The Pretty Pear

More goodies for Valentine's Day!

I think I might be using Valentine's Day as an excuse to post about cute underthings because honestly, I love cute underthings. Love! I love panties and bras that match, corsets, camis, all of it.

I remember when I was in high school and college and my friends were all buying cute bras and panties and I did not have such options. Not that I wanted to wear things that were overtly sexy and mature but some colorful cotton panties would've been nice. I guess that explains the Rainbow Brite and Wonder Woman underwear that are sitting in my top drawer right now. There is definitely a much bigger selection of plus size lingerie available now, especially if you shop online.

Anyway, here's some more lingerie that I like for Valentine's Day. Oh and please wear this type of stuff all year round. What's the point of having a drawer full of cute little underthings if you're only going to wear them on Hallmark holidays?

Torrid has a bunch of lingerie on sale right now so let's start there.

Pink and Black Chemise and G-String Set
Have I mentioned that I love pink and black? I have? Oh. This rather skimpy chemise and g-string set is on sale at Torrid right now for $19. It looks super short and has the flyaway cut in front so I hope you're not feeling shy. I'd probably wear black boyshort panties with the chemise instead of the g-string but I'm a wuss.

This Black Rose Lace Chemise is on sale for $12 and is also available in pink or red. Short, stretchy and see through... you can't go wrong with that. You could go bare underneath or layer it over a red or black bra and panty set. And like I said, it's 12 bucks. Cheap and easy! Hee.

Black Ruffle Cheeky Short
Ok now these are just seriously adorable. Ruffle-butt panties? Come on. They're very vintage-oh-la-la. They also come in pink and red and are only $10 each.

There's more! Just follow the link...

Adorable new lingerie at Lane Bryant

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Lane Bryant has a TON of new lingerie and some of it is so cute I could just DIE. Really. I died and then came back to write this post. BooOo0o.

But seriously, Lane Bryant has really been stepping it up with their Cacique line of plus size lingerie over the past few years. A lot of it is just as cute, if not cuter, than what you'd find in misses' lingerie stores. And they're offering free shipping on ALL orders until February 1st.

Let's take a look at what's new.

I love little details in lingerie. A teensy ruffle here, a tiny sequin there, you get the picture. I wasn't really excited about these mesh hipster panties until I saw the lace up detail on the back. Totally adorable! Truth be told, I am really fond of pink and black together and corset detailing, so it's no surprise that I like these.

I want this cherry print balconette bra and cherry print hipster right NOW. The balconette bra provides some serious uplift, I love Lane Bryant's hipster cut panties, and the cherries are very fresh and springy. Winner all around.

Try it on: Hips & Curves

I've written about Hips and Curves before here and after looking around their website, I finally decided to order a few things for myself. I've bought almost all of my bras and panties in the same styles from the same retailer for literally years now, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to try something new. I've heard nothing but good things about Hips and Curves and I felt confident ordering from them. Let's take a look at what I tried!

Smooth and Sultry Underwire Bra
Buying bras online can be a really tricky thing, I'll just say that from the get-go. This is mostly because no two companies make their bras to the same specifications. I measure a 46D but I usually size down to a 44D. I decided to order this bra in a 46 to be on the safe side and sadly, it's way, way too big both in the band and the cup. However, from trying it on, I can tell that if I had ordered the right size, it'd be a nice fit and comfortable. For $28, I think it's a well made bra and it's pretty, too.

String-Him-Along Lace Boyleg Panty
I ordered these in pink, which match the bra above despite the slight coloration difference in the pictures. What you can't see is that the sides of the panties are open and held together by strings, four on each side. I'm pretty sure they're the same panties seen in this photo on adipositivity. I'm really pleased with these. The lace is soft but not flimsy and they're really comfy, though the strings would create some crazy panty lines under clingier fabrics. They work just fine under jeans and isn't it fun to hide a lacey surprise under your casual clothes? These panties are $11 and worth every penny. I would recommend ordering one size down from the size chart with these. I could almost go down two sizes but it's not a big enough deal for me to send them back.

Ruffle Cup & Rhinestone Bra and Rhinestone Panty
Sexy, right? I guess I like the stringy look. I ordered a 46D in this bra and it's just the teensiest bit too big in the cup. It's more of a lingerie bra than an everyday bra so I'm keeping it. The red satin and ruffle trim on the bra is so, so pretty. The panties are super sexy and comfortable, which I love. I think it's okay to sacrifice a little bit of comfort when it comes to showy lingerie but I like being able to breathe. This set is as comfy as it is cute. It also comes in black but the red is so festive! The bra is $25 and the panties are $13. I went down one size from the chart for the panties and they fit well.

There are a lot of really great things about Hips and Curves - wide selection in a whole range of styles, sizes up to extended plus sizes, excellent customer service, and a very positive attitude towards their plus size customers. Make sure to check the return policy and size charts before ordering and then have some fun. Everyone deserves to have pretty underthings.

On the holiday tip - check out their selection of Christmasy lingerie. It's so fun and naughty I can't stand it. And guys, check out the tips for men section. If you're looking for a gift and just can't decide, their customer service will be happy to help.

Is it Friday yet?

Here's some sexy to get you um... excited... for the weekend. All of these saucy little numbers are from Hips & Curves. As you can see, I'm a fan of pink and black. I'll hide them under the cut in case you're pretending to work...

Hips & Curves! Ooh la la!

One thing that is woefully missing from the plus size shopping sector are nice lingerie boutiques. There are no Victoria's Secret or Agent Provocateur type shops for fat ladies. I love all things pink and girly and I wish there were more stores that carried sexy plus size underthings. You can find nice lingerie in stores but I'm talking about atmosphere. More corsets and garters than industrial quality bras and cotton panties. Those garments have their place but really, don't all women deserve to feel sexy on occasion?

But there is always the internet and if there's a gap to be filled, someone will do it online. There are probably thousands of online lingerie retailers that have a plus size selection but you'll notice that almost none of them have the sophisticated atmosphere I'm looking for. They mostly seem haphazard, thrown together, and without much care for detail or usability. And even worse, they all stock the same exact stuff from the same suppliers.

But wait! There is hope and it's Hips & Curves! Is that not the best name for an online lingerie store?

Naughty, indeed.

I'm not one for wearing festive holiday clothes. I don't own any sweaters with Christmas trees or reindeer on the front, I don't wear elf socks, and you certainly won't see me with a Santa hat on my head. But I love Christmas, and I certainly want to get into the spirit, just in a covert way. Holiday panties!

For a sexy but cute touch, Lane Bryant has red and white hotshorts with "Naughty" on the tush. There is also a blue and white "Nice" pair, but you only get to wear those if you're on Santa's GOOD list. I, of course, have the naughty pair.

Torrid offers several pairs of holiday panties as well, including this pair that have a cute snowman and reindeer print.

Now go spread some cheer.

Going wireless

Now that I'm working from home, I don't see the need to get dressed. I mean, I'll get dressed if I'm actually leaving my home. I don't make it further than the mailbox without at least throwing on jeans. Otherwise, I'm in my jammies. Thus, I've gotten into the bad habit of not wearing a bra.

I hate wearing a bra to begin with. Anything that has a metal wire built into it is going to be at least a little uncomfortable. But, my cha chas are not perky by nature and they're already losing the battle against gravity. So, I started looking for wireless options. In my world, "wireless" usually refers to internet connections but it was time to offer my bosoms a little support.

Cheap and slutty! In a good way.

I plan on writing a Valentine's Day post but for now, Lane Bryant is having a sale on their Valentine Collection. There are other Cacique items on sale that aren't on that page, so click here to check out the rest of the line. There's a 25% off coupon code out right now, so be sure to use that.

Pt. 2: Buy some bras

Alright, now you've got your size. If it's different from the size you've been wearing, it's time to replace your bras. Now, I know this sounds like an expensive undertaking, and it is, so I suggest starting with the basics and adding from there. Besides, you should be replacing your bras at LEAST once a year, if not every six months, especially if you machine wash them (I'm guilty of doing that myself). Let's go shopping.

Pt. 1: Finding a bra that fits

Let's talk about lingerie for a few moments. Now, I'm not talking about the frilly, cute stuff you wear for your mate of choice. I'm talking about the stuff that serves a purpose - to keep the girls in check. A bra can make or break an outfit.

The number one problem with bras is that most women are wearing the wrong size. I think the statistic is something like 80%. If your bra is too small, you'll hate wearing it. It'll dig into your shoulders and leave red marks on your delicate skin. A too small bra is your enemy. If the bra is too big, it won't provide the support  your girls need. The straps will fall off your shoulders all day and the cups will be slightly baggy. A too big bra is also your enemy.

Spanx!

I am absolutely fascinated with Spanx. I've been seeing them all over the place! I've been looking for a product like the Power Panty to wear under skirts but they all have legbands that dig in, roll up, and otherwise cause mayhem. No legband in the Power Panties!

There are bandless trouser socks, reversible tights, Mama Spanx, an all hosiery bra that goes up to band size 42, pants and crops with a slimming liner and even control top fishnets. This might just inspire me to start wearing skirts more often!

Everything I've checked out goes up to size E (about 265 pounds, depending on your height) and for quality pantyhose, the prices aren't bad at all, especially if wearing them doesn't suck!

You can also purchase Spanx at Amazon.

If you've tried Spanx, please leave a comment and let me know what you think. I'd love to hear all about it!