As a woman with a little more bust than others, I had lost hope in finding a bralette I could wear. Since they came into fashion a couple of years ago, I have tried on many, wishing one would fit and support my breasts like a regular bra does while also being cute. I had resigned myself to the idea that this piece of clothing would never be part of my wardrobe and that I’d always have to wear the more uncomfortable option of an underwire bra.
One afternoon a couple of weeks ago, however, as I perused the American Eagle website in an episode of online retail therapy, I felt an urge to skim through the bralettes. What I saw when I scrolled through the page were women of all different shapes, races, and abilities rocking the bralettes. Women bustier than I modeled bralettes that actually seemed to support them.
Credit: Aerie
I clicked on one bralette and its reviews were impressive, praising it for having excellent support and amazing comfort even when worn by a bustier woman. Since then, I have bought that bralette in three different colors. When I tried the first one on, I couldn’t stop smiling and dancing around my room. Thank you, Aerie, for making a bralette that makes me feel confident and that I can wear when I just don’t want to deal with underwire. My outfit possibilities have expanded so much!
That bralette isn’t the only reason I love Aerie – the lingerie sub-brand of American Eagle Outfitters. In 2014, Aerie launched #AerieREAL, a body image campaign in which the brand showcases models of different body types and pledges to not retouch any pictures of their models. Since the launch, Aerie has hired women of different body shapes, races, and recently, medical conditions and disabilities as models.
Credit: Brandchannel
The #AerieREAL campaign has transformed the brand into a body-positive, inclusive brand all around. Through their “Role Models,” they encourage their customers to love their bodies. In today’s world, where Victoria’s Secret refuses to hire plus-size and transgender models, lingerie brands like Aerie are so important.
According to a study by Florida State University, plus-size models positively affect women’s mental health. When brands include models of different shapes and sizes, regular women feel celebrated.
Women feel celebrated as soon as they walk into Aerie. In their fitting rooms, the store provides sticky notes and a marker to write “positive vibes” to then stick onto the mirror. Girls supporting girls is what every lingerie brand should aspire to do.
Credit: blog.ae.com
“At Aerie, we believe in authentic, real beauty and never airbrush our models. Now, more than ever, we want to encourage women everywhere to feel empowered to embrace their own unique qualities and beautiful real selves,” Jennifer Foyle, Aerie Global Brand President, said in a statement.
If you want to read body positivity messages every day, follow the Aerie Instagram. It posts daily inspiring messages of loving yourself and fighting back against societal body standards.
As a society, we should celebrate the bodies of everyone. Thank you, Aerie, for doing that.
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