Clarkliving friend and client Jessica Hlavac is the woman behind one of LA’s most beloved purveyors of lingerie: Panty Raid in Los Feliz. The now-thirteen-year-old boutique supplies its loyal following with the full gamut of underthings- from everyday t-shirt bras to exquisite French lace delicates.
Panty Raid prides itself on carrying in-season pieces from cult favorite lingerie brands like Hanky Panky, Cosabella, Chantelle, La Perla, and Eberjey, as well as Addiction- a newer brand designed in Downtown LA. While the shop’s stock is carefully curated and of consistently high quality, it’s Panty Raid’s customer service that instills such deep devotion in their clients.
Lingerie by Anouk
If your image of a lingerie boutique includes either a push toward $100+ pieces or a bespectacled older woman with a tape measure draped over her shoulders, Panty Raid will come as a welcome surprise. The normal American system of telling a customer she’s wearing the “wrong” size bra, measuring her, and handing her the “right” size bra just doesn’t fly here.
Hlavac confirms what I think we’ve all long suspected, that sizing—especially bra sizing—is a lot more fluid than that.
“Whatever ‘size’ you are,” Hlavac says, “that’s a guideline. Designers vary so much, you just have to try things on. You’ll be one size in one line and a different size in another line, and some lines just won’t work for you at all.” Panty Raid isn’t a high-pressure environment where you’re told what you should be wearing and made to feel obligated to purchase it. You’re encouraged here to try a bunch of stuff on and figure out what works for your body. This honest, realistic approach to lingerie is really what sets the shop apart.
Go wireless in Stella McCartney & Princesse Tam Tam
It’s an unfortunate thing that women’s insecurities are often used as a marketing ploy, which is one of the many reasons Panty Raid has earned my trust and loyalty: they just won’t do that. Hlavac wants you to know that if your bra isn’t working for you anymore, unless you’ve had some major change in your body like surgery or pregnancy, it isn’t you: it’s the bra. Bras don’t last forever. So if yours aren’t doing quite what they used to, take that as your cue to come into the shop and find something new to fall in love with.
Stock up on stocking stuffers with Hanky Panky
Panty Raid is located at 1953 Hillhurst Ave in Los Feliz, Los Angeles 90027. You can reach them by phone at (323) 668-1888 or by email at . You can keep up with them on Facebook at facebook.com/pantyraidshop and on Twitter and Instagram @pantyraidshop.
