Bra & Panty Sets

Two and three piece sets that already match: bra, briefs, and often a garter belt or harness straps. Sized from S to XL, with plus sizes in several ranges. The advantage of a set is also its catch: it is sold on one size, so it fits best when your band and cup sit close to the average for that size, and a fuller bust is usually better served by buying the pieces separately. Check whether the bra is underwired or soft, because a soft cup in a lace set flatters at rest and gives nothing under a dress. The straps on the garter belt are adjustable and the clips sit at the front and side of the thigh rather than the back, which is the part everyone gets wrong the first time.

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A set takes the decision away: bra and briefs already match, and in most cases a garter belt or harness straps come with them. That is the whole reason people buy sets rather than pieces, and it is also where sizing gets more demanding than anywhere else in this department.

Why a set is harder to size than a teddy

A babydoll only has to fit at the bust. A set has to fit at the bust and the hip, and those two do not always come in the same letter.

Most sets here are sold in S, M, L and XL, built on a bust and hip range rather than cup sizes. Measure both, then look at the size chart on the product page and pick the size where the bust falls inside the range. The briefs are the more forgiving of the two.

If your bust and hip fall into different sizes, order by the bust. A brief that is slightly loose does not show; a cup that does not fit does.

What is actually in the box

This is worth checking, because sets are sold with wildly different contents and the pictures do not always make it obvious.

Two pieces means a bra and briefs.

Three pieces usually adds a garter belt, sometimes a choker or a harness.

Four and five piece sets add stockings, gloves or leg straps. Those are the ones where the photograph shows a lot more than you are buying, so read the list.

Stockings are the item most often shown and least often included.

Underwired or not

Almost nothing in this range is underwired, and that is deliberate. Lingerie sets are cut for shape rather than support, with soft triangle cups or a light padded cup.

If you need real support, look for a set with a wide underband and adjustable straps, and expect it to sit closer to everyday lingerie in style. A soft triangle cup above a D will not hold anything.

Harness straps, and what they are for

A lot of sets now come with body straps: thin bands across the chest, the waist or the thigh. They are decoration and they are adjustable, not structural. Buckles are better than sewn loops, because they let you adjust the fit instead of hoping.

The same goes for the garter belt: four straps is standard, six holds a stocking straighter.

Getting more wear out of it

The briefs and the bra from a set rarely get worn separately, which is a waste. A set in black or a neutral with a plain cup works under ordinary clothes; a set in red lace with straps does not. If you want the set to be worn more than twice, the colour choice matters more than the design.

Care

Wash by hand or in a laundry bag at thirty degrees, hooks closed so they do not catch the lace. Never tumble dry.

Wash the whole set together so the colours age at the same rate. Lace and elastic fade, and a bra that has been washed ten times next to briefs that have been washed twice no longer look like a set.

Frequently asked questions

Which measurement decides the size?

The bust. Measure the bust and the hip, then take the size where the bust falls inside the range. The briefs are more forgiving than the cups.

Are stockings included?

Usually not, even though the model is wearing them in almost every photograph. The product page lists the number of pieces and what they are.

Are these sets underwired?

Almost never. They are cut for shape rather than support, with soft or lightly padded cups. Above a D cup, a soft triangle will not hold much.

What is the difference between a two and a three piece set?

Two pieces is a bra and briefs. Three usually adds a garter belt, sometimes a choker or harness straps. Four and five piece sets add stockings or gloves.

How do I keep a set looking like a set?

Wash the pieces together, always at the same time. Lace and elastic fade, and a bra washed ten times next to briefs washed twice stops matching.

Read our guide: Lingerie size guide

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