How I Discovered the Transformative Power of Lingerie

Underwear is the first thing we put on when we get dressed, laying the foundation for how we feel all day, both physically and emotionally. Of course, it’s also the last thing we take off, so it’s crucial that we feel comfortable and confident that our lingerie is of high enough quality to endure our daily routines while supporting us from start to finish.

However, it hasn’t always been that way. For decades, women’s underwear was created not with the wearer in mind, but the voyeur. Complex girdles, corsets and contraptions were designed to mould bodies into a particular shape, restrict movement and appeal to the male gaze. Sexist advertisements consistently displayed women either in the bedroom or the kitchen, presented them as objects and claimed they could make women ‘inches slimmer’; one infamous campaign even directly addressed men with the tagline ‘Hello, boys’.

It’s little wonder, then, that as a young woman, underwear felt taboo: like women’s bodies, it had been simultaneously sexualised and vilified. And it’s no coincidence that my generation was obsessed with the ‘girl-boxer’ trend of the Noughties – not unlike men’s boxer-briefs, they had a wide waistband and shorts design, and came in colourful prints and comfortable stretch fabric. They were practically unisex, fun and functional.

Intimissimi

Like many teenage girls, the thought of wearing a bra at all mortified me, particularly as I went through a tomboy phase in my teen years. But as I got older and my sense of style evolved, it became clear that this was just the first of many times I would experiment with my clothes, expression and identity. I realised style wasn’t meant to be restrictive but playful and open to interpretation: just because I felt like a tomboy today, that didn’t mean I had to dress like one tomorrow. Women contain multitudes, a sentiment echoed in the name of Jennifer Lopez’s new range for Intimissimi: ‘This Is Me…Now’. Who we are – and how we choose to express that – is as fluid as the silk selected for the collection.

I began to prioritise pretty fabrics and textures that felt good against my skin

Inevitably, this shift took root beneath my clothes, too: as well as needing more support from my bras, I also wanted more from the design. I began to prioritise pretty fabrics and textures that felt good against my skin; I took an interest in the relationship between fashion and femininity.

When it comes to clothing, I try my best to shop second-hand and vintage where possible, but (unsurprisingly) I draw the line at underwear and relish the opportunity to invest in something that will look after me as long as I take care of it, whether that’s a day-to-day matching set in champagne lace, or something that channels my inner diva, such as a rhinestone mesh bra. Spending a little more on quality products can actually save money in the long term, and I’ve come to treat underwear as an investment.

Marta Konjacic

After bras and pants, women spend the majority of our lives in sleepwear: it’s estimated that the average person spends a third of their life asleep. Just as we deserve luxurious lingerie, selecting beautiful pyjamas can play an important part in our self-care routine. Slipping into something that’s as comforting as it is comfortable – such as a sensual satin slip or a jewel-toned robe – can help us carve out time for ourselves on a daily basis.

Of course, much of the fun of lingerie is taking it off (or having someone else take it off for you)... Finding the right underwear is personal, intimate and uplifting, and the more empowered we are by what we wear, the more likely we are to feel empowered when we’re not wearing anything at all – whether that’s with someone else, or not. Intimissimi’s delicate lace and irresistibly soft silks bring a sense of romance to the most important relationship you have: the one you have with yourself.