Underwear underdogs

Miranda Babbitt
Assistant LifeStyle Editor

There are a handful of people I know who could just barely fit all of their underwear into two, maybe three drawers. To me, this appeared clinically insane. How on earth did any one person have so many bras and underwear that they could hypothetically go for two months without ever doing their laundry? What’s more, how could someone choose six pairs of undies over a charming little dress, or a cardigan so soft it feels like a kitten perpetually hugging you? And last but not least, why would I choose a rib-constricting garment that artificially endows me with a chest that appears freakishly larger than it did a minute before?

But I know the secret these people were harboring now: wearing beautiful underwear can be the stealthiest confidence boost you can ever experience.

Maybe that sentence carries more weight than intended. There are plenty of ways to inject some pep into that step. For some, it’s dabbing on red lipstick, or slipping into a dress reserved for happy occasions, or even stowing away your favourite chocolate bar in your purse for later. Regardless, the business of beautiful undergarments will never again be underestimated.

There’s an intrinsic sense of liberty that comes with wearing something for you alone. For example, it may look like you’re wearing a grey sweat suit with a spaghetti stain or two, but secretly, you’re wearing a dainty pair of polka dot undies. Who knew? Just you. And that’s sometimes all that matters.

Our outward perception of who we are affects how we feel. If you’re crumpled up in a ball, you’ll feel helpless. If you’re standing tall with your hands on your hips, you’ll feel powerful. If you’re wearing sexy underwear, you can feel sexy.

It took me a while to recognize that the word “sexy” isn’t limited to the runways of Victoria’s Secret. When I feel sexy, I’m in a place of self-confidence. So no wonder we associate sexiness with the angels walking down the runways. The way they prance down that glittered stretch of a platform above a star struck audience is almost in-your-face with confidence. But imagine if they were tiptoeing down the runway and looking down at their feet with unease. Chances are even the adoring fans in the audience wouldn’t consider them sexy, no matter how impossibly sculpted their bodies are.

If confidence comes from a pair of undies detailed in lavender lace or red lipstick or even just a slip of paper stowed in your purse with a few reminders of how great you are, then know that about yourself. You will feel so much more than just sexy with confidence.