ALL HAIL HOLD-UPS!

Anyone who has known me for any length of time can tell you I wear pants with a rarity that is rivaled only by Lady Gaga. This isn't to say you will find me walking around New York in my skivvies (I try to keep my public near-nudity to a minimum...) I just happen to prefer skirts, shorts, dresses and oh yeah, STOCKINGS! I love, love, LOVE my nylons, tights and thigh highs-- and notably more than any normal person should. So I am, by extension, equally infatuated with garter belts (well apparently MORE since I'm posting about them.)

I'm sort of partial to the high-waisted variety... maybe its because they conjure up the covert, sexy femme fatale of yesteryear. But waist-cinching or no, there's something about knowing you have a pair of foxy garters on under your every day clothes that makes you feel undeniably alluring. Obviously, I could extoll the virtues of hold-ups for eons but frankly, I think we'd all rather look at pretty pictures. So I will happily oblige with my a few of my coups de coeur:

Mesh Magic-Bum Girdle, $130.50, from Made by Niki available through figleaves.com

Satin Teese (as in Dita Von) High-Rise Waist-Cinching Suspender, $32, by Wonderbra, available through figleaves.com

Silk Suspender,$105, by Myla Body, from Journelle

Marlene Four Garters Girdle Skirt, $52.99, from stockingirl.com

LOOKS TO KILL + CHEAP THRILLS

There is no way you will catch me combining the word "recession" with the dreaded "ista" suffix (MAJOR pet peeve of LIFE!) But I think there is something to be said for being chic on the cheap. Especially when it comes to lingerie. Budget lingerie is usually garish colours, ill-fitting and covered in tacky synthetic lace BUT there are always exceptions to the rule, so here are a few of my pocketbook-friendly picks (there's a little something for everyone):

THE MADONNA:Floral Lace Wireless by GapBody, $29.50, gap.com

THE ROCKER:

Forever 21 Mineral Advantage Bodysuit, $7.99, forever21.com

THE GIRL NEXTDOOR:Boudoir Mesh Contrast Longline Bra, $30.44, asos.com

THE VAMP:

Fishnet split cup bra set, $32, and matching garter, $20, from fredricks.com

TINY FRACTURES

Shatter Lingerie Paneled Bra, AUD$ 150 (about $140 USD) available from Zimmermann

When I originally saw this bra, I thought it was covered in paillettes... a feature which, to me, made it a simultaneously absurd and endlessly appealing purchase. Upon closer review, the sequin effect is actually a "shatter print" silk.... this of course makes it an inherently more practical (albeit slightly less ostentatious) foundation garment. Now, I'm not normally a print person (read: never) undergarments or otherwise, but I find the repetition/ shatter effect of the pattern quite stunning. Added bonus: the back is paneled mesh, which is pretty much enough to sell me on this patterned lovely.

I NEED MORE OF YU IN MY LIFE

By now I'm sure my preoccupation with entirely sheer or demi-opaque underpinnings has been documented ad nauseam. So it's no surprise that I'm head-over heels for F.I.T.-trained-designer, Jean Yu's magical (and barely there) lingerie. Yu moves beyond the obvious delicate quality of sheer textiles however, and sculpts normally-diaphanous charmeuses and organzas into structured, graphic undergarment armor. I'm absolutely smitten with the origami folds of and delicate seaming of Yu's pieces, in particular the sheer white "dressing" gown... I'd love to rock it with some kind of full-body black one piece underneath to create a outerwear/innerwear hybrid ensemble. You can check out more of the RIDICULOUSLY talented Jean Yu's work here and if you're interested in owning a Jean Yu original (I am! I am!), you can visit net-a-porter.com.

I LIKE A LITTLE TRASH WITH MY CLASS

Lucy Foil Dot Bra top, $23.10 (on sale) by Son of John, from shopbop.com

I won't sugar coat it: I'm certainly aware of the propensity this red foil-dot print bra with ZERO in the way of support to appear somewhat... hookerish. But I'm starting to think that's what I like about this little number. Not that I try to dress like a lady of the night, but who doesn't want to have their own Pretty Woman moment? CASE(s) IN POINT:

ROMPER RAPTURE

Keep Me for Bop Basics, $85, available at shopbop.com

I have a straight up obsession with one piece-outfits. I'm not sure if its the ease of wearing one underneath clothes as a sort of base garment, or the comfort of lounging in them around the house, but it's getting to be an issue in my life and/or shopping excursions. I'll be in a store, shopping for something entirely unrelated like socks, and some how I'll end up with a jumper on one arm and two rompers in the other.

Note to self.... no, you cannot always wear an adult onesie.

I posted this one because I've convinced myself it could function as a sort of quintessential wardrobe piece- used to layering under sheer tank tops or peek out of leather skirts and skinny jeans. But I am aware of the very real possibility that this is probably just my rational brain trying to justify lazy dressing...

CUPIE-DOLL-CUTE + MY DILEMMA

Brigitte Babydoll, $104, by Gilda & Pearl, available through Gilda & Pearl's etsy site

To gift or not to gift lingerie? That is my question.... Let's begin with, a friend of mine is getting married. More precisely, she is getting married to my brother. Originally, I'm was thinking Lingerie would be a cheeky gift (especially considering where I work.) I kept coming across beautiful pieces like this and thinking how nice they'd be to give as a wedding gift, that is until was pointed the possible taboo of gifting pretty underthings to my brother's wife to be. I'm still weighing the pros and cons of such a decision, but I'm slightly encouraged after reading this article which mentions Julia Roitfeld's preferred, shall we say, "gift-shop."

Also, so far this is the garter that I have found is contemporary and sexy without looking cheap (again, why I'm consider it as a bachlorette/ wedding-ish gift...)