Lingerie
Although Lingerie is today used as a word meaning underwear for women, especially if the undergarments in question are intended to be erotic and sexy, the original French version of the word is used for women's and men's underwear alike. In fact, the word lingerie derives from the French word 'linge', which simply means 'washables.'
But to most people in the English-speaking world, lingerie means sexy underwear for women, and it covers a wide variety of different garments. Well-known types of lingerie include Knickers, Stockings, Garters, Bras, Negligees and Corsets. Less well-known types include Chemises, Bloomers, Peignoirs, Teddys and Thongs. Finally, there are a few types of lingerie that can be either underwear or outerwear, such as Leotards, Spanky Pants and Nightshirts, although in truth, the dividing line between underwear and outerwear is more a matter of personal taste than anything else – it's what you want to wear, at that time and in that place.
Regardless of the particular garment in question, all lingerie items have certain things in common:
They look good: arguably, this is the dividing line between lingerie and mere underwear. While underwear is typically designed first to be functional, and only then to look good, lingerie is designed with aesthetic considerations first and foremost. It's intended to look good – except when it's intended to look spectacular!
They are generally made from the finest fabrics, including lycra, satin, silk, lace and nylon tricot, although as the border between lingerie and fetish wear is approached, these fabrics may also include leather and latex. This is another way to distinguish between lingerie and underwear – underwear is commonly made from cotton or polyester.
Lingerie is generally intended to be worn as underwear. It's generally assumed that it will only be seen in private – or intimate – situations. For this reason, lingerie sometimes includes gaps or holes in the fabric, intended to display parts of the body usually hidden by normal underwear, in order to tease and arouse.
In addition, some types of lingerie are intended to modify the shape of the wearer's body. While this is, to some extent, true of all brassieres, the effect is often more pronounced in lingerie items. Aside from bras, the garments that do reshape the body are all considered lingerie: corsets, corsages and bustiers, for example.
In recent years, the range of lingerie sold has exploded. There are now more different garments in more different styles and more different colours than at any previous point in human history. Moreover, the range of sizes accommodated has greatly increased: lingerie can now be purchased in more different body sizes than ever before.
Nowhere is this more true than for brassieres. Unlike most undergarments, brassieres have several different measurements which can vary completely independently of each other. Bust size, band size and cup size must all be measured separately, because only then will a truly comfortable fit be achieved. Brassieres made as lingerie rather than underwear are generally better at this: they're high end products whose manufacturers understand that the women who wear them want to feel sexy and free, not confined and uncomfortable, and thus, lingerie brassieres are often not merely better looking but also better fitting and better feeling.
At the other end of the scale in terms of fitting are stockings. Sexy stockings can be made of nearly any fabric, but the most popular kinds are silk stockings, lace stockings and fishnet stockings. These will stretch to a fair extent, especially the fishnet stockings, so correct sizing matters less. Other fabrics are used to make stockings too, such as pvc stockings and leather stockings.
Please see inside store for complete range, sizes, colours and pricing:
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