Old Style Lingerie Shops
From LoveToKnow Lingerie
When you think of an old style lingerie shop, something out of a classic movie might come to mind. An opulent salon where you don't actually browse, but sit on sofas and are shown the wares by models. Once you've selected something, you're led to a private room to be measured and then the item is wrapped, tied with ribbon and delivered. These shops no longer exist, but you can still have a wonderful shopping experience buying quality lingerie.
Modern Old Style Shops
As you might imagine, the more money you're prepared to pay for lingerie, the classier a store will be. Some European lingerie stores have a kind of old-world ambiance, and many adhere to the traditional practice of not having fittings. Rather, you're expected to know your size, the way European women do.
In America, you're more likely to find a combination of old and new styles in lingerie shops. A high-quality lingerie boutique will be staffed by women who are experts in fit and style. Even if you know your size, they will insist on measuring you so as to be able to advise more fully. And you might be surprised at what they discover – most women don't know their correct bra size and need this professional assistance.
While you are free to browse and try on as you like, the ethos of the old style lingerie shop is for the sales assistant to measure you and then bring bras in your size to the fitting room. You tell them what you're looking for – something plain, sexy, romantic, practical – and they then do the work to help you find it.
Getting Real Help
Most women buy bras in department stores and the help, even at better stores, is minimal. At an old-style lingerie shop, however, the focus is much more serious. The sales help here are in the business of getting you a perfect bra –- or corset, or bustier, or whatever you are looking for.
At first, you may be a bit uncomfortable with their assistance, because it will feel like invasiveness. The assistant will adjust the straps and ask you to adjust your breasts and assess from there. It will be the kind of attention most women only get from sales assistants when they are shopping for a wedding dress in a high-end shop. However, this is actually what lingerie shopping should always be like. Underwear is a foundation, and just as with a building, if the foundation isn't exactly right, the rest of it won't work. You might be surprised at how differently your clothes fit and how your appearance is improved when you wear a properly fitted bra.
This is especially the case for plus-sized women. The right bra will improve a woman's posture, often resulting in a longer torso and slimmer, more shaped appearance. Many plus-sized women are pleasantly surprised by the tremendous difference a fitted bra can make.
An Investment in Lingerie
One reason so many women avoid shopping in boutiques like these is that the lingerie is inevitably more expensive than what you can find in department stores. Even when they have sales, boutiques are going to be higher priced. Additionally, many women so hate shopping for lingerie –- trying on ten bras and hoping one will be okay –- that the idea of getting that level of attention is off-putting. However, the sort of help you'll receive will result in less of a time investment than ordinary shopping and you're almost guaranteed to end up with satisfactory lingerie. It's worth the extra money, because the pieces will fit better and last longer with proper care.
Looking for Old Style Lingerie
If what you're interested in is not the ambiance and sales knowledge of an old-style lingerie shop, but rather retro lingerie, you're unfortunately not likely to find it in a brick-and-mortar store. Fortunately, there are a number of online stores selling hand-designed retro lingerie to fulfill any pin-up fantasies!
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This page has been accessed 534 times. This page was last modified 15:32, 23 June 2009.
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