Do you think expensive underwear is worth it?

Primrose

As underwear gets such heavy wear and tear with laundering, do you think more expensive items last any longer than the cheap packs you can buy, i.e. 3 pairs for £6?

angeltreats

Honestly I have to say yes. I have a few bras from La Senza and other similar places that I got on sale. Some are a few years old now but they are all still in really good condition. M&S stuff has also held up really well, especially sports bras. I also have some from Primark and they go out of shape really quickly, underwires start to poke out etc. Cheapy knickers also seem to fall apart, the stitching holding the elastic on starts to unravel etc.

I am quite careful about washing them, undies go in a delicates wash rather than being chucked in with everything else.

minerva_windsong

Depends on the occasion. For fancy underwear (ie the nice stuff) then I'm happy to pay £20 up (am currently eyeing up a £40 set in Monsoon). For basics I'm wary of anything more than £5 for a pair of pants and £15 for a bra.

The best ones I find that cover both of these are M&S and La Senza. Brastop also has lovely discount bras for bigger sizes, particularly those with narrow backs and big boobs.

That said though I have had really variable quality with various brands - Topshop in particular, I've had pants that fell to bits after one wear and others that are still going after a good five years or so.

Hermia

Depends what you mean by expensive really? My friend has tons of stuff from Agent Provocateur. It's gorgeous, but I wouldn't pay hundreds of pounds for undies especially as washing seems to shorten their life so much.

I am quite busty and find that the only bras that look lovely and provide enough support are in the £15+ range although I often manage to get stuff in the sales. I would pay a few pounds for a pair of knickers. The ones in packs are comfy, but I don't think they are that flattering or supportive. I tend to go to M&S or Debenhams for undies. I once bought some stuff from Primark. The knickers didn't last five minutes and the bras were so unsupportive and fitted badly.

kerrydrobertson

i think the quality of it is definately better. my husband got me some very expensive nightwear before we got married 6 years ago and is still looking brilliant. ive only ever bought an expensive bra once and it was £80 and i got about 6 months out of it as i got pregnant. as for knickers etc i find that m&s ones are quite good quality but have not had expensive ones to compare it with.

Bargain_Rzl

When it comes to anything "structural" (bras, corsetry, "shapewear") I'd say that it's definitely worth spending as much as you can afford.

I have a large bust and am quite narrow in the back, so decent support in the bra department is crucial! I was fortunate earlier this year to find two really nice bras for £14 each at M&S, but usually I know I'll be paying £20-£30 a time at Bravissimo/Debenhams or online (which is often a bit cheaper).

As for knickers, I normally just buy multipack ones, though if it was for a special occasion I might consider it worthwhile to have a set that matched my bra - it gives a little confidence-boost to know you look smart underneath - but in general, no, I don't bother with expensive knickers.

Katie-Kat-Kins

I don't normally bother with expensive knickers for everyday, primark or asda last just as well as anything more expensive. I only buy expensive ones to match pretty bras or if i get them as pressies.

I do think that bras are worth the money though, you don't have to go crazy but a freya or playtex bra will be far better than a cheapo one generally.

Having said that I have an ancient george at asda bra that goes in the washing machine and still looks brand new - only cost £6. Everyone I have had from there since though has been rubbish.

Kandipandi

I buy mulitpack ones from asda and after a few weeks they start to give up the ghost - first the size tag comes away and wriggles its way down your trouser leg only to appear on the floor of the tea room at work :eek: Mortified or what :rotfl:

scotrae

My size has increased alot lately and I now seem to be in the sort of bracket that is hard to find on the shelves. I bought a couple of nice boxed bras at M&S recommended by the fitting lady and shape-wise they are great. I 'treated myself' to some new M&S knickers at the same time - even though a previous 'bodyshaper' pair had come apart after one wash and I was too embarrassed to take worn pants back to complain!

I only tend to get 'pretty' bras from the supermarkets, always checking Tesco and Sainsbury undies for clearance labels. I recently got a rather pretty and surprisingly structured/supportive bra and matching knickers for only £6 and it's lovely being able to wear something pretty under my housework clothes!

It's important to make sure that the fit is right, even if that means spending more. And I believe that a good 'undergarment' like a swimsuit-style bodyshaper is worth up to fifty pounds, although I'm struggling to persude myself to spend anything on one at the moment, no matter how much I need it.

vixarooni

If you have small breasts i dont think it matters because we dont need the engineering to keep them where they are meant to be.

My mum pays £70 odd quid for her bras, and as a bra fitter myself i can see the difference it makes vs a £20 bra. If i were my mothers size and could afford that i would probably do the same.

Knicker wise it doesnt matter to me what i pay, as long as they are comfortable, but i do normally go down the cheaper end and get them during the sales at work.

lostinrates

I am big busted and notice that my more expensive bras last much, much longer. (Just had a bra a couple of months old have the wire pop through from its casing today, ouch).