The golden rules when buyinglingerie as a gift

INDIA Reynolds was modelling swimwear and lingerie long before she donned a bikini and sashayed into the Love Island villa as a bombshell during the 2019 season.

So it’s no surprise that the 31-year-old, who is originally from Reading, is all in favour of gifting lacy underwear, whether it’s for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or any other special occasion.

“I think gorgeous lingerie is a great way to celebrate your body, whether it’s for a friend or a partner – it encourages them to feel sexy and fabulous!” says Reynolds, who loves to get dolled up in a matching bra and knickers set with suspenders and stockings.

“I always feel empowered and think they are so flattering. A worn-to-be-seen bustier is also a firm favourite for a night out with a blazer and trousers to add a hint of sexy.”

After modelling for Pour Moi (pourmoi.co.uk) before Love Island, the social media star – who has 953k followers on Instagram – now designs collections with the brand, and has lots of expert advice when it comes to buying lingerie for a loved one…

1. Suss out their size

Size is crucial when it comes to intimate apparel. For a bra you’ll need to know the band size (in inches) plus the cup size, while underwear usually follows dress size in small, medium, large format.

“Have a look in their drawers to check their bra size and brief size whilst they’re not there,” Reynolds says.

“If you don’t live with them and can’t check, perhaps buy lingerie which is sized in dress size rather than cup size.”

2. Choose according to their taste

“Remember the lingerie is for them, not you,” says Reynolds. “You need to make sure it’s something they feel comfortable in and that they actually like otherwise they will be returning it straight away!”

Think about the clothing colours your partner likes and the underwear styles they usually wear.

“Be as thoughtful as you can and find pieces that will make them look and feel sexy, so both of you can feel the benefits of the lingerie gift.”

3. Consider their body type

Most of us have parts of our bodies that we’re happy with and others we’re less keen on – use your partner’s preferences to guide your shopping choices.

“If they love their bum, go for a thong. If they are more self-conscious of their tummy, go for something such as a bodysuit or chemise,” says Reynolds.

“If they love their boobs the most, go for a bra which will emphasise them, such as the India Satin Padded Longline Bra In my new India Loves (pourmoi.co.uk/india-loves) collection with Pour Moi.”

4. Matching sets are sexy

“When us girls are wearing lingerie, we like to be matching both on the top and the bottom with a matching bra and brief,” says Reynolds.

“Even underneath our clothing we will feel psychologically better if our lingerie matches.” Online shops make it easy to find matching sets by listing them on the same page. Reynolds advises: “As this is a present, go all out and get the set – bra, panty, suspenders, and stockings. Or perhaps get the matching corset or chemise to the lingerie set.”

5. Make it extra special

While it’s great to take inspiration from your partner’s current lingerie favourites, you don’t want to buy the exact same type for a birthday or festive gift.

“Women tend to wear the same basic lingerie day-to-day, and we often don’t splurge on a racy, pretty set for ourselves,” Reynolds says.

“Make sure the lingerie you buy is slightly different to what they usually have, so they will feel extra special when wearing it, but is keeping in line with their taste and usual style.”