Valentine's lingerie: Say pants to the wrong size

Feb 7 2008 by Lucy Foster, Liverpool Daily Post

Lucy Foster has some top tips for men in search of Valentine’s lingerie

WHEN your man rushes in and offers you a thong four sizes too small and a peephole bra as a Valentine’s Day gift, just bear in mind before you swiftly put it in the bag marked charity shop, that, in days gone by, it was believed that if a man offered his Valentine a gift of clothing and she kept it safe she was destined to marry him.

These days, the pressure is really on when it comes to buying sexy underwear for women. So is it any wonder many men end up redder in the face on February 14 than the heart on the front of the card picked up from the garage on the way home?

Men leaving it until the last minute to buy sexy smalls for Valentine’s Day is something Leona Nicholas, owner of The Secret Drawer Lingerie store, in Crosby, is very used to.

“Every year I expect to be rushed of my feet for about two weeks before Valentine’s Day, but it’s never the case,” she says. “Then all of sudden I open the store on the day itself and a mad rush of men fall inside, panicking because they forgot to buy their wife or girlfriend a gift.

“I had a man in here one year whose girlfriend was just around the corner and he had told her he was going to get her the gift he had bought from his car and that she should wait because it was a surprise.

“He came rushing in and without even checking the size grabbed a very saucy outfit, handed it to me at the till, paid and no sooner had I packaged it for him than he was rushing out to give it to his beloved.”

Buying underwear can be a minefield of unintended but dangerous implications. Buying too large runs the risk of declaring that, yes, your bum did look big in that all along.

Leona, 39, who specialises in luxury lingerie brands like Marlis Dekker and Eternal Spirit, at her Crosby boutique, says: “The corsets we sell to go out in are a very popular gift choice. How- ever, I would advise with most of these that they are fitted or tried on first by the woman it’s for unless you’re 100% confident you know her size and it will definitely fit. There’s nothing worse than the woman in question opening it and it not fitting properly, especially if it’s too small.”

Becky Rickets, manager of Bravissimo, on Watergate Street, Chester, which specialises in underwear for women with small back sizes and large cups, agrees and advises a peek in her underwear drawer if necessary. “I have had men before coming in and saying: ‘she’s about your size’, and thinking there will be a corresponding size for the matching knickers.

“There’s also the type who knows exactly what he wants and what size, because he’s seen it in a magazine and wants a matching thong in this size. Generally most men come in with an idea of her size, and want something sexy but wander around bewildered by the choice.”

Embarrassment is the most common obstacle to successful underwear gifting.

Says Becky: “It’s a female environment and the staff and customers are predominantly female, and talking to an assistant about knickers and bras is something they don’t normally do, so it’s natural to feel a bit embarrassed.

“But we have heard everything before, and if they ask it might be whether her size is in stock, or we can direct them towards popular choices.”

Another key piece of information to come in armed with is her taste in clothes and underwear.

“Think about the sort of thing she likes to wear, whether she likes bright clothes, for example. If she generally wears pink and girly things and you go home with something black and plain, she’s likely to be disappointed.

“Think also whether she prefers thongs or shorts. While a husband or boyfriend might think he would like to see her in a thong, she will be the one wearing it.”

Leona adds: “I can’t criticise the men too much, though. Some of them come in and are really thoughtful and spend time deciding what to get their wives and girlfriends.

“A pretty set of underwear, well thought out, is a gorgeous gift for Valentine’s Day.”

Leona's top tips for a Valentine’s success

1. If you are not sure of your partner’s size, then go for an alternative gift such as candles and oils, or if you have a vague idea then a sassy and sophisticated nightwear slip always goes down well.

2. Gift vouchers tucked into a bunch of roses mean she can pick her own lingerie and be sure of getting the right size.

3. Make sure your gift is well presented. A few finishing touches such as scented tissue paper or love hearts will make your gift all the more special.

4. Don’t leave gift buying to the last minute – you are sure to impulse buy.

5. Don’t get too stressed out about it all. Cook her a meal, enjoy a bottle of wine, and relax together.