Our Lingerie Glossary…
Ever been confused by a lingerie description or name? Here’s your opportunity to become a lingerie expert. This glossary covers all the essential terminology for understanding lingerie styles, construction, and care. Each term represents distinct design elements that serve specific functional and aesthetic purposes in intimate apparel. Enjoy!
Bra Styles
Adhesive Bra
A backless, strapless bra that uses medical-grade adhesive to stick directly to the skin. Perfect for backless or strapless garments.
Balconette Bra
Features horizontal seaming with cups that cover about half to three-quarters of the breast, creating a lifted, rounded shape. The low-cut design works well under square necklines.
Bandeau Bra
A strapless tube-style bra that wraps around the torso like a band. Often has removable straps and minimal structure, ideal for casual wear.
Bralette
A soft, unlined, and typically unstructured bra that resembles a small crop top. Usually made from lace, cotton, or modal with light support.
Bullet Bra
A vintage-inspired style popular in the 1940s-50s featuring conical, pointed cups that create a distinctive silhouette.
Convertible Bra
Features removable and adjustable straps that can be worn multiple ways – traditional, halter, one-shoulder, crisscross, or strapless.
Corset Bra
A structured bra with boning and lacing that provides significant support and shaping, often extending below the bust line.
Demi Bra
Also called a half-cup bra, covers about half of each breast with a horizontal cut across the cups. Creates cleavage and works well under low necklines.
Full Coverage Bra
Completely encases the breast tissue with full cups that extend to the center and sides, providing maximum coverage and support.
Halter Bra
Features straps that connect behind the neck instead of over the shoulders, designed to be worn under halter tops and dresses.
Longline Bra
Extends several inches below the bust line, often to the waist, providing additional torso support and a vintage silhouette.
Minimizer Bra
Designed to redistribute breast tissue to create a smaller-looking bust line, typically reducing apparent size by one cup size.
Nursing Bra
Features cups that open or drop down for breastfeeding convenience, with wider straps and bands for comfort during pregnancy and nursing.
Padded Bra
Contains foam padding or fiberfill in the cups to add volume, shape, and modesty. Padding levels vary from light to heavy.
Plunge Bra
Features a very low center gore and deep V-shaped neckline between cups, ideal for low-cut tops and dresses.
Push-Up Bra
Contains padding at the bottom of cups, often with additional inserts, to lift and enhance cleavage by pushing breasts up and together.
Racerback Bra
Straps form a Y or T-shape between the shoulder blades, preventing straps from slipping and working well under racerback tops.
Shelf Bra
A built-in bra feature in camisoles or dresses that provides minimal support, typically just a support band under the bust.
Sports Bra
Designed for athletic activities with compression or encapsulation support, moisture-wicking materials, and secure fit to minimize movement.
Strapless Bra
Relies entirely on the band for support without shoulder straps, often featuring silicone strips or boning for security.
T-Shirt Bra
Features smooth, molded cups without seams or textures that create a seamless look under fitted clothing.
Triangle Bra
Soft cup bra with triangular-shaped cups, typically unpadded and wireless, offering light support with a natural shape.
Underwire Bra
Contains a semicircular wire under each cup for additional support and lift, helping maintain breast shape and position.
Wireless Bra
Provides support through construction and materials rather than underwire, often more comfortable for extended wear.
Panty Styles
Bikini
Classic underwear style with a low-rise waistband that sits on the hips and moderate coverage in back.
Boy Shorts
Feature a lower leg line similar to men’s boxer briefs, providing full coverage across the bottom and hips.
Brazilian
Offers moderate front coverage with minimal back coverage, sitting between a bikini and thong in terms of coverage.
Briefs
High-waisted panties that provide full front and back coverage, extending from waist to upper thigh.
Cheeky
Provides full front coverage but exposes the lower portion of the buttocks, offering a flirty, playful style.
G-String
Features minimal fabric with a thin string that sits between the buttocks, offering the least coverage and eliminating visible panty lines.
High-Waist
Sits at or above the natural waistline, often providing tummy control and a vintage-inspired silhouette.
Hipster
Low-rise style that sits on the hips with fuller coverage than bikini panties, offering a comfortable everyday option.
String Bikini
Similar to regular bikini but with side ties or very thin side straps instead of a continuous waistband.
Thong
Features a narrow strip of fabric in back that sits between the buttocks, eliminating panty lines while providing front coverage.
Specialty Lingerie
Baby Doll
A short, loose-fitting nightgown that typically ends at the hips or upper thighs, often with matching panties.
Basque
A fitted, structured garment that combines a bra with a torso-hugging design, often featuring garter straps.
Body Suit
A one-piece garment that covers the torso and snaps at the crotch, worn as underwear or outerwear.
Bustier
A form-fitting, sleeveless garment that covers the torso from chest to waist or hips, often worn as outerwear.
Camisole
A sleeveless undergarment or top that typically features thin straps and covers from shoulders to waist or hips.
Chemise
A loose-fitting, dress-like undergarment or sleepwear that hangs straight from the shoulders.
Corset
A fitted undergarment with boning and lacing designed to shape and support the torso, often extending from bust to hips.
Garter Belt
A belt worn around the waist or hips with attached straps (garters) to hold up stockings.
Negligee
A women’s light, sheer nightgown or robe, often made from delicate fabrics like silk or chiffon.
Peignoir
A long, flowing robe or dressing gown, typically sheer and worn over a nightgown or negligee.
Slip
An undergarment worn beneath dresses or skirts to prevent show-through and provide a smooth silhouette.
Teddy
A one-piece undergarment that combines a camisole top with panties, often featuring decorative details.
Materials and Construction Terms
Boning
Flexible strips (plastic or metal) sewn into garments to provide structure and maintain shape.
Center Gore
The piece of fabric between the cups of a bra where the underwires meet at the center chest.
Cup Construction
- Molded: Seamless cups shaped using heat and pressure
- Seamed: Cups constructed from multiple fabric pieces sewn together
- Lined: Additional fabric layer inside cups for opacity and shape
- Unlined: Single layer of fabric without additional lining
Elastane/Spandex
Synthetic fibers that provide stretch and recovery, essential for proper fit and comfort.
Gusset
A triangular or diamond-shaped piece of fabric in the crotch area of panties for comfort and breathability.
Picot Elastic
Decorative elastic with a scalloped or zigzag edge, commonly used on lingerie edges.
Power Mesh
A strong, stretchy fabric used in shapewear and structured bras for compression and support.
Fit and Sizing Terms
Band Size
The numerical measurement of the bra band that goes around the torso, measured in inches.
Cup Size
The letter designation (A, B, C, D, etc.) indicating breast volume within each band size.
Full Bust
Body type where bust measurement is significantly larger than underbust measurement.
Shallow Bust
Breast shape that projects less from the chest wall, often wider than deep.
Sister Size
Bra sizes with the same cup volume but different band sizes (e.g., 34C and 36B).
Care and Maintenance
Hand Wash
Gentle cleaning method recommended for delicate lingerie to preserve fabric and construction.
Lay Flat to Dry
Air drying method where garments are laid flat rather than hung to prevent stretching.
Lingerie Bag
Mesh washing bag used to protect delicate items during machine washing.
