The Best Lingerie Stores In Los Angeles

We’ve been known to burrow through boxes of garish rhinestone G-strings and weird foam-filled bras to find a slinky gem at Victoria’s Secret’s annual undies sale just like every other bargain-minded babe, but the mall juggernaut is not where we go when we want something special for a seductive evening.

But spending serious money on sexy under-things is an indulgence every woman should give into from time to time, and it should be a fun and sensual experience. Lucky for us Angelenos, Los Angeles’ specialty lingerie stores are bountiful—kind of like the bosoms and booties they cover, enhance and support in this town. When it comes to unmentionables you actually want to mention, here are the best for your boudoir.

Photo courtesy of Agent Provocateur

Agent Provocateur

The popular British brand has been a hit with Hollywood starlets, fashionistas and would-be doms alike since it opened its Melrose shop over a decade ago. It’s anything but cheap (a bra can go for hundreds) but A.P.’s couture-like craftsmanship makes every piece worth it, from garter belts to corsets, to bra and panty sets in a variety of shades and unique styles. Best investments tend to be in black, evoking a sinful sophistication and power even in delicate lace and satins. The high-fashion vibe here makes it one of the nicest (and naughtiest) places to purchase knickers. No surprise, the company was founded by Joseph Corré, none other than Vivienne Westwood’s son. Viv designed the Melrose store itself so it’s definitely the one you want to go to.

Agent Provocateur is located at 7961 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles. (323) 653-0229.

Photo courtesy of What Katie Did

What Katie Did

Curve-hugging retro fashion requires curve-enhancing under garments and when you’re a gal who likes her heels with height and her red lipstick bright, Spanx just seem wrong somehow. What Katie Did lets you work your pin-up allure inside and out. Bullet bras, corsets, cinchers, high-waisted panties that are anything but mom-style, and girdles, yes girdles, that are actually sexy, all available in bigger, curvy gal styles (as well as more petite ones) for under a C-note. Some bras even go up to FF+. Garter belts and black or flesh-colored seemed stockings are a must here to complete the vintage va-va-voom vibe.

What Katie Did is located at 7970 Melrose Ave. in West Hollywood. (877) 221-2472.

Kiki’s multi-lingual ‘Touch Me’ panties/Photo by Lina Lecaro.

Kiki de Montparnasse

Like Provocateur, Kiki is a super high-end lingerie boutique that few can afford often, but it’s a splurge that is likely to pay off… in the bedroom. The brand is more provocative than Provocateur in fact… and we’re not just talking about the price tags (their best bras are in the $200-300 hundred range) . There’s nothing subtle or demure about the classy/kinky atmosphere or the sumptuous under-things here, but there is a cheeky sensibility throughout that’s refreshing. Whether it’s an intricate cage bra, a silk blindfold or “instruments of pleasure” that look like art pieces, attention to detail is key. Most of their line is black and white only and some of it is gorgeous enough to wear out, but everything is designed for indoor fun. Set up an appointment to book a fitting room and bring along your significant other! They’ll serve you champagne and chocolate covered strawberries while you model your favorite pieces in privacy.

Kiki de Montparnasse is located at 8481 Melrose Pl. in West Hollywood. (323) 951-9545.

Photo courtesy of Panty Raid

Panty Raid

From the minimalist chic of Calvin Klein to the enchanting moxie of Huit brand, this small but well-curated shop has lingerie lines that will inspire the matchy-matchy girl in all of us. The adorable sets in this Los Feliz store are geared toward the very put-together, slightly more petite shopper, but there are some sexy exceptions. Panty Raid doesn’t measure your bra size like many lingerie purveyors do, and we like that. We always get a different number for some reason. The lines they carry are so diverse, it’s kind of pointless to go by a number anyway. Try if you wanna buy. Better yet, after those mimosas at Alcove next door, bring your partner and try.

Panty Raid is located at 1953 Hillhurst Ave. in Los Feliz. (323) 668-1888.

Photo by Marc Evans via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr

Trashy Lingerie

The La Cienega landmark has always been known for its huge selection of corsets and costumes, but what sets it apart from the Hollywood Boulevard hordes is the custom-work done right there in house. Most of the merchandise in this members-only store (just pay $2 and you’re in) is designed and made by the owners and can be fitted to your form. Beyond the typical “sexy [fill-in-the-blank]” costumes for Halloween, Trashy’s the place for unique lingerie and sleep wear (that you have no intention of sleeping in, of course). Everything in here is made to be seen with bold details like ribbons, bows, ruffles, fringes, mesh, vinyl, fishnet and on and on. Basically, if you ever get invited to a slumber party at the Playboy Mansion, this is your one-stop shop.

Trashy Lingerie is located at 402 N La Cienega Blvd. in Los Angeles. (310) 652-4543.

Bizzy B/Photo by Lina Lecaro

Bizzy B

We wrote about all the “bawdiest stores in Hollywood” last year and this shop earned best on the boulevard hands down. With underwear and clubby outerwear for everyone from raver girls to goths, to dancers and tourists looking to bring out their tarty side, this shop has it all. Everything here is about fantasy. But the reasonable prices for everything from bras to tights to G-strings to sex toys is very real.

Bizzy B is located at 6548 Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood. (323) 469-4309.

Photo courtesy of Pure Delish

Pure Delish

Culver City cuties like to get crazy in the bedroom (and half-naked at festivals) too. The owners of Pure Delish (one of whom happens to work at infamous Hollywood bikini bar, Jumbo’s Clown Room) knows it! Though they have costumes and sex shop stuff (lube, “massagers,” etc.), the lingerie selection sizzles, too—bridal sets, fetish wear, nighties, and bras and panties ranging from racy to romantic by brands such as Felina, Patrice Catanzaro, Savage and more. Delish attracts dancers from all around town and ravers alike; they specialize in skimpy underwear as outerwear for parties like Electric Daisy Carnival and Burning Man, and can help you dress (well, undress) your best for the big bashes and the bedroom alike.

Pure Delish is located at 10746 Washington Blvd. in Culver City. (310) 591-8792.

Frederick’s of Hollywood

Though they closed all their brick and mortar boutiques earlier this year (including mall shops and their Hollywood Blvd. flagship), we can’t talk lingerie in L.A. without a mention of this iconic glamorama. Opened by Frederick Mellinger in 1947, the racy underwear fave was known for their exotic/erotic mail order catalogs and their original pink and purple HQ on Hollywood Blvd., later taken over by a nightclub. Freddy’s attempts to compete with Victoria were seemingly its downfall, but the brand’s eye for enhancing busty bodaciousness was always better. Check out their online store for great deals (look like they’re still clearing out stock from their store closures).

Related:
The Best Places In Los Angeles To Find A Bra That Actually Fits
Hollywood Stripped: The Most Bawdy Boutiques On The Boulevard

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Yours Clothing branches into plus-size menswear

Yours Clothing will launch its plus-size menswear brand Bad Rhino for spring 16 following successful trials in selected stores and the soft launch of a website.

The Peterborough-based firm is targeting the plus-size menswear market with a range of fashionable, good value clothing that will be primarily sold online.

Prices are aimed at a similar level to Yours Clothing, with a formal long-sleeved shirt at £22 and T-shirts at £15 in sizes from medium (38-40”) up to 4XL (58-60”). The website also sells some third-party brands such as Slazenger, Duke London, Kangol and D555, but the emphasis will be on own-label for the official launch.

Resh Dorka, joint managing director at Yours Clothing, said: “We trialled around 30 pieces in two of our coastal Yours stores in Great Yarmouth and Skegness over summer, which worked really well. We had no signage or marketing, but our customers responded really well to the ranges.

“Now we’ve launched the website and customers can shop across both sites using one basket.”

He said some dual fascia Yours Clothing/Bad Rhino stores could open in the future, if the right opportunity arises.

Yours Clothing appointed its first menswear buyer last week. Dorka said the buyer has experience at Next and George, but declined to give a name.

Yours Clothing currently has 82 stores across the UK and has a further eight stores in the pipeline before the end of the year, including openings in Telford, Argyle Street in Glasgow, Belfast and East Anglia.

“Summer was tough for us like most other retailers, but we were still up by 30-40% on last year,” he said. “We were broadly flat on a like-for-like basis for the first six months of this year because we refurbished 12 stores so some were closed for a short period.”

He said the company will continue to open new stores next year and it is hoping to see the fruits of investment made this year.

“We invested a lot in our stores, our ranges and our team,” he said, explaining that Yours added around 30% to its head office team, which currently stands at around 80 people. “We have added buyers for specific categories like accessories and lingerie, as well as people in merchandising, brand and IT roles.”

Yours has not set a target for store openings in 2016 but said it is will focus on the South, Southwest, central London and Ireland.

“With 90 stores by the end of the year, we’re now in the position where are choosing store locations very strategically, but we are in the positive position where we could take a package of say 20 stores if they came up as a bankruptcy.”

The company’s turnover was £32.1m for the year ended February 2, 2014, compared with £27m during the same period last year. Pre-tax profit was £2.3m in 2014, up from £1.8m in 2013.

@Tara_Hounslea

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