
Welcome back to Underwear Thesis! I’m so excited to make some updates to this series and share some fresh undie reviews with you. The biggest change is that Underwear Thesis will now be a twice annual event in September and March. This week there will be 5 different brand reviews, one per day! I’m going to do my best to make sure each event has a mix of small and large brands, as well.
So to kick things off this time, I’m sharing my thoughts on truly one of the most requested brands of this entire project: Auden from Target! I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve been asked to review Auden. So I’m really glad to finally have this review published — you’ll have to let me know what you think of this Auden underwear review!
My Totally Unfiltered Review of Auden Underwear from Target
If you’re new to my Underwear Thesis, I encourage you to read these posts before proceeding:

My Search for The Most Comfortable Underwear
This post is an excellent starting point and lists out ALL of the criteria of this project, including:
- Judging criteria
- Commonly used terms
- My size + body type details
- and a lottt more

What to Look for When Shopping for Underwear
Including:
- Fabric and trim
- Seams and stitching
- Gusset
- Size and fit
- Washability

How to Wash Underwear So It Lasts Longer
Including:
- Delicates bag
- Cold water + gentle cycle
- Detergent
- Fabric softener
- And more!
Please keep in mind that these are my personal opinions of the product. If you love Auden, that’s great! I applaud you! But if you’re on the fence about whether to buy them or not, this is what I think you need to know in order to be an informed consumer.

Styles Tried and Price
- Cotton Bikini Underwear in 4 different prints – $5
I didn’t try any other styles or fabric because I simply don’t like those. I’m not a fan of lace on my everyday undies. And there’s something about that slick, bonded fabric that brands use for seamless style panties that creeps me out. It’s just too… plasticky feeling. That style tends to ride up on me — or even worse, the edges roll! I avoid it at all costs. All I want is a good pair of cotton bikini cut underwear!
Fabric Quality + Details
Grade: C
Honestly, this underwear isn’t exactly breaking any ground, if you know what I mean. The fabric is 95% cotton and 5% polyester and a light-ish weight cotton jersey. The elastic band at the waist is pretty standard and not too stiff thankfully. I’ve had my pairs for about a year and the elastic has definitely gotten misshapen.
They have used the same elastic on the leg openings which I have found can be chafing. And the gusset is made of the same material and open at the front. The underwear is tagless, which is nice.

Manufacturing Quality
Grade: B
I have to say, given that these panties are a year old and get consistent wears, they’ve held up really well! I haven’t had any loose threads, tearing, holes or anything. They definitely don’t look brand new, but I’m surprised that something from the fast fashion world has held up like this. I gave the Auden bikinis a B though because some of the stitching on the gusset is quite loose and sloppy.
Ethical Practices and Sustainability
Grade: F
I mean… these are $5 underwear made by a big box retailer who hasn’t even attempted to greenwash the brand. The pairs I have were made in Vietnam and I feel like it’s a pretty safe bet that the workers aren’t paid an ethical living wage.

Inclusivity
Grade: D
I haven’t seen much marketing for this underwear brand, so there isn’t much to base this portion of the review on. That being said, the photography on the website could definitely use some improvements as all of the moderns are seemingly a size small. There are a few POC models, at least.
As for the size range, Auden bikinis spans from XS to XL. But then they also have a second product listing for plus size which goes from X up to 4X. I want to know why they are two product listings? Why not list it all the same so that it’s easier for everyone to shop for this underwear style? What’s most interesting to me is that the landing page for the brand specifically mentions that they offer “more sizes for more bodies.” It also has a more diverse array of models in terms of skin color and size… but when you click into an actual product page, that all seems to go away. I think there’s some work to be done.
Washability
Grade: C
I am honestly still so shocked that these have washed and dried as well as they have over the past year! The fabric itself is in good condition and the shape of the underwear itself is still pretty uniform. No sagging, stretching, or shrinking.
Like I mentioned before, the elastic at the waistband is a bit wonky, most likely from being put in the dryer. It looks pretty sad, so I had to judge accordingly!
Fit & Comfort
Grade: A-
The bikinis from Auden are pretty comfortable! I haven’t noticed very much riding up, wedgies, or drooping. I got a size Medium and they feel true to size, maybe slightly smaller than expected. The only reason I give them an A- is because sometimes I experience chafing from the elastic at the leg openings.

Overall thoughts
Grade: C
I am honestly so conflicted. The Auden bikinis fit well enough, wash and dry well enough, and I have definitely gotten my $5 out of each pair. But on a personal level, supporting a brand that is more inclusive and sustainable is a big priority. So many people have told me they love this brand, especially the seamless laser cut style (personally I hate that fabric so much). And I get it. I really do. But I can’t see myself actually buying more pairs from Auden at Target again.
Plus, there is so much better out there that IS ethically and sustainable made, like the underwear from Pact. So if those elements are also a priority to you, I highly recommend waiting for a sale and getting those instead. At the end of the day, my conscience isn’t ok with $5 underwear. But if you’re looking for extremely affordable underwear that lasts, then maybe they are for you.
Ready for even more Underwear Thesis reviews?? Catch up on my previous reviews:

Parade Underwear Review
Ooooh boy. I have put off publishing this underwear review as long as I could, but it’s time. I need to put on my big girl panties (pun very much intended) and share my unfiltered review of Parade underwear. You might be wondering why I’ve put off this review for so long… and it’s because I was majorly disappointed. I probably should wait until the end of the post to say that, but I just needed to address the elephant in the room! Let’s dig into all of the details about why I did not like Parade’s underwear, shall we?

Everlane Underwear Review
New year, new underwear! I wanted to start off by thanking you for your patience in the last few months. I really did want to share even more Underwear Thesis reviews, but like… moving, renovating, the holidays, a tree falling on/around our house… it’s been a LOT. So, thank you. Lets move onto the reason you’re here though: my unfiltered thoughts about Everlane underwear! It was really fun to get back into these reviews and really dig into the details of each pair. I hope you enjoy this Everlane underwear review and learn a lot!

Pact Underwear Review
Here’s the thing about reviewing different pairs of underwear: you can only get so creative with the photography! But seriously, I am running out of ways to photograph underwear. Anyways, this week’s Underwear Thesis review is all about Pact, an organic clothing company. I think they are most known for their super soft organic basics. They definitely have a loyal fanbase and I got tons of requests to try them out because I think a lot of people curious! So if you’re in that group, keep reading to get the full scoop of my Pact review.

Arq Underwear Review
When I first started this project, I posted to Instagram asking for recommendations of underwear you love… and if there was one overwhelming response, it was ARQ! So many people said that ARQ is their holy grail, most favorite underwear of all time… and WELL worth the higher price tag. So, naturally I needed to order a few pairs and work on an ARQ review! After a few months of washing, wearing, and generally being the picky nerd that I am, I’m finally ready to share my review. Let’s dig in!

ThirdLove Underwear Review
Wow, it’s been a bit since we chatted underwear… I’m sorry! Our move really took over my life and I could barely keep up. But that doesn’t mean I wasn’t thinking about my Underwear Thesis! Nope, I was cycling through different styles and brands, taking notes. I have tons of reviews coming your way, but for today let’s focus on ThirdLove! This underwear brand was the first package in my shopping spree to arrive and I actually really liked them right off the bat. I laid out the judging criteria in this post, so let’s dig in. If you’re new to the blog, definitely check out that one, as well as my post about what to look for when shopping for underwear. They’re both great for getting you started!
What do you think of this Auden underwear review?? Leave a comment and let me know! And stay tuned for the rest of my reviews this week!
I really wanted to love Auden underwear. Unfortunately the XL underwear ran smaller. I never have an issues with other XL brands. I do love the fabric, colors and designs.
Wow, I didn’t realize that would be the case! I’m sorry you had that experience. Thanks for sharing!