Boudoir Fashion

Boudoir, pin-up, corset, lace, see-through, frilly, sexy.  No, surprisingly I’m not talking about your undergarment drawer, I’m talking about the latest fashion trend of outer-wear resembling underwear!  Is is just me, or have you guys also noticed the influx of Moulin Rouge-looking pieces creeping into TV shows, department stores, and my closet?  Well, it’s because it’s a viable observation; the new trend of lingerie-inspired clothing is really taking over, and I’m telling you it’s do-able people.  With, of course, some JennyP Guidelines.

Guideline #1:  Know your audience.

If you work in a corporate office, are a Supreme Court judge, a police officer, headed to your 7^th grader’s honor roll breakfast, or attending the Republican Party Convention, then maybe save this trend for another day.  While these styles have definitely been adopted to wear outside, it doesn’t mean they are for every occasion!  There are little touches you can add into your outfits that exude the trend without appearing inappropriate, though.  A frilly top under a blazer, a corset style top under a sheer top with full coverage, a lacy shoe, a frilly bag, or a bow in your hair.  I’m telling you, this stuff can be added in with little touches and make your whole vibe a little girlier, a little trendier, and a little sexier.

Guideline #2:  Know your body type.

I have, in kind terms, a very small bustline (or as some jerk in 9^th grade described it, “a two-sided back”.  Clever, but now he has a beer gut.  Karma.)  Anyway, I have tried on quite a few of the corseted-shape tops that are popular in this trend, and while a couple worked, I just don’t fill out most of those styles at all.  They look amazing on my friend, Cathy, though, who was blessed with a one-sided back.  What I’m trying to say, is that if you try on a piece and it just doesn’t work on your body, go with another version of the style.  So while I look like a pre-teen boy in the corsets, I can ROCK the teeny, tiny, frill-covered dresses.  Take that 9^th grade jerk (I did an air-karate chop).

Guideline #3:  Fit, Fit, Fit.

Fit is KEY.  Ok, I am a fit freak anyway.  I won’t buy anything unless it fits perfectly, but when you’re trying to do this style, you have to make sure things fit really, really well.  You don’t want gaps, bulges, folds, or pleats in the wrong areas.  Lingerie is meant to show off the body and blend into your shape, so lingerie-inspired styles need to do the same thing.  If something is too big, it will look silly and frumpy.  If it’s too small, it will look cheap and make you look….curvier *wink*.  So watch the fit of these pieces.  If you can’t move your arms, bend over, or show your mother, move on sweetie, there are other clothes awaiting you!

Guideline #4:  Remember, you’re not a celebrity.

Don’t take this look too far.  Don’t walk out of your house IN lingerie, that’s not the goal here!  Don’t go to work in a nightie.  Don’t go to school in thigh-high fishnets.  Don’t forget your pants (Lady Gaga aside).  Don’t wear a bra….and only a bra, no matter how pretty it is.  The idea is to wear things inspired by lingerie, not actual lingerie, so unless you really are a Moulin Rouge extra (lucky!), make sure your clothing is actually meant for daylight and the public.  I would classify the following looks as:  The Wrong Way.

While I love all things Gaga, most of us need to wear pants.  (And by most, I mean all….)