but after a full day of work and walking around I could tell it wasn’t going to be replacing my regular bras. One other slight issue I had was with the depth of the cups. There is no division or uplift. I’m sad to say I’ve had better luck with an off the rack bralette in a regular medium.
It’s not a bad bralette, it’s just not what I was expecting. I would like to see more depth in the cup area, but as I’m not technically trained in lingerie pattern making I’m not even sure if that’s possible. Again if you are using dead stock fabric you don’t have as much choice with what materials you work with. The mesh is beautifully soft to wear but it lacks the support of a more ridged mesh.
If I was to purchase again I’d definitely go for a different style. I think the straps are too narrow if you have a bigger bust to be truly comfortable. One plus side of the straps is that you can wear them normally or as a racer back. I know a lot of fuller busted babes look for thinner straps in bras so they can wear them easier with clothes. If you are one of those people, this is the bralette for you!
I look forward to seeing how Lara intimates progresses. They have a lot of positive feed back from customers and I’d love nothing more than to see this brand do well.
Ethical is a word that is thrown around a lot these days. But what constitutes as ethical in fashion? Its widely expected that brands using these terms are transparent, committed to sustainable manufacturing and materials, ensure safe working conditions and are invested in shorter supply chains. But are brands are using the terms ethical and sustainable just to sell their products? The technical term for this is greenwashing. You may have purchased products thinking they were ethical and sustainable but when you look closer (as they know only a handful will) you’ll find questionable practices and materials in use. In other instances, you might find nothing at all as the supply chains are so complex even the company doesn’t know itself. Even bamboo, seen as an ethical alternative to traditional cotton, isn’t always as good as it seems.
So the question is why do brands market themselves as ethical when they’re really not? Its all down to marketing strategies and unfortunately, its been going on for decades. The concept of owning ethical and sustainable clothing is much more appealing to consumers. We would like to think that we are spending our money wisely, not damaging the planet or other people in the process. But due to the greenwashing that is widely spread across all industries it makes it a lot harder to find brands that you want to support, ones that are actually doing the right thing. You would think that the companies shouting the loudest about their sustainability without the integrity behind it would be called out fairly quickly with social media as it is. But more and more often we just accept it as it is presented to us without thinking too much about it. The money spent on advertising to us that the company is ethical could have actually been spent by implementing ethical practices.
So how can you tell if a brand is ethical and sustainable? One of the easiest ways to work out if a brand is worth buying from is to check their website. The more information they provide in the About Me section, generally the better they are. The less information they have the more I think they have something to hide. Another way to judge how sustainable a brand is, is by looking at what materials they work with. Most brands doing ethical lingerie work with peace silk, bamboo, organic cotton, recycled fabrics and dead stock fabrics. Is one better than the others? Not really, they all have problems attached to them in some stage of their life in becoming your underwear. A phrase to look out for is ‘slow fashion’. If a brand is committed to ethical practices they will most likely not follow fashion seasons and churn out the collections just for the sake of having new products all the time. There are also different accreditation and certificates which can be confusing. Some of the most common ones you will come across are Certified organic, OEKO-TEX 100, GOTS, Fair Trade and ISO.
Does ethical mean the same thing to everyone? Not all ethical brands are created equal. There’s always room for improvement and not everyone is on the same path. There is no one brand that is doing everything perfectly but I think its unfair to expect it straight away. I always say doing something is better than nothing.
There are a few brands stand out well above the pack in terms or sustainability but are their products any good? Ive taken it upon myself to try out a few products from different brands, here are the results.
This is only a very new company out of Australia. They specialise in cotton basics. The products are designed in Australia but are made in Indonesia. As it is only a very small new company there isn’t much information available on their website. All their products are made from 92% cotton 8% spandex. They have branded themselves as sustainable and ethically created, yet I don’t see any evidence of that but they do regular visits to the manufacturer and are invested in the slow fashion movement. I purchased the full brief in a size small in olive. While I love the colour of these, I find them uncomfortable. The tensions on the seams is too tight and when I tried them on for the first time I heard a lot of threads snap. The gusset on these undies is also very small, only 6cms long. These would be great for period undies as they are super firm.
This is an independent company based in Australia that was founded in 2016. Their products are made in Indonesia. I purchased two items from them, they are both made from 90% organic cotton and 10% spandex. Their fabrics are Fair trade certified grown in India and GOTS certified organic cotton. I purchased two pairs of knickers in size 8 and I definitely have a new favourite in the white Taylor high cut brief. My favourite part of this design is the extremely wide waist band. It’s so comfortable to wear. The gusset on the Taylor is about 3cms wider than on the Elle briefs which makes it more comfortable for me to wear. I find both these styles great under high waisted jeans.
Nico was established in 2012 in Australia. Their products are made in Australia, India and their socks made in Bangladesh. The material they use for all their underwear is a modal and elastin blend. The modal fibres have come from Lenzing Modal which is based in Austria. I purchased the high waisted briefs in black size medium. The pair I purchased was made in India. I was able to try a bralette on when they had a pop up store. They are made from the same fabric as the underwear so I found them very unsupportive but would be good for loungewear. For the briefs I would size down in this fabric as it has a lot of stretch. The briefs are perfect for under lounge wear or sleepwear.
Hara the label officially launched in November 2016. The products are all made from raw bamboo that has been sourced from certified organic growers. All products are made in Indonesia. The final products are OEKO-TEX 100 certified meaning their is no harmful chemical residue in the fabric. I purchased the Leo high cut bra in a Large and the Eva g-string in a Small. The bra has two layers of bamboo fabric which makes it more supportive. It has no fastenings but because of the fabric it is easy to pull on over your head. The thong is simple and very comfortable and fits true to size. The fabric feels amazing against the skin and its a pleasure to wear. Perfect to wear under anything.
Still looking for more ethical lingerie brands? Why not check out the brands listed below.
Our job as consumers is to research the products we buy, but its hard because of lack of transparency and the imbedded secrecy of the fashion industry. Not only that but some companies lack the knowledge due to complex supply chains. The best way to find the information you want is simply to ask. Also I suggest downloading the Good on You app which has a lot of great information and a consistent rating system for brands.
Lace and Haze 