Have You Heard Of This Brand? Because It’s All We’re Wearing This Spring And Summer. And Possibly Beyond.
by Audie Metcalf
I love clothes. There, I said it.
But there is a big caveat here. Most clothes are, how do you say? Ah yes. Horrible.
And this feeling only increases with age.
Our flexibility around how much we’re willing to deal with discomfort in order to look gorgeous dwindles to about zero. I went to college in wind-whipping Boston and for the first year I didn’t wear a coat. You read that right. I just…wore cardigans and scarves so that my adorable outfits wouldn’t be obscured. Today when it dips below 65 I wear a full parka because nothing, and I mean NOTHING, is more important than comfort.
BUT I STILL WANT TO LOOK GORGEOUS.
And this is why clothes are hard. They’re usually one or the other. My most beautiful pieces of clothing are often my most uncomfortable and tight, and so they just sit, collecting dust. And my most comfortable, soft clothes are, well, loungey house clothes that make me look like a mange-riddled sewer rat.
And so when I come upon a brand that delivers both immense chicness AND fabrics that I want to fill up my tub with and bathe in, I get very excited.
It is called Z Supply.
And, thrillingly, this brand delivers a third category, and this category is one that I, and most of us, often forget about which is bizarre because it should actually be at the top of our list, always.
The cut.
You don’t need to know what type of cut the clothing has, you just need to know that because of how it’s cut, it looks deeply flattering. And that’s what all of these clothes have in spades. My fat doesn’t spill out. My boobs stay in place. Everything is SO SKIMMING.
So here we go. I’ve lumped all my favorite pieces into 3 main categories to keep things moving, and I’ve also enlisted our managing editor Carolyn to do some try-ons and give me her thoughts.
Buckle up.
1. THE DRESSES THAT ALL FEEL LIKE PAJAMAS
We’re starting out with a real banger with this one. Their dresses are what got us interested, and you’ll soon see why. Everything is expertly cut, so it hangs and flatters gorgeously. They make the kind of dresses that feel so soft and cozy you actually choose them over your jeans or skirts when you want to look semi presentable. And then, as if by magic, when you get a glimpse of yourself in store windows the rest of the day your confidence is in the clouds because you just look so pretty. Wearing a profoundly flattering dress is the secret to good confidence. It’s really not more complicated than that.
Cocktail Hour Maxi Dress
How is this dress both a loose, flowy, mumu-adjacent bag WHILE being chic and utterly flattering? We have no idea. But it is. And here it is on our managing editor Carolyn (she’s in a small, I’m in a medium) in this cute leafy pattern which I’m now jealous of, which simply screams getaway. Soft as all get out, and the ruched neckline means no bra is required. Praise.
Price: $99
Melinda Gia Ditsy Dress
My 90s dream dress made for a body that saw the 90s 25 years ago! Crafted from what I can only assume is a unicorn wing, this dress is HALLUCINAGENICALLY soft. And again with this magic neckline where you don’t need a bra (and I’m a 36 D, darlings, so don’t get it twisted.) I’m wearing a medium. Body hugging but doesn’t accentuate lumps or bumps, I will be wearing this dress year round. I live in LA. But still. Also, I think I love this dress because it reminds me of the dress Monica wore for the Friends season 5 key art:
Price: $79
Melbourne Midi Dress
Uch, Carolyn wins the dress category. I don’t do slits because my knees make me sad, but WOW this dress. Stretchy, jersey material means it feels like jammies but gives a big POW effect. Lots of gathering on the sides for maximum bump-covering, too. She’s in a small.
Price: $79
Beachside Midi Dress
And now for those of use who want to eat pasta and not have to suck in all night (NOT THAT THERE’S ANYTHING WRONG WITH A POOCH), I present to you, the one and only empire dress I have ever worn that doesn’t make me look pregnant. Why? It’s the cut! This brand just knows how to cut a dress! The incredibly soft yet form-fitting smocking on the bodice holds the girls up and out (again, no bra needed!) and the dress itself falls in such a way that you have tons of room in the stomach/hips/butt, but you don’t ever feel like you’re wearing a tent. I’m in a medium and it’s perfect. I should have gotten it in pink because black is taking over my life. But truly. Look at that pink!
Price: $99
Winslet Shadow Reef Maxi Dress
I believe this is what dressing outside of my “comfort zone” looks like. But you know what? It’s joyful. And I feel joy wearing it. Another day another magic bustline, and while I normally despise a “cutout,” this one is so petite it’s chic, and I don’t feel exposed. I’ve worn this out a couple of times and had no fewer than 4 people compliment this dress. And again with the insane softness! I’m wearing a medium, and it fits perfectly.
Price: $89
2. THE ELEVATED (BUT STILL WILDLY COMFORTABLE) BASICS
We hate the term elevated basics because it’s lost all meaning. THE GAP would claim they have elevated basics and they haven’t had truly comfortable cute clothes in 13 years. When we use elevated we mean it, because all of these simple, minimalist pieces fit perfectly. And, as we’ve establishes, they’re all made of fabrics and materials you reach for before anything else in your closet.
Kiara Gauze Jumpsuit
Is a jumpsuit a basic? I’m saying it is. This one is, anyway. It’s made from….air itself? It’s gauzy, it’s flattering, it nips you in at the waist but doesn’t feel tight, AND isn’t short-waisted—every jumpsuit I try is always so short-waisted I feel like a babydoll. Plus the legs are blissfully wide (I’m in a medium btw), the rump has tons of room (which I need for my considerable backside) and even though it feels like a thrown-on casj kind of piece, it actually does wonders for the figure. Exhibit A:
Price: $89
Kaili Button Up Gauze Top
Friends? This is the shirt. THE shirt. The one we all dream of. If you pinch in (I assume you’re on a phone?) you can see the dreamy, light, gauzy material that allows us thick-armed gals to feel breezy and cool in summer without showing our arms. (Your arms are fine, mine are fine, let’s work on this together, ok?). But regardless, even if you love your arms, this is the warm-weather shirt. It’s the classic, white button-down shirt that just feels like you’re wearing nothing (I’m in a large here because I love an oversized fit). It’s the shirt you pull on when you have no idea what to wear because it looks great with everything. See?
Price: $69
Modern Slub Tee
Another “jeans and a white shirt” basic idea, but, because the pieces are so well cut, the whole thing looks so chic. And yes, that IS our beloved bag we both wear constantly. This t-shirt is so soft and tissue-thin, and with the brand’s VERY KIND code (again, not sponsored, we just like reiterating how grateful we are so we get more codes for you :))) it comes out to be a whisper above 30 bucks. That feels very reasonable for the t-shirt that will become your favorite t-shirt. (Carolyn is in a small) Also LOOK AT ALL THE COLORS. Dusty orchid is a MUST. But then, so is sea pine. Ugh. Oh, but here it is in black, which is also a must:
Price: $39 for the tank, $128 for the pants
Aveen Crinkle Stretch Knit Midi Skirt
It is known far and wide that all black is the easiest way to look like you know what you’re doing without looking like you’re trying. BUT. If you throw on some pilly, faded grotesquerie from the depths of your closet, you will not look chic. But this tank top is perfect. Covers bra straps, ribbed for ideal waist-nipping and boob hoisting. And I must show you a close up of this magic skirt, which has this crinkly material and has the most incredible stretch it could easily accommodate 4-6 different sizes:
I like to wear a “fun” shoe when I do all black. It pulls it all together. Wearing medium in both.
Price: $89 for the skirt, $39 for the tank
Cortez Linen Pinstripe Pant
We all need those loose, easy, drawstring pants when we are moments away from blowing up our lives for an extra 5 minutes of sleep because we are so tired and can’t possibly think about wearing tight clothes or even think about clothes. These are those pants! She’s in a small, for reference. Pair them with a tank, a tied denim shirt, an open button-down, a t-shirt, and you still look pulled together even though you secretly feel like you’re still in bed.
Price: $119
shilo Jersey Denim Skirt
Just moments ago I said I wouldn’t do anything with a slit. But you know how we’re all working on accepting our bodies? Well, from then until now I’ve gotten better already. And I’m trying a slit. I still didn’t have the courage to EXPOSE my knee, but baby steps. This skirt is so deliciously soft it feels like your favorite, worn in t-shirt. And like nearly everything we’ve tried from this brand, it just fits so, so well (I’m in a medium). Yes that’s the same tank top from earlier, in white this time. And don’t be offended by the nip; I gave up bras during the pandemic. And you can see, because of the magic ribbing, it really has a hoisting quality, doesn’t it? And YES, I matched my scrunchie to the skirt. What of it?
Price: $64
All Day Knit Denim Jacket
This one of those “is it a shirt?” or “is it a jacket?” situations. But we refuse to use the word shacket. This piece is ideal for flinging over your workout clothes, or if you need something over your shoulders when your errands take you from daylight into darkness, and generally when you want a little piece of outwear that, you guessed it, feels as soft as a lamb’s ear.
Price: $129
3. THE WILD CARD MUST-HAVES
These are pieces that aren’t necessarily worn everyday, but are just as essential. The perfect set. The magic dressy skirt. Pieces we al wish we have the ideal version of, but never seem to find. Or maybe we think we’ve found it but then for some reason or another, it’s off. Or we hate how we feel when we’re wearing it. Or we don’t feel like ourselves. But all of these pieces are things you’ll slip on and think, oh. This is exactly how I want to look and feel today.
Euphoria Luxe Sheen Midi Skirt
Welp. This skirt has changed my life. It’s the exact right choice for ANY semi fancy event I’ve had lately, and I either do it like the above with a black bodysuit or like this, all black. Note: We have a theory that black on top and white on the bottom makes all of us look like movie stars (the origin of this idea we discovered is HERE), and white on top and black on the bottom makes all of us look like waiters. See HERE and HERE.
Ok, so here’s all black:
Always looks pulled together. Can be made very dressy with a heel, or medium chic with a flat sandal. And of course always with my beloved jean jacket, the chicest sandals on planet earth, and another perfect Clare V. confection.
The waistband of this skirt is about an inch thick so there’s no rolling down or lumpy weirdness. (I’m in size medium) It’s also relatively thick, so even if you get the lighter color, it hides any/all lumps and bumps on one’s rear. It’s my dream skirt I didn’t even know I needed.
Price: $69
Cambria Gauze Tank and Barbado Gauze Pant
Another look Carolyn tried that makes me seethe with jealousy. (She’s in a small). She told me she’s already “living in this” and it’s very clear to me why. It’s that gauzy, crinkly, airy, genius material again. Why doesn’t every item of clothing come in this material? We would buy it all. A square neckline is INFINITELY flattering, the legs are full and loose yet still skimming, and it’s just one of those sets that begs to be worn in Greece.
Price: $89 for the pants, $56 for the top
Dawn Smocked Rib Pant
We saved the best for last. If you buy only one thing from this rhapsodic article, make it these pants. These are, without hesitation, the most comfortable house pants of. all. time. Their material is something the brand calls “silky rib” and we can barely express to you how soft it is. It feels almost wet to the touch, and melts into your hand when you touch it. We want our couch/bed/lives to be made from this fabric. And the most bizarre part? They are SO DEEPLY FLATTERING. And that’s not like, an urgent desire, for a dumb pair of lounge pants to flatter. And yet, these do. That gloriously thick, smocked waist band is the only waist band any lounge pants should ever be from now until the dawn of time. DAWN of time. Get it? That’s the name of the pants! Listen. This is a very long article. That’s the level of joke we’re at right now. And here they are on Carolyn as part of a set.
They’re long enough, they feel soft as a horses’s muzzle (two soft animal references so far, I’m getting punchy obviously) and absolutely the most critical purchase on this list. All of us behind the scenes have now bought a pair of these for everyone in our life who we feel deserves the most comfortable house pants ever invented. Which is all women.
Price: $59 for the pants, $39 for the bra
And there we have it. Quite the Z supply tour! It’s clear we love soft, flattering pieces that are chic enough to wear in the world, but comfortable enough to allllllmost trick ourselves into thinking we’re still in pajamas. Aka, the only way we want to dress from here on out.
Join us?
Ps: The aftermath:
Audie Metcalf is the Editor-in-chief of The Candidly, and lives in LA with her family. You can find more of her articles here.
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
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