Lingerie With a Flair for Femininity

Since vintage clothes and even 1980s styles are finding their way back onto the cultural radar, it should come as no surprise that lingerie for fall and spring has also been inspired by things past.

At the Lingerie Americas show this year in New York City, undergarments were lacy and frilly and very feminine. Designers including Chantelle, Calvin Klein and Elle MacPherson Intimates took girly looks and made them womanly, using lace and trim and fashion colors such as yellows, deeps reds and violets.

For everyday basics that still have a romantic flair, Jockey is offering a line of all-lace bras, thongs, briefs and camisoles. Their show for fall and spring highlighted garments made of a matte and floral lace that are simple, pretty and seamless.

Boy-cut briefs and hipster shorts are also big with designers. Whether in lace or cotton, boy briefs are being paired with bras as often as thongs.

“The boy short was a European-inspired design that seems to be becoming the item of the year,” says Dorothy Wahl, vice president of sales for women at Jockey. “The trend seems to be heading more toward a feminine look in pastels and soft fabrics.”

Calvin Klein took the boy-cut brief and introduced what it calls the “boy thong,” which is half brief, half thong, and meant to be worn with low-riding pants.

However, if your fall and spring fashions are going to be clingy, then your lingerie should be as understated as possible. Seamless is a popular trend for the fall and spring. Designers across the spectrum are creating garments that offer support and coverage without becoming part of the outfit.

Gap has come out with a seamless tank top made of a super-fine cotton. Until recently this type of fabric has been available only in high-end stores because it was difficult to make on a larger scale, says Rachel DiCarlo, a spokeswoman for Gap. Seamless fabrics are knit on a cylinder, and Lycra helps garments keep their shape.

“These are designs that disappear under clothing while still giving you a natural look,” says DiCarlo.

Gap has the Essential Bra, which molds to the body and is made in both cotton and smooth nylon. They also have a T-Shirt Bra--smooth with more padding than their other bras but without the seams, perfect for wearing under thin clothing.

Designers also kept in mind the client who may want her underwear on display. 6ixty 8ight and its younger counterpart No Romeo, labels out of Hong Kong making their debut in the United States, created a line of bras, underwear and camisoles that are meant to be seen.

“The line was inspired by French women, who are sometimes ahead of the times when it comes to fashion,” says Gardenia Ramirez, a spokeswoman for No Romeo and 6ixty 8ight (www.6ixty8ight.com). “These are pieces that are meant to be seen, that blur the line between underwear and outerwear.”