Pretty and beautiful lingerie is flying off the racks everywhere.  Gone are the days of simple and practical basics being the norm.  Women want much more in their lingerie choices and are willing to pay for it—even if it is hidden underneath a more serious suit.

It’s no wonder then that there is resurgence in the popularity of vintage-inspired lingerie pieces.  The vintage look is vaguely reminiscent of undergarments our mothers may have worn, except with a decidedly modern twist.  These pieces are not designed for function and practicality as much as they are made for their utter beauty and sexiness.  These looks love the female body and it’s curvature.  These retro looks truly epitomize the femme fatale intrigue we girls crave.  This lingerie does take it’s style inspiration from the past, but will be embraced by today’s modern woman for it’s simple elegance and classic styling.  The result is sexy lingerie perfection—beauty and sexiness at its finest hour.

Vintage lingerie stores are popping up all over with offerings that are almost too pretty to cover up.  Items you may not have envisioned yourself wearing not only will you want to wear, but they may find their way to the top of your lingerie wish list.  Some of the sexiest vintage looks include garter belts with beautiful thigh-high stockings, corsets, and bustiers.  Seamed hosiery and fishnet stockings are also incredibly sexy and seductive with a definite retro look.

Satin slips and chemises are also making a comeback.  These romantic looks remind one of the glamorous movie actresses of another era, but are very modern and romantic for today’s aspiring woman.  The best part of the vintage look is its focus on romance.  The fabrics are girly, sheer, satiny and sexy.  The retro look is very subtle, yet it screams passion and intrigue.

It’s not surprising that sometimes we have to take a look into our past to discover our future.  Vintage lingerie puts the focus on a woman’s body, accentuates its curves in a flattering way and makes you feel positively beautiful.  These looks may cost a bit more, but are considered almost classic investment pieces.  Who knows– considering the timeless and seductive beauty of vintage lingerie, it may very well be what inspires another generation somewhere down the road.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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