Lingerie Books

I have heard a few people mention the new book Underneath It All: A girl’s guide to buying, wearing, and loving lingerie so when I made a recent book order, I decided to throw that in my cart as well – and I’m glad I did. Underneath It All was written by lingerie boutique owner Jennifer Carroll and lingerie lover Kathy Schultz. The book itself is small (it could easily be slipped into a handbag) and a quick read (it probably took me about two hours over the course of a day). But what about the contents?

Underneath It All is probably best for someone new to lingerie or someone who is trying to overhaul her lingerie wardrobe. While the book does talk about the benefits of wearing lingerie as part of your everyday life (You look good! You feel good!) it seems that most of the information is centered around helping you pick which pieces to buy and wear. In the beginning of the book you take a sort of lingerie personality test, which is then used to help you identify the styles that might best suit your lifestyle and tastes – including what might catch your eye and also which specific brands may be good to start with. Underneath It All also discusses which shapes and styles are best for your body type, so you can nail down your most flattering choices. Of course I was happy when correct bra sizing was discussed, and surprised when I saw a whole chapter devoted to choosing lingerie according to your significant other’s tastes – it’s an area that isn’t often focused on in other lingerie guidebooks. Once you’ve learned what to look for, the back of the book features a helpful directory of some lingerie boutiques (sorted by US state) as well as online retailers

In short, this is a helpful book – I’m happy to add it to my library and I’m sure I’ll be lending it out to friends. But it might be best suited for those just starting on their lingerie-loving journey – old hats may not learn much in the way of new information.

If you’re interested in purchasing or reading an excerpt from the book, visit the book’s website at UnderneathItAllTheBook.com, or get it online at Amazon!

Lingerie: A Lexicon of Style is a book written by Caroline Cox, the Principal Lecturer in Cultural & Historical Studies at the London College of Fashion. As a fashion historian, she has the background to talk about the cultural and historical aspects of our underwear. I recently purchased this book and enjoyed reading it over the course of several days. Lingerie: A Lexicon of Style touches on many of the larger categories of lingerie (corsets, bras, panties, shapewear, sportswear, etc.) and discusses the place undergarments have had in history and in modern culture in terms of political movements, fetishes, and our daily lives. The text is well illustrated with more than 200 color photographs, perfect for a coffeetable book.

This book is great for someone who has already developed a love of lingerie. It provides food for thought about why we have given up and adopted certain pieces, how modern society percieves and wears lingerie, and what the future may hold. I will say that I had one problem with the book – you are constantly reminded of the text’s age. The book was published in 2001, and most of the pictured styles (especially panties) are obviously dated which can sometimes be distracting. Overall however, we are featuring this book on TLP because I think it will be a great addition to any lingerie lover’s library! You can purchase your own copy in the used book marketplace of Amazon.com.

See past books we have discussed by clicking here.