Picture this: you’re in a long-term relationship with a boy, when all of a sudden he breaks your heart. You then find out that his best friend and his long-term girlfriend broke up too. You and the other girl then discover you lived in the same neighborhood in Philadelphia and a life-long friendship and movement toward women empowerment through fashion begins. That’s the story of Leah O’Malley and Tori Robinson starting their celebrity-loved clothing brand, Boys Lie.
Many people pursue starting a fashion brand with one main thing in mind: the clothing. The thing is, Boys Lie doesn’t only have cute clothing. They have an ethos of women empowerment that shines off of every article of clothing they sell. Some examples of their clothing say: “Boys lie, goodbye,” or, “What are you going to do without him? Whatever I want,” “We’re sorry, the number you have reached has moved on.” Their underlying ethos is encapsulated by a statement made on their website, “something beautiful can come from something that feels excruciatingly painful in the moment.” Boys lie came from the heartbreak of two strong women. Now women across the globe are resonating more and more with the statement that, yes, Boys Lie, and wearing clothing that portrays this statement turns their heartache from something painful to something fashionable and ultimately transformative. It’s putting a name to the pain that many women endure every day but may not actively speak out about. It’s like wearing a cute, comfortable version of a Scarlet letter. But also, naming – and wearing – a symbol for your pain takes its power away. You own the pain, it doesn’t own you.
Supermodel Gigi Hadid had a brief fling with Bachelor alum Tyler Cameron, and as their short-lived romance came to an end, a picture of Gigi surfaced of her wearing a teal sweat set that read: Boys Lie, Goodbye. Thus began a trend of celebrities wearing and publicizing their pain through utterly fashionable clothing. The thing is, though many women have endured painful heart breaks, you don’t need a breakup in your past to enjoy their clothing. It is utterly comfortable and unique; one can wear them simply for their style. Their style enmeshes comfortability with fashion that results in perfect jet-setting sweat sets, classroom joggers, and a myriad of colorful beanies.
Whatever the intention behind your personal style – comfort, aesthetic, a political statement – Boys Lie serves as a versatile brand reaching a wide audience. While on the pricier side, their sweats won’t completely break the bank, and with a pair of their Flo Blue sweatpants myself, I can tell you honestly that the quality holds up. You get what you pay for, and maybe a little more. So, even if I’m holding out on posting an Instagram picture of my Boys Lie sweats until I can make sure the boy who broke my heart sees it, I know that I can lounge in style and ultimate comfort.