Kent Life fashion guru Paula Fry goes under cover

Lacy lingerie is always lovely, but real women also sometimes need a bit of support, especially post-Christmas ...

Under cover

Lacy lingerie is always lovely, but real women also sometimes need a bit of support, especially post-Christmas …

A recent survey of 1,600 women claimed that more than 60 per cent had been given lingerie as gifts that have been immediately relegated to the back of the wardrobe. While we all love to receive sexy, lacy attire, in reality it is normally ill-fitting and impractical - bedroom usage (ahem) aside.

Wearing the correct underwear for your shape is the foundation for the rest of your outfit looking as it should. VPL has never been in fashion, so make sure you’re wearing pants that are not too tight (go up a size if need be).

The best on the market has to be the Sloggi short. I swear by these and wear no other brand. These babies never lose their shape, come in three colours (nude, black and white) and you can wear them under any tight-fitting garment without so much as a seam showing. Save your lacy thongs or novelty knickers for when you’re wearing jeans!

We can’t talk undergarments without mentioning the wonder of Spanx! Not for everyday use, nor for the faint hearted (they can take some time to get in to and you may need a shoe horn), these can be life savers when you’ve hit the doughnuts a little hard. A pair of Spanx can whip you into that cocktail dress that was a little bit too tight, like a huge elastic stomach muscle! Don’t expect to eat or sit down much, however ...

We’ve been talking bottoms but we shouldn’t overlook the top half. Despite the campaigns of Trinny and Susannah, women in the UK are still wearing the incorrect bra size, so the importance of being measured properly cannot be underestimated. There is no better place for that than Rigby and Peller. Now with a Bluewater store (01322 422 600), there are no excuses for not getting the best-ever bra service in the country!

Having a form fitting and uplifting month!

Paula Fry

loveisboutique.co.uk