I’d love to know what the best piece of style advice you’ve ever received is. I asked my style savvy social media followers and friends, and here’s the first gem. I’d love to know what you’d add!

Thank you to Victoria for kicking us off with our first topic.

ALWAYS CONSIDER YOUR UNDERWEAR

This is such a good one. We’re all different and will have slightly different requirements when it comes to underwear. In line with our style personalities (as well as our body shapes and sizes). You might prefer comfort, glamour, sexiness or something more feminine. You might be a matching underwear set girl, or a comfy cotton big knickers girl, but here are my top tips for what you need in a minimal underwear wardrobe from the point of view of making your clothes look better:

BRAS

The right bra (and by that, I mostly mean a bra in the right size) can make a simple outfit look fabulous and makes you stand a little taller - the wrong bra can make your boobs look saggy and make you lose your waist completely. Consider also the straps showing when wearing a vest top (and I don’t mean in an intentional way, that’s fine!) or - horror - greying bra straps falling down so you can see them (another sign of a badly fitting bra). If your top is a fine fabric or T-shirt material, then a smooth bra will be more flattering - but better a slightly bumpy look from a lacy bra than a wrong size. Get fitted by a professional - you can even do this online during lockdown - just message me and I’ll send you the details!

You need, as a minimum, in your bra wardrobe:

A nude (or light pink) bra - near to your skin colour - make it smooth to go under a T-shirt
A dark bra to go under dark outfits
And a red bra for luck… and because they actually don’t show under a white T-shirt and they make you feel good!
If you wear strapless or strappy tops, then you’ll need strapless versions too
A supportive sports bra - super important especially if you run or do any bouncy exercise
You DO NOT need a white bra - white bras are visible under white tops!
Buy your bra from an independent or somewhere that stock a variety of brands (in other words, not Marks for your bras, they score well on other types of underwear though!)

KNICKERS

Let’s talk pants. I am a fan of a big, comfy pair of boy shorts (I recommend sizing up for extra comfort and a bit less VPL), but under certain lighter coloured or thin fabric trousers, only a thong (or something even more substantial) will do.

You need in your knickers wardrobe:

Nude or light pink comfortable knickers of your choice - always check for VPL though
Nude or light pink thong for trousers to change into if you do have VPL
Or cycling shorts knickers are a good option too for no VPL and if your thighs rub together under a dress (is there anything more painful)?
You DO NOT need white knickers, they are visible under white trousers!
Of course, if you’re a matching knickers & bra girl, your underwear wardrobe is going to be much bigger!

CONTROL UNDERWEAR

Then we’ve got the topic of control underwear, which you might need to buy for certain items and to address your own particular area of concern.

I am personally not a huge fan of control underwear, I’ve been stuck in the loos missing out on valuable partying time wrestling with a pair of Spanx cycling shorts before now (breaking my nails in the process) and I don’t want to go there again! I also find that they squish you so that you lose your shape - for me, I completely lose any semblance of a waist - and I also find them way too hot and restrictive.

But for certain people, occasions and garments and IF they give you confidence (rather than the sweats!), they definitely have their place! There are new brands out there beyond Spanx too and I’d love to know if you’ve found a brand you love.

A SLIP

A firm favourite of mine is a good old petticoat or slip - smooths out a dress, stops static and is lightweight and comfortable. This one from Marks & Spencer comes in different lengths but now only seems to be available in one length. The nude and black are pretty good staples to have around.

SOCKS

I know it’s unlikely you’re wearing socks at the time of me writing this (the hottest Spring on record), but socks can be practical and also sparkly - and these days they can be worn with sandals for an edgy look! But ditch the greying, holey socks and upgrade your sock wardrobe. One of the most annoying things in life is a sock that falls down in your boots… my favourite brand of socks that tick all the boxes (including this really important one) is Danish brand Becksondergaard.

This is not cool and not for anyone to see them, but I also really like little foot pop socks under boots and trainers (although you have to make sure they’re tucked in!) - the type you find in a shoe shop when trying on shoes. These are not sexy by any means but they do a good job (they can be washed too so a box should last you years!).

TIGHTS

Tights are a great addition to your Autumn/Winter wardrobe but there’s nothing worse than tights that fall down or dig in. I would recommend wearing black tights (with black shoes/boots to lengthen your legs, if you need to do so) unless you rock coloured tights like Sophie Robinson. Great brands I recommend are Wolford and new(ish) brand Heist. Heist seem to have a new line of underwear and shapewear worth checking out too, as they have managed to make comparatively comfortable tights!

YOUR FINAL CHECK

The best thing you can do to save any underwear malfunctions is to do a full 360 degree mirror check before you head out. - check for VPL, bra straps that show and while you’re there, any hanging threads too! Oh and make sure the light is good - I had a major malfunction in front of a big group of middle-aged men (before I was middle aged myself!) wearing a completely see through dress - I was standing in front of a lit fridge doing some sort of talk about fridges and I don’t think anybody was looking at the fridges or listening to me!!! So yes, check that too, especially if you’re going to be standing in front of a fridge!!

I’d love to know your top underwear tips, discoveries, disaster stories and if you’ve ever had any luck with control wear :)