This Brand Wants To Give You Free Luxury Leggings For A Surprising Reason

Leggings are a lot like a particularly addictive party drug. The first time I slid a pair of black leggings up over my hips, way back in college, I remember being amazed at the way they held my thighs with just enough squeeze. That day, I walked with the utmost confidence in my newly perfect legs.

But, just like the most insane kinds of acid, the high was never quite the same. I've worn upwards of 20 pairs in the years since, only to find them too saggy, too transparent or too quickly worn through. Whether they're $10 or $80, I've yet to find a pair I can rave to friends about.

If it feels like retailers are ignoring your search for the best leggings, you're wrong. In the wake of Lululemon's well-documented panic over ass-crack-baring $100 leggings, a newcomer has sprung up: Girlfriend Collective, based in Seattle. Chances are good the trendiest girl on your Facebook feed has already posted about the brand's viral power move.

In advance of its legging launch, the brand is offering every woman a $68 pair for free provided you share the news with the ladies who legging in your life. You'll just cover shipping direct from the factory in Hanoi, Vietnam -- for New Yorkers, that's about $20.

GC is buzzy for several reasons, not the least its super minimalist aesthetic. It's run by husband-wife team Quang and Ellie Dinh, and boasts design input from former Acne Studios, Elizabeth and James and Lululemon creatives.

Plus, the leggings are sustainably produced from 80 percent recycled water bottles and sewn in a SA8000-certified factory, meaning it's held to a high bar as far as worker conditions go.

After developing the leggings' cut over a period of nine months, the company's aim is to get as many pairs of these high-rise beauties in the hands of customers as possible. Instead of paying an ad agency, GC leans on word of mouth. As every woman knows, there's no marketing force as powerful as a lady who's finally found a product she can obsess over.

During the first day of its promotion, GC reports it filled about 1,000 legging orders per hour. Maybe we've all found a legging we can believe in. These will run you $68-$78 once the promotion is over, so they're worth trying at a discount now.