French lingerie in the spirit of the boudoir

What makes lingerie French

French lingerie is less a country of origin than an attitude. It assumes that lingerie is worn for oneself first, that a matching set is a daily pleasure rather than a special occasion, and that the most erotic thing is the glimpse, not the full view. The pieces are refined, the colors deep, the lace dense and the fit precise. Nothing is loud and nothing is accidental.

It is also why our pieces carry French names. Soupir is a sigh, Aveu a confession, Lacet a lace for tying. Each describes the moment the piece was made for.

The pieces

• Aveu Three Piece Set, $149: bra, brief and garter belt in lace, the full boudoir silhouette.
• Secret de Minuit Set, $139: lace with fine straps, for after midnight.
• Soupir Open Cup Set, $119: the same French lace, open at the bust.
• Lacet Lace Corset, $148: a corset that shapes softly, in noir, rouge or ivoire.
• Couture Back Seam Stockings, $28: sheer nylon with the seam that defines the look.
• Loup Lace Mask, $24: anonymity, the most French indiscretion of all.

The garter and the seam

If one gesture defines French lingerie, it is clipping a stocking to a garter. It slows everything down. Pair the Aveu garter with back seams for the classic line, or with our fishnet stockings for something more modern. Straighten the seam with a fingertip from the heel upward and fasten the front clips before the back ones. Wear the brief over the garter straps, so it comes off while the stockings stay on.

Fit, the French obsession

French lingerie is known for its fit, and it has to be: lace without padding shows every mistake. Measure underbust, bust, waist and hips and check all four on our size guide. A lace bra should sit snug on the loosest hook, a garter belt on the natural waist, and a corset should close with a small gap at first. The corset and bras can be exchanged once for another size within 30 days if unworn and tagged; sets are final sale for hygiene.

A short French vocabulary

Our pieces borrow a handful of French words, and each one says something about how the piece is meant to be worn.

• Soupir, a sigh. Open cups that make someone catch their breath.
• Aveu, a confession. The full three piece, for the night you admit everything.
• Secret de minuit, a midnight secret. Lace worn for the hours after the party.
• Lacet, a lace for tying. The corset and its slow ritual.
• Couture, the seam. The back line that defines a classic stocking.
• Loup, the half mask worn at masked balls in Venice and Paris.
• Indiscret, indiscreet. A glance through the keyhole that should not have happened.

The names are an invitation rather than a lesson. Nobody needs to pronounce them well, only to understand the mood. What they share is the French conviction that lingerie should be chosen with as much care as perfume, and that a little mystery is always more exciting than a full display.

Where to go next

For more pieces in matching lace, browse all of our erotic lingerie sets. For the waist alone, see sexy corsets. And if you would like a new French piece chosen for you every month, that is what Le Secret does, from $69 a month.