Lingerie Review: Cosabella Extended Size Thongs

Disclosure: The products shown below were received as review samples. All opinions are my own.

Even at the times in my life when I haven’t been plus size, I’ve never found wearing thongs to be particularly comfortable for my thick thighs. Now, at a size 20, I’ve come to think of thong underwear as a sometimes necessary evil to prevent visible panty lines but not something I would wear by choice. Determined to conquer all of my plus size lingerie fears and find a way to make any item type wearable, I tried out three different thong styles from Cosabella. I have to say, I’m seeing thongs in a whole new light.

Cosabella is a second-generation family owned business founded in Italy. The husband and wife team of Ugo and Valeria Campello earned accolades in the mid-80s for putting bodysuits on the map. These days they produce a mixture of lingerie, shapewear, sleepwear and swimwear with production based in Italy and design headquarters in Miami.

Site Navigation

At first glance through Cosabella's site, I was certainly intrigued by the variety of sexy and fashion-forward styles, but there’s no clear way to find which items, if any, are available in plus sizes. For panties, the size filter option at the top only includes sizes S-XL. The first ten or so items I clicked on were available in O/S (one size) or S,M,L.

Searching “plus size” on the site returns zero results. The search term “extended” returns about 14 plus size products sitewide, ranging from babydolls to bralettes to pajamas to hot pants. But beyond already knowing which search term to use, there’s no clear mention of extended sizing in the navigation. In addition, "extended" isn’t necessarily the most widely-used term used to find plus sizes, either. If I didn’t know in advance that Cosabella carried my size, I would have likely given up before digging through every option or thinking to search for extended instead of plus size or curve. I would love to see an easier and more searchable way to find which items are available in plus sizes on Cosabella's site in the future.

Sizing

The sizing itself for the panties is somewhat confusing too. According to the size chart, plus size bottoms are sized 12-14, 16-18, and 20-22 but the available thong options in plus are sized 14-, 16-, 12/16 and 18/22. The size chart does not feature any clarification about what those sizes mean. Although my size 20 is between an 18 and a 22, it would be helpful to see these sizes represented on the size chart in some way since 18/22 spans three different sizes. Each of the three thongs I tried were size 18/22. Although I preferred certain cuts over others, each style fit comfortably and I would say is the equivalent of a plus size 2X.

The Never Say Never Lovelie Extended Thong was the option I expected to like the most, and I was right. I prefer high-waist panties, and this had the highest cut of the three thongs I tried. The wide lace waistband hit me just below the belly button. The width of the waistband definitely contributed to the comfort factor because I didn’t experience any rolling down as I often do with panties that hit below my bellybutton.  

The lace laid comfortably along my hips and there was no digging into my thighs in any way. And the 50% cotton fabric content made this soft against the skin. Cosabella bills this thong as a mix of beauty and comfort, and that’s exactly what I experienced - a combination I never thought I would find in a thong. I guess I can never say never to thongs again.

I tried out the Italia Lowrider Thong Extended next. The fact that lowrider was in the name had me skeptical, but I was pleasantly surprised again by the comfort level of this thong despite hitting about three inches below my bellybutton. Because the band featured elastic seaming along the top rather than strictly lace like the Never Say Never, this thong laid a little more snug on my hips but I didn't experience any digging.

This thong really won me over in the details. The fabric content is nearly 75 percent Polyamide which makes this feel pretty close to a seamless style. The front features a seamless applique. The craftsmanship and attention to detail is clear.

The Minoa Extended Lowrider Lace Thong was the last item on my list. Although it was the furthest out of my comfort zone, I found it to be the most alluring of the three options as it is entirely sheer with the exception of the cotton lined gusset.

Cosabella uses the words delicate and intricate to describe this thong and the infinity lace and scalloped edges certainly made for some soft, subtle details. The back of this thong was probably my favorite because it was entirely sheer. I would love to pair this style with the matching Minoa Extended Lace Bralette which is available in sizes 1X-3X.

After trying out three different Cosabella thongs, I am a finally plus size thong believer. It’s clear that when it comes to the product itself, Cosabella gets the plus size customer. However, that isn’t being reflected on their site. I hope to see clearer representation for plus sizes on Cosabella's site and more products available in extended sizing soon because, when it comes to fabrication, comfort, design, and beauty, they’ve got in down. Plus size customers just need to have an easier way to find it.

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