Panty Power: How Pretty Underwear Can Boost Body Image

Two weeks ago, I went for a bra fitting. Having been told by dozens of style experts that 137 percent of women wear the wrong bra size, I fully expected to be told that my 34C was FAR too small/big/narrow/high/thick/whatever for my frame. Miraculously, the lingerie shop owner confirmed that I was already wearing the correct size. I will admit to feeling slightly smug about this.

My smugness dissipated as she began to show me a dazzling assortment of silky, frilly, and coyly transparent bras in every style and shape imaginable. I’d worn my one cute bra to the fitting: A satin leopard print that fit beautifully, but featured thick straps and strangely stodgy detailing. Somehow, just glimpsing the universe of beautiful underthings that I’d been studiously ignoring for the past 20 years made me feel anxious. Virtually all of my friends wore and adored gorgeous lingerie, but I’d dismissed it as a frivolous expense and focused on flattering but practical underthings for myself. Yet as I discussed the physics of bras with the owner — learning about underwire placement, the importance of band fitting, and how different styles would achieve different silhouettes — I knew I needed to formulate a plan. A panty plan.

My private bits are fantastically fussy. I have been blessed with perpetually erect nipples that defy even triple ply fabrics, so it’s naught but padded bras for me. I also suffer from a group of reproductive issues that would turn your head around, and my gynecologist has browbeaten me into wearing cotton panties. Forever. As a younger gal, I splurged on satin Vicky’s Secret bras and lacy thongs, but eventually I resigned myself to nude bras (they never show through anything) and whatever cotton panty options I could find at Target (they’re easy and cheap). In the days after my fitting at the lingerie shop, I strapped on my plain nude Bali bra and nude cotton hi-cuts feeling utterly dissatisfied. I don’t believe that wearing comfortable underwear is a symptom of “letting yourself go,” or that tight, sheer underthings are inherently superior to soft, opaque ones. But in my specific case, I’d decided that there couldn’t possibly be any options that fit my rather specific physical and comfort-related needs that were ALSO cute or sexy. I mean, when do you actually get the best of both worlds? Approximately never, right? So why even look?

But my curiosity had been piqued at that bra fitting, and look I did. As it turns out, my beloved and perfectly-fitting Bali bra comes in red, bright blue, and several cheeky prints. I tracked down lace-trimmed cotton panties from Vanity Fair, Hanes, and Natori. I even gave Victoria’s Secret a second look, and discovered that their cotton offerings are absolutely darling and surprisingly affordable. It felt utterly liberating to consign those old, oversized high-cuts to the rag pile, so exciting to place that fire-engine red bra lovingly into my lingerie drawer. Don’t get me wrong: The nudes stayed. I wear a lot of white, and haven’t quite embraced the dark-bra-sheer-top trend, so I’m not about to relinquish my skin-tones. But now I have options, color, print, embellishment. Now I can choose.

And I feel transformed. I’ve heard so many women sing the praises of pretty lingerie as a tool for boosting personal power, and the practice always made sense to me intellectually. Wearing a gorgeous bra and knicker set beneath your clothes can be a way to honor your body, to keep a secret and subtle sexual charge going throughout the day, to feel pretty and powerful in a very private way. Yes, lingerie is lovely in the bedroom, but it can be fun and empowering in daily use, too. Or so I was told. But I’d stubbornly decided that I couldn’t play the game myself, that my own needs were too specific and my own plain options wholly sufficient. How wrong I was. I am delighted to find that wearing my new bold bras and bright panties makes me feel polished and pulled together in entirely new ways. I’m walking taller, smiling more, feeling beautiful and strong from the inside out.

Finding clothing that suits your needs, body, and budget can be challenging. Finding undergarments that suit your needs, body, and budget can be an absolute nightmare, especially if you fall outside the narrow spectrum of average sizes. There are a few resources that cater to specialty sizes — Itty Bitty Bra, Cacique, and the wonderful world of Bare Necessities to name a few — but they can be expensive, fitting can be tricky, and that perfect bra and panty set may still elude you. I know full well that I’m lucky to have spent an afternoon scouring my local Marshalls and trolling Amazon, only to unearth an entirely new, utterly perfect lingerie wardrobe for myself. For many, it won’t be so easy. Not by a long shot. But I feel compelled to recommend color, pattern, and embellishment to anyone feeling bored and dissatisfied with her undergarment options. Look when you can, buy when you find, wear when the mood strikes.You, too, might be astonished to discover how powerful a set of pretty panties can be.

Image courtesy Michael McGraw. Pictured is a row of bras at La Bratique, the Minneapolis lingerie boutique that brought me in for a fitting.

<!–

Books by this author

–>

This Blogger’s Books from

Follow Sally McGraw on Twitter:

www.twitter.com/@SallyMcGraw

Share and Enjoy

Battle of the new lingerie babes

FORGET Gisele and kick Kelly Brook to the kerb – welcome to the new
model army.

The women on our hot list below are the latest faces to make a splash in the
lingerie world.

Coming from as far afield as Brazil and Namibia, these ladies have one thing
in common – their to-die-for curves.

And bulging bank accounts. And the occasional A-list boyfriend.

From Kate Upton to Erin Heatherton, these lasses are coining it as reps for
brands like Victoria’s Secret.

With bodies as improbable as their names, the super-toned beauties are
undie-niably sexy.

Some are also a nightmare to identify. So here is your crib sheet to help you
spot a Kate from a Candice.

Read all about each babe below and then vote for your favourite in our poll.

---

Lily Aldridge

Age: 26

From: Los Angeles, USA

Models for: Victoria’s Secret, Levi’s, Rocawear

The scoop: Sorry fellas, she’s not single. Half-British Lily is married
to Kings of Leon frontman Caleb Followill.

The couple had their first
child, Dixie Pearl, back in June.

Kate Upton

Age: 20

From: Michigan, USA

Models for: Sports Illustrated, Beach Bunny swimwear and Victoria’s
Secret

The scoop: Gorgeous Kate won our Best
Celeb Bum competition this year.

And the 34D beauty has even proved too hot for the internet – as
a video of her jiggling in a bikini got banned from YouTube.

Candice Swanepoel

Age: 23

From: Natal Province, South Africa

Models for: Victoria’s Secret, Tom Ford, Versace, Tommy Hilfiger

The scoop: Spotted in a Durban flea market at the age of 15, Candice is
now on Forbes’ Top-Earning Models list.

She has been dating male model Hermann Nicoli since she was 17.

The stunning blonde admits she never thought she’d model – as she grew up “very
skinny” and with braces.

Selita Ebanks

Age: 29

From: Cayman Islands

Models for: Victoria’s Secret, Abercrombie Fitch

The scoop: Before lucky old Mariah Carey scooped him up, Selita dated
America’s Got Talent host Nick Cannon.

She can also be seen in Kanye West’s 2010 short film, Runaway.

Selita’s not just a pretty face though – after a trip to Sierra Leone in 2008,
the curvy lass set up the Women’s Coalition for Empowerment and Opportunity.

Erin Heatherton

Age: 23

From: Illinois, USA

Models for: Victoria’s Secret, Oscar de la Renta, Tommy Hilfiger

The scoop: Discovered while on holiday in Miami, 5ft 11in Erin has been
dating actor Leonardo DiCaprio since December 2011.

The sunkissed star almost became a professional basketball player before her
big break in modelling.

Doutzen Kroes

Age: 27

From: Eastermar, Netherlands

Models for: Victoria’s Secret, Gucci, Calvin Klein

The scoop: A cunning linguist, Doutzen speaks several languages
including her own native tongue, Frisian.

Holland is so proud of the 5ft 10in beauty there is even a wax figure of her
in the Amsterdam branch of Madame Tussauds.

Bar Refaeli

Age: 27

From: Israel

Models for: Passionata, Garnier

The scoop: Topping Maxim’s Hot 100 list for this year, this lass sets
the Bar high for undies models.

She dated serial modeliser Leonardo DiCaprio on and off from 2005 to 2011 and
has recently been linked with US snowboarder Shaun White.

The beauty caused controversy in her homeland in 2007 by dodging military
service – which is generally mandatory for Israeli men and women over the
age of 18.

Izabel Goulart

Age: 27

From: Sao Paulo, Brazil

Models for: Victoria’s Secret, Valentino, Stella McCartney

The scoop: The buoys from Brazil has confessed she learned English by
watching Woody Woodpecker cartoons.

Another favourite from Sports Ilustrated’s annual Swimsuit Issue, Izabel also
does a lot of work for diabetes charities in Brazil – as her brother has the
condition.

Luisana Lopilato

Age: 25

From: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Models for: Ultimo, L’Oreal, Promesse underwear

The scoop: Married to singer Michael Bublé, Luli was named as the face
and body of Ultimo undies at the beginning of the year.

But she’s better known as an actress and singer in Argentina, after starring
in soap Rebelde Way and several Spanish-language films.

Lindsay Ellingson

Age: 27

From: California, USA

Models for: Victoria’s Secret, Chanel, Giorgio Armani

The scoop: Blonde babe Lindsay signed up for a local model search – and
allegedly got interest from over 30 agencies.

But before catwalk fame beckoned, the 5ft 11in beauty had dreams of becoming a
ballerina.

Behati Prinsloo

Age: 23

From: Namibia

Models for: Victoria’s Secret, Prada, Miu Miu

The scoop: Behati was discovered while on holiday in Cape Town at the
age of 16 – by the same model scout who spotted Kate Moss.

She is currently dating Maroon
5 frontman Adam Levine.

Share and Enjoy