Thunderpants "Porch-Raits" Series
Our photographer Gurusurya Khalsa came up with the idea of Porch-Raits (because she's a genius) in response to COVID, which made photoshoots nearly impossible.
This is a series of our real life customers, photographed from a safe distance, in their own environment. We are excited to be meeting some of our wonderful customers in person, sharing their voices with all of you, and continuing to do this into the future.
We hope you love this new series, and please feel free to reach out if you live in the Portland area and would like to participate!
Keep scrolling to meet Bre and Molly, two wonderful Women and our first Porch-Raits photoshoots and read more about them in their own words.
- Celeste and Brooke
BRE
"I'm Bre! I'm 28 years old, and in my time on Earth, I have discovered these indisputable truths: Black Lives Matter. Racism, antiblackness, colorism, fatphobia, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, and misogyny are all children of colonialism and white supremacy.
Being mixed does not absolve me from the work that needs to be done right now. I have benefited from my proximity to whiteness, and it is my duty to my Black siblings to do all within my power to dismantling systems of oppression.
To ya'll benefitting from white privilege: it's time to do the work. Grab yourself some comfortable underwear from Thunderpants and settle in to the uncomfortable work of challenging everything you've ever been told. Listen to black people, step back, and recognize your role in all of this. It's time. It's BEEN time.
I offer free yoga to Black and Brown folx, and sing songs about love and liberation. I do what I can to upligt my black siblings' voices, promote their success, their healing. Black Lives Matter. Let's defund the police."
- Bre
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MOLLY
"Hi there! My name is Molly and this photoshoot has totally inspired me to have a post-pandemic, undies-only garden party.
Over the past few years, I have been getting into slow fashion, which for me means buying fewer clothes overall, supporting small, ethical makers when I do, and most of all, making my own clothes.
While fashion is a joyful and often a goofy hobby for me--I love bright colors and mixed prints and visual MAXIMALISM--I also know that clothing is never apolitical. Who made my clothes? Were they paid fairly and did they work in safe, comfortable conditions? Is this sewing pattern size inclusive? What impact does this fabric have on the environment? Has this garment been appropriated from a cultural group I don't belong to? These are the sorts questions I try to ask myself, and I've learned so much in online slow/DIY fashion spaces from BIPOC/fat/queer folks who have been grappling with these questions for far longer than I have.
I used to be a freelance food writer, and one of the things that I loved about interviewing people for stories is that everyone has a deep relationship and personal expertise with food. This relationship can be positive or negative, but it's always steeped in the intersecting complexities of race, gender, class, religion, etc. I find the same is true with fashion. Everyone has a history with clothes!
Lately (especially since the start of the pandemic) my own wardrobe goals have focused especially on comfort. I've restocked my underwear drawer, which previously had too many holey, too-small, and altogether unlovely pairs. Thunderpants are by far my new faves because they have the best booty coverage, and it's amazing how much a solid pair of underwear can improve one's mood!
I'll end by saying that I hope everybody has the opportunity to feel awesome in their clothes and (I direct this next part to fellow white people in particular) stays active in donating, marching, and dedicating their voices and talents to tearing down systems of oppression."
- Molly
