Lingerie is one of life's pleasures. Shouldn't it be
something you love? If you've been reaching into your
underwear drawer every day for the same old style of
panties, putting yourself into an uncomfortable bra or
thinking you don't look good in lingerie, we have news.
Whether you have minimal cleavage, an ample booty, or an
apple- or pear-shaped body, there is beautiful lingerie out
there for you!
The state of your underthings can actually change your state
of mind. How many of us have picked a pair of panties we
liked because we were feeling good that day? Or rummaged
around our drawers for a pair we disliked because we woke up
feeling down in the dumps? Instead, imagine putting on sexy
French lingerie underneath your business suit and feeling
excited and empowered, or putting on a flirty bra beneath a
T-shirt and feeling feminine and confident.
Lingerie should be chosen with as much care and thought as
you choose your makeup. You need the perfect foundation
before you start making yourself beautiful with blush,
mascara, eyeliner. Lingerie is the same way. A foundation
that fits well means more-flattering clothing. Your
undergarments can make or break your look: smooth T-shirt
bras make that tight white T look like a million bucks; the
right panties under tight pants will have people doing a
double take (and not because you have visible panty lines);
and shapewear can smooth out lumps and bumps in that clingy
cocktail dress. We could go on and on. And we will.
Just like fashion, lingerie is a form of self-expression.
When you pair a corset top with a pencil skirt, or switch
out plain hosiery with nude fishnets, you're showing your
sense of style and making a statement.
Intimate apparel also mimics fashion by following color and
cultural trends. You probably wouldn't wear the same style
of shoes for years on end, so it's logical that your tastes
and choices in lingerie also evolve and change through the
decades.
In our twenties, we primarily dress in lingerie for our men.
In our thirties, we learn to wear and appreciate lingerie
for ourselves. In our forties, we can either run into a rut
or learn about new styles and how to wear them. In our
fifties and beyond, we may feel basics are the way to go, or
we may choose to splurge on luxury lingerie as a treat. As
decades go by, we discover that wearing lingerie transcends
putting on a bra that fits. It's more about embracing our
femininity, enjoying our bodies and cherishing ourselves.
No matter your age, with the help of this book you will
learn how to enjoy lingerie in everyday wear, transforming
the concept of "underwear" into lingerie you love. Both
lingerie virgins and veterans will gain insight into their
own lingerie styles and receive practical tips on how to
confdently and correctly wear intimate apparel. From bras to
hosiery, we'll sort it all out and expose what these
underpinnings are all about. We'll suggest brands for every
shape and budget. Brides-to-be will benefit from our tips on
wedding and honeymoon lingerie. We'll give you a little
history lesson, chronicling important lingerie dates, events
and milestones. We will even give you seduction scenarios—in
the event your imagination runs less than wild.
All you'll need to do is invest a bit of time determining
your style and needs. We'll hold your hand and walk you
through it. Trust us, it will be well worth the investment.
Think you're alone in the process? Au contraire! We have
included personal stories from women of all ages and with
all different body types about their escapades and
experiences with lingerie.
So let's get going and find out what's really
underneath it all. But before we do, here's a little
about us and how we came to write this book.
Jen: My Love Affair with Lingerie
When I grew up in the 1980s, lingerie was as much a part of
fashion as it was part of pop culture. If you remember the
lace anklet socks and pumps, you know what I'm talking
about. From a young age I was significantly influenced by
the fusion of lingerie and everyday wear.
In junior high I worshipped Madonna: I sported white,
fingerless lace gloves and layered multiple lace shirts over
my training bra. I even donned a fake above-the-lip mole one
year at camp. (It was eyeliner; shhh, don't tell anyone.) By
the time I was in high school, it seemed like a natural
progression to shop at Victoria's Secret and Frederick's of
Hollywood at the local mall.
As a high school sophomore I wore fishnets under my cutoff
jeans. I dressed in a garter belt with thigh highs under
skirts at sixteen. At nineteen I frequented a local reggae
venue in northern California, where I wore a burgundy velvet
bra and not much else. The doorman never carded me. I felt
feminine and powerful—and I still can't believe my mom let
me out of the house. By the time I finished college,
lingerie was a beloved part of my wardrobe, something that
held memories of hot summer concerts and adventurous young love.
On a trip to France in 2001, my boyfriend—now husband—and I
found ourselves in a little shop on the Champs-Élysées
called Lise Charmel. He bought me a sheer, black demi bra
and knickers set with delicate, red foral embroidery. It was
breathtaking. Even on sale, it cost more than one hundred
and fifty dollars. I couldn't believe he splurged like that.
Later, when I put the set on for the first time, I felt
completely transformed. My man gasped when I walked out of
our hotel bathroom.
I couldn't stop smiling. It was then I discovered the true
power of lingerie—and also developed my champagne taste for
underwear.
My love of lingerie drove me to open my own shop in Seattle
a year later. The journey has been educational and never
dull. Helping women with their underthings is a very
intimate experience, and it requires a lot of trust on each
customer's part. I assist women in finding their actual bra
size, which celebrates and enhances their breasts: "Yes, my
love, you are a 34C, not a 36A. Enjoy!" I also
specialize in picking out the perfect cut and style of
lingerie for each woman's body type. It has been extremely
gratifying to help women express themselves through their
lingerie, while encouraging them to have fun along the way.
The idea for this book came about over cocktails with some
girlfriends. Following a couple of margaritas, the
conversation turned to how to wear lingerie for a man. After
an entertaining and educational discussion—and more than a
few hoots and hollers—my friends said, "You should write a
book!" I considered my conversations over the years with
customers and their questions about lingerie, from practical
to naughty, and I realized women could use a lingerie book
about what to wear and how to wear it.
As for my personal relationship with lingerie, these days my
routine has simplifed. As a wife, mother and business owner,
I don't see nightlife very often and don't always have time
to pamper myself. My intimate apparel is one thing I don't
skimp on, so I always have a little luxury in my daily life.
I feel alluring when I put on a beautiful nightgown before
bed, and I feel put together because my bra and panties
match and are flattering. But most of all, I adore the
realization that I am taking care of myself by loving the
first thing I put on my body: my underwear. Frankly, I
deserve this little bit of luxury—all women do.
Thus, my love affair with lingerie continues. This book is
dedicated to all you lovely ladies who are ready for a new
adventure. Enjoy!
Kathy: My Life in Lingerie
My earliest memories of falling in love with lingerie were
in a St. Louis auto repair garage in the 1960s. My
grandfather owned it and my father worked there with him. (I
know it sounds bad, but stay with me here.) When I was a
child, Mom would stop at the shop and my siblings and I
would pile out of the car and say hi to Dad and Grandpa. We
loved going there. Grandpa had a pop machine with a secret
hand crank. We'd open the door and help ourselves to sodas,
either chocolate or Vess cream. Grandpa gave us pennies for
the peanut machine. We'd punch the green buttons on the
circa-1940s adding machine, run up the incline on the wheel
alignment rack and receive "rides" on the air jack from my
dad. Standing on the hose, Dad would flip the air jack
switch and up we'd go a couple feet. It was all great fun.
But one of my favorite activities was sneaking peeks at the
pinup girl calendar behind the desk. The calendars were New
Year's gifts from auto parts suppliers and the Snap-on tool
company. I loved looking at the Vargas Girls, sexy
watercolor and airbrushed paintings by Alberto Vargas from
the 1940s. Lithe and well-endowed women with red-painted
nails appeared in scanty lingerie, black stockings, tap
pants, see-through nighties, diaphanous peignoir sets and
mules. They were so exotic! I couldn't wait until Grandpa
turned the calendar on the first of the month to see a new
ensemble. I dreamed of the day I would be grown-up enough to
wear these "outfits."
Fast-forward a few years to my first underwire bra in high
school. I read they were an important invention to keep
breasts from sagging. No one wore them then, and my best
friend teased me mercilessly and called me Wire Woman. I
also discovered colored panties in wild prints
and—gasp!—black. I felt sexy in my sheer, shimmery nude bra
in the 1970s. It was perfect under my body-hugging tops
paired with bell-bottoms and platforms.
In the 1980s I discovered teddies and garter belts. What
fun! My first teddies came in dusty rose and teal. I stepped
outside the box and bought a red garter belt. I splurged on
a merry widow. I scanned Frederick's of Hollywood catalogs
for fishnet stockings. I bought matching bra and panty sets
along with lots of colored lingerie and black, lacy
underthings. My underwear drawer was flling up with naughty
delights.
Despite my adventurousness, I could have used some guidance.
I almost always wore the wrong bra size. I was close, but no
banana, buying too big a band size and too small a cup size.
In the late 1980s I finally got a fitting and figured it
out. As the years went by, my taste for nicer lingerie grew,
but my confusion about where to invest my hard-earned cash
did as well. I bought impulsively, randomly and, often,
unwisely.
That is, until I met Jennifer in 2003 and she helped me
refine my taste. I've always liked classic, simple cuts
without a lot of bells and whistles, sexy pieces and
sophisticated black. Jennifer helped me build a lingerie
wardrobe that is functional, flirty and flattering. She
became a friend as well as my expert consultant. Both our
friendship and my lingerie wardrobe continue to grow.
It's never too late to educate yourself and build a lingerie
wardrobe that covers the bases with practical pieces and
sensational ones you love— all you have to do is turn the
page to get started!