For a long time, Ritva didn't care how the underwear looked - as long as they stayed in place. Over the years, however, ideas have changed.
Two years ago, Ritva Hotakainen, 66, retired from her job as a family day care manager.
Since then, it has happened as it often happens to retirees: the calendar is full until the weekends. There is time together with my husband, adult children living elsewhere in Finland and four grandchildren, maintaining the home, exercising and participating in the activities of the Pensioners Association.
"I remember standing in the hallway of our home and telling my husband, who is also retired, that I can't in good conscience not do anything", Ritva recalls.
However, this was soon forgotten, and now Ritva lives an active life in the small municipality of Halsua - where, despite the low population, a total of three Ritva Hotakainen are living.
In the spring, the calendar also included a two-week test period, during which Ritva tried out the new the other danish girl -underwear collection.
With age, Ritva has started looking at herself in the mirror in a new way.
Boxers that fit just right
The underwear brand was already familiar, as Ritva has bought its products for her husband, sons and sons-in-law on numerous Christmases and birthdays. However, it is no longer necessary to borrow the man's breeches, because Ritva got her own for the test. He chose the Bouncy Boxer Brief, which typically has inner thigh legs for boxers.
"Oh, yes they have been wonderful", Ritva sighs.
For a long time, she has bought her underwear from chain stores and has been looking for underwear that rises high enough from the waist and would stay over her stomach.
"My stomach is a bit like a sausage roll. I want the panties to stay on it and not have to be constantly pulling up."
The Metropolitan Top bra tested by Ritva also fits well. It is important especially because Ritva jogs and enjoys dancing. The strap stays in place even in the swirls of the dance.
In the midst of the peak years, matching underwear was not a priority
Recently, Ritva and her husband's home was full of activity when the grandchildren were on a week-long visit. The youngest of the four is 2 years old and the oldest is 12.
Before her retirement, Ritva bought clothes thinking that there would be enough for the coming years. However, her husband suspected that at some point the grandchildren would notice that grandma always had the same clothes.
"Then I felt that I was allowed to buy new clothes even when I was retired, Ritva says with a smile."
"I didn't really invest in myself before."
In her retirement days, Ritva has begun to pay attention in a different way to who is looking in the mirror. For example, she has become interested in beautiful underwear and how good quality materials feel when wearing them and how they affect the essence.
I didn't really invest in myself before - especially when my own four children were young. When the children grew up and went on their own, I started to look at myself in a new way in the mirror.
For a long time, Ritva was not very interested in whether the panties and bra fit together. Now she goes for walks happy that she looks nice even under her clothes.
Ritva enjoys an eventful life in retirement.
Slimmer when young, now satisfied
While testing the other danish girl -underwear, Ritva was interested to see if the new collection could find products suitable for an aging body. She has noted that chain store underwear seems to be designed for younger bodies: gone are the double crotch wedges.
I liked the double fabric crotch piece of the other danish girl's boxers. This way, at an older age, when the places become loose, in many pants the crotch part easily goes to the wrong place and it has to be mittened downwards.
Ritva plans to continue investing in the other danish guy's underwear, but this time for herself. It's nice to be in them - and that's how Ritva feels in her own skins as well.
She remembers that before her first child she was much slimmer than now, but she doesn't miss those days.
If I were the same size now as I was when I was young, I would be terribly thin and wrinkled."
"I really don't want to go up in weight. But if I were the same size now as I was when I was young, I would be terribly thin and wrinkled", she says and laughs.
