Underwear

nkkingston · Jan 12, 2009

Genetalia gets a lot of thought in terms of good/bad words, but what about underwear? I'm really struggling with a line about a woman's knickers being near-translucent, and, well, "Knickers" is not a sexy word. Pants is usually masculine in the UK (ditto Underpants), and Panties has a distinctly childish connotation here. Briefs is functional, but sticks out as being too deliberate a choice.

I can see why all men in erotica where either boxers or nothing. I doubt anyone could make Y-fronts sound sexy...

Any thoughts? What do your women wear?

stephenf · Jan 12, 2009

How about thongs?

nkkingston · Jan 12, 2009

Not relevant to the scene or character in question, unfortunately. At least since they've become increasingly popular over the last decade thongs don't carry the connotations they used to. Given a choice between thong and g-string, thong is definitely the sexier word, though both beat knickers to a standstill!

Unless you're Australian, and talking about sandals, I guess. That's got to make some erotica unintentionally hilarious.

Maryn · Jan 12, 2009

Why use a name for the garment at all when you can't find one that suits the tone you want?

The near-translucent fabric covering her [insert your favorite word] allowed him to see [and another]...

Maryn, who rarely mentions anybody's underpants in real life or fiction

ELMontague · Jan 12, 2009

I like the way Maryn thinks.

veinglory · Jan 12, 2009

'Near translucent' is a little awkward IMHO compair to sheer, or even diaphanous.

Stacia Kane · Jan 12, 2009

Yep. That's what I do. "The scrap of black silk" or "The diaphanous triangle of fabric" or "the bit of lace". Something like that.

nkkingston · Jan 12, 2009

The context in question is too sexy for this thread, too sexy for this thread...

The ripping them off is a bit hyperbolic, but Lyca does have as-yet-unmentioned mandibles. The actual presence of underwear is fairly significant, as you can see! I want to convey that they're sensible, ordinary, Marks&Spencer's white cotton knickers (visiting your grandmother knickers), so while they're explicitly not-sexy, they've become so because Scarlett is so turned on.

Brindle Chase · Jan 12, 2009

Honestly, I think panties or briefs is fine here. The eloquence of the scene is not made by the panties here, but by her excitement. Plain white briefs simply put, simply are. I think it works just fine.

veinglory · Jan 12, 2009

I am having trouble imagining tearing off undies unless they are designed to make this possible. Otherwise the description reads fine except that I read the name, twice, as Lycra, and this really should not be in the open forum which is 'all-ages' but in the Share Your Work area.

Kerr · Jan 12, 2009

LOL! Funny, I wandered in thinking myself in the horror genre section, then clicking this as it was the only one that showed up unread. Yikes! And all the while I'm reading, I'm thinking undies, maybe g-string, yes also briefs, and at first chuckling as I also caught the name as Lycra. A pleasant surprise, though I can see someone coming along to object. Mandibles you say? I hope you'll post a bit in the vault. That brought my still-unsatisfied she-creature back to mind. Thanks

nkkingston · Jan 12, 2009

Sorry, I'll edit that post now; I've posted a much longer extract in SYW already. The name makes more sense in context (hopefully!).

The thread got more specific than I intended it to anyway. Does anyone have good words for male underwear? Or does everybody end up in boxers (like my characters usually do)?

Brindle Chase · Jan 12, 2009

nkkingston said:
The thread got more specific than I intended it to anyway. Does anyone have good words for male underwear? Or does everybody end up in boxers (like my characters usually do)?

I use several based on the visual I perceive before writing it. With women, it could be plain old bikini briefs, granny panties, lace, g-string or thong (remember there is a significant different between a g-string and a thong) and for men, boxers, boxer briefs, tightie whitie's, bikini briefs, g-strings

For erotica, sometimes it helps to go to victoria secrets website and looks up something that matches what your looking for. Such as , a tank top... well, there are dozens of different kinds. Spaghetti straps? triple straps, x back, or is it really a camisole? A halter? Same thing goes for underwear... if its a thong, say so, even better, is it french cut? Brazilian cut, plain american cut(in which case most likely it would be easier to just say a thong)? Now, what's it made of? Satin? Silk? Cotton? Gossamer? Does it have lace trim, ruffles? Any patterns? Silk screened images? A cute saying? Etc.... you get the idea.

veinglory · Jan 12, 2009

I actually had to look it up as I had never really thought about it. When underwear on men is mentioned I tend to call it 'underwear', althouhg some of my guys have the habit of not wearing any and the disrobing section tends to be so rapid that clothing isn't itemised.

Guffy · Jan 12, 2009

you could also call them by the makers name, like Hanes' or Jockey's

nkkingston · Jan 12, 2009

Guffy said:
you could also call them by the makers name, like Hanes' or Jockey's

That only works if your raders are aware of them. Fine if you're in a print publication, but ePubs are avilable worldwide, and I have to admit I'd have ben baffled by either of those, as much as an American, I suspect, would boggle at "M&S".

MargueriteMing · Jan 12, 2009

veinglory said:
'Near translucent' is a little awkward IMHO compair to sheer, or even diaphanous.

Near translucent is a silly pairing. There is opaque, translucent, transparent. If things are 'near' translucent, then they aren't 'quite' translucent. If they aren't translucent, then by definition they must be either opaque or transparent.

MargueriteMing · Jan 12, 2009

Brindle Chase said:
I use several based on the visual I perceive before writing it. With women, it could be plain old bikini briefs, granny panties, lace, g-string or thong (remember there is a significant different between a g-string and a thong) and for men, boxers, boxer briefs, tightie whitie's, bikini briefs, g-strings

For erotica, sometimes it helps to go to victoria secrets website and looks up something that matches what your looking for.

Oh come on, as erotica writers we should be able to do better than that.

High class designers/manufacturers

http://www.valisere.com/
http://www.becheeky.com/images/VL02293-m-lrgVL02293.jpg

http://www.luxxa.com/index.asp?cur=978&lng=us
http://www.becheeky.com/images/LX01082-m-lrgnewLX01082.jpg
http://www.luxxa.com/produit.asp?CodeCategorie=16&CodeCollection=&Modele=160&Page=0&cur=978&lng=us

http://www.simone-perele.com/
http://www.becheeky.com/images/SN01674-m-lrgSN01674.jpg

http://www.jolidon.eu/
http://www.becheeky.com/images/bc_images/products/JO01857-m-lrg.jpg

http://www.lejaby.com/
http://lingerie.haberji.com/lejaby-lingerie-2009-collection/lejaby_lingerie_2009_collection014/

http://www.lisecharmel.com/
http://www.imagebam.com/image/d7a8c617523024/

http://www.bebaroque.co.uk/ <-------- the most amazing tights
http://www.lolaluna.ca/store.php <-------- teeny tiny thongs/g-strings

Or just lots of pictures:
http://lingerie.alinassecrets.com/ ---> to get a good look, you need to download the picture
http://www.becheeky.com/ ---> shop by brand, you can click on items, to get a good picture for descriptions

Should be a good source of ideas.

Don · Jan 12, 2009

MargueriteMing said:
Oh come on, as erotica writers we should be able to do better than that.

http://www.valisere.com/
http://www.bebaroque.co.uk/
http://www.catrinelmenghia.ro/lingerie.php
http://www.jolidon.eu/
http://www.lejaby.com/

Or just lots of pictures:
http://lingerie.alinassecrets.com/

Should be a good source of ideas.

What? You left off Frederick's of Hollywood? :roll:

MargueriteMing · Jan 12, 2009

Oh please, Frederick's is trash.

Don · Jan 12, 2009

MargueriteMing said:
Oh please, Frederick's is trash.

Did you miss the :roll:

?

veinglory · Jan 12, 2009

My catalogue comes with a zentai and a latex section, but that's probably TMI

MargueriteMing · Jan 12, 2009

veinglory said:
My catalogue comes with a zentai and a latex section, but that's probably TMI

You could try these folks, they can be somewhat, err, edgier:

http://www.agentprovocateur.com/virgins.html

ELMontague · Jan 12, 2009

I didn't find an issue with the piece as written when it came to underwear. And for men, shorts, boxer, none at all.

MargueriteMing · Jan 13, 2009

What, no g-strings of elephants with long trunks?

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