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16 Brands Giving Back to Fight COVID-19: Everlane, Universal Standard, and More


As we continue to social distance to slow the spread of COVID-19, you’re probably logging more screen time than you ever thought possible. Whether you’re falling into TikTok challenge rabbit holes or hosting virtual happy hours, the main medium to keep us entertained and connected right now is the internet. While essential workers are on the front lines of the global health crisis, risking their lives to provide medical care and groceries, unemployment is rising rapidly and people are struggling to make rent or feed their families.

If you’re still getting paid and able to work from home, you might be wondering how to help those in need, and apart from donating directly to organizations like #GetMePPE or Heart to Heart International, one way is to put your dollars toward brands giving back. Whether you’re shopping for home improvement items or stocking up on sweatpants, you can use your buying power for good right now. We rounded up 16 brands donating to charitable organizations to combat the effects of the coronavirus, so read on for retail therapy that will make a positive impact.

Everlane

Send a positive message with Everlane’s 100% Human collection. All proceeds are going to Feeding America’s COVID-19 Response Fund, which provides supplies to food banks across the country.

Purple Carrot

Through May, plant-based meal delivery service Purple Carrot will donate a portion of sales to Feeding America. So if you’re looking for a reason to go vegan, this is it.

Entireworld

The apparel brand known for elevated basics is donating 10% of sales April 2-5 to Doctors Without Borders, an independent humanitarian movement putting medical resources toward helping the most vulnerable communities fight the pandemic. If you’re looking for stylish sweatpants, treat yourself to these.

Entireworld Brushed Back Sweatshirt

Entireworld

$88

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Entireworld Organic Cotton Polo

Entireworld

$85

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Etsy

Support independent artisans on Etsy, which is investing $5M over the next month to help Etsy sellers continue to have a steady stream of sales. Not sure how to navigate the site? Read our tips for finding the best vintage gems.

Allbirds

Deemed “the world’s most comfortable shoes,” Allbirds has donated over $500,000 worth of Wool Runners to medical professionals. Check out the brand’s Buy a Pair, Give a Pair initiative to donate to doctors and nurses working around the clock.

Otherland

Now is the time to burn candles, sage, or whatever will keep the vibrations high in your home, and we’ve never felt intimidated by a candle’s beauty until we met Otherland. The brand is offering 10% off orders and will donate 10% to Foodbank for NYC with code SUNSHINE.

Otherland Carefree ’90s

Otherland

$36

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Otherland Extra Hour

Otherland

$36

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Orly

The nail polish brand that coined the original French Manicure in 1975 has reconfigured its Los Angeles factory to produce hand sanitizer spray, with the first 10,000 units being donated to L.A.’s at-risk homeless population. You can shop the spray here. PS: Read up on other beauty brands combatting coronavirus here.

Helix

We’re all spending more time in bed than we ever could’ve predicted, so it might be time to finally upgrade your mattress or invest in a fancy pillow. The sleep brand has donated over 155 mattresses to hospitals and is allowing healthcare workers to purchase them at-cost.

Skims

Update your WFH wardrobe with cozy loungewear from Kim Kardashian’s shapewear line, Skims, which is donating 20% of profits from the Cotton Collection to Baby 2 Baby’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Program, which provides families with diapers, formula, and basic hygiene products.

Skims Cotton Rib Thermal Legging

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Tula

If you’re taking this time to mask regularly, 100% of the proceeds from Tula’s Nourishing and Brightening Hydrogel Mask go toward more masks for NYC’s COVID-19 healthcare workers through April 30.

Riley Home

Getting good sleep can help you better manage these stressful circumstances, and quality bedding is the first step. Riley Home is partnering with Robin Hood and Women In Need, and will donate a Riley Jr item for every purchase made. It’s the best reason to get your family a cozy throw or a crisp set of sheets.

Universal Standard

The brand making size-inclusive fashion we actually want to wear added a buy-one-give-one option to its Foundation page. Buy anything from the collection of soft and layerable tees, bodysuits, and tanks, and automatically donate one piece to a medical worker on the waitlist (they’ll split the price with you).

Universal Standard Give One Foundation Bodysuit

Universal Standard

$90

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Universal Standard Give One Foundation Tank

Universal Standard

$60

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Mansur Gavriel

You may not be thinking about investing in a luxury handbag right now, but Mansur Gavriel is donating 10% of sales of any size Bucket Bag to GlobalGiving’s Coronavirus Relief Fund, which supports immediate and long-term relief within vulnerable communities.

Aurate

The sustainable fine jewelry brand is offering 20% off all orders with code BETTERTOGETHER, and will donate 20% of proceeds to the NYC Government COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund. Try this dainty diamond necklace or a chic ear cuff, and check out more small businesses giving back via the Better Together initiative.

Dyson

Keep your home clean and your hair healthy with Dyson products to support the company as they produce 15,000 CoVent portable ventilators, designed specially to treat COVID-19 patients.

Greats

If you need a sleek sneaker to walk to your mailbox in, Greats has versatile low-tops that will quickly become a wardrobe staple. Keep it classic with all-white or venture toward Tiger King with an animal print style. $15 of every order will be donated to City Harvest to feed New Yorkers in need.



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Universal Standard’s Mystery Box Sale Is So Good We Had to Try It


We love the thrill of receiving a delivery notification from USPS just as much as the next person—but nothing quickens our pulse quite like a limited-edition line that also happens to be on sale. Universal Standard gets us, and its Mystery Box sale is back and better than ever.

If you’re new to Universal Standard, the brand is known for minimal silhouettes in an impressively inclusive size range—we’re talking 00 to 40—and mission-driven projects with J.Crew and Rodarte. Right now, its wardrobe-boosting essentials are even more accessible with the Mystery Box sale. For the next eight days, you can shop 10 different outfitting boxes, valued up to $650.

The Universal Standard Mystery Box sale runs from February 13 until February 20, and it’s fully loaded with desk-to-dinner tops, bottoms, and dresses. Other than elevated office attire, you’ll also find weekend-ready activewear and reliable options for petites.

So what’s the deal?

There are plenty of sales coming up for Presidents’ Day, but the main draw for Universal Standard’s Mystery Box is the price—you get more items for less than what it would cost if you bought each piece individually. Plus, it’s an easy, noncommittal way to experiment with personal style or nail an unexpected gift.

Boxes start at $50 for tops, $60 for athleisure, $85 for bottoms, $90 for dresses, and $175 for luxe styles. But surprises aren’t for everyone. So to make sure this deal is actually worth your money, we got our hands on three Classic Style boxes, priced at $95 each.

Each box contains three pieces to wear as an outfit or style individually. The first box, for a 4XS (00–0), had a leather biker jacket, a black midi skirt, and a black bodysuit. We love a silk skirt around these parts, but the leather jacket was a sleeper hit since it retails for $425. The box comes out to $595, so you’re saving $500. [Holds for applause.]

Hard to go wrong with all-black everything

Courtesy of Talia Abbas

Midi Bias Skirt

Universal Standard

$100

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Long-Sleeve Turtleneck Bodysuit

Universal Standard

$70

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Leather Moto Jacket

Universal Standard

$425

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The next box, curated for a size 3XS (or a regular size 2–4), included a white turtleneck, a navy blazer, and amatching tracksuit pants. It was clean, crisp, and modern. The three pieces total $445, and can easily be dressed down with a pair of denim (as shown).

Universal Standard Mystery Box Sale Shanna Shipin

Up close and personal

Shanna Shipin

Rio Blazer

Universal Standard

$210

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Foundation Turtleneck

Universal Standard

$55

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Wool Suiting Jogger

Universal Standard

$180

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The last box we unwrapped was for a 2XS, or a 6–8 size. There was a black turtleneck, a gray cardigan, and skinny jeans. Together it felt basic in a good way, and the tissue turtleneck proved a great layering piece under a printed dress later in the week. The total value of this box is $275.

Universal Standard Mystery Box

The full lewk

Courtesy of Erin Parker

Curvi Cardi

Universal Standard

$130

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High-Rise Skinny Jeans 32″

Universal Standard

$90

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Foundation Turtleneck

Universal Standard

$55

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Is the Mystery Box worth it?

We’re into it. At best, you’ll walk away with stuff that’s six times what you paid for. And, at the very least, you’ll break the “I have nothing to wear” cycle by having a curated outfit at the ready. Altogether, the Universal Standard Mystery Boxes felt consistent despite their contents being a surprise, and we got more mileage out of our pieces by styling them with things already in our closet. Our only caveat is that the garments run large, and sizing can be confusing if you’ve never ordered from the brand before—so make sure to double-check your measurements before adding to cart. Get into the Mystery Box sale here. Time for your best Nancy Drew impression.



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Best Plus Size Jeans: Universal Standard’s Seine High-Rise Skinny Jeans


Most people describe their aesthetics las “always wears black” or “free-spirited, could-be-at-a-music-festival-anytime boho chic.” Mine is “never wears pants.” I’m like the opposite of Tobias Funke in Arrested Development, because you will rarely catch me in denim.

I’m a petite (5’1”), plus size (18/20) woman with a long torso and short legs. Pants always ride too low on my hips and are so long they could be a denim wedding gown train, so I stick to dresses, skirts, and jumpsuits that work on me proportionately. I actually boycotted pants for 10 years and only recently came around to them again. And that’s largely in part to Universal Standard’s Seine high-rise skinny jeans.

Universal Standard Seine High Rise Skinny Jeans

Universal Standard

$90

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I had my first encounter with these jeans at Universal Standard’s showroom in New York. I was trying on dozens of pants for a different Glamour story, and was skeptical at first. They’re true skinny jeans, which can be too constricting and make me feel like a sausage. But immediately I noticed how these struck a delicate balance of adhering to every curve of my body, yet were forgiving enough that I didn’t have to hop into them to get them up. They slid on smoothly and had enough stretch that I could do high kicks, dance, squat, and—most importantly—sit in them without feeling constricted. And the 24” inseam meant they actually were ankle jeans on my very short legs.

The term “high waist” can vary across brands, but Universal Standard’s Seine hits a few inches above my belly button, but not touching my bra. It’s also able to hold my stomach in so it doesn’t jiggle about, and my flat ass doesn’t look so teeny tiny from the way it sculpts in the back from the bit of stretch.

Seine High Rise Skinny Jeans Petite

Universal Standard

$90

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The material is soft and comfortable, but it’s also sturdy enough that I can wear these jeans a few times in a row without them sagging at all. I get why it won a Glamour Plus-Size Fashion Award. I have the Seine in distressed blue, but am contemplating buying a pair of sleek black ones next.

I tend to wear longer shirts with these jeans just because I don’t like seeing a stomach outline, but one perk of the design is that it has little distressed lines across the torso that pull the focus away from that. Even after a few washes, the jeans have held their shape and haven’t pilled or ripped between the thighs. I dried them on low once and they shrink slightly, but if you wash cold and hang dry as Universal Standard recommends, they should be fine.

Best Plus Size Jeans Universal Standards Seine HighRise Skinny Jeans



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Universal Standard Collaborated With Rodarte to Make Clothes in Sizes 00 Through 40


Universal Standard has a big mission: beyond offering minimal essentials in an unprecedentedly inclusive range, or sending you a mystery box filled with goodies, their goal is to “create a new normal” in the fashion industry. One way of doing that is to help other brands expand its sizing thoughtfully. First, it partnered with J.Crew. Now, Universal Standard is helping transform the super high-end, super-ethereal, super-exclusive aesthetic normally reserved for those with red carpet access (or very deep pockets).

Universal Standard is teaming up with Rodarte, the L.A.-based brand helmed by sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy that’s incredibly popular among the celebrity set. (Rodarte’s flowery, fantastical designs are often spotted on the likes of Kristen Dunst, Rowan Blanchard, and Brie Larson.) Prices are typically well into the four- to five-figures—and, historically, its sizing has been just as limiting.

Universal Standard’s co-founder Alexandra Waldman tells Glamour that she and her co-founder Polina Veksler took a very strategic approach to their latest partnership. “We sat down and decided that we wanted to bring the consumer a taste of stuff they’ve never had access to before,” she says. Together, they made a list of brands that that they felt had a unique point of view, would bring something new to the Universal Standard shopper, and offered product that was different from anything it already had in stock. “There’s no point in collaborating with someone who’s exactly like you,” she says. Rodarte was at the top of that list.

Through this collaboration, the world dreamt up by the Mulleavy sisters will open up to a much broader audience. Universal Standard x Rodarte consists of four pieces that marry playful design with inclusivity: available in sizes 00 through 40, in four different colorways, for under $250.

Courtesy of Universal Standard

“We came together immediately and started talking about what this could look like: what were the pieces and why were the pieces [that way] and how we were going to do this,” Waldman says. Universal Standard brought the expertise in creating size-inclusive clothing, allowing “Kate and Laura to exercise their creativity.” There were a few things that Waldman and her team made sure to include in the collection—like a monochromatic color palette (so the shopper could see the “easy usability” of each piece and “plug it into her own wardrobe”) and freedom of movement (so that “everyone, in whatever body they live in, feels great about these clothes on them.”) But Waldman says the vision for the collection was all the Mulleavys.

“When we went to Laura and Kate, we really wanted them to do something that was very Rodarte,” Waldman continues. “The ethos of our brand is to work with like-minded brands to open as many doors as possible, and to let the fashion industry see that this is can be done—and done beautifully.”

Universal Standard Collaborated With Rodarte to Make Clothes in Sizes 00 Through 40
Courtesy of Universal Standard

This marks Universal Standard’s most luxurious partnership to date. Since it launched three years ago, the brand has collaborated with Danielle Brooks and J.Crew. In the latter case, Universal Standard helped the company extend sizing permanently. To now align itself with a brand of Rodarte’s caliber is a major achievement in expanding sizing in the luxury space.

Waldman’s still believes there is a lot of work to be done. “I think that the world is changing tremendously, and I think that fashion world is not keeping up, if I’m perfectly frank,” she says. “It’s very unfortunate because there is a revolution coming—not just a revolution of the individual, a revolution of aesthetic in general: what’s considered beautiful, what’s considered worthy, what’s considered inclusive. And the more we include and we diversify, the more beautiful things become. I think that it’s really important to break those barriers, open those doors, and just invite people in. They want to be there. You need them to be there. It’s a win-win-win.”



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You're Going to Love Universal Standard's Basics Collection That Comes in Sizes 00 to 40


Since Universal Standard was founded in 2015, its goal has been to create a more inclusive approach to fashion. That began with sizing—its first collection came in sizes 10 through 28—but also with projects that spoke to other gaps in the market: It helped J.Crew expand its sizing across the board; it collaborated with actress Danielle Brooks; it brought attention to the lack of plus-size jewelry options out there. But its latest launch might be its more revolutionary: a line of T-shirts available in sizes 00 through 40.

“This was always a north star,” Alexandra Waldman, cofounder of Universal Standard, tells Glamour of Foundation, a capsule of seven shirts made for layering and its most exhaustive size offering yet. “We started 10 to 28, which were both outside of the traditional ‘plus size,’ because we wanted to plant our flag there. Then we went 6 to 32. Now we’re going 00 to 40 because we want to show the world that it’s possible to make beautiful clothes for everyone and it’s not just the privilege that single-digit-size girls get to have.”

“We knew Foundation was going to start at 00, but we didn’t know how high up we could go,” Waldman explains. “It made so much sense once we understood the lay of the land and how many people are going without.” Universal Standard landed on 40 because of their “intuition” and out of a desire to address “the forgotten within the forgotten,” like shoppers above a size 32. To develop its product, the brand uses a micrograding technique, “which is to change the grading between each size rather than use a formula to grade across. We pay a lot of attention to detail, to make sure it looks native to each body size,” in addition to measuring samples on models of every size, according to Waldman.

The name of this capsule is derived from makeup foundation, because “it goes from least coverage to most coverage, the way foundation does—you have a bandeau, a cami, then you have a short-sleeve T-shirt, a long-sleeve [T-shirt], then you have a turtleneck, a crewneck, and a V-neck included. We wanted to make things that were so incredibly comfortable you could wear them on their own or you could wear them underneath as a layer.”

Even before Foundation launched, an image from its lookbook went viral: It featured La’Shaunae Steward wearing one of Universal Standard’s tanks, which many praised as a depiction of plus-size bodies you don’t typically see in fashion photography. “We wanted to show someone who we thought was exceptional and beautiful and strong and deserved representation,” says Waldman. (The model shared the photo on Instagram, writing: “[A] shoot that was so special and important to me. [Being] a model that people constantly look over or being a curve model that [isn’t] conventionally attractive or ‘fat in all the right places’ and always finding myself only posting angles [I] felt were more appealing. [T]his angle shows everything [I] fought being insecure about and shows every part of me that people told me would have to be smaller in order to be accepted.”)

The response to the lookbook—which included “a lot of ‘this brought me to tears,’ a lot of ‘thank you,’ a lot of ‘I feel seen by a fashion brand,'” per Waldman—was incredibly moving for the founders: “A few times we would read them and we were brought almost to tears, because they were such emotional responses.” And there’s only more to come—Waldman promises, “This is the beginning of the entire collection’s moving to 00 through 40.”

See Universal Standard’s groundbreaking size-inclusive collection ahead.





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Here's Your First Look at Universal Thread, Target's Inclusive New Fashion Line


Earlier this month, Target announced that a new label would be joining its roster of in-house fashion brands: a denim-based and -inspired collection titled Universal Thread. Set to launch in February, the line will encompass apparel, shoes, and accessories—all under $40. As if that weren’t enough reason to be excited, Target revealed Universal Thread’s offerings would be entirely size-inclusive from the get-go. Now, Glamour has a first look at its inaugural assortment, which is heavy on all things denim.

“Denim is a part of every woman’s wardrobe,” Mark Tritton, Target’s Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer, tells Glamour. “In developing this brand, we conducted research with nearly 1,000 women from across the country to better understand their needs when it comes to shopping denim. What we heard from nearly all of them was that they dreaded shopping for new jeans. Whether the rise was too long or the inseam was too short or the pair of jeans they wanted didn’t come in their size—finding the perfect fit for their body type was just too challenging. That’s a problem we wanted to solve.” To do so, Target looked to its other recent fashion launches (from A New Day to JoyLab), as well as holes it saw in the market as it was developing Universal Thread. The result: a comprehensive collection that’s founded in denim but not limited by it, and features a range of styles, fits, and silhouettes at an accessible price point.

Over the past year, Target has focused its efforts on its in-house brands. The end of Merona allowed for the rise of A New Day, JoyLab, and now, Universal Thread, among other labels. (The latter is Target’s “11th brand in our reimagined assortment,” per Tritton.) Universal Thread will be the first of these brands to launch with an entirely size-inclusive apparel assortment. “When we introduced A New Day, a portion of the assortment was offered in a full range of sizes—guests responded really well to that, so we’re offering all apparel within Universal Thread in sizes 00-26W,” Tritton explains. It will also feature a selection of adaptive styles, for differently-abled shoppers. (The retailer first added adaptive and sensory-friendly apparel to its Cat & Jack children’s line back in October.)

“Of the brands we launched in 2017, results and guest response have been strong, with all brands posting positive comps since launch,” he continues. “Guests will see newness in Universal Thread each month, whether that’s seasonal pieces like shorts and tanks for summer, or fashion items based on new trends.”

Ahead of the February launch, check out the first drop of Universal Thread, where prices will start at $5 and cap out at $39.99.



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