Event Lingerie vs. Everyday Lingerie
Valentine’s Day approaches, and with it, requests for some sexier lingerie looks. Between the holiday and our recent boudoir shoots, we’re having a lot of fun! It’s also inspired me to explore the differences between everyday lingerie and what we call event lingerie.
Where’s the line?
Can this Ewa Michalak babydoll be my Valentine?
The distinction is a little different for everyone, and the line may be blurrier for some more than others. But what we hear from you most often is that everyday lingerie preferences tend towards the practical (maybe smooth cups, neutral colours, perhaps fuller coverage) while event lingerie is all about form over function. Folks looking for event lingerie — for a special date, photoshoot, etc. — tend to ask for lace, lower coverage, and fun colours or prints. This isn’t to say that everyday lingerie can’t be sexy, or that more exciting styles can’t be functional! But broadly speaking, these are the trends we’ve noticed. There are also some some differences in how to shop for each category.
Fit
Everyday lingerie has stricter fit guidelines* than event lingerie. Each is worn differently, for different purposes and lengths of time. You may not need your special event lingerie to be as supportive or structured as your day-to-day pieces. For example, maybe you usually wear styles with in-set straps to avoid them slipping off your small shoulders. But if you’re shopping for a bra that’s only going to be worn for *ahem* a few hours, maybe the wide-set straps on that demi are just fine! Similarly, in fittings we often test everyday bras under a t-shirt to check that there’s no double-boob or other silhouette issues. But if you’re buying lingerie to wear on its own, you don’t need to worry about this.
Fantasie’s Charlotte set is just plain dreamy.
*That said, there’s no moral imperative to wear a bra that fits perfectly. There’s technical fit, and there’s the fit that works for you. If there’s overlap between the two, great! If not, don’t stress. As always, you’re the boss of your bod.
Comfort
Lingerie should always be comfortable, whether you’re wearing it to work or on a hot date. Like the t-shirt test I mentioned above, we also do movement tests in the fitting room. This is to be sure that your everyday bra will be comfortable throughout your day, whether you’re sitting at a desk, playing on the floor with your dog, or out dancing the night away. Lingerie that’s meant for more short-term and perhaps less active wear doesn’t need to be tested as extensively.
I’m a big believer in not just physical comfort, but emotional comfort. This is especially important when it comes to event lingerie. Sure, you want to look sexy, but you want to feel sexy too! So choose what makes you feel confident. Sexiness has a lot to do with your attitude. Don’t feel that you have to conform to whatever the “standard” is.
Play!
Shopping for event lingerie is a chance to play around with your look. Experiment! Try on a million things and see what feels good or exciting or super weird! Lingerie, like all clothing, is an opportunity to express the many versions of who you are. Who do you want to be today?
