Baby Doll
A very short gown, usually with matching panties, but sometimes is one piece. Ranges in style from sheer, lace, and opaque. Night wear or sleepwear. Sexy and sensual at its best. |
Bikini Panty
Bikinis offer full coverage in both the front and back while the sides rest high on the hips or waist. |
Bodysuit
A one piece top and bottom combination that sometimes has a snap crotch. They are sexy and compliment a womans figure. They may be worn as outerwear. If wearing a sheer bodysuit as outerwear, choose a similar color bra to wear underneath. |
Boning
Once made from actual bone, hence the term Boning. Today, boning is made of plastic strips that are drawn through slots in the material giving structure, support, and body contouring. |
Bra Type: Demi
Sometimes called shelf-type bra. Covers the lower portion of the breast leaving the entire nipple exposed. Though only half a bra, an "underwired" demi-cup still offers excellent breast support and uplift. It is great under a sweater because it offers bust support while leaving a natural, no bra look. |
Bra Type: Half-Cup
A half cup bra is just that. A bra with half a cup. It is very revealing but covers the nipples. It exposes a lot of bare skin and still offers support. Sometimes called a push-up bra. |
Bra Type: Open-Cup
Open cup bras surround the breast leaving the nipple and surrounding area exposed. They come in different styles including push-up and underwire. |
Bra Type: Push-Up
Lifts the breast to create cleavage. Also know as a half-cup bra. |
Bra Type: Shelf
Same as Demi-bra. Covers the lower portion of the breast leaving the entire nipple exposed. Though only half a bra, an "underwired" demi-cup still offers excellent breast support and uplift. It is great under a sweater because it offers bust support while leaving a natural, no bra look. |
Bustier
Pronounced "boos tee yay". Sophisticated & seductive. The bustier is a bra that extends to the waist. A bustier provides bust support and may smooth or shape the waist. Often worn with garters and stockings. Bustiers gained popularity in the 1980's as outwear due to a popular female singer. |
Camisole or Cami
A short lingerie top, fitted over the bust, and ends at the waistline. Originally were used to cover the tops of corsets. Often worn visibly under an open jacket or blouse, or worn under wool garments to protect the skin. |
Charmeuse
Pronounced (shar moose). A man-made, silk-like fabric used in various lingerie items. Preferred over silk because it does not have to be dry cleaned. Originally French in origin. |
Chemise
Pronounced (shuh meese). Originally worn to protect the skin from outer garments, and later as night wear. Sometimes called a shift or slip. A sleep gown with no waistline and designed to fall flatteringly from the upper torso. Often held up by thin spaghtti straps. Easy to purchase as a gift, as there are no particular sizing problems with a chemise. |
Chiffon
A sheer fabric, made of silk, polyester, or other fibers. May be solid or printed designs. |
Corset
A boned bustier that extends to hips and tightened with laces. Usually strapless. Old-fashioned sex at its best. |
Faux
Faux means imitation. For example, faux leather means imitation leather. Illustration is red, backless faux-suede pants. |
Garters
Garters are elastic straps with hook attachments that hang from the bottom of a bustier, the legs of a teddiette, or from a garter belt. They are uset to hold up stockings. |
Garter Belt
Waisted lace belt with garters is worn around the waist and attached to thigh-high stockings (not panty hose!). Often, garters are attached to bustiers and various sets. Not practical, but men seem to love it. |
G-String
A panty with a small front panel of material that is held to the body entirely with strings. |
Opaque
Opposite of sheer. Something that blocks the transmission of light is opaque. Not see-through. Like the panty portion of the pictured outfit. |
Panty Hose
Stockings with attached panties. |
Sheer
Transparent or nearly so. Something that does little to block the transmission of light is sheer. Opposite of opaque. Like the see-through chemise in the illustration. |
Stay-Up Stockings
Stockings that have a wide gripper top that clings to the thigh, eliminating the need for garters. |
Stockings
Sheer, thigh-high leggings that are held up by garters. |
Teddiette
Like a teddy, except teddiettes come with garters (sometimes detachable) and are worn with stockings. |
Teddy
Teddys, like bodysuits, are one piece garments. Teddys do not have garters. They may be boned or otherwise constructed with built-in support. Todays teddys are adorned with ribbon and lace and made of fine materials. |
Thong
A panty with only a narror strip in the back which forms a "V" as it tapers to the crotch. |
Underwire
Underwires are rigid insertions at the base of bra cups used for support, structure, and a push-up breast appearance. |
