Lingerie Rules

In the words of the immortal Coco Chanel, 'A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous,' - which means never having your underwear bring your outfit down. When it comes to choosing the right undies for an outfit, sticking your hand in your lingerie drawer and wearing the first thing you find is not the way to go. Like your clothing, your underwear should be chosen carefully and – bar the odd glimmer of lace – reveal itself as little as possible. Here are some tips from Barclay & Clegg to make Madame Chanel proud.

KEEPING IT CASUAL
If you're going to wear tight pants or jeans that hug your bum, a thong or g-string is a must. Alternatively wear a seamless brief that won’t dig into your skin. Remember, if it cuts into your hip flesh, you're wearing the wrong size, which will result in unsightly bulging. Not sexy.

Low-rise pants or shorts call for low-cut underwear, of course. Lace or cotton low-rise boy shorts or thongs are advisable, but please remember that letting your thong straps show is tacky deluxe.

A multi-strap bra is perfect for wearing under a halter-neck, off-the-shoulder or spaghetti strap top. If you have a strapless bra that fits you well, it will work with just about any top, but if you don't want to wear a strapless bra, find a bra with a contrasting strap colour (think: turquoise, hot pink or leopard print) that works well with your item of clothing. Otherwise, a bra with clear straps is the way to go.

For girls who love their tees the t-shirt bra should provide a smooth and sleek profile. Going for lacy or textured bras under tight-fitting cotton will lead to bulging. The T-shirt bra should be seamless and almost invisible, while the sheerer varieties usually have some kind of padding in the cup to hide the nipple (since a nipple staring you in the eye is never a good look).

Author: Shannon Heunis