Struggling to Find Lingerie That Fits Perfectly? You're Not Alone

Photos by Betsy Phillips

by Maya Meade

It can be made of satin, silk, lace, mesh, cotton or linen. Lingerie can help women celebrate their bodies in a variety of ways. Some women wear lingerie for their partners, others wear it for themselves. Lingerie alone is beautiful, carefully crafted to make the wearers feel good. The struggle that some people face, however, is finding lingerie that fits their body type. Lingerie can be empowering for people of any body type, but finding size-inclusive brands can be a struggle.

Many lingerie brands cater to “straight” sizes , which usually range from a size zero to a size six, depending on the brand. In recent years, the industry has made an effort to change that narrow image and provide more inclusive role models for women seeking out lingerie. Still, brands with inclusive sizing are few-and-far between.

Annelise Oelberg*, a sophomore studying political science at Ohio University, typically purchases lingerie from online clothing stores Shein and Romwe because she is more comfortable buying lingerie online and enjoys the wider variety of colors and styles. Buying online also provides her with a larger range of sizing options. Oelberg usually wears a large or an extra-large but tends to size up online if a piece looks particularly tight fitting.

“I think there are aspects of my body that fit the normal or ideal body type,” she says. “For example, my thighs and butt are some of my best physical features, in my opinion, but I definitely think my boobs are a bit smaller than the normal body type.”

For less expensive options and cheaper quality lingerie, Romwe and Shein are not bad alternatives, especially for college students on a budget. In short, it will do the job. Whether the purpose is to feel confident, surprise a partner or spice up sex, there are plenty of ways for these brands to be functional.

Regina Nagel*, a sophomore studying psychology at OU, has also purchased from Shein, as well as Fashion Nova. Nagel prefers Fashion Nova to Shein because of the quality. Shein and Romwe pieces tend to be cheaply made and mass produced because of their low prices, so reading the reviews is recommended before buying any products off of these websites.

“I would say my body is seen as ‘normal’ in society,” Nagel says. “My proportions are a bit odd, but I still have an acceptable body in the eyes of our society. I don’t really have to think about whether or not something will fit me as deeply as women of other body types.”

Christine Koeman*, a sophomore studying pre-professional biology at OU, typically wears a medium or large depending on the style of lingerie. “It’s hard because I’m in the middle region where I’m not skinny [by] societal standards, but I’m not what you would consider plus-size, either,” she says. “I would say it’s sometimes hard to find confidence that way … You don’t see many models that represent this category, it’s either skinny or plus-size, so I never feel like I’m represented, or that my body is wanted.”

Koeman has purchased lingerie from La Senza, Victoria’s Secret and Spencer’s. While Victoria’s Secret is one of the world’s most well-known lingerie brands, Koeman says that it is her least favorite brand that she has worn. La Senza is her favorite.

A Teen Vogue article from 2018 titled “10 Size-Inclusive Lingerie Brands to Support Instead of Victoria’s Secret” highlights the flaws behind the Victoria’s Secret marketing and lingerie styles. The brand overwhelmingly represents tall, thin and cis-gender women. Ed Razek, the chief marketing officer of L Brands, the parent company of Victoria’s Secret, was the businessperson who developed Victoria’s Secret and the company’s annual fashion show. In the past, he has made controversial and offensive remarks in regard to hiring transgender and plus-size women. He claimed that Victoria’s Secret does not present more plus-size models on the runway because of a lack of general interest from the public.

With a variety of body types and a variety of women seeking lingerie, there are still a lot of questions about what the best places to buy lingerie are that promote body inclusivity. According to the same Teen Vogue article, the average American woman wears a size 16 and up, far from the typical image of lingerie models portrayed in the media and on the catwalk.

“I make sure that the lingerie I buy accentuates my body in a way I like. I definitely think this influences the brands I choose to buy from,” Oelberg says. “I have never even tried looking for lingerie at Victoria’s Secret because I know none of their stuff will fit in a way that will flatter my body type. I think for this reason, I prefer shopping online because I know they will have a lot of options to choose from.

*Names have been changed to protect privacy of sources