Diary Doll - pants with a secret

Well, it isn't every day you get an email from Carol Smillie asking what size pants your daughter wears, and that alone was clearly enough for me to do this review. Carol wanted to know because she's one of the two figures behind Diary Doll Pants, a unique new pant with special features. It won't make you Wonder Woman, so blokes, you will probably have a better time if you go and read about Sprukits or Bacon Sandwiches or the Ventura Powerpack with Jump Start.

The packaging is really nicely thought out. When you order online they arrive in a little button fastening fabric pouch which is ideal to pop in your bag. These are expensive knickers, so these little touches make it more of a gift, and something you can see is different to normal.

Diary Doll pants have a hidden waterproof layer. They're super handy if you have heavy or irregular periods, or want to wear white trousers or an Elvis Presley style jumpsuit with confidence any day of the month.

Diary Doll pants are also really handy for anyone who panics when they sneeze, or laugh, or join the local trampolining team. Not everyone's pelvic floor takes kindly to childbirth or aging. (I should point out that if you have regular issues there's lots that can be tried to help - see your GP and don't be embarrassed because it's really normal!).

I first saw Diary Doll at Britmums Live, and I was really very impressed. They look just like regular knickers, and the feel is cotton but slightly silky, and not at all rubbery or unpleasant. They can  go in a 40 degree wash, and you can tumble dry them on a cool setting.

I knew I wanted to get my 15 year old daughter some Diary Doll, but wasn't sure if she would want to take part in a review. When I asked her, she told me that during her mock exams she'd hated being sat in a chair for 3 hours with no chance to go to the loo, and knowing that she had the first day of her period and would be in danger of leaking. She was happy to try them.

I know how bad that is because the same thing happened to my friend when I was 16. Our exam ended and everyone got up except her. She was sitting at her desk crying and we thought it was about the exam. In fact she was crying because she had bled all over her skirt and she didn't want to get up and risk a class full of teenagers laughing and pointing. Someone lent her a cardigan to tie round her waist (it was the 80's so that wasn't even a fashion faux pas) and she had to walk home. It's nearly 30 years ago, but I remember it so well because I knew that could have been me, and I'd have cried too.

I don't want to think that my daughter might be sitting in an exam and all she can focus on is leaking. My daughter also takes part in sports, she's a runner. Diary Doll pants are very popular with sportswomen. The England netball team all wear them, and Annabel Croft the Tennis star of the 80's co-designed them. No doubt wearing all white during live televised tennis matches must have been terrifying at times. You can't often just stop an event to nip off to the loo.

Carol sent us some pink pants, and we also ordered some in black - they also come in the dotty blue that matches the pouch above. My daughter was impressed straightaway "The packaging is A D O R A B L E".

She's worn her knickers a couple of times, they've washed really nicely and took just a little longer than regular pants to dry. She says they're comfy and don't feel different or "plasticy", and are no warmer than her other underwear.

My daughter is usually a size 8 or 10, so we went for size 10-12 and they are very similar in size to a regular 10, so maybe go for the higher option if you are torn between sizes.

The waterproof lining covers the entire strip from the top seam at the front all the way to the seam at the top at the back, and is actually comntinued right into the stitching around the leg.

Diary Doll are obviously meant to save you in an emergency, so should only need to hold a few drops of liquid, but before anyone wore them we did test just how much we thought they could comfortably handle. Carol said 2 teaspoons (10ml) and we found that was definitely likely. Our opinion is that actually they could probably protect your clothes from around 20ml or 4 teaspoons of liquid, as long as it wasn't all at exactly the same time!

I was really impressed with Diary Doll when I first saw them, and I'm just as impressed now that we've tried them. Each pair costs £14.95, these are a treat and a luxury, but hopefully as the orders come in that price will soon drop. It is equivalent to a nice pair of fancy knickers, and I can't help thinking that after 5 babies and at 43 years old, for me they've got to be a better bet....

You can buy Diary Doll online on their website...