How to find that perfect sexy lingerie

Lingerie land is full of jargon, a good portion being French. This makes for hard work when you're just after some sexy underwear for the Mrs. Does she prefer a full cup or half cup? underwired? and what the hell does 'balconette' mean???

Size
OK this is school boy stuff. You have to find her size, and 'about a handful' is NOT the right answer! You could have a guess if you have an idea but guess too big and she'll think you think she's fat. Too small and you could make her feel awkward as she squeezes in and bulges out. Not good for anyone's esteem or enjoyment. The answer? Well you could ask, but where's the fun in that? In which case a bit of James Bond work is the way forward. While she's out, get raiding the drawers (no pun intended).

Bra sizes take the form of a number (usually 30-42) followed by a letter (A-DD are most common but can go higher).Basques are commonly sized in the same manner.

Knickers are usually XS-XXL, nothing difficult there.

Other garments like chemises or babydolls depend on the manufacturer, but will usually be XS-XXL or use the numbered dress sizing (commonly 8-20). Again a quick wardrobe snoop will give the answers.

Colours
There is a wide range of colors available but black, white and red are by far the most common in the world of sexy lingerie. Whilst you're poking around in her drawers looking for size labels you'll get an idea of what colours she likes. If in doubt, black is always a safe bet.

Garment Types
Who would have thought there could be so many shapes of underpants?! Not to mention the numerous bra styles and those little dress things. So what's what?

Bras
For the full low down see the touch bra guide here. Or, if you're just after something sexy for the good lady then these are the styles to key an eye out for:

Push up
Does what it says on the tin. Underwired and padded to push the breasts up and together giving an enhanced cleavage. The push up came to prominence in the 90s and was made famous by the Wonderbra brand and the legendary 'Hello Boys' ad (yeah you remember the one!). Push up bras are great for giving the appearance of a larger bust.

Plunge
Plunge bras have a deep V neckline which 'plunges' towards the centre showing the off the cleavage.

Balconette/balcony
Balconette bras create cleavage by having wide set straps which pull the breasts together slightly. They have a half cup which is usually cut straight across the body giving the impression of a shelf, or balcony. Sexy but tasteful.

Knickers
Boy Shorts
Boy shorts have become increasingly popular over the last couple of years. They look great on those who need a little figure shaping (i.e., women with a few extra pounds in the midriff area). Also ideal for sporty types who may feel too dolled up in a thong or G-string, boy shorts cover either part or all of the rear end (a compromise for the woman uncomfortable in more revealing styles).

Thongs
The thong's popularity has grown hugely over the past few years, and they are now almost a common household item. Many women wear thongs during the day under their clothes because they find them more comfortable and have the added bonus of avoiding the dreaded 'VPL' or 'Visible Panty Line'. There's no delicate way of putting it, thongs look great on a well toned bum, not so great on a big girl.

G-Strings
G-strings are the most revealing type of lingerie. G-strings are just like thongs, except that in this case the thin strip of material in the back of a thong is replaced by a mere string of fabric. Most advisable for daring, sexually adventurous women and some find them a little 'tarty'. If in doubt, play safe with a thong!

Babydolls
Baby dolls are short, sleeveless nightgowns that fall above the knee like mini-dresses and have formed cups that emphasize the breasts. Often open down the front but not always babydolls are flattering on all shapes and sizes.
Very short baby dolls often come paired with underwear in a lingerie set.

Chemises
Longer than Babydolls, Chemises are basically A-line nightdresses. Chemises are the Ian Botham of the lingerie world - they're a great all-rounder that works for any body type. A good choice for women uncomfortable with their bodies, shy in bed, or looking to tease, Chemises hide bulges whilst showing off the best bits.

Corsets & Basques
Corsets and Basques are similar in that they both have an hourglass effect - they slim the waist and bring all the attention to a woman's hips and bust. They are tight, lace or hook & eye fasten up in the back, and consist of stiff material or boning so they definitely aren't for everyday wear. They often come with garter straps to pair up with stockings. Yum.

Stockings
OK nothing clever here & you can't beat a pair of stockings in high heels. Stockings are traditionally worn with a suspender belt or garter straps on a basque, but 'hold ups' are becoming more popular. As their name suggest, hold ups stay in position by themselves with an elasticated band concealed in the top. Every woman needs a pair of stocking in the wardrobe. Fact.

Packaging
We all know men can't wrap presents, it's just nature. It uses the same part of the brain as washing and ironing. Fortunately the good lingerie stores out there understand that you're too busy putting up shelves to mess about with ribbons and all tht nonsense. Myla for instance offer a fantastic free gift wrapping service which will make her think you've either a) put loads of effort in or b) spent loads of cash on her- both with equally great results!

The world of bras can be confusing to the uninitiated! Well never fear, touch is here! We've compiled a guide to the most popular bra types out there to help you pick what is going to suit you or your partner best.

Underwired
Underwired Bra is the fairly generic title which can be given to a bra to indicate that it has underwiring running along the bottom of each bra cup, which gives support and lift from underneath the breasts. Underwired bras may have non-padded soft cups, be padded or have moulded cups.

Soft Cup
Soft cup bras are possibly the most comfortable in that there is no underwiring which may dig in and no padding which may feel rigid and unnatural. Soft cup bras offer very little in the way of support, lift or definition and might not be suitable for breasts bigger than a B cup for everyday wear.

Push Up
Does what it says on the tin. Underwired and padded to push the breasts up and together giving an enhanced cleavage. The push up came to prominence in the 90s and was made famous by the Wonderbra brand and the legendary 'Hello Boys' ad. Push up bras are great for giving the appearance of a larger bust. Often the padding on a push up bra is removable, so varying amounts of definition to the bustline and cleavage can be achieved.

Balconette
Balconette bras create cleavage by having wide set straps which pull the breasts together slightly. They have a half cup which is usually cut straight across the body giving the impression of a shelf, or balcony. Sexy but tasteful.

Half Cup
Half cup or demi cup bras, offer less support than full cup bras and are designed to stop just above the nipple line. These are great for low, square or rounded necklines on tops and dresses and also for achieving a sexy cleavage.

Full Cup
Full cup bras offer great support and shape as you get great full coverage and fit. Full cup bras have recently undergone something of a revival, following the demand for pretty and sexy fully supporting bras from the rise in woman shopping for D+ bras.

Padded
Padded bras have (sometimes removable) pads and / or moulded cups which give shape, lift and support. Padded bras may have a deep plunging neckline or a larger centrepiece giving the bra a 'balcony' style.

Triangle
The triangle bra is normally simple in construction involving two triangular pieces of fabric which cover the breasts , with the straps attaching to the top 'point' of each triangle. The fabric is normally non-padded and fairly thin, perhaps lacy, silky or sheer, however, some triangle bras have foam-lined cups giving added shape and support. Triangle bras may include underwire, or be non-underwired.

Strapless
No prizes for guessing what strapless bras are all about! Designed for wearing under sleeveless dresses strapless bras can be a problem for bigger breasted women as they generally offer less support than a conventional bra.

Multiway
The Swiss Army bra! Multiways can be worn in multiple ways (see what they've done there?) with detachable straps that allow strapless, halterneck or 'criss cross' configurations.

Seamless
Seamless bras are often referred to as T-shirt bras. The seamless fabric gives a smooth surface that is less visible under clingy outer clothing