Let's talk about a girl's best secret - lingerie

By: Emily Neumann

Posted: 10/8/08

Walking by a Frederick's of Hollywood store is enough to make any girl blush.

While Victoria's Secret and even the intimates section of Nordstrom's are a little easier to take in, shopping for lingerie is one of those tasks that might be just as embarrassing for women as it is for men.

This begs the question - why is lingerie so scary? Shopping for underwear, bras, pajamas and boxer shorts is relatively painless.

Maybe it's the feathers, the fur, the glitter, the lacey, see-through mesh stuff and all those straps. Or the obnoxious hot pink babydolls trimmed in maribou that are a little over the top. Lacy bustiers with garter straps and thigh-high nylons conjure up images of six-inch stilettos and a neon-lit floor stabbed with a stripper pole.

The image of a romantic, candlelit dinner with champagne and rose petals is enough to make anyone's eyes roll. Topped with some chocolate mousse and a sexy red cami-now that's just nauseating.

"If you're a couple, I can [understand] it," says Emily Borgman, 5th-semester English major. She added that it's not really her thing.

Brenna Harvey, 5th-semester English and sociology major, agrees with Borgman.

"I think it's usually silly, but being silly with a partner can be exciting," Harvey said.

An article on kissmegoodnight.com, a Web site dedicated to dating and relationships, cites other reasons for women's attraction to lingerie.

"It is more of a notion of self-image and feeling attractive for ones self rather than for anybody else," the article said.

TheSoko.com, a lifestyle Web site, features an article written by Esther Zsoldos. "The fact is, lingerie is a symbol of desirability, maturity, femininity and confidence," Zsoldos said.

According to Harvey, "A lot of girls assume that they don't fit the supermodel stereotype."

"It's nice to hear 'You're ten times sexier than some skeleton in a bikini,'" Harvey said.

But if the point of lingerie is to look sexy, and the point of sex is to take it all off…why do we bother in the first place?

Newsflash, ladies: It's good to feel sexy! Throwing on some next-to-nothing satin thing, grabbing some pizza, and settling in for a night of pampering, reading, or watching your favorite show-why wait for some Prince Charming to walk through the door? Enjoy being a girl and enjoy being feminine.

Next time you walk through the mall and feel that tinge of curiosity sneaking up on you, step out of your comfort zone. Walk right into the sexiest store you can find and find the piece that screams "you."

Lingerie is one of those little secrets you can keep all to yourself.