Love Stories Knickers
Shanta Plansinis
Dutch brand Love Stories are the best at walking that fine line between sexy, fun and cute. Designed to mix and match, this brand is made for a serial non-matcher like myself (I mean really, who has time?) and they do soft, triangle bras super well. I love the little touches of embroidery, lace and print to make things a little bit different from the norm too.
For something a bit more special but still the kind of thing you can happily reach for on an average Tuesday, I love Else. You can tell this is underwear made for women, not made for women for men as so much lingerie is. Think high-waisted, lace briefs that are beyond flattering. sheer bodies, longline soft cup bras all in beautiful colours like soft teale, forest green and cream. No red suspenders here.
So this is one of my favourite boutique brands for special but still oh-so-pretty lingerie. The kind of brand you want to wear to impress but equally looks so beautiful in the box. Light as a feather with delicate embroidery and ribbons, I love this brand for myself but also for gifts for girlfriends (they have some really lovely bridal-esque knickers that are amazing hen party presents). A friend gave me a bra from this brand once for a birthday present years ago and after temporarily forgetting about it for a while, I rediscovered it recently and fell for it all over again.
The cutest brand for sheer, sassy bras and knickers that satisfy my love of polka dots and metallics in equal measure. I love that lots of the bras undo at the front and the back and they do the coolest naughty but nice knickers too.
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Interesting story, Angie, thank you for sharing. While I completely agree with you, I currently can not afford to have all of my underwear be of the high quality, pretty and lacy variety. At this point probably 1/3 is. I think I actually own the same SP set shown on the left, only in pretty periwinkle blue.
The rest is simpler and more minimal, like CK stuff. And there are lots of cotton undies in there, although occasionally I treat myself to some lacy HPs. Other than the budget, another reason is that I actually need some simple, smooth no lace bras to wear under more fitted and clingier tops. This is especially true for clothes I wear for mt dance practices/events. I also own a whole capsule of special occasion bras: strapless, backless, halter etc., for various dance tops/dresses, which are often backless or have unusual cuts.
I have taken YLF advice though and I buy the best tee shirt bras I can find. I refresh them every year and I am happy. Quite by accident, I discovered Felina underwear. This brand is the most comfortable against my skin and I am a convert. I buy them whenever I find them on sale at Nordstrom Rack.
I really enjoyed reading your underwear story, Angie! It reminds me of a few things my Mom used to insist on, which I neglected as soon as I left home. Years later, I realized she was right and amended my ways.
It is so true that well fitting undergarments are a game-changer. A good bra makes all the difference in how a top or dress drapes on my body. Properly fitting underpants can completely change how a skirt, dress, or pants fit and look.
I actually never tried really expensive bra, so not sure if it will be any difference and will it be worth it. Just recently I bought my first bra with lace, but did not find it very practical. Lace is visible through my summer clothing and is forcing me to wear cami too. I can see it working better in winter though.
I am like Diana. I do love pretty lacy bras, and I have a clear favorite bra: Feathers by Natori, which I actually believe was designed with me in mind. hahaha! It is the perfect bra for the less-endowed.
But, I have a very hard time finding pretty underwear that is comfortable and/or does not ride up. VERY hard time. I think it really must have to do with my anatomy, my lack of hips, the shape/musculature/lack of/etc. of my bum. Typically, I pair that pretty bra with a pair of cotton bikinis or hipsters.
In my twenties most of my underwear was sent to me from France by my mother in law, very pretty sets mostly of silk and cotton.
I would be happy to find the same quality of fabric and design in the stores today but the prettiest and most well constructed underwear is mostly synthetic.
So when I got out on my own, I definitely spent on lingerie. I wanted pretty things. As time went on, though, I found that undergarments needed to be practical, too. Because I do not routinely wear camis, my undergarments need to be smooth so as not to show under clothing. And the underwear I find comfortable is often not sold as part of a matching set.
Still, I persevere. I choose a bra that fits well and provides the proper shape, and then I hunt obsessively through the underwear, trying to find ones that match in color to the bra, but are still a style I can comfortably wear. Sometimes that works, and sometimes not, but I definitely DO feel better when they match.
And a couple of sidenotes: A well-constructed bra does not appear lumpy under smooth knit; underwires which fit the shape of your breasts are wonderfully comfortable, and modal is more moisture absorption than cotton.
I am planning a lingerie update within the month. I have the full range from pretty sets to practical smooth ts hurt ones and a range of knickers, some matching, some not. I actually need to think about my needs and choose carefully, because I hate not having the right bra on!!
I lost weight and tried them on again and I looked good and they felt fine. Now, if I go for a fitting, I am often firm and say that even though they think I need size X, I want one size up in the band. And of course, that leads to one size down in the cup.
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Born back in 2015, Lounge's first main goal was to create comfort-made-sexy lingerie. Since its very first (and viral) design, the Triangle Set, it has expanded into more daring territories - think sexy lingerie in sheer and lace fabrics - and has seriously gained traction. An influencer favourite, this brand is definitely one to update your top drawer with.
Bluebella lingerie is a firm favourite among GLAMOUR editors for its trend-led, expensive-looking lingerie that doesn't cost your entire salary. They're a British lingerie brand, with lingerie that aims to be both intimate and luxurious.
A newly-launched online marketplace from Ann Summers, Knickerbox.com already looks set to become the next go-to destination for women's underwear. Showcasing an impressive, curated offering via a selection of much-loved lingerie brands - including Calvin Klein, Nudea, Modibodi, Sloggi and Tommy Hilfiger - as well as their own in-house lingerie brand, KBX, the platform, which doesn't sell sex products or toys, is the very welcome, practical, subtly stylish yin to Ann Summers' famously sexy yang.
For fresh, young, and comfortable-but-sexy lingerie, look to Gilly Hicks. Owned by the Abercrombie & Fitch company, it regularly competes with Victoria's Secret for its on-trend designs that can suit a variety of needs.
So comfortable you could put it on, forget you are wearing it and allow you to focus on more important things, Stripe & Stare is a brand specifically created by women for women. Made sustainably in Austria from Beechwood Trees, the Stripe & Stare fabric is scientifically proven to be three times softer than cotton, wears better and is just as breathable as fresh air in a forest of responsibly planted trees. A vibe.
Another high-street hero is Boux Avenue, the lingerie brand stocking underwire bras, wire-free bras and knickers in every size, fit and colour you could possibly dream of. We've tried our fair share of Boux Avenue lingerie and can vouch for the fact that the accessible price point doesn't mean they lack in comfort.
Not only do Lemonade Dolls use materials which are responsibly sourced (all of the elastic it uses is recycled), but it also caters to a much wider range of sizes and body types. Think: bras for bigger boobs and curvy/plus size underwear sets that are actually sexy. Finally!
London-based lingerie brand Coco de Mer first started as a small underwear boutique in Covent Garden, and has since grown to become a powerhouse luxury lingerie brand where functionality meets luxury. They stock lace and silk underwear sets, robes, suspenders and bodysuits.
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Would any round-up of the best lingerie brands be complete without a mention of the backbone of every high street, M&S? We'd argue not. We can safely assume that most women in the UK own at least one of their bras for good reason, whether that's from the iconic and elegant Rosie by Autograph range or otherwise. There for your every lingerie need in every stage of your life, M&S stocks training bras, nursing bras, silk and lace sexy lingerie, cotton underwear, pyjamas, shapewear and more. The list goes on and on.
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