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Buying lingerie for your girlfriend or wife is a lovely gesture. However, when confronted with racks of bafflingly-sized lace and wire constructions you realise what a minefield it can be.
Follow our failsafe guide to avoid any mishaps...
That's the bottom as well as the top. There's no point in trying to guess the dimensions of your beau's lovely lady lumps; get it wrong and you could be in trouble. Nothing says "wishful thinking" more than handing her a bra which could comfortably double as a pair of large sunhats.
Bra sizes can be confusing. 32B, for example, refers to two measurements. 32 is the measurement of her chest underneath her breasts, with 5 added to it and then rounded up to the nearest even number. B is the cup size - the ratio between this number and the measurement of her breasts around their fullest part. Put your tape measure away and ask her what her bra size is, or take a look at a few discarded items of lingerie and work out what the most common is.
Knickers are sized like trousers - 10, 12, 14 etc. Again, ask her (it's probably safer than rifling through her frillies). Make a note of both sizes and for heaven's sake, keep the receipts in case they don't quite fit.
Your idea of what's nice and hers will almost certainly part company at some point, so work out what she likes. If she favours white cotton, chances are that she won't appreciate something which makes her look like a hooker.
Some girls like patterns, frills and bows; some find them ugly or a nuisance. Certain brands - such as Agent Provocateur and Charnos (available from La Femme Fatale Lingerie) are sexy. Some are downright rude.
Others, like Lejaby, combine a range of patterns and details with something a bit more modest and functional. Be Cheeky stocks a wide range of brands, and don't forget Marks & Spencer whose wide range gets quite saucy and comes in a wide range of sizes.
Remember that you're buying this as a gift, as opposed to a purely functional item; you may have to part with a sizeable amount of cash for something flattering and pretty which will last.
Nothing says "you're sexy" like designer underwear; try sites such as Be Cheeky where you can look for specific designers or search a range of items. They'll normally offer advice on sizing and have a range of packing and delivery options.
It's worth paying a little more for underwear; if it's sexy and lasts for a while, it's the gift that keeps giving...
