Look Good

Valentine’s lingerie to suit everyone’s style

Underwear to make you feel confident and sexy this Valentine’s Day and beyond…

Written by Jenny Brownlees

Published 05.02.2022

Lingerie should not only create the perfect base for your outfit, ensuring your clothes look the best they can, but it should also make you feel wonderful, too.

Here at HLN, we believe all women should feel empowered and at their best, always. So, we set out to track down the best lingerie brands that have taken women’s wants and needs into account to make us feel stylish, comfortable and in control.

When the average woman in the UK is a dress size 16 and bra size 36D, it seems futile that many chic lingerie styles seem to stop at a certain (rather smaller) size. Personally, a lifetime of shopping bras with a larger chest has often been a torturous task – with styles above a C cup regulated to granny-esque or quadruple the price of their small-cup counterparts. Frustrating.

For Valentine’s Day and beyond, we want everyone to find their perfect lingerie pairing and feel sexy for themselves – whether that be in a soft n’ comfy bralet or a strappy bustier.

But before we share our edit of the best sets around, from wireless wonders to beautiful balconettes, let’s take a moment to talk fit. 80% of women are wearing the wrong bra size, so the first thing is to be fitted properly. Our favourite go-to brand, Curvy Kate, has handily supplied a ‘find my size’ tool to help you find your perfect match and even offers a masterful virtual bra fitting, (we gave the service a go and were seriously impressed). They have helpfully shared the following top tips for a perfect bra fit…

Back band: The strap that runs around your back should do 80% of the work supporting your chest. Ensure it’s firm (but not tight) and horizontal for maximum support. If you can pull more than 2 inches away from your back, go down a band size. As elastic stretches, go in a hook approximately every four months.
Test two-finger tension: You should be able to comfortably fit two fingers under your bras straps, one on top of the other. Tighten so they sit firmly in place without digging in. Straps should offer a little added oomph but not completely lift the bust – that’s the band’s job.
Cups: A well-fitting bra should encapsulate your entire breast tissue with no spillage or gaping.
Central Gore: This is the section in-between the cups; it should touch your chest and sit flat.
Underwires: If choosing a style with underwires, they should never hurt or feel uncomfortable. If they do, it indicates that you need a different size.
The Swoop and Scoop: Breast tissue spreads under our arms and around to our backs. To guide this accurately into the cups, place your hand in your bra and scoop round to the front every time you put on your bra. This helps your shape look the best it can.

CHOOSING A STYLE…

Different bra styles create varying effects, so think about the look you want to achieve before you shop. While many lingerie guides say only the small-breasted among us should accentuate with ruffles and larger-chested ladies should stick to a full cup only, we say go with what makes you feel best.

A plunging bra will bring breasts together and accentuate cleavage, while a full cup provides the most coverage. A demi-cup will lift and separate the chest, without showing as much cleavage as a plunge, while a push-up enlarges and lifts breasts up higher.

To help everyone find a style they love, we’ve compiled an edit of the most well-fitting, size-inclusive undies –from comfortable triangle tops and post-surgery bras to something special to treat yourself to. This is underwear to make you feel great…