Curating an underpinnings drawer goes beyond simply updating your daily basics. The essential extension of your wardrobe, lingerie functions as a foundation for every outfit and also has its fair share of trends, notably for bras. Foamy padded styles and push-up varieties have taken a back seat, while lacy bralettes have become the silhouette of the moment. The surge of soft-cup bras and bralettes traced with lace, sheer fabrics, and silky materials comes with a quality of comfort that oozes sexiness.
“Lingerie is exciting. Before, it was mainly just for support. Now [designers] are really pushing the limit and have become daring with bras that can be worn and shown in a very tasteful way,” says Sara Al Abdulkareem founder and creative director of Kuwait-based online lingerie boutique Madame Bijouxx to Vogue Arabia. Indeed, from a styling point of view, lace bralettes blur the line between lingerie and innerwear-as-outerwear. Think high-neckline designs that trace the collarbone and peek out from underneath a button-down shirt, or sporting lace styles over a white t-shirt.
As for channeling your inner seductive muse and stepping out of your comfort zone with a bold statement underneath it all, Al Abdulkareem notes, “Brands are introducing a daring demeanor through cuts and materials. Labels that we carry such as Zhilyova, La Mare and Lascivious play around with positive and negative space, sheer fabrics, and cutouts.” In a similar move, bodysuits like the intricately Venetian lace version from British brand Belle Et Bon Bon drapes the skin like a tattoo. Meanwhile, a mesh Bluebella design can be partnered with jeans and a biker jacket, if you’re feeling risqué.
“You should change your dailies every six months,” Al Abdulkareem recommends. She suggests ten basics that can be worn in rotation and easily refreshed. “For sexy pieces, a woman should spice up her collection every three to six months with at least one or two sets. The same way you follow trends and invest in cool clothes, your lingerie collection deserves to be shaken up,” she says.
In the gallery above, shop Vogue Arabia’s edit of bras, bralettes, and bodysuits to add to your collection.
