Beyond the Bra Straps: The Dos and Don’ts of Showing Peeks of Lingerie From …

The trickiest thing about many a summer outfit is finding the right underpinnings. Super-skinny straps, sheer fabric, and all that white mean a set of problems entirely different from sweater weather (how many times do you worry about what bra you’re wearing when it’s cable-knit time?). After Kim Kardashian wore a top that showed almost the entire backside of her bra, I was more uncertain than ever about what’s appropriate when it comes to purposefully showing off.

Jennifer Zuccarini, founder of super-chic lingerie brand Fleur du Mal, was happy to answer some questions before hosting a Bastille Day-themed pop-up later tonight with vintage shop Pink Clouds. If anyone should know the answers, it’s her: The line offers both lingerie and apparel made to wear on top (though not completely conceal—how awesome does that striped bra below look?).

Glamour: Wearing a tank that exposes your bra straps: Do or Don’t?

Jennifer Zuccarini: Do—if it looks intentional and the strap color coordinates with your look. Don’t have a ratty nude bra strap peeking out.

Glamour: So no nude. What colors are best? Any others that don’t work?

JZ: Any color that looks like it works with your outfit. For example, if you’re wearing a dress that has a bit of chartreuse in the print, it’s fun to have a bright chartreuse lace bra peeking out. I like a black bra with a simple white tank or tee, or a white lace bra under a crisp white shirt. It doesn’t have to be super obvious. A hint of lace showing through is sexier.

Glamour: Any circumstances where it’s not an appropriate look to play with? Obviously not the office…

JZ: Maybe a funeral. Unless you’re going for a Dolce and Gabbana, Sicilian grandmother-in-mourning sort of look.

Glamour: Sexiest way to flash your lingerie on a date?

JZ: On a first date, I’d keep it subtle, like a blouse unbuttoned just so with a beautiful bra. Third or fourth? Showing a glimpse of a garter belt when you sit down, under a dress or skirt, is very hot.

Glamour: What about for a day out with friends for a meal or shopping?

JZ: A lace-trimmed silk camisole with denim shorts is a good day look. Or a cropped bustier with boyfriend jeans. I also like a simple silk tank with sneakers.

Glamour: It’s easy for small-chested women to get away with a flimsy lace bra, but how can women with more to support play with the look?

JZ: A structured bodysuit is a great way to wear this trend if you’re larger busted, or layering a lace camisole over a more supportive bra is an option. If the straps move around, try pinning them to the straps of the camisole with a small safety pin from the inside.

Glamour: With sheer or light-color shirts, it feels like the only options are a nude bra and trying to blend in, or a black bra and showing it in a totally obvious way.

JZ: Think of lingerie as another layer of your look. Try wearing a printed bra under a sheer printed top—I like a leopard bra under stripes. Choose an obviously bright color or match the color of the bra to what you’re wearing on bottom. But when in doubt, take it back to black.

Glamour: We love when sheer gowns and skirts worn over visible briefs go down the runway, but it seems impossible to wear in real life. Any suggestions?

JZ: Start with a skirt or dress that’s only slightly transparent, and wear a high-waisted panty or bodysuit that gives you enough coverage in the back. Make sure you can sit down in it without it riding up. Or try a short slip or tap short under sheer so you don’t feel completely exposed. I think the visible panty trend is best to try for evening when you’re going somewhere dark and sexy.

Do you like the look of bra straps purposefully peeking out? Any ground rules that you follow to make sure the trend works?

Photos: Courtesy of brand

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New Lingerie Line CV Will Amp Up Your Sexual Resume

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“The name comes from the idea that we all have a sexual résumé,” explained Christina Viviani, the designer behind Curriculum Vitae, a new lingerie line launching this Thursday at Barneys, with arrivals at Colette, 10 Corso Como, Moda Operandi, and more to follow. The Detroit-raised designer spent ten years polishing her skills at Donna Karan and Adrienne Vittadini before moving into the realm of intimates last year. “No one was really doing a cooler, younger version of Kiki,” she explained. “I’m dressing for myself and designing for myself—for the downtown girl.”

The line is made up of New York-manufactured below-14th basics: street-influenced racer tanks in black silk with matching silk boxers; simple mesh bikini bottoms; and sheer, white-lace onesies with materials sourced from Italy and Japan. An exclusive first look at the collection, which is priced between $30 and $400 debuts here. “We use a lot of rose-gold hardware, bodysuits with a snap, sleep sets with cutouts on the back…They’re kind of luxury-quality essentials,” noted Viviani of the clean, Bowery-with-a-hint-of-vamp wares. They’re for a girl “with more of an edge—she’s wearing [the line] with her Alexander Wang, with Proenza,” said the designer.

That’s not to say the pieces don’t hold classic appeal. “I’m really inspired by a lot of vintage references and the way construction was made back then. I want to take that and make it modern,” said Viviani, who grew up watching black-and-white favorites (“The movie Pillow Talk with Doris Day was a really big thing”) with her grandparents before moving to New York to study at FIT at 17.

CV also has a lifestyle component: Viviani traveled the world meeting with high-end sex toy artisans before curating a collection of globally sourced and personally designed sex accessories. “That was really fun—and a big learning curve,” said Viviani, who touched down in Berlin, L.A., Las Vegas, and San Francisco on the way. “Meeting different people and learning the art behind sensuality—you go into these conventions at 9 a.m. and it’s like, be awake!” CV will sell toys on its site, as well as discreet (you could hardly tell what they were if you didn’t look twice) pleasure kits in the rooms of the Chateau Marmont, Standard Hotels, and the Mercer, among others. “Three condoms, lube, and a vibrator…that’s all you really need in a hotel room. Let’s be honest,” she joked.

“I think I’m just excited for it to launch and kind of understand the customer more and see the reaction,” mused Viviani. “It’s kind of like being an artist and showing your work in a gallery for the first time.”

tags: Alexander Wang, Chateau Marmont, Christina Viviani, Curriculum Vitae, CV, Proenza Schouler, Standard Hotels, The Mercer

1. Ashleigh Hults:

   July 14, 2014 at 6:10 pm

   Congrats CV!

2. Jonathan Black:

   July 14, 2014 at 3:05 pm

   Awesome Stuff!
   www.cv-newyork.com

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