How to Buy Lingerie
A Guide to Terminology & Purchasing Tips
Lingerie is the gift that keeps on giving - to both you and your partner!
Knowing the lingerie basics and how to go about purchasing it are key factors in making your lover feel sexy and special. These handy tips should help you find something spectacular:
- Don't be tempted to buy what you want to see your lady in: spend some time investigating what she buys for herself. Ultimately, your lingerie gift should reflect your mate's personal style so she will feel comfortable and confident in it.
- Size matters! You should be able to surmise your lover's lingerie size by conducting a quick stealth mission through her intimates drawer. Purchasing the right size and a good fit will leave her feeling extra sexy and sultry.
- If you are at all in doubt about her size, fall back on what you know about her mindset towards fit: does she enjoy the compliment of receiving a smaller size? …Or would she prefer a larger size, which secretly makes her feel thinner when she has to return it for the next size down!?
- Get up to speed on lingerie nomenclature. Shopping for intimates will be far less daunting if you know what you are looking for. This quick guide below will set you straight on a number of the lingering questions you may face when buying lingerie.
Whats the Difference?
Maybe? Maybe not!
Bustiers, Corsets & Garters
Bustiers and corsets look very much alike and perform the same basic function as undergarments. Both are formfitting, strapless tops that most often fasten with adjustable ties at the back. Bustiers may be fitted with straps at the waistline to attach garters, and corsets extend beyond the waistline which makes them a more slimming option for cinching the waist.
Garters that hook onto a bustier or corset usually comprise of simple adjustable straps that hook onto stockings. Stand-alone garter belts resemble a very short skirt, or narrow band that fits around the hips and sports the same adjustable straps to attach to stockings.
Our Top Tip: Garter belts are a great compliment to a bra and panty set. Although she may not wear it on a day-to-day basis, she will reserve the garter belt for special occasions, or when she is feeling particularly sexy!
Bras: Push-ups, Padded, Seamless, Lace, Strapless & Convertible
Push-up bras reposition the breasts by pushing them up and together, which gives them a fuller, more voluptuous appearance. Padded bras sport padding in their cups to help make smaller breasts look larger.
Seamless bras comprise of molded cups and are often referred to as T-shirt bras because they are smooth and undetectable under knit fabrics. Lace doesn't usually provide the same molding ability, so lace bra cups get their shape via seaming. Because of the seaming and the texture of most laces, they are not commonly worn under knit fabrics.
The term “strapless” simply means that the bra will provide invisible support under garments that reveal the shoulders. Convertible bras have removable straps which hook onto the bra in a number of ways to support other clothing styles like one-shoulder, deep V-neck, backless, and even strapless designs. For the most part both these varieties are quite utilitarian unless you are shopping at a high-end lingerie store where you might find luxury versions.
Panties: Boy-Cut, Bikini, Thong
Women usually choose to wear panties that they feel comfortable in and that is most flattering to their shape. They may throw a loop into things however and keep a smaller selection of alternative underwear to suit different styles of clothing. These are the 3 main styles of panty:
- Boy shorts and hipster styles are low-riding tiny shorts that provide full coverage in the rear. Hipsters may be cut higher in the leg and butt. Both styles are considered to be able to visually lengthen the torso, and can smooth out lumps and bumps on the butt and upper thigh areas.
- Bikini-cut panties are a classic and flattering full coverage style. They usually sit about 3” below the waistline (or lower) and are cut higher in the leg.
- Thongs are very popular for their ability to eliminate panty lines under snug fitting clothing. They comprise of a small triangle of fabric in the front and a string, or very narrow strip, at the back. They are usually available in different rises.
Sexy Stuff: Chemises, Camisoles, Teddies & Baby-Dolls
Whereas a chemise and camisole are often worn day-to-day, teddies and baby dolls are more likely to be saved for the bedroom.
A chemise is a short under-dress or slip, and a camisole is a short-fitted top with thin straps, and offers little support for the breasts.
A teddy is a sexy one-piece, similar to a bodysuit, and a baby doll is a short gown usually fitted around the bust and flared to the hip. baby dolls are often sold with matching panties.
Robes
Don't discount the sexiness of robes as a lingerie essential! They may provide more coverage initially but leaving a little to the imagination goes a long way in the end!
Body Shapers
Unless your lady has specifically requested one of these, we highly recommend that you leave her to purchase her own. Fortunately for women in search of a slimming quick-fix, the immense popularity of the Spanx brand body slimmers amongst the leading ladies in Hollywood, have made shapers fashionable again.
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