Lingerie Makes Great Gift for Him and Her

by: Jim Jin

It is cliché to say that lingerie is the gift that “gives to him and her”, or is “the gift that gives back” because clearly the man does not lose when he gives lingerie out as a present. The only time the plan backfires is when he gets something in the wrong style—or much worse—the wrong size. But when the man puts some time and consideration into the purchase of some lingerie, he and the receiver are rewarded which is why it makes a great gift.

Too often men find themselves tempted to buy whatever they happen to find attractive or sexy. These same men are then surprised later on when their girlfriend or wife is utterly repulsed by the lingerie and refuses to wear the garment. It takes a special kind of woman to tolerate a thong but men continue to thrust their desires into lingerie purchasing decisions that utterly conflict with the desires and tastes of the partner. Thong sales only account for 23% of all lingerie purchases which is why odds are that a woman probably will not appreciate a thong as much as the man giving it.

In order to make a lingerie gift successful, the man must do his homework. What about her body is she most proud of? Whatever part of the body this happens to be, make sure to buy lingerie that accentuates this. For a woman who is particularly proud of her cleavage, a halter might be the way to go but a chemise would probably be best for someone with nice legs. No matter what part of the body she happens to be most comfortable with, there is definitely a piece of lingerie out there made to complement it.

The color of the lingerie is very important to consider as well. When deciding upon color, you have to take into account the partner’s hair. Blondes tend to do best with lighter colors or even pastels. Brunettes need a color that accentuates their darker hues so purples or even dark greens and reds work well for women with this color of hair. Redheads need a dark color but it must be complementary which is why greens and blues work best.

Now lingerie need not only look great—it must feel even better! Basically, if you enjoy touching it, she should enjoy wearing it. Silks and satins are always great choices as they are always smooth to the touch and feel great on her as well. For men or women shopping online, only buy fabrics that you are personally familiar with so you know what to expect.

The right style, color, and fabric will not make the slightest difference in the world if you get the wrong size. Too many sad jokes are made about men trying to size up their partner’s cup size by using their hands to cup imaginary breasts. Anyone shopping (either online or at a retailer) should know the sizes of the garments they are after before ever looking at styles and colors. If it is possible, ask. If not, you will have to play detective and sneak a peak at her unmentionables while she is in the shower or something. No matter how you do it, just make sure you get those sizes or it may come back to haunt you.

Lingerie can definitely be one of the most intimate and rewarding gifts a person can give or receive. When the desires, size, body, and tastes of the receiver are taken into consideration when making a purchase, lingerie can be rewarding to the buyer in ways no other gift possibly can. But, when a person buys something that they will like without being considerate of the person they are expecting to wear the item, a lingerie purchase can backfire. Lingerie should be a gift that a person remembers fondly so be sure to think of how she would feel wearing the item before buying and you are sure to have many happy returns!

Easy Lingerie Care

by: June Kozak

Most modern lingerie on the market today is available in a wide range of fabrics that are much easier to care for than was once made. However, we still need to give a little extra attention to all of our undergarments, if we want them to remain in good condition for a reasonable amount of time. Many manufacturers’ garment tags do state the garment can be washed and dried in a machine but many garment tags still insist lingerie should be handwashed only. And although it is certainly more convenient to throw a load of clothes in the washing machine before leaving for work in the morning, a washing machine can do serious damage to a delicate lace trimmed camisole while it is agitating a load of clothes for a thorough cleaning cycle.

Unfortunately, most of us are very busy people with full schedules that do not allow for the luxury of handwashing. The good news is we have several convenient alternatives to choose from. Modern washing machines normally have a “delicate” cycle alternative that will not be quite as harsh on the more delicate lace trims of your lingerie. If you combine your delicate cycle with cold water and a detergent meant for delicates such as Woolite or Dreft you should have no difficulties with repeated washings of any lingerie.

Another alternative is to use your washing machine as a soak basin by filling it up with cold water and a delicates-friendly detergent, letting it soak for 30 minutes or so, then simply releasing the water out manually by skipping the other cycles of your machine. Then refill the machine with clear water and let soak another 30 minutes, then repeat the letting out process. This should allow a wash/rinse that will suffice for most normal use but certainly will not be very effective in serious stains or odors.

The best alternative to safely clean your lingerie without handwashing is to use a lingerie bag for your delicates. These bags are inexpensive, readily available at most department stores, and are made of a durable mesh that will take the abuse of the washing machine’s twisting while protecting your lingerie safely inside. We would recommend using 1 bag per garment to avoid tangles. Simply place your item inside the lingerie bag, zip it up and toss it into a washing machine filled with cold water and a mild detergent.

Worried about the dryer? An especially good idea is to hang dry instead of using the dryer as dryers can be unpredictable in their heat distribution and you must remember that scorching a fine silk will permanently destroy the garment beyond repair. However, if you prefer using your dryer, leave the item in its lingerie bag during the drying process and use the lowest possible heat setting you have available. If your lingerie is made of a sheer fabric such as chiffon than no heat is really required to dry the garment. Simply use the air fluff feature to “blow-dry” your lingerie dry as it tumbles safely in the lingerie bag.

Eventually you will come across a tag that states the evil “dry cleaning only” recommendation and we certainly do not wish to dismiss this recommendation as somebody must know what they are talking about for the manufacturer to put that on the tag. However, it must also be recognized that lingerie is a very personal item that you may not always want to take to the local dry cleaning store. Fortunately for us, today we have products such as Dryell that imitate the dry cleaning products right in our own home. These products are effective, inexpensive and easy to use.

While we must recommend you always check the manufacturer's label before washing, drying or dry cleaning any item for their fabric specific recommendations we hope these few suggestions will help extend the life of your lingerie and help you to care for it stress free.

The History and Evolution of the Sexy Thong

by: Rick Freedom

The loincloth, worn thousands of years ago is likely to be the first undergarment worn by humans and it evolved into the thong over the years. Ironically, it was first worn by men in ancient times before it evolved into part of women’s lingerie in modern times. The Egyptians were one of the earliest people to wear this thong-like clothing. The earliest loincloths were made of leather and this was used until the introduction of fabric much later on. The famous King Tutankhamun was found buried with more than a hundred loincloths in his tomb.

Some people in ancient Greece, Rome and Japan also wore loincloths. In Japan, sumo wrestlers in particular are known to wear a loincloth when they are wrestling. In fact, right up to this very day, they still wear this.

In the middle ages, the loincloth was replaced by a large, loose outfit called ’braies’. This was usually made from linen and is much bigger than the loincloth. The braies is made with a covering at the front that could be buttoned or tied closed.

In modern times, historians trace the thong’s first public appearance to 1939 when New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia directed that the city's nude exotic dancers to dress more appropriately.

Fashion designer, Rudi Gernreich was credited with introducing the first modern thong back in 1974. The thong was worn for many years by exotic Brazilian dancers and was very widely worn during the festivals. These tight, tiny thongs grew in popularity during the 80s in South America and were used as swimwear at the beaches. Its popularity and influence spread to various parts of the world in the late 90s.

In the US, the sexy thong only gained wide acceptance in the 90s when exotic lingerie came into the mainstream. Today, the thong is one of the best selling styles of undergarment in the world. The size of the lingerie industry is said to be over US$2 billion a year.

The thong became so popular that there were even songs written about it. The most famous one was of course ‘The Thong Song’ by Sisqo under the Def Soul label. The Thong Song from Sisqo’s debut album ‘Unleash The Dragon’ was such a big hit that it reached number 3 on the US pop charts and sold over 4 million copies worldwide.

Besides the sexy thong, there are also many different types and variants of exotic lingerie available in the market today. Some of the different types of lingerie available include the chemise, camisole, boy shorts, bustiers, corsets, teddy and G-string.

Many designers today have come up with very flamboyant and creative designs and the thongs today are very different from the designs of yesteryears. It is extremely minimalist, erotic and chic. Many women prefer the thong to other types of lingerie because they can wear tight pants without showing the panty line. Besides being extremely sexy, the thong is also comfortable to wear. You can find out more about sexy thongs and romantic dating ideas at http://www.sexy.intimateunderwear.net

History of National Underwear Day

Underwear has been around since the first time humans wore loincloths and that usage has continued into modern times. Up until very recently undergarments have been considered unmentionables but in 1982 Calvin Klein placed a giant billboard showing a well defined man wearing a pair of white briefs and nothing else in Times Square. Advertising for underwear has continued to become more and more public and often controversial. In the mid 1980s Madonna pushed the envelope by wearing certain pieces of lingerie as outerwear for her performances and various urban culture celebrities have worn their outer clothing low thereby exposing the upper portion of their underwear.

Freshpair President Michael Kleinmann espouses the belief that underwear should be the most important thing you wear all day rather than just something that you put on first in the morning and take of last at night. Following this idea the company started National underwear Day on August 5, 2003 and sent its models out into the streets of New York wearing only underwear and collecting signatures for a petition to make National Underwear Day an official holiday. In the past National Underwear Day has been on various dates within the first 2 weeks of August but in 2008 and 2009 it was held on August 5 as it was on the first presentation of that day.
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History

Before recent times, women's underwear was made with the primary function of body contortion. In the 1940s, Frederick's of Hollywood opened shop in Hollywood and began selling corsets and lingerie with a much more fashionable appeal to them. These new styles of women's undergarments possessed a greater "sexual feel", made even more glamorized by models such as Bettie Page.

Colorful, bright, sexy, and flashier fashions of women's lingerie were becoming available. More fabrics such as cotton, satin, lace and silk began to be incorporated into the makeup of women's lingerie, making them more desired by females and more sensual to males. This is perhaps the great turning point when panties became more than simple hygiene products and developed into an icon of pleasure and sexuality worldwide.

Since then, women in flattering and provocative panties and lingerie have become a staple of several functions of male and lesbian popular culture. Several men's magazines such as Maxim and FHM often use images of attractive females in sensual lingerie to capture mainstream appeal.