The language, trends, and marketing philosophies may have changed, but flirty, seductive lingerie lines still maintain a lacy grip around women’s bodies these days.
That’s not to say the industry is at a standstill in terms of originality and inspiration. On the contrary, the surge in online businesses and advances in product innovation have created a shift in the industry over the last year and a half.
Fewer are the lithe, hour-glass figures that promote the painstakingly designed feminine garments. Online ads emphasizing comfort flood social feeds featuring women of all sizes. Body-positivity is the new byword.
Trends to Watch in 2020
Remarkably, too, lingerie has made the unlikely transition from the bedroom to the streets. What was once meant to be worn in the privacy of the boudoir is now increasingly worn openly in bars and dance clubs.
Designers are focusing on self-care, self-image, comfort, and everyday versatility. You never really needed a Penthouse Pet’s body to look and feel sexy and seductive, anyway.
This healthy, optimistic outlook extends beyond industry aesthetics and values. The market for women’s lingerie as a whole is as brisk and robust as ever. In fact, global lingerie sales are expected to hit $325.36 billion by 2025, according to Allied Market research.
That said, below are five lingerie trends that are likely to make a splash this season and beyond.
1. Peekaboo Bottoms
People were understandably titillated when a pair of Queen Victoria’s bloomers went up for auction some years back. They had a fifty plus inch waist, Her Majesty’s initials, and an embroidered crown on them. They also had an open crotch.
When it comes to lingerie, even royalty loves a good surprise, especially if it’s wrapped in pretty bows, satin, and lace. “The ouvert peekaboo bottoms are really popular,” says industry insider and former Journelle CEO Lyn Lewis. “Customers love the element of playful surprise.”
2. Straps and Laces
More than a few observers credit the success of the “50 Shades” entertainment franchise for the popularity of straps and laces in women’s lingerie.
While we may rightly attribute some of their current status to Hollywood, designers have been lavishing women’s undergarments with laces and dainty straps since the 1890s.
They will continue to do so this year, fastening seriously sexy silhouettes with buckles, metal eyelets, and satin cords. So, if you want to – as they say – “keep abreast” with the latest, then you should definitely secure a lingerie combination with straps or laces.
3. The Bodysuit
They may at times look somewhat similar, but these aren’t anything like the union suits your great grandfather used to wear. They aren’t even like the leotards your mother wore to dance class long before she had you. The latest variations of the bodysuit are usually a good deal raunchier, more seductive, and stylish.
Industry experts say they will make a particularly strong statement in the bedroom this year. And, as now commonly seen in fashion runways, you can also wear them out-and-about with jeans and thigh-high boots for a high-fashion look.
4. The Bralette
Bralettes rich with lace are testing the longevity of the classic underwired and push-up bra in 2020. Unlike its competition, the bralette offers the rarest of bra pleasures: comfort. The garment doesn’t pinch or dig into the skin. You probably won’t see much cleavage, but the bounce they offer can be just as provocative.
“They’re innocent and insouciant,” says Elizabeth Cannon, a downtown Manhattan couturier who designs costumes for the Tricia Brown Dance Company. “Where the functionality of the modern bra is to put ‘those girls’ in their place, the bralette is up for fun, or adventure or whatever.”
5. Harnesses
Harnesses are a making big statement in lingerie fashion this year, so expect to find them in an even wider array of materials and designs. You’ll see leather, delicate golden chains, satin, and little jewels dangling from the most provocative perches.
Whatever your kink, chances are, you’ll look stunning inside and outside the bedroom in lingerie with erotic harnesses. “We always encourage women to explore and try new products and categories,” says Lewis. “A harness can be for the bedroom or can double up as an accessory under a tank or low top.”
Keeping Up-to-Date
There was a time when women wore lingerie only for special occasions. On most days, they kept the beautiful, sensual, meticulously crafted garments tucked away in the back of a drawer somewhere.
Thankfully, that’s no longer true today. These days, women treat lingerie like any other fashion item. And, just as it is with ready-to-wear fashion, trends come and go within the lingerie market.
You may be considering a purchase for the first time, having been too shy to wear anything beyond pajamas to bed until now. If so, the new trends above are a great introduction to a timeless fashion statement and bedroom accoutrement.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for the next best piece in an already extensive negligee collection, then you’ll definitely be wowed by this year’s designs.
Either way, it’s always good to be up-to-date.
