Nobody Wants… Period Leaks: Kristen Bell Talks New Knix Underwear Campaign

Many of us know this experience too well: we stand up from a long dinner or a movie and immediate fear strikes as we question if we’ve leaked through our pants. We ask our friends, “Am I good?” to discreetly check before (we hope) they assure us, “You’re good.” Well, now, Knix — the popular intimates brand beloved for its leakproof underwear — is hoping to put an end to the discomfort, panic, and shame around periods with its new “You’re Good” campaign starring actor and advocate Kristen Bell.

“I discovered Knix probably about 10 years ago and was shocked at how comfortable and how discreet they were,” Bell exclusively tells Refinery29. “I do not like the bulk of a pad. I do not like the stress of a tampon. [Knix] checked every box that I needed. It was completely reliable, even on heavier days. And I was proud of myself for reducing my waste and not using disposable period products.”

Since Knix was founded in 2013, the brand has sold over 15 million pairs of its leakproof underwear, according to a press release, with customers generally buying more than five pairs at a time.

The underwear comes in a range of absorbency levels for every phase of your period and in several cuts. Bell shares that she likes the bikini and French-cut styles, but also opts for the boxer briefs overnight, even when she doesn’t have her period.

Bell says she’s never been embarrassed to talk about periods or menstrual hygiene, especially around her friends and daughters. “I just personally do not think this subject is any more taboo than any other subject in the world. And I don’t think it does anything good for a woman’s mind to feel like she has to keep this experience she has once a month a secret from everybody,” she explains, adding: “I hope when people look up at a billboard and see someone modeling period underwear in public in broad daylight, it reminds them it does not have to be taboo.”

When asked which of her characters she thinks would proudly wear Knix underwear, Bell says: “All of my characters have been pretty savvy and smart, so I think they would all be wearing them. I think Eleanor Shellstrop would be more reticent and need the whole situation explained to her before she put them on,” she adds, referring to her role in The Good Place.

Speaking on her highly popular rom-com series Nobody Wants This, Bell says: “But Joanne for sure wears Knix. And I can actually say that with confidence because I play Joanne and I’ve worn them during the show,” before giving us an Easter egg for season two, releasing on October 23. “There is a white dress that makes an appearance. And I will tell you very clearly, I had Knix on underneath that white dress. That is a very true statement.”

So if Knix is good enough for vulnerable sex podcaster Joanne, it’s good enough for us.

In addition to this new campaign, Knix is also expanding into the U.S. with its first New York store this month, which will have activations offering free period products “(one for them and one for a friend) to speak to the sisterhood of this campaign,” according to the release. Plus, the brand will be donating $100,000 to a period-focused organization of Bell’s choosing.

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How A Nightie Became Too Much's Most Popular Look

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Meet The Brand Behind Too Much‘s Nightgown, The Most Talked-About Look From The Show

Sleepwear isn’t just for bedtime, or even limited to inside the home anymore — at least, that seems to be the current collective mindset. Bloomers are being worn in broad daylight, becoming unexpected (and unapologetically comfy) outfit staples — and the same goes for boxer shorts. Now, thanks to Lena Dunham’s new Netflix series, Too Much, another sleepwear-as-clothing trend is emerging: nightgowns. And there’s one brand in particular championing the cozy-cute look, London-based label If Only If.

In the first two minutes of Too Much, the show’s protagonist Jessica (portrayed by Megan Stalter) wears the up-and-coming brand’s India nightgown — a red and white micro gingham design with a frilled collar and rickrack trim. (Jessica’s dog Astrid is clad in a matching version, which, unfortunately for pet parents everywhere, was made strictly for the series.) “Since the show launched, sales for the nightgown have gone up 500%,” Emily Campbell, who took over the business from her mother Issy Falkner in 2020, tells Refinery29, adding that the style sold out the same weekend the series premiered.

Campbell, a teacher-turned-designer, kept this brand milestone under wraps for two years, having signed an NDA after the show’s costume designer, Arielle Cooper-Lethem, contacted her about featuring the nightgowns in the show. “My assistant had told me about If Only If, and I just thought they were the perfect thing,” Cooper-Lethem tells Refinery29. In the 10-episode season, she also dressed the trend-curious character in the brand’s Clover and Pandora designs — with Jessica wearing them both at her London flat (or “estate,” as it’s referred to in the series) and while she explores her new city. “I liked this idea that there was an item that she feels as fabulous at home as she does out in, essentially a piece of clothing that connects her fantasy from her home life to her outside life,” Cooper-Lethem shares. 

The costume designer is overjoyed by If Only If’s recent meteoric rise, and she admits the process of securing products for film and television is no easy feat, as the timeline is much longer than an editorial shoot. “When I request something for a character, I need to keep it for four months because we might reshoot,” Cooper-Lethem explains. “It’s such a dream when I’ve asked a brand to help us out and then they end up seeing the sales from it,” she adds, also noting that for smaller labels like If Only If, this type of media exposure can change everything. 

While the label has amassed quite the fan club over the past month, Campbell makes sure to shout out her mom as the one who built If Only If from the ground up. Falkner launched the brand as a passion project in 2011, and it was a one-woman show until she passed the baton to Campbell almost a decade later. “In her 50s, she was like, ‘I think I’m going to start my own business,’” Campbell recalls about her mom’s first foray into the fashion industry. “The reason she did it was because she couldn’t find beautiful nightgowns made in natural materials,” explains Campbell, who uses 100% GOTS certified organic cotton voile and Oeko-Tex certified linen chambray to craft the brand’s pieces.

While she was dedicated to her teaching career, Campbell had a feeling she’d one day take charge of If Only If. “My mom would say, ‘I really think that you can take this in a new direction and to a new generation.’” Much like Falkner, Campbell runs the business on her own terms, making choices that sidestep the conventional brand rulebook. “I didn’t do any digital marketing for the first three years, and I don’t do wholesale,” she says. “That’s probably not a great business decision, but it’s really important that my customer comes to me, and we grow organically.” 

While launching a new website and rebranding If Only If, Campbell has kept the heart and soul of the company intact. She still works with the same family-run supplier her mom partnered with 15 years ago. “Our growth has been their growth, which has been really amazing,” she says. Meanwhile, the brand still carries the two styles her mom launched with — the Julia, a full-length gown with wide sleeves, and the Anna, which boasts a plunging, lace-adorned neckline. Campbell also strives to carry on Falkner’s founding tenet: To create well-made nightgowns — or “nighties,” as she refers to them — at prices that reflect their craftsmanship and quality. Most styles cost between $100 and $300, while the 100% silk satin style is priced above that range. 

Even as sales surge, as a slow fashion brand, Campbell doesn’t plan on overproducing. “It will sell out, and I’m fine with that,” she says about the India style. “I can’t change my values.”

Being featured in a popular Netflix series has been an extraordinary, pinch-me experience for Campbell but that’s not to say it wasn’t a bit overwhelming at times. As such, she spoke with Lucy Akin, the founder of LA-based label Ciao Lucia, a brand featured several times in The White Lotus Season 3. “She was like, ‘You can probably run with this forever if you want to,’” Campbell says, adding that Akin also encouraged her to stick to her principles and enjoy the exposure. 

Ultimately, Campbell is especially pleased that nighties are finally getting their moment. “I’m just so happy that more people are experiencing how lovely they can be,” she explains. 

Whether you’re planning on wearing them while lounging at home or heading out on the town, shop a selection of If Only If’s nightgowns below — before they inevitably sell out. 

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Free People Movement Has Workout Dresses & Rompers For Every Activity

If the summer months have you feeling inspired to take up a new sport or move your body a bit more, we feel you. If they also have you desiring a stylish activewear wardrobe to match that energy, we’re also on the same wavelength. Whether you’re in your tenniscore era (or into pickleball fashion), are taking up ballet (the dance or the aesthetic), or are an avid runner looking for a ‘fit to match your running sneakers, FP Movement is your one-stop shop for workout dresses to do it all in.

The trendy fitness offshoot of the R29 reader-favorite retailer Free People has a large selection of athleisurewear and activewear for that easily double up for both high impact activities like hiking, running, surfing, yoga, and tennis, and as stylish all-in-one looks for your downtime. (Our eyes are specifically on FP Movement’s tennis dresses as we soak in the rest of summer and look forward to the US Open Tennis Championships in late August.) From classic white looks to vibrant “skortsies” with extra coverage, we’ve rounded up our favorite FP Movement workout dresses and rompers to get you in the competitive spirit and work out — or chill out — in style.

FP Movement Workout Dresses

FP Movement’s workout dresses come in a range of sleek and sporty mini styles, many of which feature supportive built-in bras (so you don’t need to wear a mismatched sports bra), and either attached or separate shorts (giving the option to wear the dresses as is or with extra coverage).

There are standout styles in FP Movement’s Never Better collection, featuring soft, sweat-wicking legging fabric; Good Karma collection with compressive fabric for high-impact workouts; and Hot Shot collection full of lounge-worthy styles in lightweight fabrics. So you can find a workout dress for low-impact rest days, high-impact workout days, and everything in between.

FP Movement Workout Skortsies & Rompers

While most of the workout dresses above feature hidden shorts, FP Movement has separate categories for its skortsies, shortsies, and rompers that we think deserve your attention, too. There are skort dresses in silhouettes perfect for tennis or barre class, and functional one-piece shortsies in durable, water-resistant, and compressive materials for higher-impact physical activities like running or hiking.

Here, we’ve also featured a few styles from the brand’s aforementioned Hot Shot collection, which highlights stretchy cotton fabrics suitable for running errands and walks.

Shop all FP Movement

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Freakier Friday’s Costumes Amp Up The Luxury Fashion & Cool-Girl Brands

Warning: spoilers for Freakier Friday below.

The press tour for Freakier Friday — the sequel to 2003’s Freaky Friday starring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis — has been a parade of Easter egg-heavy looks (like Lohan’s lavender gown and red guitar purse), prepping us for the movie’s bound-to-be-iconic costumes. I just couldn’t have prepared myself for all the luxury fashion I’d see on screen. 

It’s been 22 years since Anna (Lohan) and Tess Coleman (Curtis) switched bodies — giving us a classic makeover montage and many enviable looks — and now the mother and daughter are returning to cinemas on August 8, for what’s amping up to be another fashion spectacle. 

“I feel like it was conversations with [director] Nisha [Ganatra] and with Jamie and Lohan — just to see where they thought their characters were going to be and what they would look like,” Freakier Friday costume designer, Natalie O’Brien, tells Refinery29. “I’m a sucker for nostalgia, so we wanted to pay homage to what they had already done and not steer too far from it. But we also don’t want to hit you over the head with what you’ve seen already.”

This time, in a freakier twist, Anna — who’s planning to marry single dad Eric (Manny Jacinto) — swaps bodies with her 15-year-old daughter Harper (Julia Butters), whose tomboy surfer aesthetic centers on her signature beanie and overalls. Meanwhile, Tess swaps with her soon-to-be-granddaughter, Lily (Sophia Hammons), a preppy, aspiring designer who sticks to thick headbands, bows (peep the Coachtopia bow bag!), and lots of Vivienne Westwood. (She looks like your typical Disney Channel fashionista.) This all results in four characters comically stepping into each other’s shoes (many of which are Jimmy Choo!), producing even more iconic looks than the original movie.

After leaving her band Pink Slip to raise Harper, Anna is now working as a musician’s manager at Capitol Records. “She’s a cool mom. She didn’t fall off and lose her rocker sense,” says O’Brien, adding that she took inspiration from actress and singer Charlotte Gainsbourg’s effortlessly chic and timeless look. “[Anna] still stayed in the music industry, so I think that’s important to showcase that with her clothes. I liked the idea of an old leather belt that she’s had for a while and some star-studded boots that aren’t corny and kind of cool for her everyday look.”

Anna’s success in the industry also explains the luxury pieces she’s accumulated in her closet. From Olivia Von Halle silk pajamas and (not one, but two) Self-Portrait bedazzled dresses to cool-girl looks (i.e. a Staud dolphin dress, The Frankie Shop suit, and Dôen floral dress), her style is brighter, sparklier, and fancier than her grungy teenage aesthetic.

“I also feel like the only way I can get Lohan in a rash guard, has to be like a Balenciaga [version] —something sick — and it worked,” O’Brien shares, referencing the palm tree and sunset print top Anna wears after swapping bodies with Harper. The surfwear looks continue with Anna (as Harper) later stepping out in a charming floral Cynthia Rowley wetsuit.

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Meanwhile, Tess is still a successful psychiatrist and author, but has also added podcaster to her repertoire. While in Freaky Friday she wore lots of all-black outfits, her style has slightly evolved into monochromatic “groufits” (along with mauve, burgundy, and navy) with colorful pops from the silk scarves tied around her neck. However, her style is anything but matronly — I spotted her wearing the exact Reformation cardigan I own, to which O’Brien exclaimed: “Oh my God! Jamie loves Reformation.” But Tess’ most exciting looks come after the swap — prompting O’Brien to reassure Curtis: “It’s good that you feel uncomfortable because you’re playing a 15-year-old teenager, right?”. 

Like in the first movie, the characters switch bodies overnight while sleeping in the same house. Because they each wake up in a different body, their pajamas stand out as key looks — and visual clues for the audience. 

“I liked the idea of having the matching sets for everybody just to kind of feel like they’re adults, especially for Tess and Anna,” O’Brien shares, having dressed Anna in an Olivia von Halle set, complete with a pink cloud print with crystal buttons, and Tess in a royal blue set with a lacy negligee peeking from underneath. Harper’s Urban Outfitters sweatsuit is slightly mismatched to reflect her unfussy style, while Lily wears a frilly Petite Plume short set. “I loved that Lily stood out […] I didn’t want to do the nightdress like they had done in the past. So I was like, let’s make it different.”

As the characters deal with their new reality — and what they’ll wear to take on the day — Anna (as Harper) and Tess (as Lily) have a mini makeover to revamp the mothers’ clothes to be more youthful. (This is where Anna’s Balenciaga rash guard comes in, paired with trendy jorts, a blazer, and Adidas sneakers.) 

Speaking on Tess’ light-blue Reiss suit (seen in the movie poster), O’Brien says: “It was written in the script that she cuts her hair. And I’m like, if she has scissors, let’s cut the blazer and trim it. Let’s make it a little bit more Vivienne Westwood fashion, grungy, pop punk. I think it makes more sense since Lily is a fashion designer.” The finishing touches of her blazer-turned-vest look? A Jean Paul Gautier printed mesh top and chunky New Balance sneakers. 

“I love their outfits when they’re coming down the stairs. To me, it made a mark on me from the first movie. It felt an authentic representation of the two of them,” says O’Brien, about the duo revealing their post-makeover looks for Harper (as Anna) and Lily (as Tess). “Having to explain to the audience that that’s not who you think it is and now we’re switching with four people is complicated. We have to give as many clues and identities as possible.” 

When Anna and Tess attend a Rolling Stone photoshoot for Anna’s client, Ella (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), we get another mini fashion show as they wind up joining the shoot and trying on several elaborate outfits. These include food-themed looks for Ella’s album entitled Hungry and red-carpet-ready ensembles that they then wear out on the town. 

From the racks, Anna pulls a Christopher John Rogers red bustier top and army green handkerchief skirt, paired with pink Dior sunglasses, a rosette choker, and black mesh Norma Kamali gloves (all pictured in the poster). O’Brien says this pays homage to the character’s infamous Freaky Friday outfit: a black-and-red baseball tee, khaki cargo pants, and guitar pick choker. While it’s totally extravagant, it’s exactly what I want from a Disney movie look.

Meanwhile my favorite look for Tess is a denim Cinq à Sept drop-shoulder jacket (covered with tons of large safety pins) and matching denim trousers with a black Max Mara bustier belt. She’s also styled to the nines with some of O’Brien’s favorite accessories in the movie: a Coperni emoji OK earring, Ariana Boussard bracelet cuffs, and a Simon Miller silver puffy heart-shaped purse. It’s the perfect blend of Tess’ go-to monochromatic style and Lily’s fashion-forward touch.

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Even more clever styling details come out during post-swap scenes including the pickleball tournament, wedding rehearsal lunch, wedding day, and a surprise Pink Slip performance. “You can do little Hansel and Gretel trails with things that they like” to create “harmony” between the characters, O’Brien says.

For instance, at the rehearsal, Anna stuns in a white Staud mini dress featuring a beaded dolphin design (reflecting Harper’s love for the ocean) while Harper wears a lavender L’Academie vest set (reminiscent of Anna’s pink The Frankie Shop set). Likewise, Lily wears a pistachio green blazer and matching shorts (nodding to Tess’ professional monochromatic outfits) and Tess wears a youthful custom-made ruched fuchsia dress, which O’Brien says pays homage to Curtis’ look in her 1983 film Trading Places. “We wanted it to feel super out of place like she was doing it just bug people,” explains O’Brien, adding: “I know she didn’t love wearing it but I think it made sense because it was just so elaborate and extreme and punchy, which is her [Lily’s] entire voice at that luncheon.”

Unsurprisingly, the short-but-sweet wedding scene is packed with statement looks. Beyond Anna’s refined Prea James gown, Eric complements her in a classic Tom Ford tuxedo, Tess shows up and out in a blue Halston gown, and the bridesmaids (including Harper, Lily, and Pink Slip members) stun in floral Reformation dresses. 

But the cherry on top of this scene is the best Easter egg of them all: Jake (Chad Michael Murray) brings a young Tess lookalike as his wedding date. And she’s wearing Tess’ post-makeover Diane Furstenberg printed dress from Freaky Friday… with some modifications. 

“It was not something that we had. And I asked to get in the Disney vault, but it wasn’t something that they could give me,” O’Brien reveals. After thrifting the dress, which was too small, O’Brien says: “We opened it up, we added gussets. I found fabric that looked similar, and we just made it work. I did the silly little star necklace and I put her in similar sunglasses. We all came together and I think it turned out pretty good.”

Additional custom looks like Tess’ pickleball tournament activewear, Harper’s T-shirt for a made-up band “Pantheress,” and Ella’s sparkly final performance dress add even more color and whimsy to the movie. But the high-end finds (from Moschino to Manolo Blahnik) really amp up the style and unexpectedly cements it as a fashion-girl film, leaning into 2003 nostalgia while embracing today’s fashion landscape.

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