Luxury Lingerie Shopping

Lingerie is something that is always going to be a part of our lives.  No matter how hard you try – lingerie is something that you need and while you do not necessarily need to have the sexiest lingerie out there, the constant surprise of lingerie and just how sexy the designers can make it is something that has always interested me.

Personally, I remember the very first bra that came out – it was beautiful and woman did not exactly know what to do with it … okay.  So I don’t remember the first bra, but I remember when pin-up girls in their lingerie pieces started appearing everywhere and honestly … they looked incredible!

Every single girl wanted to be them and if you were a girl that had that figure, you were in lingerie just like that.  Lingerie is a beautiful thing that can make you feel beautiful, don’t be ashamed of it!

When it comes to lingerie, there are so many different types available, but one of the sexiest types in the world is the simple bra and boxer combination.  There is nothing sexier than a girl in a pair of boxers with just a bra.  Of course, there are many occasions when thongs, garter belts and teddy’s are nice too, but think about it, there is just something so classic, so real and so romantic about waking up to a girl and seeing them in just their bra and a pair of girl boxers.

That was the thought behind this beautiful Gilda and Pearl piece.  It is made from the softest polyester stain in the world and to be honest, they wanted to simply create something that is not only beautiful but is inspired from the 1940’s.  This is what the women in the forties would wear for lingerie and to be honest, I think it looks so amazing!

The attention to detail on this piece is incredible and I believe that Gilda and Pearl definitely have it right this time!  This is a classic pin-up girl set of lingerie and it definitely looks amazing!

The Öko Box is an informative online store dedicated to designers focused on creating garments that do not contribute to the destruction of the environment. Leslie, the site’s owner, compiled the collections out of her “unified love of nature, health, and the human animal”. Everyone can do their small part to eradicate allergies from invasive products thereby creating healthier people and a healthier planet.

One of the designers whose work is showcased is Clare Bare from Brooklyn, New York. Creating pretty little bloomers from vintage fabrics, bygone trimmings, and organic cotton, Clare produces limited edition pieces. Believing that one’s body is beautiful, she does not make her lingerie to cover weaknesses. Further, she feels that flaws do not exist unless attention is brought to them by way of making something to “fix the problem”. Thus, any body shape can wear Clare Bare bloomers, bras and tank tops.

You really must see this small collection. Not only is it pretty, fun and comfortable, but the materials used to create the vintage lingerie are creativity at its finest. For example, the Paper Bag Waist Bloomers are made from a vintage curtain. Now that is artistic!

Well this is an interesting lingerie tidbit. In fact, it is a new twist on buying vintage lingerie! It seems that Queen Victoria’s 1890s handmade knickers went on auction, expecting to reap about $1000.The purchaser, however, paid a cool price tag of $9000 (US / CDN).

Acquired earlier this week at a British auction in Derby England, the royal knickers boast a fifty inch waist with drawstring and open-crotch. Barbara Rusch, the Toronto, Canada woman who is the lucky winner, has collected Queen Victoria’s items for the past twenty-five years. Not only was she the winning bidder of the bloomers but she also obtained a Queen Victoria chemise, with a bust size of sixty-six inches, for a mere eight thousand dollars. It was valued at six hundred dollars.

Most of Queen Victoria’s undergarments were embroidered with her initials VR (Victoria Regina) crested with her crown above. In addition to the knickers and chemise, Barbara also owns a pair of pink hand-embroidered silk stockings and other pieces from Queen Victoria’s garments and jewelry.

As the president of The Ephemera Society of Canada, Barbara has permitted her private collection of Queen Victoria items, entitled “Ephemera from the Age of Victoria”, to be displayed for the enjoyment of the general population.

In true French style, Cervin is a fabulous collection of silk stockings. Deeply rooted in luxury and culture, when Germain Massal first began operations in the 1920s, he made silk stockings to be sent to the Royal and Imperial Courts of Europe. Today, the company is managed by the third generation and the stockings and legwear are as luxurious and as fashionable as the original L’ARSOIE.

Interestingly, Cervin uses a long lost art to make the finest footwear available. Knitting on 3D machines makes the thread and mesh of the stocking perfectly identical from the top to the bottom. This technique is so highly sought after that museums and private collectors commission Cervin for their own collections.

Cervin offers fashion tights in various colours and designs including Arabesque motifs, floral designs, geometrical lines, ankle tattoo designs, and stripes and dots. The classic tights are sheer and semi dull with lace waistbands and open or closed derrière. Their fashion stay-ups are beautifully crafted with lace tops and reduced heel design.

Nylon stockings with authentic Edwardian three-thread seam up the back of the leg, Cuban style heels, ankle tattoos, gold and silver seams, and sandal foot styling are the earmarks of this successful company. Fitness tights, knee-highs and silk socks round out Cervin’s product lines.

The 2008-2009 Collection is available for viewing on the Cervin website and it will enchant with its spiral designs, vertical stripes, vintage look, Chinese designs and wooden look stripes. A newer collection will début in the autumn of 2008 called aleXsandro Palombo by CERVIN Paris. The talents of the Italian designer combined with the tradition of Cervin, will make a noteworthy luxury haute couture accessory. Using prestigious embroideries, high quality cashmeres and the finest silk weaves, this will be a must-have collection to adore.

I still prefer Secrets In Lace for Nylon Stockings, though.

A common expression is “history repeats itself”. How true that is with vintage inspired lingerie. Peruse vintage or retro lingerie and clothing shops and second hand boutiques and you will see that everything is picked over the minute it arrives. Everyone is looking for heirloom dresses, antique corsets and vintage jewelry.

But it is not necessary to spend countless hours searching for actual pieces of lingerie that have made it down through the generations. Many designers now specialize in vintage inspired collections. One such designer is Tia Lyn whose collection must be seen. Night gowns and dresses adorned with old-fashioned lace reminiscent of the eighteen hundreds, pretty girlish bows on camisoles and underpanties and gorgeous white garter belts with satin bows bring us back to a time when a girl’s only focus was to act like a lady.

Another incredible collection is Christine Vancouver, which is the company name. The designer’s name is Christine Morton. Although Oprah is seen wearing a pair of her pyjamas on the cover of O magazine, the Christine Vancouver design was already a phenomenal success in its own right. Christine’s designs are exclusively silk embellished with imported antique lace and can only be found in the most prestigious bridal and lingerie boutiques around the world.

Christine’s story is so unique that it requires mentioning. Her fascination with silk and antique lace caused her to amass the largest private collection in Canada. She then used it to start her one-of-a-kind, limited edition lingerie business. She was, and still remains, a leader in the creation of Victorian inspired designs, heirloom blouses and antique lace camisoles and chemises. Her vision has stood the test of time as she celebrates over thirty years in the business.

One final notation in the world of vintage lingerie is a New Zealand company called Peachy Keen who offers custom-made vintage inspired corsets. The satin corsets come in both full-over-bust and under-bust styling. Because the designs are made by a New Zealand costumier, the company is able to offer the corsets in custom detailing. On-the- rack corsets come in sizes ten through sixteen in three colors of black, blue and pink but the customer may choose bigger sizes, the fabric itself and the design if the corset is made especially for her.

So if your desire is to time travel, looking for lingerie from another era, look first for the modern-day designers who specialize in vintage inspired designs.

We’re back with a pretty nice scoop; the upcoming Amor Latino summer 2008 lingerie collection! The Argentinian brand has just added new pictures to their sexy website and I spotted them just in time to post them here before our friend-blogs like The Lingerie Post or The Daily Treat! Ha!

The sexy photos are on amor-latino.com.ar. You’ll want to browse to “colleciones”, and then click the “Verano 08″ link. The website is Spanish-only, so nothing I can do