The Prima Donna Twist range has quick found a huge following.  The combination of being available in the larger cup sizes, fresh modern prints and smooth lines mean it can be worn under almost anything.

This summer sees the pretty petal like print of the Prima Donna Twist Eclipse.  Like al the Twist collections there is a pre-form T-shirt bra as well as a soft cup.  The shorts in this collection are a little simple for my taste, I do like a bit of a frill or ruffle but I know they are so comfy and the fabric is always super soft.

So what do you think of the new Eclipse?  Do you prefer the white or the red?  To make you hear about all the new arrivals first you can sign up to our newsletter.

Marie Jo have released the first images from the spring summer collection so over the next few weeks we are going to tantalise you with these gorgeous images.  I thought I would start off with my favourite so far, the Catherine.

The balcony bra is like ethereal cobwebs, so delicate but like all Marie Jo bras the support will be fantastic.  The range also comes with a wide waist cinch with detachable suspenders that looks particularly striking in the black.

As with all Marie Jo collections there is a fantastic t-shirt bra that will be a great alternative to nude for pale skin tones.

Marie Jo has also played with decorative straps but if you are like me and prefer the traditional style they can be changed whenever you choose.  The sexy big pants trend continues and with the stunning lace these high-waisted briefs combine comfy and gorgeous!

Let me know what you think of the Marie Jo Catherine?  Is it going to make your wish list?

If you would like to keep up to date with the new Marie Jo arrivals sign up here

Welcome to this weeks summary of lingerie chat! The topic of this week’s lingerie chat was all about party season lingerie! This post is a summary of everything we chatted about:

Q1. So what lingerie advice would you give someone about to buy a new party dress?

@LingerieDiva @PlumsLingerie Think about how much coverage & support you will need. Can you find/afford a bra that will go with the dress? #lingeriechat

@orange_lingerie I agree starting with how much support is needed. That factor alone can drive the choice of dress design. #lingeriechat

@LingerieDiva @PlumsLingerie Also remember there are alternatives to regular bras: pasties, adhesive bras, backless bras, body tape… #lingeriechat

@iamaliciarose the worst thing is a nice dress ruined by the lingerie showing (when it’s not supposed to be) #lingeriechat

@orange_lingerie Agreed! RT @iamaliciarose: the worst thing is a nice dress ruined by the lingerie showing (when it’s not supposed to be) #lingeriechat

@LilacLingerie @iamaliciarose I agree-visible bra straps can detract from the beautiful dress unless it’s the look you’re going for! #lingeriechat

@ Swimwearlingeri In Canada, a real concern is the weather and how far away parking is… changes your ideas from skimpy to layers and tights #lingeriechat

@fullfigurechest Make sure your bra won’t add enough bulk to make your dress too tight! Not that I found this out from experience or anything. #lingeriechat

@LilacLingerie And if you’re not comfortable with adhesive and a bra is too bulky, sometimes wearing a chemise or bustier underneath works! #lingeriechat

@piperewan adhesive is never the answer! don’t argue with me on this one! take the dress to a lingerie boutique or a tailor! #lingeriechat

@LingerieDiva RT @lilaclingerie: If you’re not comfortable with adhesive & a bra is too bulky, sometimes wearing a chemise or bustier works! #lingeriechat

@LingerieDiva Agreed! Great idea! RT @orange_lingerie: @Swimwearlingeri I think altering the dress to have built in support is very smart #lingeriechat

@LilacLingerie We always suggest clients bring in their party dress to our boutique esp if it’s backless or low cut to see what would work #lingeriechat

@Swimwearlingeri I have tried petite sizes, but my cup is currently an FF/G and the wide back means the waist swims. Need to get them tailored #lingeriechat

@LingerieDiva RT @premierjourpj: A general guide to choosing shapewear – take your underwear size and go down 1 size. Work from there #lingeriechat

@piperewan this may sound like a no brainer, but it’s easier to take in than let out. buy for your larger areas & have the rest taken in. #lingeriechat

@eileenb @PlumsLingerie what shapewear brand is best? #lingeriechat I can’t find anything nice..

@PlumsLingerie @eileenb it depends what you want. Miraclesuit has a lot of oomph, Prima Donna does it with extra glamour #lingeriechat

@Swimwearlingeri Ditto me, but this tank is actually rather nice. I find all their stuff is more like super compression from diabetic support #lingeriechat

@lingerie_addict I also like Rago and Kiss Me Deadly as shapewear, especially if I’m going for a retro look. #lingeriechat

@lingerie_addict Has anyone tried The Body Wrap? They’re shaping dresses look super pretty. I’m thinking of getting one for the holidays. #lingeriechat

@fullfigurechest I love @Charnoslingerie for pretty and full bust friendly shapewear. Their corsetlette is my go to piece. #lingeriechat

@Aunty_Dilys I’m with @lingerie_addict a huge fan of kiss me deadly! The Vargas is great shapewear without the restricted feeling #lingeriechat

Please remember that #lingeriechat is only as good as those who join us, so if you enjoyed it please tweet about it. I try to get as much in the summary as possible but if you think we have missed something, please let us know and we’ll be happy to make amends.

The next #lingeriechat is at 3pm EST/ 8pm GMT on  November 22. If you have any questions you want asked, you can either add them to the comments under this post or message me @PlumsLingerie on Twitter.

Searching for a pair of stockings turned into a major mission for me last week.  I was stateside in LA and decided that I was going to bedeck myself in some pretty phenomenal lingerie from Lise Charmel and all I needed to complete it was a pair of nude stockings.  Despite having a drawer full at the boutique I managed to leave home with out any.

First port of call was Harrods in Heathrow’s Terminal 5, no great surprise that they didn’t have any, after all it’s only a tiny Falke concessio,n so I helped myself to a couple of pairs of tights in case of emergency.  And yes, not having appropriate hosiery can legitimately be called an emergency.

So it was up to the cosmopolitian city that is Los Angeles to provide me with the stockings.  After a visit to Bloomingdales and a rather frustrating conversation with the sales assistant in Nordstrom where I had to explain what stockings were I felt at a loss.  Is this typical of the US?  Or perhaps due to the sunny climes and popularity of perma tans in LA there is just no demand for them?

It was wandering down Hollywood Boulevard that I came upon Fredericks of Hollywood the famous lingerie store. I think I can safely say the key focus of Frederick’s is not every day basics!  But due to the seductive nature of the shop nude stockings were at last in my possession.  A moment of hesitation came when I noticed that they were only $10, surely that was far too good a price for these to be any good!

I was pleasantly surprised, although no denier was listed on the pack they seemed to be about 15D and were shaped.  The lace at the top could have been a tad softer and I am not sure how well they would have lasted to a full day wear but the for a few hours I would definitely recommend them.  However my favourite Cervins will be on my do not for get to pack list for next time!

Do you even forget to pack essentials when you go away?  What’s the worst thing you have forgotten

So many ladies come into Plums Lingerie wearing bras that are the wrong size but can’t really see why.  Why is it that it is so easy to get your bra size wrong and so difficult to get it right? 

I think it has a lot to do with the way bras are sized up.  The underwire of the bra doesn’t simply come in a A,B, C size etc.  Wires are cross graded which in simple terms means the wire used in a 32D is the same size as in a 34C, 36B and a 38A. This can get confusing when trying to pick a bra yourself.  It seems that the bra fits because your boobs aren’t overflowing but if it is too big around the rib cage you aren’t getting the support that you need. 

It is easy for me to say that you need to go to a boutique like Plums Lingerie for a fitting, and if I could I would run around fitting every woman I could (however I think I might up for charges of harassment sooner or later) but not everyone has a Plums on her doorstep.  If you want some help on how you can tell if you bra is fitting check out How to Measure Your Bra Size For a Proper Fit.

Welcome to this weeks summary of lingerie chat! The topic of this week’s lingerie chat was all about hosiery! This post is a summary of everything we chatted about:

Q1. When wearing hosiery what denier do you choose (denier refers to the thickness and weave–10 is amazingly fine, 15 and 20 are v common and 100 is like a pair of leggings)?

@stephintoronto, @JanesVanity, and @LingerieDiva agreed that the outfit and the season often dictated the choice, with @LingerieDiva adding, “Special occasions always get something lighter and more sheer.”

@PlumsLingerie said, “I am a fan of the 15 denier, not really a fan of thick black opaque but am rather taken by colours.”

@piperewan said, “Tights mostly with otk socks over them held up by my garters. I’m too practical.”

@premierjourpj said, “Generally between 10-20 denier. Still sheer, but stronger than super fine.”

Q2. As Halloween is fast approaching what’s your view on novelty pantyhose/tights?

@alicudby said, “I’m generally not big on holiday themed clothing, in general. BUT something like a spider webbed tight I might do.”

@stephintoronto said, “Not a fan of ‘novelty hoseiry.’ The fact that I think fish nets r gr8 all the time might be considered ‘novelty’… I adore fishnets…they tend to be less delicate than other leg wear! Works best for klutzy me! ” @piperewan, @alicudby, and @premierjourpj agreed to a love of fishnets

@LingerieDiva said, “I think the novelty tights/hose for Halloween are fun! Good if you want to get into the spirit without fully dressing up…”

@alicudby said, “…a little nod rather than screaming hey I’m being fun!”

@PlumsLingerie said, “I’m traditional (boring) love to see the bright colours on other people. Wore red and felt like an elf.”

@lingerie_addict said, “Hosiery’s a great way to incorporate colors, trends, and even a bit of eroticism into your everyday wardrobe… I am terribly jealous of Europe’s  selection. US brands are so dull in comparison.” and noted, “Hosiery’s also a great way to experiment with high end/luxury brands. Legwear tends to be less expensive than the lingerie.”  @PlumsLingerie agreed that they, “may you feel fabulous and slightly saucy.” @stephintoronto and @swimwearlingeri agreed hosiery was a fun way to change up the wardrobe, too.

Everyone seems to agree that hosiery was a great way to be a bit bolder with their wardrobe choices and being a bit daring with colours and pattern could be fun.

Q3. How many wears does your hosiery last?

@lingerie_addict said, “My high end stuff lasts longer than my more budget friendly stuff. Wolfords last *forever.*” @stephintoronto agreed

@swimwear lingerie said, “I’m lucky to get 2 wears — sigh.”

@piperewan cited the problem of running hosiery with zippered boots which @Lingerie_addict thought could be solved with wearing socks over them and added, “There’s nothing worse than tearing a pair of expensive, limited edition stockings the first time you try them on…” @piperewan and @alicudby commiserated.

@stephintoronto suggested wearing gloves when putting on delicate hosiery to avoid catching on nails.

@premierjourpj suggested adding clear nail polish to a run to stop it from spreading

Q4. What about colour? I am a little afraid of brights  How about you?

@alicudby said, “Just say no to neon fishnets.” @lingerie_addict disagreed, “I own and wear neon fishnets. They look great over opaque black tights or contrasting colors.” @ @LingerieDiva applauded the creativity of that while PlumsLingerie asked, “What do you wear them with? Black or a contrasting colour?”

@piperewan said, “ I am wearing bright valentine pink tights right now!”

@LingerieDiva said, “Not a big fan of colored tights, at least not bright colors. Just seems to scream “look at me” too much!”

@PlumsLingerie said, “We Love Colors is a good resource for brights”

@swimwearlingeri said, “Coloured tights= I tend to be quite shy of colour too, I prefer to experiment with texture and design?”

Favorite places to get great tights and favorite brands were also discussed:

@PlumsLingerie said, “Topshop and accessorize in the UK are great places to get fashion tights… like the neutral tone lace.”

@Lingerie addict said, “I buy most of my hosiery from MyTights. Amazing selection & lots of brands you can’t find stateside. Cervin, Gerbe, and Falke are my fave luxury hosiery brands.”

@lingerie_addict summed it up best with, “Hosiery? I love it. All kinds. The end.”

Please remember that #lingeriechat is only as good as those who join us, so if you enjoyed it please tweet about it. I try to get as much in the summary as possible but if you think we have missed something, please let us know and we’ll be happy to make amends.

Next week’s chat will be will guest hosted by @MagnifiqueBras.  The next #lingeriechat is at 3pm EST/ 8pm GMT on  October 25. If you have any questions you want asked, you can either add them to the comments under this post or message me @PlumsLingerie on Twitter.

Welcome to this weeks summary of lingerie chat! The topic of this week’s lingerie chat was all about how we got involved in the industry and how we think it’s changing. @iamaliciarose was our guest host. This post is a summary of everything we chatted about:

Q1. "What is your career/hobby/interest within the lingerie industry? Did you take a traditional path to get there?"

It seems it a lot of paths have converged in the lingerie industry–here’s how:

@plumslingerie said, "I have a boutique but it came from the desire for every woman to have a well fitting bra. Actually I am a marketer by day )"

@piperewan said, My foray into lingerie world came by accident. I started in custom/bespoke couture gowns. For valentine’s day 1999 I made.. "..my first garters, which led to my 1st wholesale acct @janesvanity& my first sales rep who had a lingerie showroom…

@iamaliciarose said, "I’ve always loved lingerie and studied fashion design but always obsessed over lingerie… ..always knew I wanted my own lingerie line and so have been working on that since graduating alongside a day-job "

@PS_Lingerie said, "Loved lingerie, had an opportunity to open a boutique, attended De Montfort to get some knowledge & went for it! And love it …the course was essential, & the contacts made were key when first starting out. Networking is so important." @iamaliciarose agreed, noting the value of facebook and twitter by saying, "I have learn so much and met so many people via twitter etc I can’t imagine doing this without it." @DirectorySexy, @piperewan and numerous others agreed that social networking with those of similar interests was vastly important.

@tj_bras4mums said, "My route into the industry is a bit different. I got really bad advice when breastfeeding, so decided I could do better!"

@DirectorySexy said, "mine started out as aggravation not finding lingerie for my girlfriend fiancé at the time."

@alicudby said, "Mine started pre-Internet, when the biggest bra I could find was a DD…and I clearly wasn’t!"

@MagnifiqueBras said, "I am an e-boutique retailer. I got started w/the thought that great customer service, well fitting lingerie is necessary… Just a passion for #lingerie as most in the industry I guess "

@orange_lingerie said, "I started with love of lingerie + not finding bras that fit. A bit longer explanation on my blog http://bit.ly/oYzbTE"

@LindatheBraLady said, "I started in a store for about 20 years before going online!… I started with frilly lingerie and jammies, but was approached by the American Cancer Society to fit Prostheses and bras."

@ piperewan agreed, "my business existed before the internet too! I treat my internet people the same as IRL, though." and @DirectorySexy agreed that doing business on and off line should make no difference n how your interact with clients.

@iamaliciarose summed it up with, "It seems like most people are here because they love lingerie, or that the opportunity came up and they realized they love it."

Q2. "Do you think it’s important to have technical training if you’re a designer/bra fitting & understanding body shapes as a retailer?"

@tj_bras4mums, @alicudby, @franticafrances, and @iamaliciarose agreed that technical training is important.

@PS_Lingerie said, "It’s a shame there aren’t more opportunities to see the manufacturing process. It wld really help buying and fitting." @alicudby and @piperewan agreed that fitting is crucial and @iamaliciarose and @PlumsLingerie agreed that seeing a manufacturing environment would be/was a great experience.

@MagnifiqueBras said, "You definitely have to know the parts of a bra and how they should fit A MUST."

@iamaliciarose offered, " if you unpick a bra you will learn a lot about its construction, you should try it " to @tj_bras4mums who wished she could dissect things more herself. @PS_Lingerie liked the idea.

@piperewan said, "I have seen many retailers & designers that don’t understand fit. construction knowledge helps a lot."

Q3. "it seems like a lot of retailers have made factory visits, have any designers done internships?"

@PS_Lingerie said, "I wld like to visit a smaller manufacturer to see their processes."

@iamaliciarose said, " id like to visit a large lingerie company to see how they deal with wholesale/suppliers and a smaller company for hands on etc."

Q4." Does anyone have a mentor. Perhaps a design, guru or business expert? I think it’s really important to have good support network, who give feedback and can bounce ideas off"

There’s alot of help available if you know where to look! Here are a sampling of the many great answers:

@DirectorySexy said, " I have a lawyer friend and a tech consultant I use."

@MagnifiqueBras said, " I’ve had a great connection with many people in different aspects. But no single person is my mentor."

@alicudby said, "I haven’t had one particular mentor, but @thelingerieaddict has always been incredibly generous for advice with social media… Another fit mentor has been Freddy Zappe, with Eveden. The most generous, supportive (no pun intended) woman!"

@orange_lingerie said, "I am starting to find some groups of other small designers in #Chicago."

@PS_Lingerie said, "Some of our reps have been brilliant (obviously with a slight bias to their brand, but still v supportive)"

@franticafrances said, "You can get great business advice and a mentor from The Princes Trust."

@piperewan said, "the best bra fitters I’ve ever met have been sales reps. & the other great fitters? taught by these reps."

@PlumsLingerie said, "I went to a fitting course at the London College of Fashion, wasn’t impressed but the guys at Eveden run a great course."

@LindatheBraLady said, "I was taught by the American Cancer Society, but my years of fitting have made me an expert. I retrain all new hires MYSELF."

@piperewan said, "there are many resources out there for small biz. in the USA the SBA is a good starting point. we have mercycorps too."

Everyone seemed to agree that #LingerieChat is a great forum to learn new things.

Join us next week for Lingerie Chat at our new time, Tuesdays at 8pm GMT and 3pm EST September 20, 2011. We have another guest host next week!! @tj_bras4mums will be hosting a chat all about maternity lingerie! If you have any questions you want asked, you can either add them to the comments under this post or message me @PlumsLingerie on Twitter.

Simone Perele lingerie is a firm favourite with many of our Plums ladies and it’s easy to see why with the gorgeous Calais lace, stunning embroidery and everyone just loves the cute shorties. The Managing Director, Carole Launchbury, kindly too the time to chat with Miss Kitty Plum about what makes Simone Perele so special.

Simone Perele Aura

Simone Perel Caressence

Welcome to this weeks summary of lingerie chat! The topic of this week’s lingerie chat was all about the representation of women. This post is a summary of everything we chatted about:

@iamaliciarose began by saying, "I feel the lingerie industry represents women in a better light than the fashion industry… …I wonder if this is because there are lots of female lingerie designers? Lingerie seems to be for women to enjoy not men?"

@LibertyImages responded, " Or to just make themselves happy & feel alluring." @iamaliciarose agreed and noted that many women wear lingerie no one’s sees just to please themselves.

@32aabra said, " I don’t know… to me, a lot of lingerie seems made to satisfy men."

While there was agreement on both sides, @orange_lingerie felt the objective is dependent on the individual designer/company.

This led to the first question:

Q1. "Does the lingerie industry give a more realistic representation of women than fashion?"

Some companies are making a conscience effort to do so. @LilacLingerie noted, " Also a lot of lingerie companies- like Jacob have adopted a no re-touching policy which allows consumers to see real women." and @PS_Lingerie said, " Both lingerie & fashion in general are improving their representation of real women – Elomi, Playtex, most shapewear brands…"

Q2. "What makes you relate more to images and advertising from lingerie designers rather than fashion?"

@32aabra said, "that you’re allowed to have curves!"

@LibertyImages said, " The good ones use images that seem more realistic than fashion & big lingerie retailers." and @LilacLingerie said, " It’s great to see real women being represented in the industry- we try to use women of all shapes and sizes for our photo shoots."

@PlumsLingerie said," I think I relate to lingerie more than fashion because I know what I wear is underneath and no one can judge it apart from me." @LilacLingerie agreed, " I love that- you could be wearing a black business suit but underneath lacy lingerie and it’s just for you!" @32aabra also agreed, " good point… it isn’t so dependent on what other people think, but on how YOU feel." @LibertyImages, @PS_Lingerie, and @iamaliciarose also agreed.

@32aabra also noted that she did feel. "like some lingerie commercials try to impose rules on women… like, that you need to have cleavage and perky breasts and no cellulite… etc…and when everything is push-up/add two sixes, it sends a message to women like me" and @LibertyImages concurred, " Ahhh. Yes…there will always be perfectionism & retouching, IMO. That is irritating as can be."

@iamaliciarose said, "I think those companies encourage you to make the most of what you have." @32aabra replied, " ok, but does that have to mean truckloads of padding? I mean really." while@LibertyImages said, " Mmm…I think they’re pushing a certain look as "correct"."

Q3. "Looking at all the images from lingerie brands are there any that you think do a great job of relatable images?"

@PlumsLingerie said, "I think Freya do a great job of having gorgeous images that represent a lot of women." @iamaliciarose agreed, as did @Miss_Merx, and @LilacLingerie said, " Jacob Lingerie has implemented the no retouching policy so their ads are more realistic."

Q4. Do you think there is a negative impact of lingerie advertising on women? The idea they need to be a certain shape?

@32aabra felt it depended on the company, but sometimes there were negative impacts.

@LibertyImages said, " Absolutely, I think so. At least across most of the big brands. @32aabra makes good points… It seems as if all women are supposed to have enormous breasts & no hips, cellulite or changes in skin tone! " and @LilacLingerie said, " oh most definitely- just like with the fashion industry, lingerie models don’t accurately depict real women." while @tj_bras4mums said, "Yes, I think the media’s use of lingerie images is what matters most rather than lingerie advertising per se."

@LilacLingerie said, " It would be nice to see lingerie advertisements done in the fashion of Dove’s real women ads!" @PS_Lingerie loved the idea. @LilacLingerie continued, " yes! Models with cellulite, thighs and curves would make it easier to envision oneself wearing the lingerie!" @iamaliciarose agreed.

@PlumsLingerie asked, " So would models who had cellulite etc make you feel better about yourself? In real life they do have all these things."

@32aabra said, yeah, honestly I think it would help. plus I think real = more beautiful." @LibertyImages agreed," I don’t think the representation that all breasts should look like the same molded foam cup is positive at all." @iamaliciarose also agreed as did @LilacLingerie and @tj_bras4mums who worried women wanted a certain look to please their men.

@PlumsLingerie said, "But is there something deeper to deal with… If we have a robust self confidence these images should affect us less?"

@LibertyImages said, " As a survivor of anorexia, I believe the media has a great deal to do w/female self-image/confidence. Powerful." and @tj_bras4mums said, " Yes self confidence is one thing, but what they see in media ‘must have’ is difficult for some."

Many agreed that women of all ages are tougher on themselves than others are. @LilacLingerie said, " I have to go but I’ll leave with my favourite quote: "Nobody can make u feel inferior without your consent" – Eleanor Roosevelt"

@Miss_Merx said, " I feel like the women a lot use have enhanced breasts big enough for the brand."

@orange_lingerie said, " I don’t think the representation that all breasts should look like the same molded foam cup is positive at all."

Q5. For you who would be your ideal lingerie model or (more than one) if you had a choice of a few to cover diff body types?

@32aabra said, " I don’t have a single "ideal" lingerie model, because of what we’ve been saying."

@LibertyImages couldn’t think of anyone who fit that bill, nor could @iamaliciarose.

@PS_Lingerie nominated herself… with a note, " Well I’ve got the cellulite & wobbly bits… " @tj_bras4mums agreed that she might also be in the running based on those qualifications.

@PS_Lingerie went on to offer, " Ideal models: Kate Hudson, Judi Dench, Dawn French, Katie Price…….."

Join us next week for Lingerie Chat at our new time, Tuesdays at 8pm GMT and 3pm EST September 13th, 2011.@iamaliciarose will be hosting and the topic will be how we got involved in the industry and how we think it’s changing. If you have any questions you want asked, you can either add them to the comments under this post or message me @PlumsLingerie on Twitter.

Welcome to this weeks summary of lingerie chat! The topic of this week’s lingerie chat was an open Q and A. Here is a summary of everything we chatted about:

@Jacqueline_Soak asked, “We are now warehousing in the UK. What would be a good strategy for introducing Soak to stockists?”

@Plums Lingerie said, “It’s tricky in a recession, your wash may be regarded as an added luxury rather than essential.”

@JanesVanity said, “We’ve carried Soak for years. Customers have become quite loyal to it; it’s a great fit for a lingerie shop!”

@franticafrances asked, “Do you think customers prefer ‘basic’ undies, or luxury feminine undies?… how do customers find out about different lingerie brands? Adverts? Internet? Celebs?”

While most of our participants would opt for luxury pieces, it was noted that basic were popular and have a place, and that customer are loyal to the brands they adore. It was also agreed that building loyalty, no matter the brand, was a must:

@PlumsLingerie answered, “…I love quality pieces made with love…a lot of customers just want something that fits and is comfortable. Pretty is a bonus,”

@JanesVanity said, “Our sets tend to run $250-$350 on average, customers really care about quality &design and are willing to pay… I think everyone has their personal preference for ‘basic’ vs. ‘luxury’, and you can’t please everyone!… We certainly stock collections that can be worn as ‘basics’, but learned to stick with the luxury we love. ”

@PlumsLingerie asked, "Do you remember your first bra? What was it? Mine was a vile beige Triumph.”

Lots of fun (and telling) answers here!

@franticafrances said, “Mine was horrendous. Miles too big, I wore it in the hope that the excess fabric would add to my bustline. Bad.”

@DebDaveMason said, “mine was blue floral cast off from my sister (although next two were cool Mary quant!… 70s diffusion line – but nice – 1 maroon & pink stripes, 1 mint green with strategically placed WWF pandas! )”

@PS_Lingerie said, “First bra? I think it was a ladybird – style & class ”

@Plums Lingerie mused, “I’m surprised we weren’t all put off lingerie by our first experience!” and while several agreed, @TheBraLounge noted, “Thankfully things have changed.”

The subject of fitting also came up:

@PlumsLingerie said, “ I don’t think I had another fitting until I was 18 and went to Rigby and Peller!”

@PS_Lingerie said, “I wasn’t fitted until I was 28 – a life changing experience ” – Several agreed it could be one.

@PlumsLingerie said, “Wow! My fitting led me to doing what I do now! I think a lot of people get fitted when they are older.”

@PS_Lingerie asked, “We often get asked for bodies/all in ones – does anybody have any thoughts or recommendations? I have my doubts about fit.”

@PlumsLingerie said, “Me too, can’t see how they can support effectively. I recommend a good bra and big knickers!”

@Jaqueline_Soak said, “I’m quite tall, so fit is always a challenge for bodies/ all in ones.” @PS_Lingerie agreed.

@campbellkate said, “I have the Spanx open bust bodysuit. It’s ugly but it fits.”

@PS_Lingerie said, “ I can see the open bust ones working better than the full bodies – one less thing to worry about.”

@PS_Lingerie asked, “Might b a daft questions, but r suspender (garter) belts being worn very low or is this just for advertising? Pulled down?!… not sure how practical this is”

@Plums Lingerie said, “ I find that they find their natural place when you wear them as the stockings pull them down.”

@Jaqueline_Soak said, “ May not be practical but sounds lovely especially with decorative hosiery.”

@PS_Lingerie said, “LOL – depends what you’re doing – bedroom good, running for bus – not good “

Join us next week for Lingerie Chat at our new time, Tuesdays at 8pm GMT and 3pm EST 5 September, 2011. If you have any questions you want asked, you can either add them to the comments under this post or message me @PlumsLingerie on Twitter.