Lingerie Glossary

Adhesive bra - An adhesive bra is a stick-on-bra that has no back or shoulder straps. They use silicone and adhesive to stick to the body and stay in place, so they won't show under low back tops and strapless dresses.

Basque - A basque is a tight fitting bodice that covers the top of the body down to the waist and features bra cups to support the breasts.

Body - A body is a close fitting stretch undergarment that covers your upper body with a fastener at the crotch. They can be used as shapewear for firm control under outfits or for sexual appeal in the bedroom.

Boning - Boning refers to rigid strips of metal or plastic sewn into the fabric to shape and structure the torso. It's essential in corsets and basques to give great shape and is also used in bras and suspender belts. 

Bra - A piece of underwear worn by women to support and shape the breasts. There are many different bra styles including full cup bras, balcony bras and push up bras.

Bralette - A bralette is a bra without underwires or moulded cups. They are generally soft, lacy and lightweight with minimal support. 

Camisole - A camisole is a women's loose fitting top which covers the top part of the body from the shoulders to the waist. They usually have narrow spaghetti straps and are perfect to wear under sheer blouses.

Chemise - A chemise is a loose fitting piece of nightwear worn as a nightdress. They are lacy, delicate and usually made from sheer fabric.  

Crop top - A crop top is a women's casual top that is cut short to reveal her stomach. Crop tops are widely used in the lingerie industry as sports bras and loungewear. 

Denier - Denier refers to the fabric weight and is most often used to measure the thickness of hosiery. The higher denier denotes a thicker fabric. 

French knickers - French knickers are loose fitting and wide legged shorts that are usually made from silk or satin. They can be teamed with a camisole to wear as pyjamas.  

Girdle - A girdle is an elasticated corset that covers the waist down to the thighs.They support the abdomen, hips and thighs to give a slimmer appearance. 

Halterneck - A halter neck is where the shoulder straps are tied around the neck instead of over the shoulders. This is a very popular style in bikinis and swimsuits. 

Hosiery - Hosiery is a general term used to define legwear such as socks, stockings, hold ups and tights.

Hold Ups - Hold ups are a type of stocking that feature an elasticated top to hold them up when worn, instead of wearing a suspender belt. 

Knicker - A knicker is a women's undergarment worn to cover the body from the hips to the top of the thighs. Types of knickers include briefs, thongs and french knickers. 

Lingerie - Lingerie is a general term used for women's underwear or undergarments including bras, knickers and basques. It derives from the French word linge, meaning 'linen'. 

Longline bra - A longline bra is a bra style that extends down to the waist. They come in different lengths and are sometimes structured like basques to offer extra support.

Mastectomy bra - A mastectomy bra is a bra specially designed for women who have undergone a mastectomy. They are made with discreet pockets inside the cups to hold a breast protheses.

Maternity bra - A maternity bra is a soft cup bra that offers extra comfort and support during pregnancy. They have wider straps and extra hook and eyes so you have room to grow in the cups and around the back. 

Moulded cups - Moulded refers to how a type of bra is made. The bra cups are formed using a machine and heat to shape the bra material. A bra that can maintain its shape when empty is called a 'moulded bra'. Most moulded bras are also seamless and perfect to wear over t shirts. 

Nursing bra - A nursing bra is a bra designed for breastfeeding that has drop down clips for easy access to the nipples. They are generally soft and without underwires so there is room to grow when you are lactating. 

Playsuit - A playsuit is a women's all-in-one garment that can be worn as pyjamas or as outerwear. It usually consists of a short sleeve top and shorts. 

Racerback - A racerback is the way in which the shoulder straps sit between the shoulder blades and form a "V" or "T" pattern. It is popular in sports bras and everyday bras where women have sloping/narrow shoulders and bra straps slip off. 

Seamless - Seamless means without any seams or stitched lines where the surface is completely smooth. Seamless knickers are popular to wear under skirts and dresses so there is no VPL (visible panty line).

Shapewear - Shapewear is a category of women's underwear designed to control and shape the figure. It can smooth the tummy area, define the waistline and lift the bum depending on which shapewear style you choose.

Suspender belt - A suspender belt is a decorative belt that sits on the waist or hips used to hold up stockings. It has elastic suspenders and can come in a variety of widths. 

Stockings - Stockings are a type of women's garment that cover the feet and legs and typically made from translucent nylon. They are held up by a suspender belt where the elastic suspenders attach to the top of the stockings. 

Tights - Tights are a piece of tight fitting women's clothing that cover the body from the waist to the toes. They are available in a selection of deniers, colours and prints.  

Waspie - A waspie is a women's corset or belt designed to accentuate a slim waist. It sits around the waist and is also know as a waist-cincher.