I’ve been seeing about a million ads for a brand called Parade Underwear recently. I see them on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. If it’s not an ad, there’s an influencer raving about them. So I tried them.
First of all, let’s talk about my spending habits: I don’t buy much. I pride myself on focusing on living the “one in, one out” lifestyle, especially right now. I mostly only buy shirts from JordanDene (use code FANGIRLSAREWE for a discount), because I have enough. But I realized recently that I haven’t bought underwear or bras in years, and that needed to change.
Let’s be real; as someone who lives in leggings, I honestly am not much of an underwear person. I live a pretty commando lifestyle in that sense. But with spring here and summer fast approaching, I need to wear something under my dresses and baggy shorts. Because I refuse to support Victoria’s Secret (more on that later), I have been on the lookout for a new place to buy my underthings. In comes Parade, with cute styles, models and influencers of all sizes, and with a good mission.
I did some research on Parade before buying, and here’s what I found:
- Parade uses sustainable fabrics: the main fabric they use is over 80% recycled material, and all of their fabrics are free of chemicals that are harmful to us and the world
- Their packaging is compostable
- 1% of their profits go to Planned Parenthood
- It is owned and created by a woman
- Each pair of undies is only $9
You can find all of that easily on Parade’s website.
Regrettably, one of the pairs that I ordered was out of stock, as was my second choice. I asked to be surprised with the color, and they came through! I got a cheeky, brief, and boyshort, in different shades of blue. They’re gorgeous, soft, and I loved them.
As a midsize woman, I get nervous ordering clothing online. All bodies are different, and that can make ordering clothing that I haven’t tried on anxiety inducing. I followed the instructions – I measured my body, and ordered the size that was closest to my measurements (XL), and I’m glad that I did. They fit beautifully, and are so damn comfy. I posted them on Instagram, if you’d like to check those photos out.
So Parade is damn cool.
One of the things that I had read on some of my favorite influencers’ posts about them was the comfort of the waistband. They weren’t kidding! It doesn’t fold over, cut in, or do anything other than it’s job. Also, the fabric they use, Replay, is absolutely fantastic! It’s beyond soft, breathable, and just perfect (insert chef’s kiss here).
I said we’d talk about VS awhile back, so let’s do that for a minute. Up until a couple years ago, they were all I would buy. But their Chief Marketing Officer made some absolute garbage comments about why plus size and transgender models would never be a part of their fashion show. To me, that’s unacceptable.
After hearing the comments, I realized some things. I often would have to special order swimsuits, or not get what I actually wanted because of size constraints. But I didn’t immediately overhaul my underwear drawer; that would be a bit of a waste. Now, I’m transitioning what I’m keeping (based on what I wear and what is comfortable), so a lot of VS has left.
Parade has been a fantastic new brand. I loved the customer support person who helped me; she responded quickly and kindly, and gave me a lovely color replacement. I’m here for this brand, and I really think you should check it out as well.
I’m no influencer (hey Parade, wanna change that?), but you can use code “PARADETOGETHER” for a discount on your order. Also, just check out their site! They’ve got a new summer collection that is phenomenal (and I’m definitely going to be ordering some of it). Join me in supporting woman-owned businesses that are working to be better for the world. Check out Parade here.
Looking for something more bookish? I’ve got you covered, Fangirls. I usually write about the books I read, and I hope you check those out as well!
