A lingerie capsule.
This is not a practical guide to lingerie.
No.
I’m not going to tell you wear a beige bra under a white top. Or to make sure your panty line never shows. Or even to buy that practical 7-in-1 bra that will work with any outfit.
That would be far to boring. And let’s face it… Underwear should be anything but boring.
Underwear is something to experiment with. It’s a chance to break out of your self-imposed boundaries.
You can be dressed as the conservative executive but channelling your inner Madame de Pompadour sous ces vêtements.
The choice is yours.
Winter to summer... Here's a capsule to keep you comfortable.
This may not be a practical guide to building your underwear capsule, but by the end of this article I hope you’ll be inspired to assemble a collection that’ll make you feel luxuriously “put-together” and fiercely feminine too.
Here are some tips to get you started…
Buy sets
You might balk at the price of a fine lingerie thong BUT if you purchase your lingerie in “sets” (i.e. matching bra, panty and garter belt) it’ll not only look better when worn, but it’ll wear well together. For example, you’ll generally need to wash a bra after 2-3 wears, so have 2-3 matching panties per bra. When it’s time to wash – wash them together in a laundry bag. This’ll ensure the fabric fades/wears evenly and make the set look better for longer. And truly – you only need 4-5 sets. It might be a large investment to start with, but if you buy good quality, your sets will last you a long time.
Don’t mix and match
Think how much work it took that designer to create the set. The imagination and thought that went into every aspect of the design. What a travesty it is to wear that La Perla bra with supermarket panties. Also – it takes away from one the fundamental purposes of lingerie – which is to make you feel well-groomed and put together.
Don’t be afraid to try stockings
Take the leap – buy a garter and some good stockings (stockings are pull-ups – that come to the middle of the thigh as opposed to tights which come up to your waist). They’ll make you feel glamourous! To start with, experiment with cheaper brands and then when you know the colours you wear the most – invest in some high-quality Wolford stockings. But that’s not to say you should only wear stockings. Tights are a must-have for winter. Have a wide selection and make sure you immediately throw out any pairs that get ladders or bobbles or just look shabby!
Try bodysuits
I never really understood the appeal of a bodysuit – until I figured out how well they work with tights. You won’t need to keep hoisting up your tights throughout the day. What a pleasure! And if you want to be really decadent – match your bodysuit to your tights. It looks really good.
Stick to a palette
It’s not a bad idea to echo the palette of your capsule wardrobe. If you wear a lot of black and navy, darker colours will be easier to wear. However, if you have a lot of light colours in your capsule, you’re going to want to have some neutral sets too. Now, I’m not a huge fan of beige. Blegh. Rather try a tone that’s close to your skin but not beige. Nude or pale pink works for me and it doesn’t show through clothes.
BUT that being said, consider the words of French model Caroline de Maigret: “Wear a black bra under your white blouse, like two notes on a sheet of music.”
There are no rules.
Consider your wardrobe
Select styles that with work well with the items in your wardrobe. For example, if you have a lot of strappy tops, you might want to get 1-2 balconette bras that can also be worn strapless. Or if your tops are very fitted, you may want to steer clear of bras with too much embroidered lace. Your lingerie should only be obvious when you intend it to be (and in that case it should be done tastefully).
Treat light colours carefully
How do you care for intimate apparel? Elisabeth Dale’s advice is to treat your bras like you’d want a partner to handle your breasts: with kindness and a gentle touch.
And when it comes to colours, there’s no doubt: Black lingerie is the hardest-wearing. Red also holds up quite well in the wash. But white can turn grey and the same goes for pale pink. As a guide, lighter colours should be handwashed to keep them looking good for longer.
Take the time to display your lingerie sets beautifully
Have a lingerie drawer and line it with soaps or scent liners. Keep a luxurious candle close by. You’ve invested a lot of time putting your collection together, you should display it beautifully. Turning to it each morning should bring you pleasure.
Forget about your imperfections
Stop waiting to wear sexy underwear, because you think you’re not thin enough… firm enough… smooth enough. You’ll never have the perfect body. There’s always go to be something that annoys you about your body. Your body is beautiful right now! (For heaven’s sake – the 70 year-old version of yourself wants to slap you for suggesting otherwise.)
Perfection and sex appeal are not the same thing. Some of the greatest courtesans in history weren’t “typically” attractive. But they were confident, sensuous, glamourous.
Seduction starts in the mind. Seduce yourself first. And when you feel sexy, you’ll be sexy. Bottom line.
Lingerie is more than just underwear
Lingerie is there to make you feel empowered, in control and yes, fiercely feminine. But other accessories can help with this too and make getting dressed a luxurious ritual. A good perfume is almost as important lingerie. A silk robe – essential. Heck, if you’re getting dressed for a night out, throw in some champagne too.
Remember, lingerie is not about seducing someone else. It’s about making yourself feel beautiful… Feel spoilt… Feel worth it…
When a women wears sexy lingerie. Others may not see it, but trust me, they feel it.
Create a lingerie mood board.
Before you begin assembling your lingerie capsule, take the time to create a mood board that embodies the “look’ you want to achieve and how you want your lingerie to make you feel. Here are some ideas to get you started…
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