SquawkRadio

One of the most important realizations of my adult life has been the importance of lingerie.  In reality, I’m not talking about lingerie (which brings up images of wispy French bits of silk)—but foundation garments.  I figured this out sometime in my thirties; I regret to say that I spent my twenties running around braless a lot of the time.  The truth is that pre-babies, bralessness was not a matter for titillation; no one ever knew.  But the world and its sorrows appeared (a fancy way of gesturing toward breastfeeding babies), and—well—foundation garments made their way into my life.  I’ve loved them every since and found it utterly fascinating how much better a good bra (or its longer cousins) can make a woman look—and how terrible a bad garment is.  As the years tramped on, I’ve been equally happy to learn what a good piece of lycra can do now and then.  On the other hand, I’ve noticed that a lot of women aren’t wearing a bit of lycra here and there—some people are stalking about looking as comfortable as if they were encased in stiff plastic from head to toe!  Though I will undoubtedly get in trouble for this, I shall boldly report that there was one RWA a few years ago when a Squawker declined to go to the bathroom as it was too much trouble dealing with her undergarments!  (And let me tell you, she didn’t need whatever it was she was wearing.)

So at some point I turned my new interest into a foundational theme (heh heh) in PLEASURE FOR PLEASURE.  As you know, my heroine Josie thinks she’s too plump.  She’s rather obsessed with being the same size as her sister Imogen.  So imagine her happiness when a French modiste crams her into a corset that gives her approximately Imogen’s measurements.  Of course, it creaks a little.  And it’s hard to sit down.  And it’s… well, here’s a couple of examples of what I was thinking of (I found a description of this corset in a Regency clothing book but alas, no picture):

Can you see the writing on the wall—in other words, why Josie gets labeled The SCOTTISH SAUSAGE on the marriage market?  Of course she does!  She looks and feels like a padded sausage.  Now if only she could have put on a La Perla bra:

To me, these are the epitomy of luxury and bliss.  Of course, I’m lucky enough to go to Florence in the summers—and La Perla runs an outlet on the outskirts of Florence.  But they are worth every penny.  I found a gorgeous picture here, but the plain foundational ones are wonderful too.

I don’t want you to think that I have the whole undergarment thing sorted!  Last summer I was in Florence and I simply could not find any of those little bra cups that stick inside a dress that doesn’t have a back—this was for the RWA awards ceremony and my new back-less dress.  So Elizabeth brought me a couple of different varieties.  Well, I was explaining this to Susan Elizabeth Phillips and actually pulled my neckline aside to show the cleverness of it all (and NO, I hadn’t even had one glass of wine!) and she said, “And my husband really enjoyed that lesson too, Eloisa!” EEEEeeeek!  Who expects a MAN at the RWA?  I hadn’t even noticed him standing next to us!

So let’s share some foundational war stories here.  What’s your latest discovery in lycra and lace?  Did you ever make yourself into a sausage like poor Josie?  Or an exhibitionist like poor me at the RWA?