Tomima’s Blog – Lingerie & Underwear Expert

I have one of those mothers who always buys three panties for every bra she owns in the same color so that she matches.  I don’t know what happened, but I didn’t get the "matching" gene.  It never occurs to me to match – rather I consider what I am wearing on the top and bottom of my outfit and select the item that will work best underneath.

So, are you a matcher?  Don’t be worried if you’re not.  Speaking with many vendors over the years, the percentage of matching women out there is rather low.  Most brands put it at about 10%.  More upscale brands like Prima Donna put it at about 30%.  Walk into any department store when they’re having a sale and you always see that special matching panty discounted.

So, should one match or not match? That is the question.  For my Mom, it’s all about feeling great in her lingerie.  Knowing you match is a nice little secret with yourself that you have it all together under your clothes.  If you find yourself needing to disrobe somewhere such as a locker room or doctor’s office, you look coordinated and together.  The downside to matching is that many times, that matching panty doesn’t fit well or isn’t in the style you prefer.  One of my favorite bras only gives me the option of a high-rise thong, or monster brief – I wear neither.  So, matching lingerie is kind of hard work for shopping and selection.

Now, those of us who don’t match shouldn’t feel bad either.  After all, how many times does anyone actually see you in just your underwear?  Take off your blouse, and all they see is your bra.  Drop your pants and all they see is your panty.  If you wear a white blouse and black pants, you have the ability to wear a nude bra and black panties.  You can also get dressed more quickly because you are not trying to match up all the variable.

Having said all of this, our home page this week shows you ways to be matchy between brands.  Hanky Panky makes panties in over 30 colors.  We’ve taken the guess work out of figuring out which of their colors matches other brands.  So, if you are a closet matchy who loves Hanky Panky, now you can coordinate your tops and bottoms to look and feel fabulous.

Find lingerie collections at HerRoom in these departments:
Bras
Panties

Follow HerRoom on Twitter for daily tips.

Posted by Tomima at 10:14am
6 Comments »

I just returned from New York this week where I was meeting with several shapewear manufacturers.  Specifically, I was in a meeting with Maidenform who also makes Flexees and Lilyette.  While looking at their exciting new styles for 2010, some interesting information came out.

I think we all know about that silicone gripper tape that is often used to line a strapless bra or the edges of shapewear.  Consumers, and I’m one of them, have always thought that when a garment has this, it will stay in place – no more pulling up a strapless bra or feeling that creeping up feeling from the legs of your shapewear.  Well guess what?  Having that silicone inside your garment doesn’t do anything.  That’s right, Flexees in particular has run tests and found that it doesn’t really work.  It’s a purely cosmetic feature.  Consumers see it and the perception is that the garment will stay put.  If deciding between two garments, a consumer will pick the one with the gripper tape because the perception is that it will stay in place better.

So, the lesson learned here is to look at the construction and fabric of the garment.  Quality elastic that isn’t skimpy, and fabric with an ample percentage of spandex will provide the best support and staying power.  All that gripper tape is doing is pulling on your body hairs and irritating your skin.

Find strapless bras at HerRoom in these departments:
Bras

Find lingerie accessories at HerRoom in these departments:
etcetera

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Posted by Tomima at 9:52am
Tags: gripper tape, silicone, strapless
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This took me by surprise.  The Japan based Wacoal company has been making and selling loincloths for women since December of last year.  Called a fundoshi, it’s basically a rectangle piece of fabric with ties.

Okay, so let’s ask the basic question–why?  The answer, according to Tomoka Okamura (Merchandise Director for Wacoals’ Nanafun brand) is that it’s the "ultimate liberation item" for women.  After a hard days work, many girls like to be able to come home and relax without having tight or binding panties on.

With over 5,000 being sold so far in Japan, the plan is to roll the fundoshi out to other countries in the Pacific Rim.  No plans at this time to bring it to the US.

I agree this is kind of a fun twist on a very old idea.  But, I’m surprised the shape hasn’t been a little modernized.  For example, I would think an hourglas shape to reduce the fabric bulk between the legs would have been designed into it. One also has to ask how comfortable this really is with the possible gapping at the legs and probably frequent adjustments to maintain modesty.  But, in the end, it is something new.  Don’t be surprised if you see this showing up as a bathing suit option in a summer coming soon.

Find Wacoal lingerie at HerRoom in these departments:
Bras
Panties

Follow HerRoom on Twitter for daily tips.

Posted by Tomima at 11:39am
Tags: fundoshi, loincloth, wacoal
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