How to buy lingerie for your Valentine
February 11, 2015 by admin
Filed under Choosing Lingerie
Don’t ruin Valentine’s Day with an ill-judged lingerie purchase. Photo: Tamara Dean
In terms of risk/reward it really is in a category of its own. You know what I’m getting at, don’t you? You got it – buying lingerie for your beloved on Valentine’s Day.
Get it right and reap the adoration. Miscue and the most romantic day of the year could take a very frosty turn.
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The trick to saving yourself a night in the dog house is to do a little homework. But where to start?
Size does matter
Don’t get too far ahead of yourself – more complex decisions will come later, but first you need to make sure of one thing: that you know her size.
When in doubt, ask for help with choosing lingerie. Photo: iStock
If in doubt, a quick rummage through her top draw will help solve it. Sure, this might feel a tad illicit, but if you’re going to buy some intimate apparel for your partner, you want to make sure you’ve got this right.
Otherwise, do yourself and your partner a favour and find help.
When in doubt – ask
“We’re really well rehearsed with looking after gentlemen. We have our own techniques in store for guessing partner’s sizes without referring to a fruit bowl,” says Despina Michael of luxury lingerie retailer, im Lingerie, which has stores in Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast.
Just a quick piece of advice: if you do end up hazarding a size guess, Michael soundly recommends going smaller rather than larger, for obvious reasons.
But getting the size right really only represents a pass mark, especially on Valentine’s Day.
No, on this day you really want to impress in your present giving. Upon unveiling, lukewarm smiles and sympathetic hugs must be out of the question. If you’re the kind of man who is known to simply grab whatever’s closest, make sure you also grab a second opinion.
New age guys
Michael says that men who visit im’s boutiques are increasingly knowledgeable, purposeful and less likely to choose something purely for their own tastes.
“I think there has been a change in buying patterns with our male clients. They’re more educated and more discerning, so they’re coming in and they know what they’re looking for … their tastes are more in tune with global trends and international luxury brands,” she says.
And when it comes to buying the best, Michael asserts it has to be Leavers lace, which is still made on 19th century Leavers looms in the French city of Calais.
“The laces are three-dimensional, very intricate, luxurious, very beautiful and you really can’t compare them to other laces,” she says.
Brand power
“The majority of our brands are imported from France and Italy. The average price point for a set is around $350, ranging through to $900. So we’re positioned at the higher, luxury end of the market. The quality is unsurpassed.”
Michael says if you really want to buy something exquisite, brands to look out for are La Perla, Lise Charmel, Parah, Christies, and Aubade – a French label that has has been around since 1875.
“There’s a lot of experience, not only in the history of these brands, but obviously in their techniques, construction and fit.”
If you’re keen on making your Valentine feel even more luxurious, Michael suggests considering lingerie pieces adorned with Swarovski crystals.
So whether you go classic, conservative or cheeky, make sure you do your homework. And if you get it horribly wrong, don’t say we didn’t warn you.
