Francie:

The older I get, the more I appreciate how much it matters what lingerie we put underneath our clothes. This is due partly to a realization that proper lingerie makes clothing fit better but mostly to the unfortunate reality that as we get older, well, our bodies just don’t look as good, tight, perky – you get the idea – anymore.  Whatever your age, the right lingerie makes great clothes look even better!

A top shopping spot for lingerie in Nashville is Rebecka Vaughan Lingerie located at 4004 Hillsboro Pike in Green Hills.  I made my first trip to RV 12 years ago when the woman who was making my wedding gown sent me there to get the right bra for my dress. The women at RV helped me find the perfect thing, and I have been back many times in the years since.

If you are looking for a bra, one of the sales associates, all of whom are expert bra fitters, will come into the dressing room to take your measurements. This experience is as up close and personal as it sounds – full disclosure for the modest.  Apparently, many women wear bras in the wrong size.  After measuring, the sales associate will bring you some bras to try.  As you try the bras on, the associate will check the fit and give you some tips about putting a bra on properly.  If you have never been fitted for a bra, this may all sound like it is not worth the time and trouble or that it can’t be that much better than what you would find on your own.  My experience is that it really does make a difference.  One of my favorite purchases from RV is a strapless bra that does not slide down.  I thought they were an urban legend, but they do exist.

Elizabeth and Liza sent me their “hands down” favorite bra and here it is….

JUST KIDDING!!!!

Rebecka Vaughan Lingerie is famous for finding the perfect fitting bra but this is far more than a bra store.  There are panties in seemingly endless choices of styles and colors.  They carry a variety of sleepwear, including StyleBlueprint favorite Claridge+King.  You will find not only the ubiquitous Spanx, but also several other brands of shapewear including a RV favorite line Body Wrap, which is seam-free. They also have slips in many different lengths.  Maybe I am old fashioned, but I am still convinced most dresses and skirts look better with a slip underneath them.

I know Liza says this long tank, in black by Claridge+King, is her favorite nightgown.

In addition to their wide range of lingerie, RV also carries some great specialty items. One of my favorites is DIMRS (“dimmers”), which as the company says, “turn your ‘headlights’ off.”  These reusable silicone nipple covers adhere naturally (read don’t have an adhesive that requires a couple of cocktails to be tolerable to remove) and can be worn inside bras, close-fitting tops, bathing suits, etc. They are thin enough to be invisible under clothing yet durable.

Another amazing product RV carries is called Bring It Up Instant Breast Lifts.  Breasts do not remain at their original location throughout women’s lives, but these little clear adhesives can put them back there.  They are different from other products like this I’ve seen because they are applied from the top of the breast rather than underneath.  While I haven’t worn them, I saw woman at RV demonstrate them on my sister who was trying to find the right bra for a one-shoulder dress.  All I can say is women pay thousands of dollars to have their breasts look as good as my sister’s did with this inexpensive product.  Granted surgery is permanent, and Bring It Ups are temporary and not really for daily use but this product is perfect for special occasions.

My favorite recent lingerie discovery is the Unbelievabra, which is not available locally but has a great story behind it. The Unbelievabra was invented by a stay-at-home mom who could not find a bra that fixed “back fat” to her satisfaction so she started sewing during the day while her kids were at school.  When she showed her friends before and after photos of her wearing the bra, they said it was unbelievable (hence the name).  The Unbelievabra is completely smooth in the back and very comfortable.  There are a couple of different styles depending on whether you want a full camisole or a shorter length as well as some options with a lower back and cut-in shoulders to wear with sleeveless and tank tops (though the regular style works fine with all my sleeveless tops, and I like the way it is cut better).  Check out these before and after pictures from their website.  Incredible, huh?

Just as I was finishing this blog post, I discovered the lingerie section in my new favorite store Wolford.  I won’t even begin to talk about my Wolford obsession other than to say they have great shapewear and bras that definitely warrant consideration in your lingerie wardrobe.

Francie Likis

StyleBlueprint thanks Francie for writing her first ever blog post for StyleBlueprint! As a nurse-midwife and nurse practitioner, she spends much of her professional life talking about personal topics and intimate parts… so it’s no wonder that she can candidly open up here about here about some of her lingerie secrets.  She is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health and a researcher at Vanderbilt.  She has lived in Nashville most of the past 21 years.

Speaking of which, what are your favorite lingerie products?

© 2010, StyleBlueprint. All rights reserved.

Why Wolford hosiery is so good:

First off, the rise is three inches longer than other brands; this provides a better fit.  A full inch of banding at the top stops the roll over effect.  Now, to get more technical: most tights are formed on a tube.  Wolford has a special knitting technique that knits the hose on an actual leg-form and creates a seamless tight.  The leg-form creates hosiery that is in proportion.  Your arch is a different size than your heel and your hosiery should reflect that.  These do. (Just to be clear: there IS a seam on the foot- but it is a flat seam so say goodbye to that uncomfortable seam that causes you to redo your tights.  Never again if you buy these.

Wolford makes an office girl’s dream come true with their whisper sheer hose, called Luxe 9 for $30.  The Winter Soft Logic tights make short skirts bearable on winter days ($58). 

This hosiery does for your legs what cosmetics do for your skin: improves upon what you have.  Wolford has leggings, patterns, colors, knee highs, thigh highs, and fishnets that look classy, not slutty…..basically, they have it all. The picture in this posting is from the current Spring 2009 collection. Named “Reflection”, the loose airy weave and pale color make this a great tight for the anticipation of sunny days. ($45)

So, pretty pricey.  Are they worth it?

Well, they drum all the fabric with tiny silicone beads to make it more supple.  Apparently brittle hose are hose that will snag and run.  These hose are super soft and thus are harder to snag.  I mean, keep your nails clipped and don’t be rough but these should last you!  For funny proof, search around on some chat rooms like I have about Wolford.  Apparently the cross-dressers LOVE them because they make their legs look so good, they last so long and they are the most comfortable.  “Things that make you go hmmmmm….”

If you are hard to fit, the girls at Wolford will help you out.

Friendly and ultra knowledgeable, tell them your ills and they will provide a Wolford prescription.

And, it’s a great place to get a gift card from….

© 2009 – 2010, StyleBlueprint. All rights reserved.