Understanding Undies
A silk blouse, a figure-hugging pencil skirt, a tailored pair of trousers – they’re all beautiful items of clothing, but they can easily be ruined by the wrong underwear. Make sure your clothes look their very best with our essential lingerie guide.
The pencil skirt
Tight-fitting and figure hugging, the pencil skirt was a 1950s lady-about-town fashion staple. Thanks to Mad Men and other period dramas, it is wiggling its way back on to our high streets. The pencil skirt shows off and celebrates feminine curves, so it’s essential to opt for the very best shapewear underneath.
3 of the best
1 Spanx In Power Line Super Higher Power, £39, Figleaves: 0844-493 2932, www.figleaves.com
2 Trinny and Susannah – The Bum, Tum and Thigh Reducer (A), £36, Figleaves: as before
3 Cool Sensation Panty girdle, £30, Triumph: 020-3455 0066, www.uk.triumph.com
Every woman should have a delicate silk blouse in her wardrobe. Perfect for the office or an evening out to dinner, it is easy to wear with jeans or a skirt.
A patterned or lace bra will show through a light blouse, ruining the elegant look, so a T-shirt bra, as unexciting as it may seem, is the only option when wearing silk, for a no-show look under your clothes. Nude tones will be less visible than white (unless the blouse is white), and will give you all the support you need without ruining the look of your blouse.
3 of the best
1 Triumph Supersoft Underwired T-Shirt Bra, £32, John Lewis: 0845-604 9049, www.johnlewis.com
2 Fantasie Smoothing T-Shirt Bra, £29, Figleaves: as before
3 Underwired Textured Striped T-Shirt Bra (B), £18, M&S: 0845-609 0200, www.marksandspencer.com
Few fashion faux pas are more annoying than when your skirt clings to your tights or bare legs. Static gives figure-hugging a bad name. The easiest way to combat this is by wearing a slip. Not only will it stop your skirt from clinging, it will also help your skirt sit and fall better.
3 of the best
1 Cool Comfort Cling Resistant Waist Slip, £16, M&S: as before
2 Pure Cotton Lace Waist Slip, £12.50, M&S: as before
3 John Lewis Plain Half Slip (C), £15, John Lewis: as before
Activities such as housework or gardening require the right underwear. A sports bra might seem extreme when the activity is only a spot of gardening, but weeding can burn anything up to 200 calories in half an hour so it’s sensible to be comfortable while you work.
3 of the best
1 Racer Back Santoni Crop Top, £12.50, M&S: as before
2 Max Sports Top by Shock Absorber (D), £30, Bravissimo: 01926-459859, www.bravissimo.com
3 F&F Seamfree crop top, £5, Tesco: 0845-075 5000, www.clothingattesco.com
The pencil skirt
Tight-fitting and figure hugging, the pencil skirt was a 1950s lady-about-town fashion staple. Thanks to Mad Men and other period dramas, it is wiggling its way back on to our high streets. The pencil skirt shows off and celebrates feminine curves, so it’s essential to opt for the very best shapewear underneath. 3 of the best
1 Spanx In Power Line Super Higher Power, £39, Figleaves: 0844-493 2932, www.figleaves.com
2 Trinny and Susannah – The Bum, Tum and Thigh Reducer (A), £36, Figleaves: as before
3 Cool Sensation Panty girdle, £30, Triumph: 020-3455 0066, www.uk.triumph.com
Silk blouse
Every woman should have a delicate silk blouse in her wardrobe. Perfect for the office or an evening out to dinner, it is easy to wear with jeans or a skirt. A patterned or lace bra will show through a light blouse, ruining the elegant look, so a T-shirt bra, as unexciting as it may seem, is the only option when wearing silk, for a no-show look under your clothes. Nude tones will be less visible than white (unless the blouse is white), and will give you all the support you need without ruining the look of your blouse.
3 of the best
1 Triumph Supersoft Underwired T-Shirt Bra, £32, John Lewis: 0845-604 9049, www.johnlewis.com
2 Fantasie Smoothing T-Shirt Bra, £29, Figleaves: as before
3 Underwired Textured Striped T-Shirt Bra (B), £18, M&S: 0845-609 0200, www.marksandspencer.com
Skirts
Few fashion faux pas are more annoying than when your skirt clings to your tights or bare legs. Static gives figure-hugging a bad name. The easiest way to combat this is by wearing a slip. Not only will it stop your skirt from clinging, it will also help your skirt sit and fall better. 3 of the best
1 Cool Comfort Cling Resistant Waist Slip, £16, M&S: as before
2 Pure Cotton Lace Waist Slip, £12.50, M&S: as before
3 John Lewis Plain Half Slip (C), £15, John Lewis: as before
For the active
Activities such as housework or gardening require the right underwear. A sports bra might seem extreme when the activity is only a spot of gardening, but weeding can burn anything up to 200 calories in half an hour so it’s sensible to be comfortable while you work. 3 of the best
1 Racer Back Santoni Crop Top, £12.50, M&S: as before
2 Max Sports Top by Shock Absorber (D), £30, Bravissimo: 01926-459859, www.bravissimo.com
3 F&F Seamfree crop top, £5, Tesco: 0845-075 5000, www.clothingattesco.com