Over the years, I've accumulated quite a nice collection of lingerie, had multiple bra fittings, and received quotes from some of the biggest experts in the industry on the dos and don'ts of lingerie across the board. Most of these rules are easy enough to follow, except for one (at least for me). During my most recent lingerie fitting for a story I wrote on what it's like to wear lingerie sets for a week straight, the saleswoman assisting me told me that if I'm not storing my lingerie properly, I'm basically killing it, not getting my money's worth, and so on and so forth.
Instantly I switched into panic mode as I realized all my lingerie was currently stuffed in my drawer along with the rest of my five-for-$25 underwear and random assortment of sports bras. In other words, it was not where it belonged. Storing and organizing lingerie? How do you even do that and where? What are the rules? What am I missing? To ease my now-frantic mind, I reached out to Julie McConnell, former senior buyer at Journelle, for her two cents on the matter. She fully confirmed what the saleswoman had said to me a few weeks prior.
"Storing your lingerie properly can keep the shape and integrity of your bras so they last longer," McConnell told me. Essentially, if you want to get your money's worth on the lingerie you acquire over the years, storing it with care and intention is the only way to go. Otherwise, you run the risk of killing it from that first moment you stuff it inside a drawer.
Ahead, find out what else McConnell had to say about the best ways to organize your lingerie drawer.
Do: Separate Molded and Non-Molded Bras
Do: Stack Bras Neatly
"I suggest separating molded and non-molded bras by color in a file like a system, with bras stacked neatly one in front of the other. Always clasp the bra when storing or you risk the clasp pulling on the fabric of another bra."
Don't: Fold Your Bras
Don't: Hang Your Bras
"Some people suggest folding the bra in half and putting the matching underwear inside. While this keeps things very organized, folding your bra is not good for keeping the shape of your bra. Others may hang their bras by a strap in their closet, but this can stretch out the band, which is also a no-no."
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This post was previously published and has since been updated. Speaking of lingerie, click in to shop for the prettiest silk underwear on the internet.