I recently wrote about the wonders of Muji’s boy shorts as the underwear that finally kicked the five-for-$25 Victoria’s Secret pairs out of my top drawer. While these Muji boy shorts are my favorite undies for lounging, I quickly realized they weren’t as practical for wearing outside the house, at least if you want to avoid a visible panty line. My next mission was to find a seamless thong that would be invisible under tight jeans, leggings, or my new faux-leather pants and — even more critically — would also be comfortable. When I was a 16-year-old with a collection of soda-flavored lip balms, I may have been willing to endure thongs that rode up or pilled. But as an adult with European linen bedding and a drawer full of compression socks, I was finally ready to invest in something more comfortable and durable.
You probably know Bombas as a sock company and might also be aware that for each pair purchased, Bombas donates another pair to a homeless shelter. I love Bombas’s ankle socks, which have a cushioned footbed and an extra tab of fabric to protect your ankles from blisters, so when the launch of its new underwear line landed in my inbox, I wanted to give the Air Lace Thong a try.
Initially, I was drawn in by the product description, which explained that the designers wanted the lace to feel like “a floating cloud, the brush of a feather, a gentle breeze.” I’ve always loved wearing lace underwear — it makes me feel confident and sexy in a way that cotton just doesn’t — but I’ve never been able to find a pair that’s comfortable enough to wear for more than a night out. That is, until I tried on this Bombas thong.
I first wore this lace thong under a tight knit dress and was impressed that it lived up to the advertisements: It was truly seamless. But I was even more impressed that, over the course of the night, I forgot about the thong altogether. Instead of immediately shelling my underwear upon returning home — as I’m wont to do — I simply changed into sweatpants and fell asleep. Never before have I encountered a lace thong that’s comfortable enough to sleep in.
Since then, I’ve worn this Bombas thong morning, noon, and night. The fiber is similar to mesh with a butter-soft feel and maximum breathability. It’s stretchy and seamless and has just the right amount of elastic, hugging my hips without digging in or riding up. And I’d be remiss not to mention that, yes, it also happens to be very sexy.
Until this point, I’ve had trouble finding lace underwear that’s both flattering and functional. All of my budget-friendly Victoria’s Secret thongs ($12.50 per pair or $35 for seven) are clunky, misshapen, and ridden with holes. Savage x Fenty makes beautiful lace thongs at a reasonable price point ($19.95 per pair with discounts for VIPs), but they’re a bit more ornate than what I’m after for everyday wear. And I’ve never been able to talk myself into shelling out upwards of $36 for a lace thong from Fleur du Mal, which, while pretty, look like nothing more than a delicate bundle of string.
This thong is on the more expensive end of the spectrum at $22 a pair, but after experiencing the joy that is Bombas’s Air Lace thong, I’ll be purchasing a few more (and the three-pack bundle for $62.70 is calling my name). It’s the first lace underwear I don’t save just for special occasions — pretty and resilient, it’s meant for everyday wear. Thanks to a crisscrossed web of stitching across the body and waistband, this durable thong does not rip if I pull it on (or off) in a hurry.
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