We here at Derriere de Soie look forward to a new year, but not one full of the stressful expectations of resolutions. For us, it is a time of renewal. As the days grow longer and the sun shines stronger, we leave hibernation and start anew.
New year, new lingerie….
The beginning of the year is a great time to update and clear out your lingerie drawers & wardrobe. A perfect place to start is to throw out all those panties that have holes in them. Yes, we are all about sustainability, but there comes a time for those holey undies to hit the trash. You deserve better than holes and saggy stretched elastic, and we definitely know that they do not “spark joy”. Once you have gone through the panty drawer, it’s a perfect time to look through your bras. First, ask yourself: do they fit? If not, time to either donate or throw in the garbage, depending upon condition. Also, check for elastic stretch, holes, and hooks & eyes that are broken. Make sure that your bras are up to the task they need to fulfill.
Once you have culled your bras & panties, it’s time to do some shopping for new pieces for your lingerie wardrobe. Also, ask yourself “when was the last time I was properly fit for a bra?”. We recommend a fitting every 6 months to a year, depending upon weight loss/gain as well as any exercise that could change body shape. Now that you are ready to renew your wardrobe, where to begin? First, look at what you have that fits and is wearable. Have 5 nude padded t shirt bras? Well, then it’s probably a good idea to try a lace style or a padded in color with lace trim. This is the perfect time to try a new style or color. Who knows, you may have found a new favorite that you just can’t live without!!
Refresh for Sustainability
What do you do when staining and discoloration occur on your favorite chemise or robe? Do you throw it away? No, you do not need to do that. If cleaning methods don’t produce results, a perfect refresher is to re-dye it. You can always try it yourself or have a seamstress or dry cleaner do it for you. This can be done to a bra and panties as well – sometimes, no matter how carefully you launder items, colors may fade or shift over time, and re-dying can help even out a difference. If you are dying the garment yourself, make sure to research what type of dyes to use for the fabric content – the synthetics that comprise much of an intimate garment do not take dye quite the same as natural fibers, so following directions for your fabric type is a must.
We often discard garments when we have lost weight and they are too large. However, something better for the environment, and your pocketbook, is to find a tailor or seamstress to alter to fit your current body. You keep a well loved piece and it now fits like it did when you originally purchased it. Clothing may be able to be taken in or let out, or re-worked into something new entirely. Given the complexity of your intimates, however, re-crafting isn’t always a feasible option. Bra recycling is a thing – the parts are removed, sorted, and recycled according to their material. If the item in question is still in great shape – just not the right size for you, it would make a fantastic donation to an organization like Free the Girls.
Besides tailoring your clothing to fit you better, a good seamstress can mend and bring pieces back to their former glory. Often a seam will come undone, or maybe a tiny hole in a piece of lace. This can be easily remedied by yourself or a seamstress. As more and more people embrace the idea of “fewer, better” – learning to mend items is a fabulous way to keep the things you love in circulation longer. Youtube has some amazing tutorials for all sorts of repairs – and some localities are starting to offer classes on “mindful mending” – teaching techniques that were often passed along from parent to child or through “home economics” classes in schools.