Cats Corner Q&A

The blog’s not very old yet, but we wanted to bring some Q&A to you from the Cat’s Corner.  Some of these first questions are gleaned from recently asked questions by people randomly.  If you have any questions that you want answered for yourself, leave us a comment with the question on this post and we’ll go about getting you the best answers possible.  Some answers require more space than others and we may refer you to a previously asked question if the answer fits because some answers are going to overlap or you may have missed a previous Q&A.


Cat’s Corner Q&A #1 -

Q:  Is there any difference between wearing a bra with panties and wearing lingerie?

 A:  For any readers who might be balking at this particular question and thinking it silly – it’s a common one.  Most lingerie sites make some sort of weird emphasis on bras and panties and try to underplay their role in the realm of lingerie.  The fact of the matter is that bras and panties ARE lingerie.  Granted, they are staples that no woman can live without, unlike a teddy or a corset (for example), but they are still lingerie.

Cat’s Corner Q&A #2 -

Q:  I want to buy lingerie for my girlfriend, but I get too distracted by the models on the lingerie sites and feel like I’m looking at something wrong.  Are there any websites that show the lingerie on mannequins instead?

A:  After doing some research (i.e.:  Google, MSN, Yahoo, and other search engine queries) it seems that finding a lingerie site that doesn’t employ the use of models is nearly impossible.  In fact, I was unable to find one that has all types of lingerie on a mannequin.  There were a couple that had corsets on a mannequin, but while they are lingerie your girlfriend might not enjoy wearing them.  The models aren’t in the pictures to titillate and tantalize you.  They are there to showcase the pieces in a more natural way so people can get an idea of what it might actually look like on their bodies, or in your case, on your girlfriend’s body.  It seems you simply might need to get over your aversion to lingerie models and realize what the purpose of the pictures is.

Cat’s Corner Q&A #3 -

Q:  I recently bought a babydoll with attached garters and a pair of stockings and I can’t figure out how to attach the stockings to the garters.  HELP!

A:  Your stockings should have a thicker band at the top.  This is called a “welt”.  These types of stockings are designed for wear with garters.  On the ends of the garter straps you should see something that looks sort of like a hook and eye clasp.  There’s usually a circular portion and a portion that looks somewhat like a loop that hook together to form a closure.  You’re going to want to open this up and place the circle part beneath the stocking and then close the loop over top both the stocking and the circle.

Cat’s Corner Q&A #4 -

Q:  Should I hand wash my lingerie or can it be put into the washing machine on a gentle cycle?

A:  It is always better to wash your lingerie by with a gentle detergent to help prevent snags, runs, and so on.  If you’re washing nothing but bras and panties and you haven’t got any stockings in the mix then you might be able to get away with washing these in a machine.  However, if you’re going to machine wash any of your delicate items you really should think about using a front loading washing machine that doesn’t have an agitator in it.

These machines are much more gentle on your clothing in general and will certainly be better for your lingerie if you can’t or don’t have time to hand wash these items.  It’s never a good idea to put stockings in a machine since they will almost always get snagged and run on you.  You should also make sure that you let all of these items air dry.  It doesn’t matter if the fabrics are natural or synthetic, air drying ensures no weird issues caused from heat to happen.

Cat’s Corner Q&A #5 -

Q:  It seems like my new lingerie only lasts for 2 or 3 months – is this normal?

A:  It really all depends on a couple of factors.  Mainly the length of time you get for use out of any give piece of lingerie is determined by how you care for it and what it’s made out of.
It’ll often be recommended that if you don’t have time to hand wash your lingerie and you want it to last longer, that you can put it in the machine on a gentle cycle or in a mesh laundry bag on whatever cycle you want.

Both of these are misconceptions – the former is going to wear on your lingerie due to the agitator in your machine and the same goes for the laundry bag.

While a laundry bag is purported and advertised as the perfect thing to save your lingerie from the harms of an agitator, all it does is keep it in one contained place and still subjects it to potential agitator harm since it’s being agitated… by the agitator.  If you insist on using a machine then use a front loader and go to a laundry mat if you have to in order to use one.  Hand washing with a mild detergent is always best.

Secondly – what are your undergarments made from and what are they?  A corset, for instance, is built to last a good long while and unless it’s ultra-cheap (re: less than $60 regular retail) it will last a long time.
Bras are a little trickier in that if you want one, and even a cheap one, to last a long time you need to make sure that you get the proper size.  Extra strain on any element of a bra will cause it to wear out faster than you can blink.

Panties are probably the trickiest since how long they last is going to largely depend on your body’s goings on down there.

If you’ve got any issues going on at any given time (gross, I know) like a yeast infection or something more major it is advisable to either wear a panty liner to protect your underwear from the infection and the medication used to treat it.

This isn’t because a good washing won’t kill anything, it’s because the medications used to treat these things, and the infections themselves, can be hell on the fibers of any given panty.

Cotton based garments will last longer than any other type aside from maybe hemp.  Silk, satin, and synthetic fabrics can last just as long as cotton but you need to ensure that you hand wash in mild detergent and air dry.

All in all, some undergarments are going to last a very long time and in some cases for several years – corsets, bustiers, babydolls, nighties, chemises, etc.

Other garments are probably only going to get you 2 – 12 months, like bras and panties since these are often every day wear items.  The frequency of wear, washing, and what sort of abuse they get is going to ultimately determine the shelf life of lingerie.

Treat them properly and you’ll be able to gage how long any given item is going to last you in future.

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