By Mere Abrams, Co-Founder of Urbody
Growing up, I became acutely aware that the underwear and clothing that I gravitated towards were not made for my body. After years of shopping in the men's section as an AFAB person, I felt as if I always had to settle for a poor fit in order to express myself. Clothing and fashion has a massive impact on how we feel about ourselves—both positive and negative. As a teen facing puberty, I felt pressured to try wearing gender-conforming underwear and clothing that I didn’t like. I saw firsthand the ways it negatively affected my mental health, body image, and sense of self. Now that I have come to embrace a more authentic gender expression and feel much more confident in who I am, I truly see the ways gender-affirming and gender-inclusive fashion can support the physical and emotional wellbeing of trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming folks.
Gender-inclusive fashion isn’t just about looks— it’s about a garment’s fit and ability to facilitate self-expression and body affirmation. The right fit plays a huge part in managing the gender dysphoria that many people experience when looking for clothing that works for them. I started Urbody because I saw the various ways that fashion’s roots in the gender binary, as well as outdated body norms and gender stereotypes, continue to harm and limit members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The fashion industry’s somewhat incomplete understanding of what it means (or looks like) to be a man, a woman, a trans person, a non-binary person, or some combination thereof, has an impact.
Much of fashion has yet to realize that true gender-inclusivity means creating new fit templates and patterns that are designed in collaboration with community members across the gender and body spectrums. Fashion’s starting place should be one without assumptions about who might wear a given garment and the body shape or parts that person has. We all deserve a safe and affirming shopping experience where you can walk away with a product that boosts your confidence in your body and who you are as a person. When you don’t have to trade a good fit for authentic style, and those two aspects of design work together, you are free to be more present in your body, engaged in your passions, and at home in the world at large.
As a non-binary trans person, I continue to face challenges when it comes to finding underwear and apparel that take my body and needs into consideration in both their design and fit. I notice a huge difference in how I feel when I put things on my body that address the fit and style needs of trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming bodies.. Not only do they look better than most options off the rack at big box stores, but they also make me feel great in my body and clothes. It’s a feeling that’s almost indescribable because until recently, I experienced it so rarely. I can’t wait to fill my closet and drawers with more items from more brands that recognize that the clothes you put on have the power to impact how you feel.
Urbody is a gender-affirming underwear and activewear brand addressing the functionality, fit, and style needs of the gender spectrum by creating solution-oriented fashion for self-expression. We offer gender-inclusive solution wear with a classic yet elevated style that serves as the gender and body-affirming base layer you have been missing. This minimalist aesthetic provides a subtle yet powerful statement that trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people are, first and foremost, human, and are deserving of high-quality timeless essentials like everyone else.
