Lust for Lingerie – What You Need

Certain lingerie lives on in your imagination. In college I bought an actual Merry Widow black lace corset. The name alone was worth the price of admission, and I held onto it for years like some secret talisman. In the days before our friend Victoria, getting your paws on real, actual, sexy lingerie was not so easy. 

You had to go to a “nice ladies department” at Saks or Neiman’s, but even then it had a surreptitious, bad girl feel. You were supposed to be buying nice sensible bras from that poor old émigré Olga, not the slink Dior numbers. Those were set apart, vaguely radioactive, and even walking in their direction made you feel like a tart.  It was like wearing a giant sandwich board announcing: Hi! This Is About Sex.

Which was part of the fun.  I loved my Dior; I had endless sets, and if you think $40 is a lot to spend now for a bra, try justifying that on your bartender’s tips. The odd thing is, I remember them all.  I may not know your name, face, or where we made out all night twenty years ago, but by God I’ll remember the bra I had on. There was the black lacy Dior with the white pearl heart in the center; the sheer set patterned with cornflowers; the striped shimmer bra which was the first one where I realized…Hey, now! this can make you look bigger!

There were the early side-padded bras that were the forerunner of the Wonder Bra. There was the infamous Exploding Bra That Would Never Stay Fastened. There was the little gingham bra for that country girl/wicked city tramp juxtaposition. Friends, all.

Now there’s…The Nightgown.  It’s nude silk, to the floor, scattered with strategic flowers, bias cut, draped at the bosom, utterly goddess-esque. It’s not me; it’s the nightgown.  It’s the star.  But that’s why we buy this stuff. Lingerie Wardrobe Basics:

• 1 babydoll shortie + thong

• 1 long nightgown

• 1 stretchy camisole

• 1 garter, plus pair of stockings + one in reserve

• 1 getup – you know what I mean. It should match the garter

• 1 Wonderbra for low-cleav nights

• 1 plain, totally smooth bra for under T-shirts and knits

• 2 lacy bras, in white or color + black – remember you can’t wear these with smooth-fitting stuff; so plan accordingly 

• 1 demi pushup bra

• 1 convertible bra – straps make halters and strapless

• 1 silicon filled bra

• 1 school girl roll up stockings for playing naughty jeune fille

• Plenty of coordinating panties and thongs