By Vicki Louise

Feeling comfortable AND sexy doesn’t have to be the preserve of the younger generations. Feeling comfortable AND sexy IS possible. Being over 50 does not mean having to wear ugly, restrictive, frumpy underwear that goes grey the first time it is washed. More women are now realising that there is an increasing availability of luxury lingerie and are seeking it out.

Wearing gorgeous underwear can have such a positive impact on how we feel about ourselves. If we get it right, it changes our whole outlook – confidence in how we look and how we feel. French ladies discovered the secret many years ago – they dress from the inside. Wearing beautiful underwear that makes them feel good about themselves and gives them confidence; their outer clothes look and feel better because their underwear has given them a perfect base on which to build.

There is no reason why you cannot choose to wear pretty, frilly stuff that is readily available from supermarkets and high street retailers everywhere. However, there will be times when the cheap and cheerful just isn’t enough. More and more over 50’s are treating themselves to luxury lingerie – and why not? Why shouldn’t you enjoy the experience of choosing something lovely in the first place, and then enjoying feeling beautiful when you are wearing it? It doesn’t have to be ‘bedroom’ wear, it doesn’t have to be hugely expensive – just as long as you are comfortable and feel better about yourself.

It is sad but true: as we age, our breast tissue really needs more support than when we were younger, and no matter what our size, we need to wear bra’s that offer that level of support. For general day to day wear there are many brands available that offer good support, whatever the age or size of the wearer. Increasingly, these brands are becoming more fashionable (e.g. Felina Conturelle) and are now rivalling some of the long standing brands.

But, the main head turners are the luxury ranges from designers such as Barbara - a Parisian lingerie design house that uses the best French Leavers lace and Swiss embroidery in the making of these gorgeous garments. These are popular across all age groups, but are selling well to the more mature ladies as they recognise the elegance and quality of these beautiful, sexy garments. The men are happily buying these sets for their wives / partners as they are starting to understand that buying you a bra and brief set that is sexy and romantic rather than rude and trashy, is the way to your heart.

TOP TIPS

Buying luxury lingerie is such a treat: either we are buying it for our own comfort; or we are buying it as a treat for our loved one. If the underwear is not for a present, choosing together can be a very pleasant experience.

Buying frivolous lingerie for yourself:

- Either be properly fitted or carefully follow a guide for fitting yourself to make sure you are buying the right size

- If you are buying something frivolous for the first time, look at what you currently wear and choose something a bit more adventurous – if you choose something too adventurous first time, you may lose the confidence to try again

- Choose what YOU want to wear, not what you think you should wear

- Gorgeous underwear is not necessarily a precursor to sex – it is about feeling good about yourself at any time of the day. If that leads to intimacy, Great!

- Sometimes, we just need to indulge our feminine side and give ourselves the gift of beautiful, frivolous lingerie!

Buying frivolous lingerie for your lady:

- Follow a Men’s Lingerie Buying Guide to make sure you buy the right size. This is critical – expect all sorts of horrors if you get it wrong! However, it can be bliss if you get it right…

- Check the returns policy - some companies won’t accept back items of an intimate nature e.g.: briefs. Keep the receipt (just in case)– but don’t keep it attached to the gift – it takes away a little of the romance!

- Remember, she is the one wearing it – romance and elegance and quality are key. What she wants to wear and what you think of as sexy underwear are two very different things.

- Choose something that you think she will look attractive in – something that compliments her eyes; her skin tone; her hair; her size and her general sense of style.

- A tip from a male buyer of lingerie for his wife - he buys her the briefs and if she likes them, he then buys her the matching bra. Probably not a good idea to do this for a birthday / anniversary gift – but it helps reduce the risk of getting it wrong if you are buying for the first time.

So, frivolous lingerie – not JUST for the under 50’s!

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