That Awkward Moment When You Can’t Find Your Fave Underwear In Stores
I discovered these undies not long ago at Target, like right on the damn shelf! For $8/$9 a 3-pack! They have all of the things I was looking for in a new underwear, plus when I actually wore them they ended up being more comfortable than any of my old ones. Woo! So I bought a second pack a month later. They just stay put and I love that! My old ones were JMS brand hi cuts, but they were always too big no matter what size I got. I felt like I was swimming in ’em. But not these! These babies were just what I needed. So I wanted to replace the old with the comfy-new and headed to my usual Target store. FAIL! They ran out. None in my size, none even in this style anymore. OHNOES!!!
I tried a few more Target stores, but no dice. I was devastated. But then I remembered my own online shopping rule of thumb: Knowing exactly what you want will get you what you need! So I went online and found them at the same price (plus shipping, boo!) and ordered two packs! I just got them in the mail today and was delighted at the new colors I got in the assorted pack. Woo! I had found the same ones on a web site, but then found that the exact same site sold through Amazon, but for a dollar less in shipping. Not sure why, but my budget is beyond tight and so I went through Amazon. No regrets! They’re perfect! Exactly what I wanted. And was even surprised in a good way with how they arrived:
 
Well, it seemed pretty classy to me to have it wrapped in tissue with a nice seal/sticker like that. They had this cute insert that had a picture of a woman’s legs with 5 pair of underwear on going up the legs…it said, “Please wear yours while you try on ours.” I loved that! Ha-ha! Anyway, I love these undies and would recommend them to anyone seeking cute and comfy cotton ones that are affordable, too. They go to a “14” but that’s like a 30/32 U.S. I bought the 13’s and they are perfect for my 28/30 ass. Trouble would be finding them, but I got them here. But who knows, they could be at your local Target/KMart/Walmart.
What are your favorite and comfortable underwear? (Sorry, but I hate the p-word.)
I used to wear the JMS style like this, and always had trouble finding them at Target because they always ran out or only had them in pastels. The waistband would ALWAYS come apart from the panty on every single pair, or if I was in a rush and pulled them down too fast, my finger would actually poke a freakin’ hole in the front. It was absurd. So I switched to LB panties… which aren’t that much better, either, even while they cost more. ANYWAY, my point is, I am going to give these a try! I love the colors you have there. I will NOT, however, order them through HerRoom… I HATE that store!!!! (GRRRRR!!!!!)
Oh, do tell, why do you hate that store? I hadn’t heard of them and thought I could go the eBay or Amazon route, but ended up through them on Amazon. And yea, those JMS ones are awful. LB ones never seem to fit me right. I’ve tried a few styles, too. Oh well. I’m pretty happy with these now. =0)
I’ll have to check these out. The last batch I bought had scratchy waistbands that still irritate my skin even though they’ve been washed a hundred times.
I usually get JMS Briefs but it doesn’t take long for them to go from properly fitting underwear to ‘underwear-shaped entities floating in the general vicinity of my ass’. I have visions of them falling on the floor on a dress wearing day while I’m shopping for nail polish at Rite Aid. (Emergency plan: kick them under the display and walk on)
I love your emergency plan! Ha-ha! Reminds me of my BFF, she always has these emergency scenarios and solutions for them to avoid total embarrassment. Love it! Too funny! I picture Patsy from Absolutely Fabulous, when they were made up to look very old and her undies just fell off of her. Ha-ha! Good stuff! I love the waist band on these because it’s the same fabric as the undies themselves. No weird elastics!
Miss Manners agrees with you about the P word. She considers it a simpering euphemism for a perfectly respectable word and concept.
Still, the P word does make for a particularly amusing uncomfortable moment in the film Anatomy of a Murder with all the lawyers discussing with the judge whether there’s a more… suitable word that can be used to discuss Lee Remick’s missing undergarment. I howl with laughter every time I see it
The JMS underpants fit me nicely, so I order them from the One Hanes Place website. I would buy them at a local store, but, well, it seems the only colors I can get around here are white, beige, and black. I’m perfectly content to have one or two pairs in such neutral colors, but dammit, I refuse to lose my color altogether! A couple months ago, I stocked up with three five-pair packs and oh! the happy! One pack turned out to be neutrals (white, black, beige, navy, and chocolate brown), but the rest are a brilliant variety of fun colors ranging from butter yellow to eye-popping fuchsia to rich purple to cute flower patterns.
The reviews on the site tell me there are people who are unhappy with these grab bag assortments, but I just wouldn’t be happy without the opportunity to get bright colors.
I well remember when larger sized underpants were never manufactured in bright colors or fun patterns. I intend to wear the colors and prints until the day I freaking die. If I drop while wearing lime green underpants, then you’ll know I stayed me right to the end.
Yes, I remember those multi-packs coming in only white or beige! Blegh! I must have colors and patterns, too! Yay!
@SM, HILARIOUS!
@NBAA, AbFab is like, my second favorite show EVER, and I know exactly what scene you are talking about, when they are walking up the steps to their little house in the back garden. LOVE IT!
HerRoom and I just don’t get along. I ordered some — ahem — silicone nipple covers called Dimrs. The directions advise you to moisten with water before you try them on. Which I did. After 20 minutes, I took them off — they were so uncomfortable. In fact, my nipples were erect non-stop for about 4 days straight because of the agitation caused by the Dimrs. YUCK. Anyway, they were $30 — so I sent them back immediately for a refund (if they’d been like, $5, I would have just trashed them) and a few weeks later I get an email telling me that they would not refund. I went back and forth with customer service, and they told me that because they’d been moistened it meant I’d worn them and they refused to refund worn garments. I had to explain about 9,000 times that the DIRECTIONS told me to wet them first, and that no where on their website, in the paperwork, or anywhere in ANY disclaimer, did the company indicate that trying on an item immediately disqualified me from receiving a refund. 2 months, 5 customer service reps and 3 supervisors later, I received a refund. All for $30. Ugh.
Sorry for the long tale. But I hate that company and will never do business with them again. On the other hand, FotL is an independent company and I can buy their undies from other sellers. Yay!
No, that is some heavy bullshit, they should have just sucked it up and gave you the damned refund right away! Some products are packaged without the consumer in mind and most companies know how to navigate that. I have been there, believe me! Actually, on both ends of that type of thing. Used to work in a call center for a popular wedding site. Worst job ever!
So…what’s your fave show ever?
Golden Girls!
Love it! You’re too much fun! I’m one of those listy types, so my faves: Good Times, Roseanne, AbFab, Three’s Company, I Love Lucy, Seinfeld, Laverne & Shirley, Simpsons, The IT Crowd and you know? I do watch GG anytime I catch it, so why not include it in my top ten! Woo! Gotta love those ladies!
@Twistie, I remember those days, too. They weren’t that long ago! I have worn just about every style of JMS underwear, and I now hate them all. The only good thing I find in those panties is that the rise of the “gusset” isn’t abnormally long. There is nothing, NOTHING worse than a long “gusset” (I put it in quotes because my husband HATES the word and so I always use air quotes when I say it) twisting and turning and moving around all day. THIS is the reason I refuse to wear boy- and girl-shorts. It actually makes me feel ill to think about it. Because I got so sick of the waistband detaching from the panty (seriously, every single pair, no matter the style, no matter whether I bought them online or at Target or at an outlet, no matter the color or “new” or “original” technology, EVERY PAIR!) I started wearing Lane Bryant panties. THOSE are not impressive either, other than the fun colors. While the waist doesn’t detach, threads started unraveling after a few washes. Maybe it’s just me and I’m hard on my underwear? Gah! But I am very excited to try these FotL kind!
It is not just you! That “gusset” thing is the pits! Why oh why oh why?! I would love to hear what you think of the FotL kind.
I wear nothing but Jockey for Her these days, which I order online. It’s not budget underwear, but they’re well-made, so comfortable! and wear like iron, so they don’t need replacing very often. I’m happy to see they’re offering more choices in plus sizes in the one color I want – solid black (I will tolerate gray or blue if necessary). Size 11 fits me perfectly, and I wear 34wp jeans (though 3x yoga pants-go figure). But I found the size 10s also fit really well.
I didn’t know Jockey had plus sizes? I wore those things for ages and loved them! Well, until I “filled out” that is. Couldn’t swing those teeny sporty bras for long. Ha-ha! But nice to hear that they still have well made stuff.
For me, it’s the Jockey “French Cut” undies. They’re cotton, they come in multiple styles (one with a white elastic “athletic” waistband, one with a self-covered, and some microfiber/microcotton knits), and they’re so comfortable. And they wear like iron. I buy mine at the nearby outlet, so the price isn’t too bad, and they have a “frequent shopper” card where you can accumulate points for free merchandise. I also really appreciate that Jockey does do cute patterns and colors all the way up the size range – I had a pair once with little penguins on them!
One caveat: they are not made for every body. A friend of mine tried them and had horrible problems with them riding up. She’s shaped quite differently than I am, and the underwear she found worked the best for her were a style that are absolutely miserable for me to wear. So different cuts for different folks.
That is interesting. The shapes and the cuts and how those intersect. Almost makes me wanna have a go at making my own, but that won’t happen soon! Ha-ha! Thanks! =0)
I haven’t read all the comments here, so please forgive me if this has been touched upon already! I really can’t stand the p-word either, but I just can’t seem to find a good substitute. I like ‘knickers’, but I (try to) speak and write American, and, unless I’m mistaken, knickers is only used in the U.K. (+ possibly in Australia and New Zealand). So I come to you, O’ wise American, with this question; do you use ‘knickers’ in the States? If no, can you provide me with some good alternatives to the dreaded p-word? (Seriously, I refuse to teach my students ‘panties’.)
Ah, yes! Well, I was raised on enough British comedies to include more than just knickers in my daily vernacular. So perhaps I’m not the best to ask in this case, but most Americans know what they are even if they don’t use the word. I usually just say underwear or undies. I have heard all manner of slang, but those usually leave me more confused than knickers ever would. I think it’s safe to use. Just like “Pants” in England isn’t trousers, but if someone pointed to their trousers and said pants, I’m sure they’d understand, right?
I have six pairs of fantastic knicks that our local Asda (UK supermarket run by WalMart) had a while back – liked the first lot (3-pack) so much I bought another set, then they stopped doing them. I’ve tried lots of other Asda pants since, but they’re not the same shape or fabric or anything. Plus, they’re in variations of red, white and navy blue with cherries and/or polka dots. What’s not to like?
Ha-ha! I love whimsical designs on undergarments! Sorry they stopped making them, hate when that happens!
So what is the matter with calling them “underpants”? You can shorten the word to “undies”, short but not to coy.
I say undies or underwear, usually. Just prefer not to use the “p” word. ha-ha!
“too” sorry
Haha, I am like the least picky person when it comes to my unders. Might be TMI, but I get them in any color I can grab off the shelf, and keep them until they are no longer attached to the waist band. I have panties in 3 different sizes, not all of them fit me properly, but the elastic has stretched out enough after years of use that I can still use them as low rises. I don’t really think about it, Hah, but now that I do, I’m sure there are a few pairs that could stand to be retired…
How do you do it? I mean, the riding up, the bunching, the fraying? How do you walk around like that? I wish I could, honestly, because I have too many that don’t work for me, but wow! I’m in awe!
There are many things in life that I cannot compromise on, and insist on the best for. Shoes is one of them; I never skimp. Underwear, while I do enjoy the feeling of a well fitting pair, I never really notice it unless I am wearing a skirt or nice pants. In just my kicking around clothes, I don’t even notice! Also, I rarely wear a bra unless I’m going to be sweating, so having matching pairs never is an issue either, ha!
Oh yeah, I’ve never been one to match. I love it when it happens, but it won’t now because 90% of my bras are black and most of my undies are brightly colored. I like it that way, actually. Woo!
[…] there was this one time I couldn’t find my favorite underwear in the store, remember that? Yeah and then I found them online and happily ordered from the same place for […]