Bra-vo! Help is at hand for bashful boyfriends who get in a twist over …

But a new service promises to take  the embarrassment out of the exercise — and stop men making an expensive mistake.

Debenhams is launching a clinic for couples to teach boyfriends and husbands how to navigate the mysteries of the lingerie department.

Lingerie expert Eleanora Christie-Clarke, who has been working at the Oxford Street store for 18 years, said: “Often men don’t know the right size and they tend to go for the designer stuff with more lace and satin, thongs and suspenders either in red or black.

“I suppose (they choose) items they think look sexy and expensive. Sometimes because they’re embarrassed they pick something up quickly  and stay around the edges of the section, so they can make mistakes because of that.

“A lot of people come back and exchange it for something they want, or keep the item and change the size because they feel like they have to because it’s from their boyfriend.

Helping hand: Men and couples are being given advice at Debenhams in Oxford Street (Picture: Glenn Copus)

“The other day I had a woman come back with a size 18 and she was actually a size 10.

“Women and men don’t buy the same thing, with women choosing everyday comfort and if they find something that’s pretty as well that’s very rare.”

The store estimates men waste up to £30 million on the wrong lingerie in the run up to Christmas Day, with women returning items or tucking them away at the back of a drawer. To fix the problem, the Oxford Street branch is hosting its first couples’ clinic on December 4, from 6pm.

Models will showcase the lingerie and experts will advise couples on fit and style. Men can also go without their partners for one-to-one tuition.

Sharon Webb, head of lingerie at Debenhams, said: “We know that many men don’t feel at ease in lingerie departments so our first clinic will be in a relaxed environment where people can get one-to-one attention.”

Tee Ahmet, 29, from Edmonton, who works in marketing, has already signed up. He said: “I have never been brave enough to buy lingerie and if I had been I don’t think it would have gone down particularly well. Hopefully this will make me feel a lot more comfortable.

“It will be nice to do this together as it gives an insight into what my girlfriend likes.”

Lessons in lingerie: Evening Standard reporter Josh Pettitt is given some advice (Picture: Glenn Copus)


Forget fishnets… and red’s too racy

The lingerie department, or Area 51 as I think of it, has always been the forbidden section of a department store — shrouded in myth and intrigue.

Like many men, on my brief forays there I have never lingered long among the lingerie, always skirting the edges with apologetic glances at female shoppers.

My advice to the uninitiated: seek help. Bra-fitting veteran Eleanora Christie-Clarke tells me she can always spot the bashful boyfriends, casting furtive glances at her section, afraid to cross the threshold.

After a few minutes with my expert minder, I now know my balcony from my plunge style and always to steer clear of suspenders. Other pitfalls: red is too racy, cut-outs are not classy and forget about fishnets.

But men’s most common error is being clueless on size. And size, in this case, really does matter.

Josh Pettitt

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