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With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, you may already be dreading receiving a gift of uncomfortable lingerie that your panicked partner has picked out for you.
Or maybe you’re digging out your only matching outfit, which spends most of the year languishing in your underwear drawer.
But what if I told you that wearing sexy underwear doesn’t mean you have to give up comfort? Thanks to innovative technology and fashionable designs, there are lingerie brands that guarantee you will look and feel your best.
What do they all have in common? They are all founded by women, with styles and sizes to flatter every figure.
So forget about dressing to please your other half and indulge in self-love with beautiful underwear you’ll wear all year long.
WILD LOVERS
Former colleagues and now best friends, Becky and Julia founded their lingerie brand Wild Lovers in east London in 2019.
The label is for anyone who likes a bit of old school glamour.
The bras are ruffled and the lace bodysuits come with matching gloves for a sultry bedroom look. They also collaborated with American brand Urban Outfitters on a 20-piece capsule collection. If you love underwear, there are matching loungewear.
Wild Lovers also makes swimsuits from 100% recycled materials.
Eleanor bra, £26 and French panties, £15, wildlovers london.com
FLOWER OF ENGLAND
Since launching in 2001, Fleur of England has become an independent, award-winning lingerie brand. Founder Fleur Turner designs all pieces herself in Bristol with a team of eight women. Her passion is reflected in her attention to detail, especially when it comes to fit and craftsmanship. From hand-embroidered balconette bras to delicate silk bralettes, this brand oozes sophistication.
Lyla balconette bra, £128, strappy thong, £98 and garter belt, £125, fleurofengland.com
Audrey bralette, £125, fleurofengland.com
DORA LARSEN
When it comes to shopping for underwear, it’s easy to settle on versatile but unstylish t-shirt bras in flesh tones.
Instead, try Dora Larsen, known for her fabulous rainbow shades.
The brand was founded in 2016 in London by Georgia Larsen, who felt there were only two types of lingerie on offer: practical but boring, or sexy but uncomfortable. That’s why she wanted to create exciting and everyday underwear.
The semi-annual collections are designed in the UK and are also available online at Selfridges and Anthropologie.
Lena lace bra, £70 and high-waisted knickers, £45, dolararsen.com
Rue floral bra, £78 and panties, £48, dolararsen.com
BELLA BLUE
To turn up the heat look no further than British brand Bluebella. Founded by Emily Bendell, this lingerie is all about self-expression.
Bendell wants customers to think about buying underwear like they would shoes or a bag: It’s an accessory that can make you feel fabulous.
Supermodel Marie Helvin, 71, who underwent a mastectomy in 2022, is the face of its Valentine’s campaign. She wows with her skimpy outfits, proving that there is no such thing as being too old to wear sexy underwear.
Colette bra, £39, bluebella.com; Astra bra, £39, bluebella.com
EVELYN AND BOBBIE
Often, comfortable lingerie does not provide adequate support. But American brand Evelyn & Bobbie has created a wireless bra that offers the lift of an underwire style. This is due to EB Core technology that creates a seamless design that molds to the body while smoothing and lifting.
Founder Bree McKeen wanted her brand to promote inclusivity through its wide range of nude shades and sizes, up to the K cup.
Their underwear will work equally well under gym, work, and evening clothes, thanks to its buttery soft fabric; there is no risk of VPL here. Evelyn & Bobbie arrives in the UK on February 29.
Left: Smoothing camisole, £95 and high-waisted bikini, £21; Right: Evelyn bra, £95 and high-waisted knickers, £21, evelynbobbie.com