Grannie underwear, beware! We asked co-owners Jeff Axelrod and Dan Sutcliffe of Almost Naked (almostnaked.ca), a Toronto-based boutique specializing in underwear, loungewear and other unmentionables to give you men the lowdown on how to buy lingerie for your lady. Read on…

1. Find the right place
With so many options out there, from large department stores to specialty boutiques, it can be overwhelming knowing where to go. Our advice? Find a store that carries a wide selection of different brands, designers and manufacturers; that way you can ensure your one-stop shop will have everything and anything you may be looking for. Along with a great selection, boutiques provide that one-on-one attention you’ll need because let’s face it, do you really know the difference between a G-string and a Thong? Didn’t think so.

2. Don’t guess her size
A word of caution: Even though the test would be fun, don’t use your hands to figure out what cup size your loved one may be. Smaller breasted women sometime seek extra padding in the bra to create a “push-up” effect while larger breasted women prefer more coverage. Trying to estimate her size is impossible, so you have two choices: Either sneak into her lingerie drawer to check out the sizing label before you go shopping or look at other options like nightgowns, robes, sexy camisoles and bottoms that come in the standard S, M, L.

3. You don’t need to buy the most expensive thing you can find… nor the cheapest
When purchasing such an intimate gift, take pride in the name you’re bringing to your ladies bedrooms. Guys, Fruit of the Loom is not in most women’s vocabulary unless, sadly, they are shopping for you. Splurging does not mean you have to skip dinner to pay for the gift; with names like DKNY, Betsy Johnson and Miss Sixty, you now can have dinner … and dessert! Check out names like Marlies Dekkers for something unique and D&G to really knock her socks, plus more, off.

4. Think about her personal style
Take note of how she dresses on a day-to-day basis. What is her go-to look? Is she feminine, athletic or sexy? Try to match her lingerie wardrobe with her existing one. Believe us, she’ll notice the extra effort.

5. Will it be panties, bikinis, thongs…?
Oh my! Fellas, with so much to choose from you need to come out and take a look at what’s available. If you’re the one doing the buying, this is a perfect oportunity to make yourself a little happier here, too. Bikini and thong cuts remain to be a women’s favourite style. Remember, women hate showing their panty lines and thongs offer none of them; come to think of it, we’re sure sure most men don’t have a problem with thongs, either. The point is: Women now have plenty of alternatives so your best bet is to go out and take a look at all that is on offer (Check out Calvin Klein’s Naked line, gorgeous.)

This may be overstating the obvious, but please avoid buying anything labelled as “control” or “reducing.” These are designed to hide flaws that your woman doesn’t want you to know about, so steer clear of these if you want to avoid some serious couchtime. Equally likely to offend are those bras that come packaged with gels designed to “enhance” or enlargen a woman’s shape; can you imagine if she gave you with the same undergarment? How offended would you be?

Lastly, think about presentation. There’s nothing more sweet that a prettily packaged present to make a girl swoon. Use lots of tissue, bows and ribbons to show her you really thought about it … the forthcoming “thank you’s” will have never felt so good!

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