Lingerie

What are the different types of lingerie?

A good quality bra is a worthwhile investment. Different bras have different purposes; for example, a plunge bra is great for showing off a little cleavage. A t-shirt bra, on the other hand, creates a smooth, seamless look without any visible lines.

• Similarly to bras, knickers come in a variety of styles to suit different outfits and occasions. However, whether you’re a thongs, briefs or shorts fan, it’s always important to find comfortable knickers that can stand the test of time.
• Basques are typically worn as sexy lingerie. They feature a curve-hugging corset, usually in lace, which maximises your assets and flatters every figure. A basque will usually come with fastenings should you want to attach suspenders.
• Stockings are simply tights that come up to your thighs. These can be teamed with suspender belts, which hold the stockings in place and create an appealing look.
• Bodysuits are the sexier version of the swimming costume. The figure-hugging materials help create curves while tucking everything in. Accompanied with lace or frills, the bodysuit is another lingerie favourite.
• Camisoles are sleeveless tops usually made from satin, nylon or cotton. These combine both comfort and charm and can comfortably be worn throughout the night.
• Finally, bridal lingerie refers to all of the above, depending on your needs. However, wedding lingerie is usually in a white, cream or ivory shade to set you up for your big day.

What’s the right size lingerie for me?

Lingerie can come in all shapes and sizes, and it’s often difficult to get the perfect size, especially for your top half. Approximately 80% of women wear the wrong bra size.

To work out your cup and chest size, it’s helpful to get measured. However, if you don’t fancy going into a shop, this is quite easy to do alone.

To measure your bra size, firstly, grab a tape measure. Measure around the bottom of your bra, just underneath your bust to get the chest size in inches. Round this to the nearest full number. If the number is even, add four inches, if it’s odd, add five inches. For example, if you measured 30 inches, your chest size should be 34 inches.

To measure your cup size, wrap the measuring tape around the fullest part of your bust. Take the number and subtract your chest measurement. This should leave you with a number between 1 and 15. Each number going up is a different cup size. For example, 1 is A cup, 2 is B cup and so on. Once you get passed number 4, the doubles start, so 4 is D, 5 is DD, 6 is E and 7 is EE cup.

Our bra fitting guide gives a little more information.