Taking The "Sexy" Out Of Lingerie

I just read this brilliant post from Caro over at The Lingerie Lesbian about how she's sick of hearing the word "sexy" used to describe lingerie, and I couldn't agree more. This is something that's been irritating me for a while, as often when people find out that I have an interest in lingerie their minds will jump to scenes of steamy bedroom affairs and assume that the only "purpose" for pretty underthings is seduction. Whilst there's nothing wrong with that being your reason for having an interest in lingerie, It's not my reason.

Since my interest first began several years ago, I've learned an awful lot about the lingerie industry, the manufacturing processes, and the vintage styles that many of our modern pieces have evolved from. I enjoy the geeky little facts that most people probably aren't bothered about it in the slightest. When I see a pair of fully fashioned stockings, I see them as something beautiful, but a great deal of my appreciation for them comes down to the fact that I know that they are made in the traditional way, using ancient machines that only a handful of factories in the world still possess and have the expertise to use. They're a rare product of skilled craftsmanship and I love that about them; and hearing them casually labelled as "sexy" demeans that somehow.

Another reason why overuse of the word "sexy" bugs me, is that I mostly wear lingerie because of how it makes me feel, rather than how it looks. It can make you feel feminine and powerful, it can cheer you up when you're having a rough day, and it's a way of expressing some of your personality if you have no choice but to wear a uniform for work, or bulky layers when it's cold. You might have to look like everyone else on the outside, but you can still enjoy wearing something fun or pretty underneath. It doesn't matter if no one else it going to see it, you know that it's there. Shapewear is a great example of this; it can make all the difference to a tight fitting dress when you have the right underwear on underneath, and it can make all the difference to your confidence too. It's really no different to applying foundation before the rest of your make up, and no one thinks there's anything sordid about that, do they?

When it comes down to it, everyone has their own reasons for wearing what they do. People have their own styles when it comes to outerwear, that's a given; so why should the same not be true when it comes to undies? It's considered perfectly normal for girls to get excited about other forms of clothes, shoes and accessories, so why shouldn't we want something more exciting than the same old predictable t-shirt bras in our underwear drawers? And sometimes it's really just as simple as wearing stockings rather than tights because I find tights uncomfortable. That's it. No "sexy" sub-context.