NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Lifestyle

The Sex Files: Why you need to stop buying lingerie

Lee Suckling
By Lee Suckling
Lee Suckling is a Lifestyle columnist for the NZ Herald.·NZ Herald·
4 Sep, 2018 01:52 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Lee Suckling explains why we shouldn't be wasting money on lingerie. Photo / Getty Images

Lee Suckling explains why we shouldn't be wasting money on lingerie. Photo / Getty Images

*This story contains explicit sexual content

Anyone who wants to wear something to feel sexier has my support.

Whether it's a good suit or a pair of heels, many garments can give you an indescribable sense of sensuality or swagger.

When it comes to lingerie, however, you might wonder if there's any point. Why put something on, only to take it straight off minutes after you've been seen in it?

Lingerie isn't for your partner, though. Not really. Yes, they do get to see you in a sexy costume-of-sorts, but that's only at the end of the process of wearing such things.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

See, lingerie isn't really about how you look. The purpose is not to put on a strip show. It's not limited to those with supermodel bodies, nor do you put it on so you have sex appeal to your partner.

Lingerie is about a feeling. It makes you feel sensual, it puts you in touch with your body, and it focuses your mind on your sexuality.

Clothes can give you confidence, and lingerie – or any other kind of sexy undergarment – is a way to give you sky-high self-conviction. Worn under regular clothes, lingerie is like having a sexy little secret. Only you know it's there, and only you know what's going on inside your mind.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Lingerie doesn't have to be expensive and complex. Yes, you can go the extravagant Victoria's Secret route, or get into garments that have straps and zips and buttons galore. Or, you could just go down to Farmers and get some pretty pants. Something made of a nice fabric that you find appealing (simple silk, lace, or lycra, anyone?) in a cut that's unusual for you.

I think sexy underwear is an ideal way to bring back spark to anyone's sex life when it dwindles. I believe it gives the wearer the authority to initiate sex where they mightn't usually feel they have it. This is particularly helpful if you and your partner have identified that interest in sex has become one-way.

It's understandable to ponder why lingerie isn't for you. You don't look like Heidi Klum. You think it's uncomfortable. You wonder why you'd bother when nobody will see it, or the person who will see it won't care.

All of these hesitations are valid, which is all the more reason to give lingerie a go. I can guarantee you'll prove yourself wrong.

Discover more

Opinion

10 signs your date doesn't want a relationship

11 Apr 09:15 PM
Lifestyle

Older men reveal the reality of dating younger women

13 Apr 11:00 PM
Lifestyle

Grandmother, 72, finds love with 19-year-old

18 Apr 11:21 PM
Lifestyle

It's time to get over our big penis culture

19 Jun 07:00 PM

Why does lingerie make you feel sexy? It impresses yourself – and when you impress yourself, your attitude will automatically be endearing to another person.

Underwear is worn right on the skin. When it's stylish and sexy (unlike a pair of granny panties, old boxer shorts, or a sad beige bra) this helps you reconnect with the way thinks touch your skin and your sensitivity to it. It primes you for a sexual mood; it's an aphrodisiac. It's even better than champagne, chocolate, or roses, to be honest.

Most importantly, lingerie is about giving you a sense power. Wearing it is a secret that you can choose to reveal, or choose not to. It's like a weapon and it's your choice to use it. There's also something really appealing about holding in such a secret. It's something you only see in the movies. It's occasional. It's indulgent.

Buying lingerie is an investment for your quality of life. Wear it under a power suit to a job interview and you'll feel more self-assured. Wear it to a party under a cocktail outfit and you'll feel alluring to everyone in the room. Wear it on holiday to make your time in a posh hotel feel extra special.

It's not just for sex. Lingerie is about self-confidence. It gives you faith in yourself, which will result in sexual appeal from others. But that should merely a by-product, not the first intention.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Lifestyle

Premium
Lifestyle

This kind of sleep is essential for a healthy brain

18 May 06:00 AM
Lifestyle

'Like a cartoon': Author's $65k book prize win nearly derailed by travel chaos

18 May 02:04 AM
Lifestyle

Are six teaspoons of Milo too much? Ardern sparks debate

18 May 02:03 AM

Sponsored: How much is too much?

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Lifestyle

Premium
This kind of sleep is essential for a healthy brain

This kind of sleep is essential for a healthy brain

18 May 06:00 AM

New York Times: Poor sleep, especially deep and REM, may raise your dementia risk.

'Like a cartoon': Author's $65k book prize win nearly derailed by travel chaos

'Like a cartoon': Author's $65k book prize win nearly derailed by travel chaos

18 May 02:04 AM
Are six teaspoons of Milo too much? Ardern sparks debate

Are six teaspoons of Milo too much? Ardern sparks debate

18 May 02:03 AM
How to make a family-friendly tomato relish

How to make a family-friendly tomato relish

18 May 01:00 AM
Sponsored: Cosy up to colour all year
sponsored

Sponsored: Cosy up to colour all year

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP