You step out of the shower and go to your underwear drawer. Your towel drops to the floor as you stare in bewilderment at what lies before you: a mess of balled-up fabrics, intertwining colors and shapes with random bits of material twisted around more random bits of material (which you swear were once legitimate articles of underwear!). Sound familiar? Don't fret; we're here to help. Here's how to organize your underwear drawer.
What you'll need:
- Two quiet hours
- A large flat surface — your bed is ideal
- Six flat boxes or three drawer dividers, into which you can create six separate sections
- A full length mirror
- A trash bin
Sort out your undies
Empty the entire contents of your underwear drawer; separate panties and brassieres into two piles; further separate those two piles into the following six categories:
- Comfy utilitarian seamless and cotton panties
- Lacy, silk, satin and sheer panties, including boy-short and bikini styles
- G-strings, tangas, and thongs
- Lacy, fancy or elaborate brassieres
- Discreet, work-friendly seamless brassieres
- Sports brassieres
Try on your undies
Seasons change, styles change and our bodies change as well. So please note: The underwear you choose to lie discreetly (or sometimes not so discreetly!) underneath your clothing will not fit forever. If you are unsure whether or not a garment fits, try it on, and bend, stretch, do a little jig. If anything pinches, squeezes, pops out or falls down, toss the garment — no matter how pretty it is. What you want are items that give you the support you need and desire, as well as flatter your figure. And just in case we need to say it: Chuck anything frayed, stained, ripped, torn or with worn-out elastic.
Consider your outerwear What do you need in your underwear drawer? Mariela Rovito, president of Eberjey, suggests you consider what you wear. "French briefs, also known as boy shorts, are ideal to wear under skirts or jeans, but if you're wearing lightweight or formfitting pants, you'll definitely need a thong to eliminate visible panty lines.. Traditional thongs work well, but lace boy thongs are much more flattering," she says. "If you want to wear a lower-cut blouse to work, try it with a higher-necked cami, which features double layering so you're not busting out!"
Separate "work" from "non-work" undergarments
Work-friendly bras are discreet, flesh colored (not the color of the shirt you're wearing) and seamless. They cover breasts completely, are imperceptible under clothing and support you while not offering extra cleavage. Work-friendly undies are those that lie smoothly across your rear and offer full coverage — seamless boy-cut or hot pants styles are a good bet. After-work bras may allow for extra cleavage and come in every color of the rainbow. Go ahead, let them peek out or show through sheer fabric. After-work undies are those you may feel a sense of amusement, romanticism or whimsy wearing — maybe they have little bows or lace trimmings. Fanciful or racier underwear can be worn for work too, if indeed it lies clandestinely under clothing. For example, if you gravitate toward G-strings and thongs, it's fine to don them for work — just make sure the waistband isn't peeking out.
Go shopping J
eet Sohal, creative consultant and buyer for MyStyleMemo.com believes every woman should have at least one black and one nude bra. If you work in an air-conditioned office, get a padded version of each! "Women also need camisoles in nude and black to wear under more-lightweight and slightly sheer blouses," she says. Buy lingerie in sets, she adds; it not only looks better in your drawer, but when you wear matching lingerie, you have a put-together feeling. When purchasing sets, keep in mind that it's important to buy two bottoms for every top, because the elastic in underwear has a shorter shelf life than that of a bra. Once your basics are in order, use your own creativity and personal taste to determine the rest of the drawer makeover.
Arrange your drawer
Place each category of your now separated, examined, comfortable, flattering and overall approved pieces into their own separate boxes or section of your drawer. And give yourself a hand — you've made over your underwear drawer!
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