As an adolescent teenager back in the early ‘80s, I couldn’t wait to wear a bra because the idea made me feel awfully grown up. I loved the look of those matching lacy underwear sets that I would see in magazines and in stores, and was excited to integrate them into my style.
My Mother believed that expensive bras were worth it because they fit better, looked better, made your clothes look better, and felt more comfortable. So when I was a teen and living at home, I wore very good bras. I matched them with inexpensive cotton knickers and loved my undies.
But as soon as I entered the work force and had to fend for myself financially, I questioned my Mother’s underwear wisdom. I didn’t want to pay what I thought were exorbitant prices for items that were hidden away. How much difference was it going to actually make? With a tight fashion budget, it was a much better idea to save on the underwear, and spend my fashion dollars on a fun top, jacket, bag, or pair of shoes and jeans that everyone could see.
So right through my twenties and beyond I bought less than fab underwear. It was quite ill-fitting, unflattering and uncomfortable. And although my bra and knickers matched, they certainly weren’t very pretty. Functional, minimal, sporty, neutral and void of lace did the job. I’m not sure what happened to the girl who loved those fancy underwear sets and listened to her Mother’s fashion advice.
In my thirties, a few years after my Mama passed away, I found myself looking in the mirror at my uninspiring black underwear that didn’t feel great. I remembered what she used to say, and decided right then and there to bite the bullet and spend more of my fashion budget on bras. I went for a professional bra fitting and bought two perfectly fitting, lacy, and expensive bras at Nordstrom.
These bras were life-changing.
They made my clothes look better by creating a lovely shape on the bust. The fabric and fit felt sooooo good against my skin. And they were pretty. Most importantly, though, my new bras made me feel good about my body and more confident in my clothes. Mama was right, and I should have listened to her from the start.
Over the years I’ve replenished my bra capsule regularly, buying the best that I could afford. I also began buying fabulous knickers because why stop at the bras? My undies are matching, predominantly lacy, and very pretty. Slowly but surely, I’d reconnected with that young girl who desperately wanted to wear those grown-up underwear sets.
Now, in my late forties, I’ll happily spend money on underwear that looks and feels exceptional. Above all, it makes a huge difference to how I feel about my body and my style. When I look in the mirror and I see a pretty matching bra and panty set, I’m inspired, and already feel good about the outfit that I’m going to wear for the day.
Because underwear has become a style motivator and confidence booster for me, it’s worth every penny. I highly recommend a trip to the lingerie department if you’re feeling blah in your undies and need a body image boost. A stunning, supportive and comfortable pair of bra and knickers might be a lot more powerful than you think.
