Underwear Thesis: Quince Smoothing Comfort Underwear Review
Per usual I have a lot to say, but that’s why you’re here, isn’t it?
Welcome back to Underwear Thesis! About a month ago, I went WILD and indulged in an underwear shopping spree, so get ready for a LOT of fresh reviews to drop in the coming weeks (yes, Harper Wilde is on the list). Today we’re beginning my deep dive into FOUR styles of Quince underwear, starting with Smoothing Comfort undies. I’ll be covering the Second Skin styles this week, then Organic Cotton and Micromodal styles next week, so get ready for that, too!
Today’s Underwear Thesis review covers this & more:
How I ended up with 54 pairs of underwear
A pleasant fabric surprise (!!)
An inclusive sizing rant
My Totally Unfiltered Review of Quince Smoothing Comfort Underwear
Styles Tried and Price
Smoothing Comfort Bikini - size large, rosemary, $29.90 for a pack of 6
At the time of writing this post, the Smoothing Comfort High-Waisted Brief is out of stock. Once I’m able to order it, I will update this post with my thoughts on that particular style.
It’s also worth noting that Quince only sells their underwear as packs of 6—which does, in fact, mean I bought 54 pairs of underwear to review all of Quince’s styles. It’s fine, everything is fine.
Fabric Quality + Details
Grade: B-
The Smoothing Comfort fabrication is wayyy burlier than I was expecting. Made of 92% nylon and 8% spandex with a 68% nylon, 26% cotton, 6% spandex gusset, the fabric is smooth and somewhat cool to the touch, but hefty. Typically when I see ‘seamless construction,’ I expect a lighter weight fabric like what Boody or Bombas have used. I’m not saying the heavier weight fabric is a bad thing, but it’s definitely worth mentioning.
The Smoothing Comfort bikini has great 4-way stretch and the seams are pretty minimal (read: comfortable). While I don’t love the synthetic gusset, this is pretty typical of seamless styles in general, so I can’t fault Quince.
I noticed a few small flaws that I’d be remiss in not mentioning: two of the six pairs had some broken elastic strands showing, plus some fraying at the convergence of seams around the gusset.
Manufacturing Quality
Grade: C
In general, I’m very curious to know more about Quince’s manufacturing in general TBH. They have a direct-to-consumer business model, which means they work directly with the factories instead of through a middleperson/coordinator type company. This is meant to reduce the overall cost of goods, which is how Quince can offer their lower pricepoints.
I have no issue with this business model, but from a branding perspective it was odd to receive 5-6 different packages from 1 order (not to mention the excess of packaging and the carbon emissions involved in getting so many packages to my doorstep). Also, I noticed that the packaging varied from style to style, most likely based on the factory. Some were in clear bags, some were individually packaged, some had logos on the packaging, etc. You’d think a brand would want consistent packaging across all their products, but perhaps that’s a lower priority given the ultimate goal of lower-than-average prices.
Ethical Practices and Sustainability
Grade: D
Quince has a page dedicated to high-level info about their materials, manufacturing, etc. Some of it feels a bit ironic, like their mention of using as little packaging as possible when shipping an order. That being said, Quince doesn’t go into much detail about either of these practices as it pertains to their underwear. It seems like the focus is more on items like bedding, towels and linen clothing. Given that nylon is derived from petroleum, I have a hard time seeing how the Smoothing Comfort collection could be considered sustainably made.
The Smoothing Comfort bikini is produced in “BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative) certified factories which aims to improve working conditions throughout the supply chain.” That’s marketing talk for Quince wanting their factories to treat the workers like humans, which I applaud. But there is no other mention of ethical practices for this fabrication.
Inclusivity
Grade: D
I really appreciate Quince showing a variety of skintones on their site and social media, but I wish there was more of a range of body types pictured. For example, of the 5 colors available for the Smoothing Comfort Bikini, all of the models shown are a size small. That doesn’t exactly help other sizes estimate the fit for their own body type!
Furthermore, I gave Quince this grade because the size run is from XS - XL which is suuuuch a limited size run. It is 2025, these brands need to be offering XXS through 5XL at least and I will continue to shout that from my soapbox until I am blue in the face!
Washability
Grade: B+
After about a month of wear testing and washing, I’m pretty pleased with how the underwear has held up. I’ve already mentioned the fraying around the gusset, so I’m curious to see how they’ll look in 6 months time.
Fit and Comfort
Grade: A
I actually really liked the Smoothing Comfort Bikini a lot. Despite the heavier weight fabric, they felt lightweight while on and very comfortable. The stretch was great and I feel like if I had sized down, there would be a nice amount of compression as well.
The coverage was exactly what I expected: good cheek coverage that stays put, plus a decently sized gusset. (I received feedback in last week’s reader survey that some gussets can be really narrow, so I’m making a conscious effort to mention gusset sizing in reviews now.)
Overall thoughts
Grade: B
I am already a big fan of Quince in general: the cashmere sweaters are sooo lovely and their percale bedding is fantastic. I was stoked when they launched underwear and I’m pleased to report that they did not disappoint.
At less than $5 a pair, the Smoothing Comfort Bikini from Quince is a really great affordable option (disregarding the limited size run). I enjoyed the fit and the bikini will be added to my regular rotation. I’m excited to try the Smoothing Comfort High-Waisted Brief when it’s back in stock, too!
So here’s my beef with Quince: I am a fan of multi-packs when it’s an underwear style I know I already love. But when I’m trying something new, a 6-pack feels really wasteful—especially if I end up disliking a style. Quince does offer a return policy for underwear as long as it’s still got the tags on and is in the original packaging… but none of the underwear I bought had tags, so where would that leave me?
What do you think of my first Quince underwear review??? And if you’re a Quince fan (or not…), leave a comment and let me know your opinion. I’d love to hear! Stay tuned for the second half of this review, too.