These Underwear Brands Make The Best Lingerie You’ll Actually Want To Wear

There comes a time when your tired old bra just won't take it anymore. This time, for me, came two days ago, leaving me in the unenviable position of suddenly needing new bras. Plural. Not only did I realise that I hadn't embarked on such a shopping trip for years, which possibly makes me a terrible example of an adult woman, it also dawned on me that I don't even know what size I need. With so many new lingerie brands on the market, where to even begin?

Underwear is, of course, a boring thing to have to buy. It absolutely has to be comfortable – you're wearing it every day and close to your skin, after all – and you want something that isn't hideous but also isn't made with the sexual fantasy of a 15-year old boy in mind. Until recently, that was surprisingly hard to find. The lingerie market has been dominated by sexualised advertising campaigns and product that is clearly designed more with the voyeur in mind than the wearer. Lingerie brands like Victoria's Secret built their entire business on the male gaze, and we were all expected to enjoy that. In the last few years, however, multiple brands have emerged that are actually catering to women and their needs. Imagine!

In May of 2018, Rihanna made her next step on the path to world domination by launching Savage x Fenty, a lingerie brand created 'for the female gaze, not the male gaze.' Like the beauty brand that came before it, Savage x Fenty set out to promote Rihanna's message of inclusivity, using images of women of different shapes, sizes and ethnicities. Bras are available in sizes 32A to 44DD, while knickers are made in sizes XS to 3ZL. 'Women should be wearing lingerie for their damn selves,' Rihanna said at the time of launch. Since then, she has shown at New York Fashion Week, making headlines for the diversity of her model line-up. For her show in 2022, she rounded up Lizzo, Paris Hilton and Indya Moore for a music video/catwalk show/immersive viewing experience that was streamed on Amazon Prime. She has, in many ways, taken underwear to new heights.

Another brand promoting such a message, along with the idea of sexuality on a woman's terms, is Playful Promises. Regularly collaborating with a series of models and personalities that represent a body type other than very slim and white, the brand offers a huge variety of different styles, with bras available up to H cups and briefs up to a size 24. Similarly, British brand Bluebella offers a redefined idea of sensuality, giving the power back to women. Campaign stars have included the likes of Munroe Bergdorf, herself an outspoken, powerful woman and, unsurprisingly, the company was founded by – yes, you've guessed it – a woman.

There are, in fact, so many options now that even Victoria's Secret has 'rebranded' in order to try and keep up. Luxury lingerie brands like Mimi Holliday combine delicate and beautiful designs with comfort and functionality, all the way to up to double G cup. On the high street, brands such as M&S and H&M have started to use a wider variety of models to ensure that more than one body type is being represented. Given M&S' overwhelming influence in the lingerie market – it sells two pairs of knickers every single second– we can only hope that this will be the norm soon.

Another name to know is Beija London, founded by sisters in 2016 in order to make lingerie and swimwear 'you want to wear.' The brand has made it easier than ever to shop for lingerie, designing three styles of bra – the X, Y and Z – all available in cups AA-H. The idea is that once you've found the style you love, you can simply keep reordering in whichever colour or print you fancy. Dora Larsen is another favourite for its joyful colour combinations of jewel-brights, and impressive range of both soft and underwired bras.

Don't think of underwear shopping as a chore, use it as some time to dedicate to yourself. After all, it's the foundation of every outfit.

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