While many love the idea of wearing special underthings, lingerie can be intimidating. How is it supposed to fit? How do you take care of it all? Is lingerie really for me? In this beautiful and empowering guide, lingerie expert Cora Harrington demystifies intimate apparel, making it accessible to all sizes, ages, and budgets. Covering everything from basic bras and panties to special occasion wear, shapewear, hosiery, corsets, and more, this no-nonsense handbook empowers you to confidently buy, wear, and care for the underpinnings of your dreams.

Very informative with a beautiful illustrations.

I find this being quite informative material about (almost) all the things lingerie, especially if you do not feel expert (or feel a "newcomer") in this area. Ms Harrington´s aim is to educate, her approach is nice and she offers many of the basics information with a bit of history, facts and usage info. Nothing scandalous here, even a foreword by Dita von Teese is very pleasant to read (look at the content here, please!).
On the other hand, this is beginner (and semi-advanced, too) level, not expert level, so do not expect to become a lingerie guru! But if you care to educate yourself about these pieces of clothing we wear daily, Ms Harrington is a nice lecturer to do so.
For more information I highly recommend "How to Get Dressed" by Alison Freer (especially in the fitting area, and also in the care area!).

In Intimate Detail
How to Choose, Wear, and Love Lingerie
Cora Harrington
Foreword by Dita Von Teese
Ten Speed Press, Aug 2018
152 pages
Intimate Fashion, Fashion Reference
Provided by NetGalley & purchased at sale price on Amazon
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I received a partial copy of this book to read for review from NetGalley when I got it. At the time, I was still very new to reviewing. I read what I had and set it aside. The copy was only a few odd-numbered chapters and some of the bibliographies and appendices from the back of the book. Some of the printing was goofed up in it as if sending it had screwed it up. There were very few illustrations included in it. I kept meaning to look at the book at the library or bookstore to see what it was really like “in-person” but never got around to it. Recently I have been cleaning up my overdue reviews and this is one of them. So I took a look at the price of it on Amazon and hit the 1-Click button to have it delivered the next day. It’s a book that I have always wanted to have the hardcover copy of, so now was the time. Read the whole book, review it, and keep it handy on my shelf. It’s also a book you can share with other friends as you wish, or as needed. So now I have it in hand, have read it, and can review it better.

The cover is absolutely lovely with its blush watercolor background and the exquisite set of black lace cami and panties. So simple with just the title, subtitle and author’s name added in black fonts. The blush color has an eggshell finish while the black of the title is high gloss. The pages inside are very thick, heavy paper which feels lovely and rich as you turn the pages. The lingerie illustrations throughout the book are done by Sandy Wirt and are simply stunning.

The Foreword by Dita Von Teese is perfect for this book. She lures you into the book and you follow willingly.

The author stays away from the pitfalls of brands and rules of any kind. What she does in each section is provide a brief history and then move into some information on construction to help wearers understand how the garments work. Ms. Harrington then explains the various types of each garment and their special functions or fits or whatever each is specific for. There is no coyness, no wordplay here. This is straight forward design talk about garments we all wear at one time or another. Once Ms. Harrington has finished telling us about lingerie, she then goes on to explain how to launder it and why this is the best way to do it. Also how to store it and why. She covers briefly the requirements of people with special needs due to alternate lifestyles or medical needs. There is a bibliography for more sources if you are interested in deeper reading on the subject of lingerie. There are several charts of additional information. Overall, this is an elegant little reference that would be at home on your bedside table, your bookshelf, or your living room coffee table. It’s one I highly recommend as a personal purchase or as a charming gift.

I requested this book on a whim from NetGalley, and I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect from it, as it’s the first of it’s kind that I’ve read.

One of the things I liked about this book was all of the history of underclothing that I learned. From the bra to underwear to slips and lingerie. All of the history was fascinating to see how fashion has changed over the years.

I also really liked how simply she put the information. I learned a lot about how to shop for bras and underwear, it gave me a better understanding of sizes which is something that’s always confused me. Reading the book made me want to shop for underclothing, which is a feeling I’d never had before in my life.

Overall I think that the book could have been formated better. I found the images conected with bras and underwear confusing. Maybe this is just because of the way the kindle ARC was? I hope that the book is easier to read. The writing style also wasn’t my favorite, the author has a sort of ”cutesy” voice that was annoying as all get out.

In the end I gave the book 3 stars.

A concise and accessible guide to the world of lingerie for those who are left drowning under the mountains of options available to them. In Intimate Detail is a perfect book for people who know absolutely nothing about the subject but even I, as a self-confessed lingerie hobbyist, found plenty of fascinating information that I wasn’t aware of. But, most importantly (and the reason why this book gets such a high rating from me), the body-positive and inclusive tone of the book was a delightful breath of fresh air and is what sets it apart from other narrower books that focus on similar subjects.

I found this to be a wonderful book about all things lingerie. If you have an interest in the subject, this is a great guide. You will learn all about everything you will need to know to measure first, then buy what you need and then maintain it. You'll even understand all about the different kinds of lingerie out there, everything from stockings to bras, robes to shapewear. I never knew there was so much to know about just bras for example, and this is a great guide for them.

The purpose and history of lingerie are covered, along with so much practical information you can use in selecting it, either for yourself or as a gift based on body types and ruling out what does and doesn’t work for each. This book is just filled with great advice whether you are trying to tell the difference between a thong and a g-string or boy shorts and hipsters, or a waist cincher, a corset and a corselette. An advance electronic copy was provided by #Netgalley and author Cora Harrington, and the publisher for my fair review.

Ten Speed Press
Pub: August 28, 2018

This was a very informational and definitely, will applying tips and tricks. Lingerie is something that is intimidating, but Cara created a simple breakdown of choosing lingerie, wearing it, what type for what bust size. I think this book is timeless and every girl should read it in their lifetime.

What a fun and unique read. I never imagined that lingerie could be so interesting or beautiful. This would make a great present for a bachelorette or as a coffee table book.

The guide to getting your underwear right, lots of tips on the proper way to fit and fashion the little things that should be the ultimate essential of everyday life.

Such a fun and interesting read! With beautiful illustrations (I had no idea there were 7 pieces to a bra, or so many types!), tips & tricks, and history this book makes lingerie shopping way more fun and flattering. I know quite a few folks that would love this book as a gift!