Discover your lingerie style

Your underwear should be as fabulous as you are. Think about it: It’s the first thing that touches your skin in the morning, and the very foundation of whatever goes on next. When those pieces are items you love, donning them can be transformative. After all, lingerie is a celebration of femininity, and it can — and should be — as unique as your fashion sense. Here’s a guide to help you find and cultivate your lingerie style.

Elegant

You love classic styles, glamorous silhouettes and the occasional plunging neckline. Jeans and t-shirts are not in heavy rotation in your weekly wardrobe.

• Try mixing it up from your basics with a lacy demi bra. We’ve all been trained to think a t-shirt bra is the only way to go for invisible undergarments. Not true! Lace can lay smoothly under just about anything (except perhaps a super-clingy knit). Even when it doesn’t, there’s a certain allure to hinting at the lace underneath.
• Keep things extra classy by wearing a matched set. Amp up the versatility by selecting comfortable bottoms in neutral colors that will mix and match with the bras you own.
• Potential lingerie designers and styles: Stella McCartney or this Artistry bra by Elle MacPherson

PRAGMATIC

You’ve got a lockdown on multitasking. Your clothing doesn’t just look good; it must also be comfortable, easy to care for and easy to pack. Lacy bits might not be your thing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t assemble an undergarment arsenal that fits your lifestyle.

• If cotton is your thing, try a pair with just a bit of lace trim. If the word lace makes you gag, then at least update your silhouette by choosing pairs with a lower rise and gentle elastic that won’t dig in.
• In bras, look for practical and versatile: smooth microfibers, molded cups and the like. Satisfy your need for functionality with a convertible bra, which pulls double (sometimes triple) duty by going from traditional to strapless to cross-back and even one-shoulder.
• Potential lingerie designers and styles: this t-shirt bra by Chantelle or Eberjey

EDGY

Your dream job would be trend-spotter. Underwear as outerwear doesn’t make you flinch, and you know how to fasten the straps on a garterbelt. The best advice for you is to let your underwear out to play.

• Take full advantage of the current layered trend of bralets peeking out from tanks and sundresses. You might choose something with unique straps, making the ensemble all the more interesting.
• Another trend to experiment with is the bodysuit. It just begs to be layered under a skirt and jacket, or to serve as a base layer under a drape-y tank dress.
• Potential lingerie designers and styles: The Lake & Stars or this women’s vest top by Made by Nikki

Elizabeth Tigar is the owner of a lingerie boutique, Underwear, in Austin, Texas. Visit shop-underwear.comto check out the latest styles.

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