Our
Story
“A lovely mother/daughter shopping day!”
The inspiration for my beautiful business was the result of an agonizing shopping experience I had when my 12 y/o daughter, Lola, and I went to buy her a proper first bra. Up until then, she had only been wearing sports bras, and didn't really understand that now she needed a "real" bra for when she wasn't playing soccer or in dance class.
Now that she was entering womanhood, it was time for her to have a proper undergarment. Obviously we would make a fabulous day of it: city shopping, delicious lunch, running around with my best friend, love it! My Lola was into it - and off we went!!
Lola was mortified. I was heartbroken.
The mother-daughter bonding experience I had been so hoping for quickly plummeted. Everything we saw was bright, garish, silky, shiny, and had push up padding. All the ads and billboards were sexualized and risque. Lola didn't resonate with any of it.
We went in and out of multiple stores, pushing through the crammed racks under terrible lighting, searching in vain for my baby girl’s petite size 28A.
We felt lost.
But what was most disheartening was watching my daughter sink, feeling upset and embarrassed about her growing body, about puberty, about becoming a woman. Instead of embracing her womanhood, she felt frustration. And I could already see how damaging this could be.
Only place we order binders for my child - super comfortable and fits great
Kids need a safe space with appropriate, gender fluid options.
This date with my Lo was both heartbreaking and incredibly eye-opening for me.
These are our kids.
We want them to go into life feeling amazing about themselves! And the products I so desperately wanted for my daughter simply did not exist. I started to think about other parents and their experiences with their daughters as they entered the chaotic world of puberty. Where did they shop?
Then I thought about friends with kids who identified as a different gender as to when they were born. Puberty happens to everyone, whether you agree with the body you’re in or not. This is reality. Where were appropriate undergarments for those kiddos? Where did their parents shop?
Where was that company, where LGBTQIA+ youth had safe space to explore undergarment options as they navigated through puberty in a body they didn't identify with?
Where was that company where young women like my Lola could shop comfortably and feel strength and camaraderie in her journey towards womanhood?
Where will our kids be seen and heard?
And where was a place for parents and allies to gain information, connect with others, and support each other through this crazy ride??
I could not find it... so I decided to make it.
So - Lola Olivia was created! Named after my favorite person ever.
Why? Because we’ll do anything for our babies.
When our youth doesn't have a positive, tangible resource to support them, the result can be damaging and traumatic to their growth and mental well-being.
Body shaming and bullying starts young, and escalates during puberty into depression, anxiety, and suicide. And the reality is kids are suffering silently, and they are not getting up and facing the day, and that is heartbreaking.
We at Lola Olivia are always here for you!
We strive to help our youth by providing them with an undergarment that helps them feel like their best self. We are ever evolving as we meet new challenges every day and work hard to create pieces that help from within. Tweens and teens need us now more than ever!
It's tough out there!
And social media is a horrid, fickle beast.
We see you, we hear you, we love you.
Thank you for the awesome products and my son loved the handwritten note that came in the package. Thank you for supporting.!!
Second purchase for my transgender teen. He is very pleased with the binder.
At Lola Olivia, our goal is to uplift, empower, and support our youth.
We need to modernize how we shop for undergarments, and provide transparency for our young clientele. And this is just the beginning!
We have so much more to offer!
Thank you for being a part of this journey!