I never considered myself much of a shopper; least of all for lacy thongs and patterned corsets. And yet, I somehow found myself one Friday afternoon in a lingerie shop in downtown Nagoya, trying on various items, looking for something cute to buy. My friends and I talked on and off about going bra shopping while we were in Japan. This past weekend we finally made it out to Amo’s Style.
The retailer is an offshoot of Triumph International, a lingerie manufacturer founded in Germany in the late 1800s. The first Japanese location established in 1963. The company is one of the main producers of bras and sexy panties in Japan.
Amo’s Style is located in Sakae, one of the main commercial districts in Nagoya. It targets young women in their late teens and early twenties, though a store owner said that they have received patrons well into their fifties. The first thing I noticed about the lingerie on display was the quintessential “kawaii” style. Kawaii is the Japanese word for “cute,” but it has grown to encompass a much wider meaning: a cultural ideal of “cuteness,” expressed through the many facets of everyday life. Something that is “kawaii” is adorable, delicate, beautiful, and innocent.
The store was a sea of soft pinks, light greens and baby blues; pastel colors that give of the softness of something that is “kawaii.” The bras were designed to fit well and fully cover the breast; thongs – where they existed – had swaths of fabric to cover the hips and provide a hint of modesty. All were decorated: many with flowers, some with hearts, and several with bows.
Coming from America, this was not the image of “lingerie” that I had grown up with. Back in the states, I had learned that lingerie was worn to give a woman a sense of power by letting her take her sex appeal into her own hands. The images I had seen were pronounced with strong colors; black, crimson, and deep purple, colors that embody the ideals of passion, power and sexual intrigue. In Japan, it is an entirely different story. The women also strive for an ideal – but theirs is one not of power, but of delicacy. Not passion, but beauty. Not sex, but innocence. Neither is right or wrong; both are perfectly effective in the context of the culture that gave rise to them. Still, this experience has made me aware of the ways in which culture touches all aspects of our lives, even those that no one else (save that one special person) gets to see.
Showing posts with label sexy panties. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sexy panties. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Friday, May 16, 2014
Paris Shopping: 10 Tips for Buying and Wearing French Lingerie
Paris Shopping: 10 Tips for Buying and Wearing French Lingerie
1. Avoid department store dressing rooms like the self-esteem-killing zones that they are. Fluorescent lighting makes everyone look a bit scary. Opt instead to NOT try them on in the store, but make sure they have a lenient return policy. Many stores will not allow you to return panties, so skip these stores if possible.
2. Go to small lingerie stores that have a knowledgable staff, low lighting and preferably champagne or wine (amazing how much better we all look after a drink or two). Let them recommend styles that look best with your body shape, and be honest about your concern areas. The best Paris shopping professionals will not tell you how great you look in everything you try on, but will help you mask the areas that make you feel a little self-conscious.
3. Be clear on “the purpose” of this ensemble. If it’s something you want to be able to wear under tight-fitting clothes, opt for seamless lines with proper support. If it’s seduction you’re after, go for all the bells and whistles, like ribbon ties, lace and frills, or dangling rhinestones. I recommend buying a silk robe to wear over your ensemble for nights of seduction, because I find that there is always that awkward moment when you try to figure out how to change into your sexy underwear. Do you reveal it when undressing, which doesn’t really work when there are lots of frilly attachments to catch on your clothes? Do you go into the bathroom and change when things start to heat up, killing the mood somewhat? Changing into your sexy underthings with a silk robe over them (yes, it must be silk and not flannel or Patagonia microfiber, heaven forbid) gives you a nonchalant way to maintain the mystery, yet set the mood.
4. When trying on lingerie, pointedly focus your eye on the parts of your body that you (or your man) love. Ignore all the rest (as he will). A critical eye and mind are seduction killers that can only be obliterated with confidence and self-satisfaction. Fabulous lingerie can only take you so far if you wear it under a cloak of embarrassment and self-criticism.
5. A saleswoman at Sabbia Rosa, one of Paris’s most exclusive lingerie shops, once told me that French men prefer white or ivory lingerie because it makes the woman appear “pure and virginal.” When choosing a color, make sure you can live up to the impression you are creating. Seductions have a personality, be it femme fatale, coquette, virgin bride, or dominatrix. Choose your lingerie accordingly.
6. Sometimes you want lingerie that simply makes your clothing look better. The one mistake I see over and over again with women in the States is not pulling the bra straps tight enough, thereby creating a sagging effect that lowers the breasts over the rib cage. One of the first things a professional salesperson who knows how to fit a bra will do is literally yank those straps as tight as possible. If the band and cup sizes are right, then the bra will not inch up. I rarely see bras in Paris, like I do in the States, that are built without a shelf-like support system, which does not allow for sagging. Indeed, this focus on pushing the breasts up-and-out in a natural, yet enhancing, way starts with French girls’ first “training bra.” Compare this popular French training bra with those we all had as young girls, and you’ll immediately understand what I’m talking about.
7. French women are known to match their sexy panties and bras ALWAYS and to wear, what we consider, “special” lingerie on a daily basis. A simple way to implement this is to never shop for an everyday bra and a pack of panties. Never. It’s a major mental shift for some of us who view lingerie as utilitarian and practical to the point of afterthought. But to Flirt Like a French Girl means to have a secret caché of sexiness that you can reveal at any moment. It is not only to pay attention to aesthetic details, but to revel in them as an outer sensual expression of an inner adherence to a personal code of unapologetic self-gratification. Everyday bras and interchangeable, dull panties are the plain dishes we use daily, while our lovely china sits unused, waiting for the proper and all-too-rare occasion. When we dull ourselves down to accepting “everyday” vs. “special,” we lose the opportunity to embrace pleasure in small daily activities and instead compartmentalize our sexiness and sensuality into specific time frames.
8. It is estimated that French women spend 20% of their annual clothing income on lingerie. This is, most importantly, an every-year annual expenditure, not a once-in-a-lifetime or once-a-decade shopping spree. Just as French women do not own any grungy, “headed to the grocery store”-type clothing, there is also no ratty, old-and-tired lingerie within hand’s reach. Lingerie is not allowed to fray beyond recognition, lose it shape to the point of pointlessness, and fade into a gray oblivion from its once pristine whiteness. We all know when a pair of shoes are past their prime, yet we seem to accept the wearing of lingerie that no longer shapes and supports us. Consider anything over a year old that has been worn frequently and for long periods of the day as past its shelf life and replace quickly.
9. Contrary to the media stereotype of all French women being thin and perfectly proportioned, many French women do indeed come in larger shapes and sizes. While large breasts are relatively rare here, due to less women having breast augmentation surgery, there are still French women who would be considered by any standard to be heavy-set or simply carrying a few extra pounds that they would prefer to mask. This is why every pharmacy and lingerie boutique sells control-top hose and body shapers in different “strengths.” Yet, even for these practical items, French companies have found ways to make them exceedingly sexy, like Wolford’s Shape and Control collection. For an easy way to introduce shapewear into your daily routine, replace your opaque black tights (you’re wearing those all the times like the French girls do, right?) with ones that have a push-up effect and control top. Wolford makes some of the best, and they make a huge difference in reshaping your contours. Why do they make them in extra-small and small, you might ask? Because even thin people wear them to control jiggle and enhance their curves.
10. While French women wear lingerie everyday that is, by most standards, finer than what most Americans wear on special occasions, they do also have investment pieces. These are items that are profoundly expensive due to the quality of the materials and limited production, but can be worn for years and never lose their timeless and classic essence. For me, Sabbia Rosa chemises and nightgowns exemplify French glamour, with their handmade lace and lush silks. The arrogance of all the designs being one-size-fits-all seems aptly French too, as if to say, “Why wear a style that really doesn’t look good on you?” One of the major transitions I made after moving here was to discipline myself into wearing a Sabbia Rosa nightgown to bed each night, instead of throwing on a discarded t-shirt with some sports-team logo that I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing in public. I challenged myself to wear it even when I was alone in bed, and that profound shift in what I wore to sleep changed my view on what I wore beneath my clothes during the day. Might I suggest that this is where you begin too?
1. Avoid department store dressing rooms like the self-esteem-killing zones that they are. Fluorescent lighting makes everyone look a bit scary. Opt instead to NOT try them on in the store, but make sure they have a lenient return policy. Many stores will not allow you to return panties, so skip these stores if possible.
2. Go to small lingerie stores that have a knowledgable staff, low lighting and preferably champagne or wine (amazing how much better we all look after a drink or two). Let them recommend styles that look best with your body shape, and be honest about your concern areas. The best Paris shopping professionals will not tell you how great you look in everything you try on, but will help you mask the areas that make you feel a little self-conscious.
3. Be clear on “the purpose” of this ensemble. If it’s something you want to be able to wear under tight-fitting clothes, opt for seamless lines with proper support. If it’s seduction you’re after, go for all the bells and whistles, like ribbon ties, lace and frills, or dangling rhinestones. I recommend buying a silk robe to wear over your ensemble for nights of seduction, because I find that there is always that awkward moment when you try to figure out how to change into your sexy underwear. Do you reveal it when undressing, which doesn’t really work when there are lots of frilly attachments to catch on your clothes? Do you go into the bathroom and change when things start to heat up, killing the mood somewhat? Changing into your sexy underthings with a silk robe over them (yes, it must be silk and not flannel or Patagonia microfiber, heaven forbid) gives you a nonchalant way to maintain the mystery, yet set the mood.
4. When trying on lingerie, pointedly focus your eye on the parts of your body that you (or your man) love. Ignore all the rest (as he will). A critical eye and mind are seduction killers that can only be obliterated with confidence and self-satisfaction. Fabulous lingerie can only take you so far if you wear it under a cloak of embarrassment and self-criticism.
5. A saleswoman at Sabbia Rosa, one of Paris’s most exclusive lingerie shops, once told me that French men prefer white or ivory lingerie because it makes the woman appear “pure and virginal.” When choosing a color, make sure you can live up to the impression you are creating. Seductions have a personality, be it femme fatale, coquette, virgin bride, or dominatrix. Choose your lingerie accordingly.
6. Sometimes you want lingerie that simply makes your clothing look better. The one mistake I see over and over again with women in the States is not pulling the bra straps tight enough, thereby creating a sagging effect that lowers the breasts over the rib cage. One of the first things a professional salesperson who knows how to fit a bra will do is literally yank those straps as tight as possible. If the band and cup sizes are right, then the bra will not inch up. I rarely see bras in Paris, like I do in the States, that are built without a shelf-like support system, which does not allow for sagging. Indeed, this focus on pushing the breasts up-and-out in a natural, yet enhancing, way starts with French girls’ first “training bra.” Compare this popular French training bra with those we all had as young girls, and you’ll immediately understand what I’m talking about.
7. French women are known to match their sexy panties and bras ALWAYS and to wear, what we consider, “special” lingerie on a daily basis. A simple way to implement this is to never shop for an everyday bra and a pack of panties. Never. It’s a major mental shift for some of us who view lingerie as utilitarian and practical to the point of afterthought. But to Flirt Like a French Girl means to have a secret caché of sexiness that you can reveal at any moment. It is not only to pay attention to aesthetic details, but to revel in them as an outer sensual expression of an inner adherence to a personal code of unapologetic self-gratification. Everyday bras and interchangeable, dull panties are the plain dishes we use daily, while our lovely china sits unused, waiting for the proper and all-too-rare occasion. When we dull ourselves down to accepting “everyday” vs. “special,” we lose the opportunity to embrace pleasure in small daily activities and instead compartmentalize our sexiness and sensuality into specific time frames.
8. It is estimated that French women spend 20% of their annual clothing income on lingerie. This is, most importantly, an every-year annual expenditure, not a once-in-a-lifetime or once-a-decade shopping spree. Just as French women do not own any grungy, “headed to the grocery store”-type clothing, there is also no ratty, old-and-tired lingerie within hand’s reach. Lingerie is not allowed to fray beyond recognition, lose it shape to the point of pointlessness, and fade into a gray oblivion from its once pristine whiteness. We all know when a pair of shoes are past their prime, yet we seem to accept the wearing of lingerie that no longer shapes and supports us. Consider anything over a year old that has been worn frequently and for long periods of the day as past its shelf life and replace quickly.
9. Contrary to the media stereotype of all French women being thin and perfectly proportioned, many French women do indeed come in larger shapes and sizes. While large breasts are relatively rare here, due to less women having breast augmentation surgery, there are still French women who would be considered by any standard to be heavy-set or simply carrying a few extra pounds that they would prefer to mask. This is why every pharmacy and lingerie boutique sells control-top hose and body shapers in different “strengths.” Yet, even for these practical items, French companies have found ways to make them exceedingly sexy, like Wolford’s Shape and Control collection. For an easy way to introduce shapewear into your daily routine, replace your opaque black tights (you’re wearing those all the times like the French girls do, right?) with ones that have a push-up effect and control top. Wolford makes some of the best, and they make a huge difference in reshaping your contours. Why do they make them in extra-small and small, you might ask? Because even thin people wear them to control jiggle and enhance their curves.
10. While French women wear lingerie everyday that is, by most standards, finer than what most Americans wear on special occasions, they do also have investment pieces. These are items that are profoundly expensive due to the quality of the materials and limited production, but can be worn for years and never lose their timeless and classic essence. For me, Sabbia Rosa chemises and nightgowns exemplify French glamour, with their handmade lace and lush silks. The arrogance of all the designs being one-size-fits-all seems aptly French too, as if to say, “Why wear a style that really doesn’t look good on you?” One of the major transitions I made after moving here was to discipline myself into wearing a Sabbia Rosa nightgown to bed each night, instead of throwing on a discarded t-shirt with some sports-team logo that I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing in public. I challenged myself to wear it even when I was alone in bed, and that profound shift in what I wore to sleep changed my view on what I wore beneath my clothes during the day. Might I suggest that this is where you begin too?
Monday, April 28, 2014
Sonata Dolls up Home Show in London
The Ideal Home Show at Christmas was the ideal place to be this November 13 – 17, 2013. A spin off from the more familiar, Ideal Home Show, this Christmas exhibition took place at Earls Court Exhibition Centre in the heart of West London.
The show hosted around 650 exhibitors with an estimated footfall that was set to reach over 85 000 and featured eight themed sections including Fashion & Beauty. Ultimately, the show was designed to be the ultimate one-stop destination for Christmas shoppers. I had the pleasure of attending the Wednesday show and was not disappointed. With “snow” carpeting the entrance to the building and Santa’s sleigh parked out front, I left with a keen sense that Christmas is coming!
And if, by chance, you were wondering what party dress and underneaths to wear for the holidays, then the Fashion & Beauty section provided some dressing up solutions. In fact, the catwalk show was the place to be, where the latest Autumn/Winter trends were flaunted.The live Christmas Catwalk show was sponsored by luxury car mogul Lexus and the show was as lux as the car that was on display next to the stage. Held under the theme Models of Diversity the event showcased the beauty and talent of models of differing ages, dress sizes, and ethnic backgrounds.
Names like Soboye, Dea (London) and Audre Nicole made their presence felt on the catwalk but the show stopper, by far, was the sensuous, heady and jaw-dropping collection by Sonata Lingerie.
Russian designer Sonata Rapalyte set the runway alight with an ultra-feminine collection of lace, satin and chiffons. Sexy sets as well as luxurious lace body suits in a soft palette were paraded down the runway, some with tantalising corseted backs fit for a front cover heroine.
Models dazzled the eyes in see through floral garland styled lace body garments that fitted and flattered every curve and left very little to the imagination. Sensational sets in pink, turquoise and gold and the richly coloured Elektra set in navy and fuchsia- with its semi-ribbon back sexy panties- injected sparks of colour into this very pleasing collection.
The show hosted around 650 exhibitors with an estimated footfall that was set to reach over 85 000 and featured eight themed sections including Fashion & Beauty. Ultimately, the show was designed to be the ultimate one-stop destination for Christmas shoppers. I had the pleasure of attending the Wednesday show and was not disappointed. With “snow” carpeting the entrance to the building and Santa’s sleigh parked out front, I left with a keen sense that Christmas is coming!
And if, by chance, you were wondering what party dress and underneaths to wear for the holidays, then the Fashion & Beauty section provided some dressing up solutions. In fact, the catwalk show was the place to be, where the latest Autumn/Winter trends were flaunted.The live Christmas Catwalk show was sponsored by luxury car mogul Lexus and the show was as lux as the car that was on display next to the stage. Held under the theme Models of Diversity the event showcased the beauty and talent of models of differing ages, dress sizes, and ethnic backgrounds.
Names like Soboye, Dea (London) and Audre Nicole made their presence felt on the catwalk but the show stopper, by far, was the sensuous, heady and jaw-dropping collection by Sonata Lingerie.
Russian designer Sonata Rapalyte set the runway alight with an ultra-feminine collection of lace, satin and chiffons. Sexy sets as well as luxurious lace body suits in a soft palette were paraded down the runway, some with tantalising corseted backs fit for a front cover heroine.
Models dazzled the eyes in see through floral garland styled lace body garments that fitted and flattered every curve and left very little to the imagination. Sensational sets in pink, turquoise and gold and the richly coloured Elektra set in navy and fuchsia- with its semi-ribbon back sexy panties- injected sparks of colour into this very pleasing collection.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Sarrieri’s SS13 Collection
Lingerie addicts often dream to own sets from the likes of Myla London, La Perla, and I.D. Sarrieri. When presented with the opportunity to obtain a very special gift from I.D. Sarrieri’s SS13 collection, my heart beat pulsed and the lacy goodness in me glowed with satisfaction. Flipping through the Spring/Summer catalogue I found it difficult to pick just one piece as they were all so uniquely exquisite. Dare I pick a statement corset, sensual lace body suit, or a more practical but still as utterly wonderful bra and brief set? Long story short (or long in my mind as I pined over the catalogue pages for what seemed like hours) I finally decided on practicality. My heart had been stolen by the Belle Du Jour half-cup underwired bra and brief with flirty straps and Chantilly lace detailing edged with fine rose tulle.
A quick email off to request my sizes (32B, S) and the wait began. I kept fearing that the bra would end up being too big. It is always a gamble with new brands whether I will fit a 32B or 30B cup better. However, when the package arrived pristinely wrapped in a black and white I.D. Sarrieri box my worries vanished because all that matter at that moment was putting on the gorgeous set that had been sent to me.
Door checked and locked I stripped down and tentatively slipped on the rose tulle briefs with Chantilly lace detailing on the back. Perfect fit! I spun in a circle in front of the mirror and marveled at how beautiful the briefs were.Moving onto the bra I started to panic. The cups looked a tad bit big but once on and straps adjusted I sighed will relief. It fit. I felt so incredibly empowered simply by seeing how great I looked in the set. The bra has slight erotic hints with the black strap detailing which is softened by the romanticism of the Chantilly lace. The combination with the sexy panties and it is clear this set calls for attention. Bold and beautiful. Soft but edgy. I feel like I’ve had my persona compiled into one set.
A quick email off to request my sizes (32B, S) and the wait began. I kept fearing that the bra would end up being too big. It is always a gamble with new brands whether I will fit a 32B or 30B cup better. However, when the package arrived pristinely wrapped in a black and white I.D. Sarrieri box my worries vanished because all that matter at that moment was putting on the gorgeous set that had been sent to me.
Door checked and locked I stripped down and tentatively slipped on the rose tulle briefs with Chantilly lace detailing on the back. Perfect fit! I spun in a circle in front of the mirror and marveled at how beautiful the briefs were.Moving onto the bra I started to panic. The cups looked a tad bit big but once on and straps adjusted I sighed will relief. It fit. I felt so incredibly empowered simply by seeing how great I looked in the set. The bra has slight erotic hints with the black strap detailing which is softened by the romanticism of the Chantilly lace. The combination with the sexy panties and it is clear this set calls for attention. Bold and beautiful. Soft but edgy. I feel like I’ve had my persona compiled into one set.
Friday, April 11, 2014
KissKill Lingerie at CurveNY
One of the brands we enjoyed meeting in person at CurveNY last month was KissKill Lingerie. The Australian brand’s debut collection, License to Kill, features bras, sexy panties, slips and robes in nude, black hues and rose gold hardware in eight ranges: Ruby, Sophie, Tilly, Bond, Cassie, Sylvia, Solitaire and Lana. “License to kill creates alluring, charming and beautiful pieces enticing customers wanting something captivating and glamorous,” said the brand’s designer and founder, Jane Carrodus.
At CurveNY, Jane also showcased the collections offering of accessories — sleepmasks and adorable lace bunny ears (which she was proudly wearing at Jacob Javits). KissKill also includes Sleepwear.The brand’s name, KissKill embodies two concepts: Kiss represents the feminine side of a woman’s personality and sexuality and embracing the soft side of being a woman. Kill references the allure of a woman – the strong, independent and dominant side.
“She has a killer instinct she uses to empower herself and create an air of mystery to her personality. She wants to be loved but also desired as a sexual being. She is comfortable with her sexuality and who she is behind closed doors,” said Jane. “Kill represents her use of sexuality to conjure an emotion leading to ultimately, killer sex appeal.”
At CurveNY, Jane also showcased the collections offering of accessories — sleepmasks and adorable lace bunny ears (which she was proudly wearing at Jacob Javits). KissKill also includes Sleepwear.The brand’s name, KissKill embodies two concepts: Kiss represents the feminine side of a woman’s personality and sexuality and embracing the soft side of being a woman. Kill references the allure of a woman – the strong, independent and dominant side.
“She has a killer instinct she uses to empower herself and create an air of mystery to her personality. She wants to be loved but also desired as a sexual being. She is comfortable with her sexuality and who she is behind closed doors,” said Jane. “Kill represents her use of sexuality to conjure an emotion leading to ultimately, killer sex appeal.”
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