Disclosure: This blog post is sponsored by Camille.
I realised recently that after all this time blogging about underthings, I’ve never really spoken about why. Why do I love lingerie? Why not just blog about shoes and dresses (because I sure do like them too)?
I remember way back when I was a child, still of vest-wearing age, that I always wanted to wear the one with the lace trim and the single diamanté gem at the centre. I just thought it was so pretty, and it’s still these little details that draw me in today. I love the intricacy of lingerie, whether it’s an elaborate embroidery or the logo-stamped hardware that many luxury brands make use of. Small details that would go almost unnoticed on a dress have so much more impact on something the size of a bra. Beautiful, luxury laces that would be far outside of my budget for regular clothing become attainable when it’s a case of just the small amount needed for a bra and thong (and I’m always a sucker for a decadent lace).
Camille lilac embroidered bra, reduced to £11 (~$14 / ~13€)
Camille lilac satin floral print bra, reduced to £9.99 (~$12 / ~12€)
I also love the way that the humble bra and knicker set can take so many different forms. There’s only so much you can change about a bra before it ceases to function, and yet I regularly come across new silhouettes or details that I’ve never seen before in lingerie. I am forever being impressed at just how creative designers, especially the independent ones, can be – in fact, I would say the practical limitations and restrictions imposed upon them forces them to be creative in a way that doesn’t apply to general clothing design.
Speaking of the design process, lingerie is just so much more complex and fascinating to me than a skirt could ever be. Whether it’s the way lingerie materials and silhouettes have changed and changed again over the decades or the way a particular placement of seams affects a cup’s shape, the more I research and learn about the topic, the more I realise there is to learn. And I love that – things get boring when there’s nothing left to discover about them.
That all explains why I love to buy and research and write about lingerie, but not why I enjoy wearing it. So why is that? Partly, it’s the functionality. I like the way a corset or basque can improve my posture and stop me slouching, and the way I can smooth out the wrinkles on a dress that’s a tad loose at the bust, or fit into one that’s a bit small, through choosing the right bra. I can change the way a certain dress hangs and moves just by wearing a slip underneath. Whatever outfit I want to wear, I can create the right foundation for it through my underpinnings.
Camille light control shaper dress, reduced to £16.99 (~$21 / ~20€)
But, lingerie is so much more than a functional garment. It lets me play dress-up and be whoever I want to be for the day. I have a girly side and a gothic side, and lingerie lets me express both without necessarily broadcasting it to the world if I don’t want to. My budget and my wardrobe space are finite so I’ve developed a practical personal uniform of sorts for outerwear – when shopping, I always ask myself, will this work for the office as well as for my downtime? – but there’s no reason or need to do the same with lingerie.
As relaxed as my office’s dress-code is, I can’t rock up in full metalhead regalia when I’m feeling ‘a bit goth’, but can I wear all things black and strappy below? Sure. Who’s going to know but me? Similarly, I can’t exactly pop to Tesco in a ball gown but I can put my silk and tulle LaLilouche concoction on and still feel like a princess, even if what the world sees is denim shorts and a tee.
It’s this way that lingerie can transform the way you perceive yourself that really makes me love it. I can be ill, moping around at home and feeling sorry for myself, but give me a lacy robe and even on a day like that it’s impossible not to feel just a little bit glamorous, and a little bit more cheerful.
Camille royal blue velour kaftan, reduced to £22.99 (~$28 / ~27€)
Camille gold & red satin pyjama set, reduced to £24.99 (~$31 / ~30€)
Camille recently surveyed 1,000 people and 94% said that the right underwear made them feel happier, sexier or more confident. What’s ‘right’ will vary from person to person, but there’s a perfect style of lingerie out there for everyone (even if it’s going braless!).
If yours isn’t making you feel happy every time you put it on then I’d say it’s time for a change. Get re-fitted, buy something in your favourite colour, or experiment with a completely new style. Everyone deserves to have underthings that make them feel awesome! And whether you feel your best in a bejewelled quarter-cup or a cotton t-shirt bra, no one need know but you.
Now, over to you. What is it about lingerie that you love?
