A Man's Guide to Buying Lingerie

So you want to surprise your girlfriend or partner with some sexy sassy underwear? Buying lingerie for your partner is a truly romantic and intimate gift and unlike chocolates or flowers, it shows that you have put some real effort into selecting something special.

There are however some common pitfalls that you need to avoid to ensure your offering has the desired effect.

The Size of the Issue

You may be feeling smug as you hand over your carefully chosen gift but if it’s the wrong size all your hard work will be to no avail. Your dreams of your partner modelling it for you around the bedroom will disappear faster than you can say "Does my bum look big in this?" as your prized packages are cast to the back of her undies drawer. Too small and you will give your woman a complex, too large and she’ll think you think she needs to lose weight. Luckily however there are 2 foolproof ways of overcoming this.

The first is the most reliable – look at the labels in her existing underwear and make a note of the size ie 8, 10, 12 etc. Hot Tip – Better to check through them in her drawer rather than the dirty washing basket! If you’re really lucky there may just be a letter for Small, Medium or Large (that’s S, M or L in case you were wondering!)

If however, rifling through her underwear drawer is not a practical option then you will have to use the second method of sizing available – guesswork!. This however is not as daunting as it may seem. Simply rate the size of your woman’s derriere against the following well known celebrity bums:

Is she petite and perky like Kylie? Then you need size Small
Rounded and scrumptious like Charlotte Church? Choose Medium.
Full and peachy like Jennifer Lopez? Large is the choice for you

Bra sizes are a little more complicated. You need to look for a number ie 32, 34, 36 etc which will also have a letter following it to denote the fullness ie 32D, 34B etc.

Where bras are sold in the above sizes fit is of paramount importance. If you are considering buying something that has to fit exactly, we recommend asking your partner first for her size. That way you can be sure that your efforts will be rewarded. To keep the element of surprise, don’t discuss the type of underwear you are going to buy and consider adding something pampering like a bath mallow or naughty like some erotic fiction as an additional gift.

Style

So now you know what size you’re looking for we need to move onto style and colour.

The most common mistake that men make when buying underwear is that they choose what they like to look at themselves. Whilst the styles you like may look great on the "High Street Honeys" at FHM or even better on the girls writhing through the last porn movie you watched, this is generally not the best choice to make when buying for your own lady.

Like with most things in life, buy the best you can afford. You will be rewarded with a good cut that will flatter and fabrics that won’t leave her scratching!

Whilst rifling through her drawers to get her size, did you notice any particular styles or colours that your partner seemed to prefer? Is she a thong girl or does she prefer boy shorts? Is her underwear skimpy or does she use it as a cover up? Taking a few moments to assess her current collection will give you a good idea of what she will love and what she’ll hate.

Still unsure? Consider these styles for different effects:

No matter how much you may try and convince her otherwise, a woman with a large bottom will generally NOT feel comfortable wearing a g string or thong even if you beg. These beautiful bums are better suited to full frilly pants, boxers or a style such that has a lot of detail at the rear. For sheer decadence try something silk from one of the top designer brands.

Smaller bums and tums can generally get away with any style so you have the pick of what’s on offer. G strings in particular are great for this shape. If your partner wears a lot of revealing clothes why not try some equally revealing underwear like an open bra or quarter cup bra to reveal the maximum amount of flesh.

Women with a fuller chest generally need more support so a good choice is a camisole set ( that’s vest style to those of you currently scratching your heads) or a babydoll (short nighty with matching pants.)This way if your other half feels the need then she can wear one of her own well fitting bras underneath. These styles are also great for those who hate their tummy but want to show off their great legs.

If you know your partner is body conscious then black is always a good choice both sexy and classy so a sure fire winner. Red is great for the more daring and pink is perfect for a softer more romantic feel.

Handing Over Your Gift

Your gift will look and feel better if it is wrapped beautifully.

If you gift needs a little more pizzazz, then wrap in a beautiful unique box that she can keep as a memento. Or for a naughtier touch why not slip in a romantic note with a cheeky suggestion of what you want to do with her wearing her gift?

If a more romantic touch is called for, sprinkle some scented rose petals in your package or include some massage oil or body dust.

Getting it right is well worth the effort because if she loves her present she may want to show her appreciation and you could find yourself unwrapping a gift of your own!

A Man's Guide to Buying Lingerie
A great place to get some more inspiration.