Recently in Lingerie Category

Stella McCartney has become one of my go-tos for lingerie along with Deborah Marquit, Kiki, and Moschino. I love the innocent, playful sexiness that most of her pieces exude. A year ago my boyfriend moved to San Fran leaving me to travel back and forth a bit, so I can relate to this set of two tourist briefs ($40)! The set comes with two light-pink silk-blend briefs with embroidered multicolored design. One is embroidered with 'From New York with love', the other is embroidered with 'From LA with love' -  I just wish there was a San Fran instead of LA option!

Any NY/LA jet-set travelers who have scooped-up this set?

I'm sure most of you have, like me, had a bad day and gone shopping to get yourself out of your funk. In those kinds of cases I tend to gravitate towards lingerie, because the damage isn't as steep (though depending on where you go, that sadly is not always the case!). On a recent mood-boosting shopping trip I tried on the Stripe-band cotton bra from VPL. I love the under as outerwear feel of the piece and I hope Labor Day Weekend is warm enough that I can wear this and show off the bright strap underneath something semi-sheer! 

What do you think about VPL's undergarments? Do you buy them to show them off under sheer garments?

I'm totally dying for this Essentials Set ($196), from Keep Me! Love the pouch (you can actually buy it separately for $6). The set includes the brand's Kate lounge pant, Dori v-neck tee, Drea bralette, and Trish undie, all of which are offered in all-black or all-white. Keep Me is and up-and-coming LA-based loungewear brand that manufactures all of their pieces in the U.S. from super-soft fabrics. They're great for comfy, but still sexy staples (you can think of them as the loungewear equivalent to Lulu Lemon). You can check-out the entire collection here.

Spanx has just come-out with two new styles of their Bra-llelujah bra. They each retail for $62, come in black or nude, and are now available in additional sizes (40-42 C-D; 32-42 DD). The one on the left is the classic bra without padding. It closes in the front and the straps automatically adjust to your size. The bra on the right is a demi push-up with the same front closure and self-adjusting strap. I usually wear a 32a or 34a, but the smallest Bra-llelujah comes in is a 34b and it fits my bust perfectly. I literally swear by Bra-llelujah at the gym. I'm about as far as you can get from being big-busted, but these bras help keep everything in its proper place and they're super comfortable. They're also very flattering underneath a tank top - an essential for me since I find that I get my best workouts when I'm feeling good about the way I look. The bra-llelujah also comes in a racerback version.

Hopefully my mom won't read this, because this is what I've been eyeing to get her for Mother's Day! She usually wears basic tees to bed, so the Lounge Lover Travel Babe lounge set ($475) seems like the perfect indulgence especially now with Hampton season (ie weekend packing), around the corner. The set comes in a portable gray pouch that fits the light gray jersey slip-on tank dress (round neck), loose-fit pants with elasticated waistband, eye mask, and wrap cardigan with a draped front. All pieces are 90% modal and 10% cashmere. God how this makes me want to slip on something soft, lay in bed, and watch some Bravo TV!

Maybe it's because my dad is a patent attorney, but I've always had an affinity for gizmos and gadgets - not the complex tech ones (I leave those to my brother, the engineer), but the fun, make-your-life easier in simple steps ones. A perfect example is Berry Perry's Berry Ball. Just launched a few weeks ago, it offers an alternative to hand-washing delicate bras and panties. The Berry Ball and Berry Bag ($13.95), let you throw your bras, underwear, hosiery, socks, and other delicates into the wash without worrying about damage! Just place them in the Berry Ball and they'll not only remain protected throughout your machine's wash cycle, but they'll get cleaned from the inside via a specially designed scrubbing ball. Check out this informative video to see how it works! 

How sexy is this Teddie and this Bodysuit!? Hard to believe that they're shapewear that can suck in wobbly bits to make you look a few pounds lighter. Both the Sweetie Body Suit ($68) and the Teddie ($108) are available in black and nude and they're comfortable enough to wear under your clothes on a daily basis (there are more basic silhouettes for those looking for something a little less racy for everyday). At the same time while they look sexy, you'll definitely feel the compressing though it's nothing compared to Spanx (which is why it's comfortable enough to wear daily). Given that most of us are constantly looking to loose those extra few lbs, there's nothing like a sexy Yummie Tummie piece to give you that extra, quick-fix confidence boost without causing discomfort. I've worn the body suit on a number of occasions and its made my mid-section flatter and a bit firmer. The founder of Yummie Tummie, Heather Thomson, has worked with Diddy, Beyonce, and Jennifer Lopez among many others, so you know this is what all the stars are rocking under their gowns on the red carpet!! 

I'm loving the Emotion pieces from the Spring 2010 Hanro collection (Cami, $118; Brief, $42; Bra, $88 all of which are sold at Bergdorf Goodman and come in black and pale cream). The pieces are simple enough to wear every day, but sexy enough for those special occasions, especially given their matte sheen. I can totally see the bra looking super-hot peaking out underneath a white ribbed tank top! 

These past few Fashion Week seasons Spanx has taken over a suite in the Bryant Park Hotel to showcase their latest offerings. This time it was particularly exciting because in addition to their just-launched swim collection, they were previewing their Men's Spanx which are now available for pre-order and will be hitting Neiman Marcus exclusively on March 15. While I don't wear any of the full-body coverage or cami Spanx, I'm a big fan of their tights (I swear by Falke, but they rip easily. Spanx is way more durable), and I wear their bras every time I go to the gym. I know most people wear their bras to make their chest pop, but I actually wear them to keep everything secure and in place (I'm only a 32B so there's not too much to keep in place, but still when you're running...). Sure I could wear a sports-bra, but the Spanx ones are just as comfortable and they're infinitely more flattering! As for the men's Spanx that I previewed, they look just like your average men's undershirts, but when you feel them they feel just like a Spanx cami. I went to the preview with a male friend and he couldn't wait to try on one of the tees, so there's definitely a market for these out there (many men are just as insecure as we are about their tummies!). The collection consists of three styles of cotton compression tops all of which are meant to firm chests, flatten stomachs, improve postures, and support lower backs.

What do you think about Spanx for men?

Thinking back at all the Valentine's Days I spent with boyfriends I can't recall any where I got the guy something! Is that normal? Not sure...but I am sure that had I known about Pantygram my memories would be quite different! What Pantygram does is send a pair of red, lacey panties to your boyfriend/husband/love interest. The panty comes in a discreet package (frequently women have it sent to men while they're at work..naughty!), with a note attached that directs the man to a web page where he enters the verification code and gains access to a private, often suggestive message from his loved one. Women have sent panties all over the world to husbands stationed in Iraq, traveling on business to Canada, Bermuda, France, Greece, Germany, Japan, Puerto Rico, Romania...such a fun idea! I love that it lets you be as romantic or as playful as you like and it's totally frugal since it's available anywhere around the world for $24.95 :-)