Valentine's Day - Intimate Gift Buying Guide For Men

Romance gives life a bit of zest and intimate gifts give romance the same charge. In this case, we are talking about lingerie and Valentine's Day. To make sure you hit a home run, and don't strike out, I've put together this intimate gift buying guide for you.

The first thing you have to understand is the purpose of buying lingerie. You should never buy lingerie because you think it is sexy. You must focus on what the lady in your life thinks is sexy. A woman who is feeling sexy is sexy. A woman who is wearing something uncomfortable and embarrassing is not going to be much fun. You might have a thing for latex lingerie, but that doesn't mean she does!

The second thing to be wary about is sizing. Simply put, you are entering a world fraught with danger when it comes to picking the right size for her. Pick a size that is too big and she'll want to know if you think she is fat. Pick a size that is too small and she'll think you are suggesting she lose weight. It hardly seems fair, but we are very sensitive to how we are perceived.

Fortunately, there are certain types of lingerie that can get you over these humps with no problems. The babydoll lingerie piece is a winner on all levels. What is it? It is a short skirt like piece that hangs from the breasts down to the hips. It comes in different designs, but usually has plenty of open areas. It is a piece of lingerie and designed to appear sexy.

So, why is the babydoll such a great choice? One simple reason - it comes in one general size. The babydoll is not a fitted piece of clothing. It has an open crease running the full vertical length in the front or back and is worn open. As a result, it tends to fit any size so long as we are not talking extremes. This effectively means that you do not have to worry about buying a romantic gift that starts a fight! It is a low risk gift that any man should be able to give his lovely lady for Valentine's Day or any other romantic occasion.

Buying intimate gifts for the woman in your life can be a very challenging task. Going with a babydoll piece is one way to completely avoid the problem and get something you both will like for that special evening.

Sports Bras - Support For When You Play

When it comes to women's fashion, there is a bra for just about every outfit and look. Ah, but what if fashion isn't the issue. What if you are simply going out to run a few miles to burn off some calories? The sports bra is the piece de-resistance!

The breasts are obviously a natural element of the female body. This means that they are designed for the daily rigors of life including exercise. The only problem is this biological design allows for serious stretching. One need only watch a documentary on an African tribe to realize that the idea of having a bust line that starts around your hips is a possibility.

The breasts can take a beating during exercise. Any standing exercise involves a jarring up and down motion. Your breasts have no natural means for dealing with this. The answer to preventing stretching is to give them artificial help. The sports bra is that help.

The first thing to understand about sports bras is they are designed to deal with functionality, not fashion. Frankly, they are not attractive, sexy or any other alluring word. I always thought it was funny when the media made a big deal out of Brandi Chastain pulling off her jersey after the winning goal in the Women's World Cup of soccer. She was wearing a sports bra which provided more coverage than even the most conservative women's bikini top! Not exactly sexy!

A good sports bra is all about support. The idea is to minimize the impact on the breasts during the jarring movement of exercise. As a result, you want something that is going to hold the breasts to the chest wall. The cup should be all encompassing and there should be no movement for the breasts. You want the cups to be a bit snug as well.

As with any bra, the bottom of the bra should be providing the most support. This is done via the band circling the torso. With a sports bra, the movement that must be dealt with is far more than with a bra for normal activities. As a result, you should use a sports bra with a wide bra at the bottom.. This is going to create more surface area to establish a tight fit on your torso and will prevent slippage.

Once you've found the perfect sports bra for your body, you can take a look in the mirror. It should look like something your grandmother probably wears. That's okay. Unless you score the winning goal in the World Cup, nobody is going to see it and your breasts will thank you at the end of a long run.

What Do Hanky Panky, Commando, and Cosabella Women's Panties Have in Common?

Buying buttery soft feeling panties that hug your body in all the right places is one of the challenges that women face when deciding what type of underwear to purchase.

It's not all about the price that matters anymore. It's about how a panty feels when worn. Out of all the many brands of women's underwear that are available on the market today, there are three brands that promise comfort, fit, and no visible panty line. The brands are Hanky Panky, Commando, and Cosabella.

After you've purchased other brands and realized that they ride up, slip down, don't fit properly, and aren't comfortable, you might be thinking that panty manufacturers don't care about women. But that's not the case with the three brands that we're reviewing here.

Rather than buying panties that don't fit and are uncomfortable, and that get tossed to the back of your lingerie drawer, you might even be tempted to return those other brands to the store where you purchased them...only to discover that you can't get a refund. How frustrating is that?

In a quick, yet detailed list, here are the reasons why Hanky Panky, Commando, and Cosabella women's panties have the same elements in common. By the way, any woman who wants a comfortable fit will love wearing these awesome undergarments, as compared to no-name brand panties.

1. They fit so comfortably that you'll wonder if you're even wearing panties.

2. They are buttery soft to the touch and while you're wearing them.

3. They have no visible panty line, even when worn under the sheerest of garments.

4. They lay smooth and flat on your body.

5. The flattering design makes your legs look longer.

6. The panties are available from size zero to size eighteen (twenty-five to thirty-six-inch waist, and thirty-five to forty-six-inch hips).

7. They're made of seamless stretch microfiber or nylon.

Hanky Panky Underwear - 5 Tips to Help You Decide When It's Time to Throw Out Your Old Underwear

Like that favorite robe that you don't want to part with, rummaging through your panty drawer at least once or twice a year is necessary to toss out those panties that aren't worth keeping anymore.

Here are five tips for determining whether to keep or toss your favorite underpants.

1. If your current panty wardrobe contains undergarments with stretched out legs or waistbands, then you know you can't wear them, so toss them out.

2. If the seams on your panties are frayed, then get rid of those panties.

3. If you own panties that ride up and are uncomfortable to wear, toss them out.

4. If your panties were accidently tossed into the dryer and they shrunk, then why do you keep them? It's time to get rid of them.

5. If your panties are two sizes too small, and you've kept them because you thought you'd lose weight one day, bite the bullet and toss them out. Most likely the styles, colors, or designs are out-of-date, too.

Who knows why women keep panties that they don't wear, yet the truth is that at least twice a year, you would do yourself a favor if you went through your panty wardrobe and tossed out everything that didn't fit or was faded or frayed.

Yes, Hanky Panky underwear, although very comfortable to wear, does have a wearability factor to consider. Just like your favorite robe, sweater, shirt, or sweatpants, sometimes you just have to acknowledge that it's falling apart and needs to make friends with the dumpster.

Underwear, whether a designer brand or a no-name brand, has to fit comfortably, or you will feel miserable wearing it for at least eight hours a day. If your panties ride up, or leave gouges on your thighs or hips due to their tightness now that you've gained a little weight, it's normal to keep them for three to four months if they're still in good condition. However, it they don't fit properly, or the design is from ten years ago, you might want to get rid of them.

Perhaps someone in your family or a past lover gave you a pair of panties as a special gift, and you haven't had the heart to part with those panties...ask yourself why you're holding onto them. If the sentimental value is long gone, then maybe it's time to toss those memorable panties into the trash, especially if you don't wear them anymore.