My lingerie wish-list looks less like the cover of a romance novel and more like a page from Marie Kondo’s book: perfectly-stocked with exactly the items I need and organized to perfection. No black lace and garter belts here, people—just give me allll the buttery soft basics that disappear under my outfits. But the question is, how to organize your bra and underwear drawer so that you can find the right without fuss?
Over the next few months, we’re teaming up with Vanity Fair® (the brand that makes just those types of perfect bras and panties) to share ideas and advice for dressing with confidence, and today we’re kicking it off by laying the foundation with the lingerie every woman needs in her life. And since our entire team admitted their lingerie drawers could use some serious TLC, we embraced the challenge of whipping them into shape so that getting dressed in the morning is something we can actually look forward to. Scroll on for the 4 steps we followed to get the lingerie drawers of our dreams.
Step 1: Out with the old.
The first job when organizing your lingerie drawer is to remove everything you currently own, and dump it out on the bed.
Next, create two piles: items to keep, and items to throw away. When going through your items, it’s best to get rid of anything that doesn’t bring you joy or make you excited to put on. Purge any items that fall into these categories:
– The color has faded – you don’t need those gray items that used to be white.
– Anything ratty, ripped, stained, or spotted with holes.
– You haven’t worn it in a year (there must be a reason).
– The seams are beginning to come undone.
– The elastic is going—or gone.
– The underwires have lost their original shape or are poking through the fabric – (which happens when you don’t properly wash your lingerie.)
– It doesn’t fit properly anymore.
– It didn’t fit properly to begin with.
– It’s uncomfortable.
When trying to decide what to keep versus toss, remember that your end goal is to have a lingerie drawer stocked with only those pieces that make you feel confident, comfortable, and beautiful.
Step 2: In with the new.
Now that you have everything you need for a fresh start, it’s time to fill in with anything you might be missing for a fully-stocked lingerie drawer. First item: seamless, everyday bras and underwear to get you through the week without having to do laundry. I like to have a black bra, and a couple in nude shades that blend with my skin. Some pretty pinks, purples, or gray tones are always a nice touch as well. For styles, we recommend:
– 3-4 comfortable bras that look smooth under T-shirts
– 1 -2 strapless bras
– At least 1 bra with convertible straps
Vanity Fair’s Nearly Invisible™ Collection offers all the styles and colors we love to choose from. My go-to bra lately? The Full Coverage Underwire Bra — the color seamlessly blends into my skin tone and the Flawless Edge design ensures the bra lays flat against my skin– perfect for clean, everyday looks!
The rules for panties are a bit less specific. For a curated collection, it makes sense to stick with the neutral black and nude color pallet, and buy a variety of thongs, bikinis, and hipster panty styles- unless you’re like me and like to wear thongs with everything. We can’t get enough of the Nearly Invisible thong, and could have it in every color if only we had the drawer space.
The silky smooth fabric and flawless edge design in Vanity Fair’s Nearly Invisible™ Collection seamlessly blends into the skin for an invisible look under clothes — a must have for doing away with bra and panty lines that can seriously mess with your outfit.
Step 3: Fold and organize.
When it comes to a beautifully organized lingerie drawer, there’s a simple secret: drawer dividers. Drawer dividers will save your drawer from becoming a catch all hodgepodge of bras and panties, and will save you valuable time and energy when you’re getting ready in the morning. We’ve all been there — digging frantically through our drawers for that one undergarment that will work perfectly for your outfit that day. Thankfully, if you get organized with the below steps, that frustrating feeling will be a thing of the past.
There are lots of different ways you can organize your drawer depending on personal preference, but having a designated place for each item is key. Here’s how I like to do it:
– Divide your drawer into two sections and place your bras on one side and your panties on the other.
– Separate bras into black, white, and nude. Then organize them by style.
– Lay flat in the drawer to conserve space. Arrange in order.
– Next, separate your panties by color and style.
– Lay them flat or roll them up individually to save space.
– Place into drawer.
If a piece is particularly delicate, lay it flat if you have the room, or hang it up. If you prefer to hang your dainty garments, make sure you use the right hangers: either with notches on them so straps won’t slide off, or with buffered, cushioned clips that won’t damage lace or thin fabric. If you don’t have enough space in your closet or dresser, you can fold your lingerie inside a basket and place on a shelf. Make sure to use a fabric lined basket so it won’t snag your items.
When folding, place your items in the basket horizontally like you would put paper in a filing cabinet. This way you can see all of them at once and you won’t mess up the whole folded pile every time you want to grab one.
Planning a romantic getaway or going on your honeymoon? Use a small fabric travel bag to pack your lingerie in your suitcase. When you do this, you keep everything together, and you avoid accidentally zipping and ripping your lingerie. Plus you can take the whole thing in the bathroom to create a little mystery. 😉
Step 4: Take good care.
Now that you’ve successfully whipped your lingerie drawer into shape with all the Vanity Fair® essentials, your next job is simple: treat them with love. Taking care of your garments as instructed by the care label is hugely important. Always check the tag on your garment for proper washing and drying instructions. For most busy women, laundering bras every two or three wears is a realistic goal, (sports bras being an exception). We recommend hand washing in cold water with a gentle detergent. When washing bras, be sure to close them so their hooks won’t snag on anything. Delicate items, bras, and panties should always be hung up or laid flat on a towel to air-dry. Never tumble dry your undergarments, as they will lose their form and function and not last nearly as long as if you were to hang dry them.
Tip: use dried herbs like lavender to make a scented sachet to place in your drawers and closets, or spritz a sachet with your favorite perfume, for beautifully-scented lingerie.
