JBC Lingerie’s Lookbook Shows Lingerie Is for Everyone and Every Occasion

When I saw JBC Lingerie’s new lookbook, “DAD I’M GOING OUT,” pop up on my timeline, I was in awe. I saw models in a range of shapes and sizes all sporting badass lingerie and an IDGAF attitude. JBC Lingerie tapped into a level of inclusion rarely seen in lingerie.

The Australian-based brand, which stands for Just Babes Club, started when designer Jarrah Benwell-Clarke decided to create a lingerie line to expand the options available for all babes who want to wear lingerie (babes being a term inclusive of all genders). Benwell-Clarke didn’t have any prior design experience, but taught herself. She tells me she's continuing to evolve as a designer to better represent the brand.

Size inclusion is one of the paramount tenets of the brand. Every piece is available in sizes XS - XXL. If someone doesn’t see their size listed, or if they have specific size requirements, they can simply email JBC Lingerie for a custom order at no additional charge. “Our brand ethos is that everyone has a unique beauty and sex appeal, and the messages told to us by the traditional fashion, lingerie, and media industries are manipulative and damaging,” brand manager and stylist Bianca Cornale told me via email. “If we didn’t create lingerie for a variety of body types we would be doing a disservice to our ideology and to our babes.”

Benwell-Clarke adds, “Because we come in so many different sizes, by not catering to everyone you’re essentially telling so many babes ‘sorry, but you’re not allowed to feel sexy because of your shape.’ That’s just not ok!”

In addition to size-inclusive designs, comfort plays a major role in the brand’s aesthetic. Comfort in construction connects to how the design feels on the body.

“There’s no underwire or padding in JBC’s designs, so comfort plays a big part,” says Cornale. “Jarrah’s a star designer when considering how to implement other construction methods which support the bod, look and feel sexy, and most importantly are super comfortable.”

Benwell-Clarke says the designs for JBC Lingerie’s latest collection, “DAD I’M GOING OUT,” and its corresponding lookbook are the epitome of the brand. JBC finds a lot of their models through social media and friends of friends, which helps keep a strong local and community feel to their work. Looking at the images, I feel like these models are an actual crew of babes just hanging out and casually challenging norms while doing so.

“From a design point, it’s inspired by fashion blended with lingerie, in styles that would suit all body types,” says Benwell-Clarke. “From a concept point, it’s about not giving a fuck what people think of you, knowing you look ridiculously sexy and looking this way just for yourself.”

The “DAD I’M GOING OUT” lookbook doesn’t just challenge beauty norms. It also shows lingerie has a place outside the bedroom. All of the images are taken outside in daylight. Models are shown crossing the street as they would in any other garment. It helps to normalize the idea lingerie is for everyday and everywhere.

When I see bloggers and other babes, particularly plus size people, wearing lingerie online or as outerwear, I often see it accompanied by slut-shaming. As a plus size blogger who wears lingerie as outerwear quite often, I’ve experienced this myself. Lingerie is for anyone who wants to wear it, whenever they want to wear it. Lingerie, for many, is about expressing autonomy over one’s body. This lookbook reinforces that idea for me.

“The idea behind 'DAD I’M GOING OUT' is that lingerie doesn’t have to be only for the bedroom, only for private or intimate occasions,” says Cornale. "If you’re feeling sexy, you should be able to own that, embody that, without fear of being policed or targeted by anyone. People should be able to feel their sex appeal unapologetically, and feel confident and safe in their right to do so.”

The look's photography style aligns with the feelings the designs should evoke. The rough concept behind “DAD I’M GOING OUT” is babes on their way to a party. Cornale describes the brand’s shooting style as “semi-planned, loose, a little bit tipsy, total party vibes” which brings an element of reality to the images. The models look like they are having fun together because well, they are.

I think what was most striking to me about this imagery is how rarely I see this kind of inclusion and intentional disruption of beauty standards from brands. I wanted to know from Cornale and Benwell-Clarke why they think this is still so rare to see.

“I think a lot of other brands are still caught in the past with what beauty must represent to sell their products,” says Benwell-Clarke. “ It’s a trickle down effect from what they’re shown in the media, even stemming back to fashion school where budding designers are told all designs must be made to an size 8-10.” (Editor's Note: These are Australian sizes and convert to a US 4-6.)

Cornale adds, “I think brands are still stuck thinking that selling people products relies on reinforcing the ideal, unattainable image of beauty. With the grounding philosophy that advertising needs to be aspirational. Whereas we don't want to perpetuate problematic beauty standards, and would prefer our material to seem real and relatable.”

JBC Lingerie plans to grow, expand their line and, one day, their production team as well. Benwell-Clarke still makes every piece herself by hand. I personally hope to see more lookbooks like “DAD I’M GOING OUT” showing lingerie is for everyone - regardless of shape, race, age, gender and sexuality.

What are your favorite pieces from the “DAD I’M GOING OUT” collection? How would you like to see brands challenge beauty standards through lingerie?

DAD I’M GOING OUT Credits:

• Models - @cranberryofficial @stayugly1998 @loser_art @kane__anthony @laureneshelley
• Photographer - Kalindy Millions @kalindymillions
• Styling - Bianca Cornale @modaffodil
• Jewelery - Sacre Flux @sacreflux

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