Bra Makeover or Bra Revolution?

From Tim Gunn's Guide to style, TLC's What Not to Wear to the Oprah Winfrey show, the importance of bra fitting has been extensively mentioned in the media.

"Undergarments are the most important part of dressing. They are the foundation on which a good outfit is built on" says Tim Gunn.


Are you or do you know someone in need of a bra intervention?


Give the gift of a bra makeover session to your mom, sister, significant other, co-worker, friend or yourself this holiday season! Get a gift certificate at Coup de Foudre Lingerie and schedule your bra fitting appointment today. Your body won't regret it!

Now, let's hope that between now and your bra fitting appointment, Tim Gunn's assistant Veronica Webb will not be inspecting your underwear drawer! (...frightening).

What to wear underneath a Low Plunge dress?

Dear Coup de Foudre Lingerie:



I baught this low plunge Hugo Boss navy dress at Betsy Fisher for my office holiday party but don't know what to wear underneath it. None of my bras works. I guess...I was too excited about the dress and did not think finding a bra would be an issue. I look forward to your suggestions on appropriate under-attire.

Thanks - Amy B


Dear Amy B:

Great dress! We suggest the U Plunge Bra from Fashion Forms. It's a seamless deep plunge bra that lifts and shapes. It also has padded cups to enhance our cleavage and convertible straps so you can wear it as halter or criss cross or conventional. It comes either in Nude or Black (size 32B to 36D). Happy holiday!

Coup de Foudre Lingerie

What's in the name of lingerie collections?

Adelaide. Feria. Couture. Marquises. Andora. Chantilly. Tulip. Africa Wild.

The lingerie designer community typically exhibits great creativity with the names of their collections. When looking at these collections, I always wonder: How did the designer pick this name for this collection? Is the name based on a partciular theme, color, or material? Or, are the names chosen randomly, such as based on the names of family or friends? Or are the names chosen simply in alphabetical order, based on the fist letter of the name, similar to how the National Hurricance Center picks the names of hurricanes and tropical storms??? Sometimes I wonder….

Undoubtedly, exotic places get big play in lingerie collections: Simone Perele offers the Fiji Collection, Hawai Collection, Caracas Collection, and Rio Collection, all of which seek to transport you to those exotic places and experiences. (Now, if only purchasing the Fiji collection would come with an all- expense paid vacation to Fiji!) Simone Perele doesn’t have license on this theme, however. Chantelle, of course, offers the very popular Africa collection.

Then there are the “fruit” names, which appear to be designed to associate the collection with one’s appetite for delicious, sweet, and sensual fruit. Our experience suggests that this theme is a winner. We recently had tremendous success with the Simone Perele Cherry collection. We even had some female customers say that their men were just hypnotized with the Cherry Collection!

It's also common for lingerie collections to be named after the various laces and fabrics used to make the sets. For example, Chantelle offers the Chantilly and Chantilly glamour collections, a clear reference to the type of lace used in these collections.

French Lingerie collections, in particular, seem to be inspired by the anniversaries of famous musicians or royalty from the 18th Century (i.e., Marie Antoinette). Simone Perele, for instance, offers the the Opera Collection and the Marquise (courtesan) Collection, an obvious reference to the various titles of French nobility.

Some of the names, however, seem to have been picked randomly, and not based on the themes discussed above. For instance, Jonquil offers the Ambrosia, Anita, Melody, Liz, Lydia, Natalie and May collections. Jonquil must have a lot of friends!!! I bet her friends are grateful for the celebrity!

Whatever the name, it is clear that the name of the lingerie collection has the power to transport customers to that exotic spot or that bite of fruit. These names illustrate just how much we match our feelings and personalities with our intimate apparel.

Indeed, at Coup de Foudre Lingerie, we sometimes re-name lingerie collections to reflect the Washington, D.C. culture. The Chantelle Couture collection was quickly re-branded as the "Corporate" collection, which was picked to reflect the corporate nature of the pin-stripped bra and panty set, a very popular set amongst our clientele.

With the U.S. Presidential election fast approaching, should we re-name one of our lingerie collections after Presidential candidates? Some would argue that you need to support your candidate in any way possible! I think I’ll leave that debate to Wonkette.

What to wear underneath a Backless Dress

Our undercover agent is back with a full report on what to wear underneath your cockail dress this holiday season. Today, we are discussing what to wear underneath a backless dress.

Challenge: Backless Dress

A sexy backless dress from Graham & Spencer (Available at Terra) requires to wear the NuBra because even a multi position bra does not come low enough in the back. This is trully a very sexy dress that requires a bra that stays under wraps. You will definitely get noticed in this dress but please don't go braless...that would be a terrible fashion faux pas. Unless you want to be the object of male fascination and fantasy at the next holiday party!

Solution: NuBra Feather Lite from Bragel

We recommend to wear the NuBra Feather Lite from Bragel in black. (Comes in size A to C). The NuBra features bra cups with adhesive inside cups, plus front closure for cleavage and lift. You can create different degrees of cleavage by positioning the bra cups closer or farther away.

The NuBra Feather Lite works because it provide a totally smooth and seamless look. No more re-adjusting or checking in the mirror if your bra band is showing underneath your dress.

What to wear underneath this holiday season cocktail dress?

Tis the season to be merry! Well... it will be soon. This can only mean one thing...it's time to start thinking about what to wear to all those fabulous parties that you have been invited to. However, it would be nice to avoid a fashion bra faux pas at your company holiday party.

The one-shoulder dress from Dolley Clothing (available at Alex Boutique in DC) is a style that you will all see a lot of this holiday season but if it’s not paired with the right undergarment, the look could be all wrong. This dress is just amazing. It's a relaxed fit mini-dress made of washed silk creponne and silk charmeuse lining with a bold and romantic one-shoulder strap of silk velvet. I love it!

Send us a picture of your dress or top at info@coupdefoudrelingerie.com with a brief description of your dress or top with a challenging neckline (i.e strapless, backless, low plunge, etc... ) from your favorite store and we will help you solve your fashion bra challenge this holiday season. We will post on this blog a picture of your dress, where you baught it and match it with the right bra! It's that simple!

With our expertise and help, you will find the perfect foundation for that stunning holiday cocktail dress or top this season.