Whether you’re buying lingerie for yourself or as a gift for a loved one, it can be a bit intimidating, especially if you’re never done it before. But if you can find the right piece, there are few gifts that are more indulgent. “Lingerie is a great treat, no matter if you’re buying it for your pandemic partner or for yourself after all this self-isolation led you to become better acquainted with the rechargeable tenant living in the drawer of your bedside table,” says model, writer, and actor Abriana Soll. When it comes to plus-size lingerie, gone are the days when you’d have to “sacrifice comfort for style,” according to fashion blogger and brand consultant Liz Black, who says “there’s been a major improvement in plus intimates.” To find the best size-inclusive lingerie, we spoke to Soll, Black, and nine other cool people — and then we combed through our archives to make sure we didn’t miss any superior pieces we’ve written about before. The 29 pieces of lingerie below include sets of separates, bodysuits, and even dressing gowns and robes; while each item has different sizing, none of the items are smaller than 1XL and some go up to 6XL. To help you shop, we’ve broken down the picks into categories and lead each section with products that got the most recommendations.
The best plus-size lingerie sets
Five the cool people we spoke to named-checked Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty line, four of whom told us about this specific daisy-printed set. According to fit model Rachel Richardson, the style blogger behind Lovely in LA, “Rihanna’s size-inclusive collection always brings the heat.” Soll agrees, telling us that no intimates wardrobe is really complete without something from the brand. “Everyone in the plus-size community loves a good Savage x Fenty piece.” Of this specific style, she adds: “What we love even more, however, is when our period-drama-loving hearts are given the Bridgerton-slash-Marie Antoinette bustier of our dreams in up to a size 3XL — with underwear and garter belt to match.” Plus-size fashion expert and model Alysse Dalessandro Santiago is another fan, telling us that the set “gives me ditzy ’90s vibes,” in case that’s more your style. According to model Stacey Louidor, “the fresh mint color and textured floral accents evoke a gentleness, while the see-through mesh provides that risqué element.” Louidor is particularly in love with the bustier, which she says “would also look phenomenal layered over a top as outerwear.” Summing it up, model Kaguya told us, “Rihanna is queen! Period.”
The next most-recommended source of plus-size lingerie sets is the line that U.K.-based brand Playful Promises created in collaboration with plus-size designer and influencer Gabi Fresh. Three of our experts told us about it, with two — Santiago and Louidor — saying this playful, feather-adorned set of three matching pieces is their favorite. “I am obsessed with how glamorous every piece is — it’s very reminiscent of vintage burlesque-wear,” Louidor says of the set, which is available in up to a size 24. “It allows anyone to cultivate and embrace their own version of sensuality.”
For a more casual (but still stylish) look, Black loves this Bella Set from the Gabi Fresh x Playful Promises collection, which she owns. The cheery lemon-colored bra and briefs are trimmed in a delicate lace and go up to a size 24 — though some sizes are starting to sell out, so if you like either (or both), you might want to act fast.
Two of the cool people we spoke to say some of their favorite plus-size lingerie is from Lane Bryant’s intimates line Cacique, specifically it’s Seriously Sexy collection. Richardson likes this set with sweet floral embroidery; the bra is available in up to a 50DDD cup and the briefs go up to a size 28. “It’s a gorgeous set made of mesh with a can’t-miss embellishment,” she says, adding that shoppers shouldn’t sleep on the line’s other “beautiful baby dolls and lingerie sets made of lace.”
Speaking of Cacique intimates made of lace, model Alex LaRosa told us this longline bra and garter panty is her favorite set from the line. “The style fits really well and makes me feel sexy and confident,” LaRosa says. The set’s bra is available in sizes up to 46DD and the underwear runs through a size 28.
While they both acknowledge they’re pricey, Louidor and Soll say any (or all) of these three pieces that Fleur du Mal created in collaboration with model Precious Lee would be worth the splurge. (They’re actually part of a four-piece set that also includes a satin trench.) According to Louidor, “the stuff just screams luxury — and will fit a range of sizes.” (Those sizes are up to 3XL.) She says that, “as a heavy chested woman, I am immediately drawn to the sultry deep plunge of the bra,” which she promises is “still supportive.” Adds Louidor: “The striking floral embroidery provides a really interesting contrast to the see-through nature of the pieces.” Soll agrees that the “look is dripping in opulence and sex appeal,” summing up her praise this way: “I will have my movie moment with my Instagram boyfriend of the week in this look, mark my words.”
“For my plus, full-bust folks, Elomi’s Sachi bra is without comparison,” says Cora Harrington, the author of In Intimate Detail: How to Choose, Wear, and Love Lingerie and founder of the Lingerie Addict. (Strategist contributor and lingerie-collector Liz Goldwyn has called Harrington nothing less than “my go-to resource for all the latest collections and what’s going on in the business of lingerie.”) Of this bra — which starts at size 32GG and runs to a 46DD — Harrington says: “It is the bra for people who believe there is nothing good for larger sizes and are searching for styles beyond the basic beige,” pointing out elements like its “sheer plunge” and “stunning strappy detail” as what set it apart. To complete the set, Elomi sells a pair of matching high-waisted briefs in sizes up to 4XL.
Harrington calls Lavinia Lingerie an “industry secret” that typically “only in-the-know people are aware of.” She loves this Balconette bra from the brand, which goes up to an H, because it’s a “well-made and affordably priced with a lot of oomph.” The sheer panties that match seem to have just as much oomph — and go up to a size 5XL.
If you’re looking for plus-size lingerie that nobody else will (probably) have, Richardson suggests checking out JBC. She describes it as “a body-positive brand that sells stunning handmade lingerie in all sizes.” This lace and mesh set, for instance, has a bra you can order in sizes between A cup XS and G cup XXL and with three different shoulder strap widths, depending on how much support you need. The underwear, meanwhile, can be purchased as either a thong or a brief and in sizes from XS–2XL. Both, according to the brand, are “hand-made-to-order.”
In telling us about Solstice, style expert Corissa Enneking described its offerings in a very unique way. “Scrolling the site, you get the vibe that nothing they’re creating is for the male gaze: It’s all unique and special and geared toward people who want to bring their eclectic style into their panty drawer.” If this sounds like you, she recommends this flowy, floral Infinity Set that’s available in sizes up to 3XL. (The pattern shown, called Maude, is one of 11 you can buy it in.) Like JBC, Solstice also offers the option to custom make pieces to your measurements “so they’re sure to fit you perfectly,” according to Enneking.
The best plus-size bodysuits
Perhaps a single piece of knockout lingerie is more appealing to you (or your lucky recipient) than a set of separates. For that, you should consider a bodysuit, and when it comes to bodysuits, Richardson says her favorite is this leopard-print one from Betsey Johnson’s latest collaboration with Torrid, a brand she says generally “has some seriously hot lingerie in a large range of size offerings.” She’s not the bodysuit’s only fan: We are, too. In a recent installment of Don’t DillyDally (our roundup of exciting releases we think will sell out fast), we called out the bodysuit’s “pretty-meets-punk aesthetic” as a reason we could see it flying off shelves. It’s available in sizes up to 5XL — for now.
Another handmade to order style, this lace-and-mesh bodysuit comes recommended by Soll. It’s available in sizes up to 2XL and she sets a very specific — and seductive — scene in describing it. “This is the kind of bodysuit you enjoy with sandalwood body oil, 85 percent dark chocolate-covered strawberries, and the driest Champagne known to man.” In other words: It makes you look like you’ve “come into a substantial sum of money from a long-lost relative that mysteriously passed away,” according to her.
Enneking calls Origami Customs a “gender affirming, super-inclusive brand making lingerie that is truly for everyone,” pointing to its custom sizing and trans-friendly styles as two things that “are moving the lingerie world forward.” While it offers this mesh bodysuit in sizes up to 5XL, the brand also encourages customers to send in their measurements for a custom fit (and the site includes a very detailed fit guide to help folks if need be).
The best plus-size robes and dressing gowns
As Enneking reminds us, “lingerie doesn’t have to be the bra-and-panty set” — or bodysuit — “we’re all used to.” A robe or dressing gown can look and feel just as indulgent while providing a bit more coverage. Her favorite robe is “this super-affordable one with an eyelash trim” that comes in sizes up to 4XL. As for when to wear it? Enneking suggests on a “sexy self-care night or for a romp with someone special.”
For a dressing gown that lets you live out your “best rich-Hollywood-widow fantasies,” Black says you can’t do better than Catherine D’Lish’s feather-trimmed Beverly from the brand’s plus-size collection, which is available in sizes up to 3XL. While she admits that the “opulent, glamorous gown is definitely an investment piece,” she says D’Lish’s gowns have inspired many a dupe and that nothing is better than the real thing. In fact, Black warns: “Don’t try to buy them anywhere besides her website, as there are so many knock-offs that are piss-poor copies.”
For “fans of all things sparkly,” Black suggests slipping Alpine Butterfly’s “scintillating sequined” Paris dress over your lingerie. (Or naked body — we’re not here to judge.) She has one word for it — “beautiful” — and adds that it comes in sizes up to 6XL, making it quite size-inclusive, to boot.
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