Feeling Good All Under ~ Celebrating Fine Lingerie
When
I was growing up my mother always cautioned me to wear nice underwear in case I
was in an accident. Was that to impress
the EMT’s pulling my mangled self from the remains of a crashed auto as they fought
to stem the bleeding? Would they stop and think, “oh, no! She’s bled all over
that gorgeous bra?”
But
really, underwear was just ho hum until Victoria’s Secret opened its doors in
Palo Alto, California the summer of 1977. By the mid 1980’s it had become
fashionable to purchase one’s under garments at Victoria’s Secret – and
certainly nothing boring, white, pragmatic or matronly. Underwear had to be
fun. My sister and I would meet for happy hour on a Tuesday evening, have a
couple of cocktails and then roam through the malls shopping for makeup and
underwear.
I
reached a point in my life where I could afford matching sets in multiple
colors. But I hadn’t reached lingerie nirvana. It was not until some friends
and coworkers who had noticed my attraction to a new display of animal print in
the Victoria’s Secret window, cagily got me to reveal my bra size during one of
our outrageous lunchtime discussions, and presented me with the object of my
lust for my 40th birthday, that I discovered the power of lingerie.
When
I wore my leopard print ensemble, I felt fierce, empowered, as if the knowledge
of my flamboyant undergarments instilled me with a little extra chutzpah. I started wearing my fierce underwear to
settlement conferences and mediations. Just the knowledge that my dark suit,
silk blouse and discreet heels disguised the real me, clothed flamboyantly
underneath, enhanced my confidence.
Today
my favorite purveyor of lingerie is SOMA. The quality of the garments at Victoria’s
Secret waned and SOMA arrived as a sister store of Chico’s with a focus on fit,
comfort and style. At least once a week I check the website for new styles,
colors and prints. I think it is as important to love one’s lingerie as to what
clothing one displays to the world. It is the first layer of armor we wear as
we face each day. And when he knows I
have a mediation to attend my husband still reminds me to don my fierce
underwear.
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