Diamonds might be a girl's best friend, but a luxurious silk negligee is one of her favorite intimate companions.
Lingerie manufacturers are unveiling their spring collections of romantic sleepwear and cozy loungewear just in time for Valentine's Day gift giving. Surveys by trade alliances such as the International Mass Retail Association annually reveal that next to the traditional candy and flowers, lingerie items are among the most popular Valentine's presents for women.
Alison Mayher, spokeswoman for Saks Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, says the current selection of lingerie is "beautiful. It's lace and it's satin and it's covered. It's very luxurious-looking."
So instead of some silly, frilly take on the traditional Valentine's Day teddy, ponder upon some of the sleeker, more sophisticated styles available.
At Saks, Mayher says, it's the elegant gowns, long robes and pajamas that are making fashion news.
At Cheeks on Walnut Street, Shadyside, boutique owner Ilene Levy says loungewear, foundations and other special intimate items from upscale designers such as Natori, Fernando Sanchez, Carole Hochman, Donna Karan and Vera Bradley are especially popular with her customers.
"Fernando Sanchez has a new lingerie collection every month," Levy says. "A lot of women are familiar with them because they collect them. The colors and fabrics are so important and beautiful. It's really a special gift." Current offerings are in feminine shades of turquoise, mint green, pale pink and golden shades of orange, she says.
Other favorites of Levy's include satin gown and robe sets from Oscar de la Renta and a pair of pink silk pajamas from Samantha Chang trimmed in chocolate-brown lace with three-quarter sleeve and pants ($330). "They're gorgeous," she says.
Levy agrees that pajamas are the current hot lingerie item, "but not your grandmother's pajamas," she says. "A lot of manufacturers are showing them. They're very loungy. We have a lot of moms who come in for a Valentine's Day gift for their daughters. For them, cute pajama sets are perfect."
If your girl just isn't the type to put on a floor-length, slippery satin gown, pajama sets are popular choices right now, according to Mayher, available in brushed-back cottons, nylons or silk and satin. Saks features a pair of two-piece pajama sets by Josie — one a sheer floral lace camisole paired with drawstring pants in hot pink ($68), and the other a slightly sheer georgette floral-print camisole top with gathered detail and matching pull-on elastic-waist pants ($62).
Saks also carries a classic men's-style pajama set in mercerized cotton and satin trim, with three-quarter sleeves, button-front top and elastic-waist pants in a ready-for-spring cool aqua shade ($200).
At Victoria's Secret, pajamas include a flirty satin boxer set with a button-front top decorated in tiny hearts for Valentine's Day. The PJs also come in solid shades of red, strawberry cream and lime sorbet ($39). Another pajama set in pink romance or red adorned with delicate rosebuds is made of stretch mesh with a contrast lattice edging, flutter-sleeve top and cropped pants ($38).
"Victoria's Secret caters to a wide range of people," says Sara Tervo, spokeswoman for Victoria's Secret stores at the retail chain's headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. "Our lingerie varies from long, sexy, sophisticated gowns to short baby-doll sets."
For Valentine's Day, Tervo says Victoria's Secret also carries a full line of fancy undergarments, and "we sell a lot of fragrance for men who don't feel quite comfortable enough to purchase lingerie."
At another lingerie boutique, The Pussycat on Forbes Avenue, Squirrel Hill, co-owner Gail Gross says "beautifully feminine" teddies and camisoles with thongs or boy panties are great suggestions for Valentine's Day. "Lace camisoles from DKNY and Calvin Klein are very popular," she says, as are camisole and boy-shorts sets by European lingerie designer Cosabella and Ongossamer.
Also, a lace chemise short nightgown in white or black ($36) from Arianne with matching thong boy panties ($20) makes a romantic gift, she adds. It's important for men to buy their special lady something that is "really pretty, tasteful and feminine," she says.
Besides the usual assortment of lingerie, also hot this Valentine's Day is spa wear, Mayher says. "It's very important. People love it — and it's not necessarily used to exercise in. It's comfortable."
Donna Karan Intimates offers a pair of black stretch cotton yoga pants with ivory contrast stitching and elastic waist ($72) paired with a matching yoga sports bra ($54). For a feeling of elegance while lounging, Zen Sport by Danskin has a dusk (pale blue) cotton knit jacket ($202) and matching relaxed pull-on pants ($118) with a coordinating cotton ribbed tank top ($55) in light desert beige.
Mayher says one of the wonderful characteristics of men who buy lovely lingerie for their wives or girlfriends this time of year is that, when they find something they like, price is not a consideration. "When they come to us, they don't care how much it costs," she says. "Whatever it is, they'll pay."
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It's often one of the most difficult and uncomfortable purchases men have to make, according to some fashion experts. But on Valentine's Day, romantic lingerie is what's on their minds — and eventually in their shopping bags.
"They walk in the store looking like a deer in headlights," says Alison Mayher, spokeswoman for Saks Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh. "All they know is they want something sexy."
Many men don't know their wife's or girlfriend's measurements, she adds, and "they'll say she's the same size as the person that's waiting on them. Then the recipient comes back later and exchanges the item for the right size."
Sara Tervo, spokeswoman for Victoria's Secret, says traditionally, many male shoppers are intimidated by her store. They also are notoriously late holiday shoppers, she says.
"They come in no earlier than 48 hours before," she says. "More than 80 percent of our shoppers on Valentine's Day and the day before are men. They come in full force."
Tervo assures men who might feel embarrassed about making lingerie selections that sales associates are trained to help them find the right style and size for their special someone.
"If they're not sure of the size, we have items that come in small, medium and large," she says. "And some of our wraps are one-size-fits-all. The fact that a man's taking time to pick out a present for her is a really neat thing, although sometimes a woman might be surprised that the gift is a little more personal than she expected."
