May 24, 2016

NSFW Product Review: Soma Vanishing Edge Microfiber Bikini

Dear people reading this on work computers: save this one for later.  We're taking a time out from my backlog of posts about shows and meeting bloggers because there's a big sale right now on a product that has made my riding life better lately - and it's underwear.

I feel like I'm crossing some sort of blogging line by reviewing underwear, but I promise this is 100% riding related.  I started this quest mainly to look good in breeches/tights, cause that's what's important, right?

(These have to be the weirdest product review photos I've ever taken.  I'd say 'don't judge', but I'm about to put pictures of my butt in breeches on the Internet, so clearly, I am not afraid of being judged.)

Confession time: I hate thongs.  I make myself wear them with work clothes and breeches in order to look socially acceptable, but I really find them unpleasant.  So I recently went on a review-reading mission to see if science has conquered the non-thong, non-boyshort VPL problem.

My stumbling led me to a corporate attire columnist who personally tried and reviewed all of the top no-VPL options out there, and she came to the conclusion that the Soma Vanishing Edge line (various styles) is where it's at.  Their defining feature is a silicone edge that keeps them in place without seams on the edges.

I got a pair and immediately put it to the test with the absolute worst VPL highlighters out there: my skin-tight Irideon riding tights, size childs large.  Survey says?

I took a butt selfie.  Oh my, it's so weird in here.

There's a faint line going up to the hip, sort of on the side, that's only just barely visible in the skin tight Irideons.  And it's completely invisible with any of my work pants, or my beige or white show breeches.  They would definitely be no VPL in your standard Tailoreds or Tredsteps or Pipers with more structured fabric and cut than the Irideon tights.

So sorry.

I was also wearing them here (these are my beige show breeches, Tredstep Symphony No...3? 4?:


And I have no pictures of my butt in white breeches from the show two weeks ago, but I wore a light beige pair under my white breeches and they were completely invisible.  Have a gratuitous cute pony photo, I promise I'm done with the butt shots:


Pros:
  1. No VPL - seriously.
  2. Comfy material
  3. Comes in tons of styles, cuts and colors: from up-to-your-belly-button to sleek and sexy low-rise bikinis, with and without lace.
  4. Easy keepers: machine wash warm regular cycle, tumble dry. 
  5. Comfortable after long rides in both my jump and Dressage saddles
Cons:
  1. High price (unless there's a sale, keep reading!)
  2. You need to adjust it one time after you get your pants on.  Although once you adjust it, it stays where you put it all day, so it's not a constant adjusting thing.
  3. Actually, it REALLY stays put all day as a result of the silicone, so you'll never get a wedgie with these things.  Man this is a weird post.  Words I never thought I'd use in a blog post: wedgie.
  4. Some people might not like the silicone - definitely something you need to try a single pair of before you go all-in.
  5. I'm sure the silicone will wear out eventually.

I'm posting this today because Soma has a 5-for-$37 sale going on right now if you're interested in trying them, making them around $7 (they're regularly $16-$19/pair).  I was able to combine the sale with a 20% off coupon and get them for $5/pair.

What's your secret weapon when it comes to avoiding VPL?  Or do you even care?  Is this the weirdest thing you've ever read? Back to regularly scheduled content tomorrow...

32 comments:

  1. Good to know. Good review.
    And they have so many cute styles!!

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    1. Thanks! Yeah they do, tons of color/pattern/style choices!

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  2. This is seriously good to know! And I think you addressed a review of underpants in the least weird way possible.

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    1. Ha, that actually made me snort when I read it. Thanks for the vote of confidence!

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  3. I actually was just thinking about doing an undies survey! I am okay with thongs, but even some of those will be visible through breeches. I'm amassing quite the collection of beige/nude underwear which I never wanted, previously...

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    1. Ha! Great minds? Yeah, beige is THE BEST color for under white. I wanted to buy all the pretty colors when I laid in my stock of Somas, but I intentionally bought enough beige to get me through a three day. Equestrian life...

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  4. Lolz cheeky! For whatever reason most of my preferred breeches are pretty forgiving and the VPL isn't a huge issue. Good to know tho!!

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    1. Haha! Tell me what breeches those are, I want them!

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  5. So many cute options! VPL is such a nuisance and trying to eliminate it so often results in grandma style underwear or...wedgies. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. It really is. I tell myself I'm an independent woman and I don't care if people see lines on my butt, and then I'm like "...yeah, yeah I actually care."

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  6. Oh man, I really might need these.

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    1. I'm here to enaaaaableeeee...5 for $37 is really quite good.

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  7. This is actually a FANTASTIC post and not at all weird! I am very interested in giving these a try - usually thongs are my only option since everything else rides up on me and becomes massively uncomfortable. But this... this could work...

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    1. Ahhh I am so familiar with this problem. My butt is 36" and my waist is 24", everything slides up! Can confirm, these are fantastic if you have that problem.

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    2. OMG YES. This is my life. I definitely have to try them then!

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  8. This is probably one of my favourite posts you've ever done. I also cannot abide thongs (full on refuse to wear them) but as someone who's ass is way smaller than it should be I always have slipping panty issues so I'm definitely up for giving these a try!

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    1. Lol, I'm going to be known for underwear now! I hope they work for you.

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  9. So to make this post more awkward with my comment- I swear by the lace sided thongs from VS. Its not the stupid elastic and it lays very flat against the skin and I don't get wedgies either. Only thongs I like. Alright awkwardness moving along now

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    1. Good thought, but I have tried them! Haha. I've tried every thong under the sun, and just can't do it.

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  10. Replies
    1. I don't expect anyone else to do an awkward review, but you'll have to let me know how you like them!

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  11. Oh...I'm definitely looking at these. This issue has been on my list! Thanks for writing a review.

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  12. Thank you for posting this! I've been on the hunt for non-wedgie, non thong riding underwear. After two kids my dislike of thongs quadrupled, and I had to stop carrying about VPL (except shows). Not a weird post, let's be real, we all deal with his stuff.

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    1. You're welcome! Yeah, we do all deal with it. My husband is over here laughing, says "VPL seems to be the main challenge facing equestrians." Haha!

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  13. I've never commented before...and now my first comment to your blog is on an underwear review...but you've convinced me to order a pair. Or 5. The sale plus 20% off is not a bad price! I'm excited and hopeful for less panty lines! Thanks :)

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    1. Haha! I'm so glad you commented whatever the reason, Tony is gorgeous! Off to go add your blog to my RSS. Hope you like the Somas as much as I do!

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  14. Well you should get some great internet hits from all of those awesome keywords! haha

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  15. Maybe I should care more about my visible panty lines? I wear thongs for shows and that's about it.

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  16. I just needed to come back and say that I received my pants (international postage boo) 3 days ago and rode in them for the first time today. You have changed my life. I just ordered 5 more pairs and plan to throw away a whole lot of non soma underwear!

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