Stylish Person

One of the reasons people like to shop at my store is because of the honesty. In addi­tion to a comfortable environment, they receive expert advice that is forthright. Customers trust that they’re not going to get an “Oh, yeah, it fits you well” from me, or any of my staff. I’m more likely to say “Take it off!” Then I’ll bring something else, asking sweetly, “Why don’t you try this?”

I know that not everyone can make it to my shop, but with this book, you have everything you need to know about the state of undress—and underdress. This flirt-in-training manual will take you through all the assorted little somethings to help you change your life, your looks… and maybe your luck. Just like I do with my customers, we’ll start by finding you a bra that finally fits and go from there. You’ll get the lowdown on panties. The secrets of shapewear. Some highlights of hosieiy. Discover the things that make men break out into a sweat when they come to the store. Learn how to make lingerie last— and when to say good-bye. These tips and tricks are not just for movie stars and models, but for mere mortals too. I’ve had many first-time lingerie customers walk out of my store as converts, thrilled to leave in comfort and confidence. I’ll you how to get that feeling; I’ll take you there and lay it bare. I hope that you walk away from these lessons in lingerie feeling sexy, strong, and ready to say “Okay, world, here I am.”

But assuming lingerie is just about sex is like thinking clothing is just about fashion. It’s far more complicated. In fact, the sexiness isn’t in the lingerie itself, but in the woman wearing it. No matter how you feel about your body, when you present it in a way that you think is the most beautiful, you’re a stunner. You feel alive—and others can sense that quality in you. It’s true. Everyone has had those moments when she’s felt on— those days when you carry a little spark and people take notice. Lingerie helps create that mood: it helps make those “on” moments happen. It reminds you that you’re looking good, that you are worthy of being worshipped, appreciated, and loved. I know all this might sound superficial or trite, but treating yourself to some lingerie is a way of improving your life that many women deny themselves. And as far as I can see, it is the easiest self-help program I’ve come across.

WHERE’S YOURS?

When a woman says to me, “I’m not the type for lingerie,” I say, “There is no type.” Because, put simply, my philosophy is, Dress in a way that would make someone want to undress you. Even if that someone exists only in your imagination. I mean it. Rather than hiding yourself, take what you’ve got and work it. The excuse that it’s not your thing just doesn’t work with me; there are simply too many styles to choose from.

The transformation begins with an assessment of your current inventory of intimates. Are your underwear drawers overflowing, yet you often find yourself with nothing to wear? A drawer stuffed with things—full of possibility, or so you think—can easily trick you into thinking you have everything you need. You might ask yourself, “How can I justify buying more when I already have so much?” Or, “Why buy another demy bra when I don’t wear the one I have?” Not to get too philosophical, but the answer is in the question. Maybe you don’t wear the things you have because something is wrong with them. Simply put, quantity does not equal quality. Do not be deceived by an excess of surplus goods.

Your First Task

Take all your lingerie and spread it out on the bed. Why? Because your personal stash probably needs some pruning. Its impossible to evaluate all your goods if you can’t see everything. Separate into cate­gories. Sort bras and panties by style, then by occasion (everyday or fancy), and, finally, by color. Classify every last thing, one thong at a time. Editing lingerie is easier than regular clothing because usually you only have to determine between things to keep and things to toss. There should be no maybes. No save-for-another-seasons. None of those but-it-might-come-back-in-styles.

Although every once in a long while you’ll come across a man who says that lingerie does little for him, most love it. It has played a big part in my own relationships. My ex-husband used to literally rip it off my body in the heat of the moment. That behavior became an expensive habit—which was another motive for me to open a shop of my own! Lingerie is beautiful, but it’s also symbolic—it calls attention to the very area it covers up. It hints at, but does not reveal, what is hidden underneath. It lets you show oft. . . yet only so much. It’s the ultimate tease. There’s a lot of mystery involved in lingerie—and I like to keep it that way, leaving something to the imagination. It’s so much more seductive to let a little lace peek out here or there, than to have everything hanging out. A boyfriend once said it perfectly when he told me, “Lingerie is like the curtain that separates the audience from the performance.”

Part of the allure is that lingerie is quintessentially female. Men don’t wear lingerie; they wear boxers or briefs. (Or maybe boxer briefs if they’re really stretching their imaginations.) On the other hand, lingerie has mul­tiple levels of meaning. It is both practical (providing protection for the body and shape under clothing) and sexual (highlighting physi­cal assets and desirability). But its implications are also, on a larger stage, both political and social. Trends in lingerie parallel the way society sees women, and the way they see them­selves. It’s no coincidence that when the birth control pill came out, women embraced their newfound sexual freedom by abandoning the restrictive girdles and garters of their mothers. Even the most functional purposes for wearing a push-up bra or a control garment are linked to society’s view of the ideal female form at any given moment. Can you imagine if male status was reflected in their personal choices (and the choices available) of underwear?

1980: Starting out, I had a small store, some good friends (that's Janie holding Cltloe), and a very big dream.

I am a working woman who has spent the past thirty years building a business ‘ and an identity in a store that started out the size of a closet. I’m a big believer i transformation—after all, that is how La Petite Coquette was born in the first place.

I opened my own business because my husband at the time lent me some money to get me out of his hair. Little do my customers know that the original space, which is just across the street from my current location, was once a kosher barbecue chicken joint, where the owner killed fresh chickens and roasted them on a grill right in the window. (Everyone said it was the best chicken they’d ever eaten.) The place was filthy when I moved in—the grease and sawdust covering the floor were the least of the mess. Well, I got in there and turned it into one of the hottest lingerie destinations in New York City, stuffing more merchandise than you can believe into those 160 square feet. It’s hard to imagine that my tiny jewelry box of a store was hatched from such squalor! From roasting chickens to hot chicks? Anything is possible.

Everybody has something special in herself, even if she doesn’t recognize it at first. I apply this same logic to lingerie. If you feel like you’ve got nothing going on, a little silk will create a whole new scenario in your mind. If a woman feels embarrassed about her body, she needs only to learn the things that will look best on her and she will shine. Or if she feels like her relationship is a little dull, I encourage her to open up and try something different. If you don’t ask for what you want, and then make some effort to pursue it, you’ll never be happy.

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