Lounge sell products such as loungewear, underwear and sleepwear, and was established in 2015 by Daniel and Melanie Marsden. The company prioritise comfort and feeling confident in the clothing they sell. They often promote body positivity across their website and social media platforms, and offer clothing which ranges from XS-XL, as well as an extensive size range of bras, to suit every body shape.
“Body positivity refers to the assertion that all people deserve to have a positive body image, regardless of how society and popular culture view ideal shape, size, and appearance.” (Cherry, 2020) Some of the goals in which the body positivity movement aims to achieve is promoting the acceptance of all bodies and addressing societies unrealistic body standards.
Lounge Underwear often promote this across their website and social media platforms, by posting unedited photographs of every body type wearing their underwear. This helps to promote inclusivity as well as help their customers to appreciate and love their body, regardless of any flaws or imperfections they have. It also helps to normalise the idea that all women’s bodies look different, and there is not a one type fits all when it comes to clothing and underwear.
Alongside photographs, Lounge have also posted videos of women with various different body types all showcasing their underwear, alongside promoting self-love and body positivity. They posted this video on World Mental Health Day to show their support for the campaign as well as promote their underwear. The video displays various positive messages throughout, one being “Everybody deserves representation. You are all worthy!” This is a strong and powerful message to ensure their followers feel included and appreciated, no matter their size, weight, or appearance.
They also posted this video on International Women’s Day, which focused on one plus-size women, wearing different underwear sets by Lounge, as she narrated her journey with self-love and body positivity, and how she is finally confident in embracing her true self. The caption read: “This International Women’s Day, we challenge you to reflect on your relationship with your reflection. Embrace her, for all of her imperfections, she is perfect. You are perfect 💗”
These posts always perform well with their following, as they often receive many positive comments underneath the posts, signifying how important it is to promote body positivity. One follower commented “I am so in love with your body positivity and inclusivity! 😍 You are able to make every woman feel beautiful!” whilst another wrote: “I absolutely love your posts! Down to earth & REALISTIC- acknowledging & showing everyone that we are all different but yet unique and lovely 🙌🙌❤️❤️”
Lounge Underwear also have a blog on their website, in which they often write posts about body positivity. In August 2020 they wrote a post titled “SHOW YOUR STRIPES | SELF LOVE AND BODY POSITIVITY”. They wrote “At Lounge, we want everybody to feel beautiful. We champion diversity and body positivity, meaning none of our Female Family are ever singled out. We want you to embrace your lumps and bumps, ladies. Show your stretch marks, celebrate your cellulite and don’t even think about photoshopping those love handles. Your imperfections are what make you, YOU, and believe us when we say, you are beautiful!” (Lounge Underwear, 2020).
By promoting body positivity and self-love on their website using images like these, Lounge make their customers feel confident enough to purchase their underwear and loungewear sets, and this promotes a positive and healthy message to their target consumers of young girls. This therefore might make more people want to purchase from the brand if they feel strongly about the message they are portraying.
Lounge underwear have provided a well needed breath of fresh air within the world of social media, and in the past underwear brands such as Victoria’s Secret have been criticised for their use of thin models, providing no diversity, and even promoting eating disorders in young women and girls. Lounge underwear have changed the narrative when it comes to lingerie and shown women of all body shapes and sizes can feel confident and look good in underwear.