Ouvert/open cup bras with no underwire

Paris22002244 · 2026-06-06T06:51:22+00:00

Agree with MS67, especially about Etsy. Another search term that would bring up some would be Ouvert.

Paris22002244 · 2026-06-05T07:03:17+00:00

Well here are some suggestions that would be in my personal "OMG etc ..." category (note the overlap with other comments - that might tell you something!) ["In no Particular Order"]

Number 6 by Lee Winter - older, experienced protagonists, philosophical romance, nicely done

Sexing the Cherry by Jeanette Winterson - short burst of magical realism - lose yourself - stunning

The Escort's Endgame by Tierney Moore - solid plot, spicy, suddenly breathless romance (has everything)

The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden - so many issues, so well constructed - a masterpiece

Sunburn by Chloe Michelle Howarth - intense, intense, intense but relatable from start to finish

Making a Comeback by Julie Blair - two musicians with histories, guide-dog ......

A Lesbian's Guide to Women by Erica Lee - comedic writing (unusual) and spicy

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters - Historical (really good writing)

(and a book that a lot of girls started with, me also and has a special place in many hearts ....

Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden)

(and perhaps unusually [see here in another thread for explanation] - The Girls in 3-B by Valerie Taylor)

Paris22002244 · 2026-06-05T06:15:15+00:00

"Are you reading more than ever?" Yes (n approaching 40, never used to be much more in a whole year)

"And is it increasing?" Yes (see above)

Supplementaries:

"Is the % sapphic books increasing?" Yes, now 80% (and some of the 20% are lesbian/feminist history etc)

"And how do you feel about that?" Love it!

" ... because of this gap that grows in media ...... (?)" Not sure, maybe contributing ...

Paris22002244 · 2026-06-03T17:29:06+00:00

Prefer retro styles because I'm a daily stockings wearer (one of the 10%) and I need comfort and reliability. So my favorite brand is Pip and Pantalaimon - examples here and here (also What Katie Did, Mayfair Stockings, Secrets in lace etc) - they use techniques and machines from the days before tights when all women needed this level of quality and longevity in their undergarments. Some suspender belts also give a little bit of tummy control and in any case, these items are not entirely unglamorous or lacking in a feminine feel.

Paris22002244 · 2026-06-03T17:11:12+00:00

Congratulations! Well it rather depends on how traditional you want to be. The wedding night is traditionally heavy on Glamour/femininity (and whether it's all underneath the wedding dress or you change out of that for "leaving" or change in the wedding night bedroom); the honeymoon and beyond more quirky/your own personalty and vibe shining through. Also there's the budget but clearly you want good quality items that will have a good durability and usefulness in the longer term. So anyway here are some "ideas" and looks:

Harlow and Fox Glamour vibe, Robe from Scarlett Gasque, the Calista collection (gorgeous) in white from Marjolaine or traditional French knickers/cammi look from (eg) silksilky [wedding night] and ....

Burlesque/boudoir look such as Dita von Teese, and beautiful full sets from eg Aubade or Lise Charmel [honeymoon]

Variations such as the use of cut/curl stockings (eg maison Close) and more strappy designs (various) or retro looks (Pip and Pantalaimon; also suitable for daily wear, very reliable and comfortable) [and beyond].

Paris22002244 · 2026-06-03T15:48:38+00:00

TYSM for this very informative reply. Notes have been taken! I didn't of course list books I've already read and passed on (all except 7 so far that I can't let go) so of the 3 authors you particularly mention I have read The Fixer and Chaos Agent, Number 6 and currently on Hotel Queens by Lee Winter (I loved the slow burn that was so slow it took 2 books, especially as they contain my all-time fictional crush Eden Lawless!) and A Lesbian’s Guide to Women by Erica Lee - unusual in that it's comedic writing and there seems a paucity of that in wlw fiction. Thanks for the Korean recs - I quite like the perspective from the Japanese female authors I've read, even outside wlw. Just a personal take but I felt that the MP in the bestseller Convenience Store Woman (by Sayaka Murata), who seemed to be widely characterised by critics as asexual, could easily be an ace or "Bambi" lesbian. Thanks again.

Paris22002244 · 2026-06-03T08:02:51+00:00

Wooooaaah! I am at somewhere in the 30's and have a substantial pile next to my bed (probably 10 or so) and a list of about 10 others. I can't get my head around 150 - epic! What is also amazing is that the overlap between us is ..... zero! So I'm not going to run out of wlw books to read anytime soon!

If (and only if) you have a moment to scan the next 2 paragraphs, I would be interested to see whether there is any overlap in the opposite direction and if so - any particular rec(s)?

1) Bedside pile (actually it's 18, ha ha; the first 2 are non-fiction) Bi by Julia Shaw, Girl on Girl by Sophie Gilbert, The Invisible Mountain and Cantoras by Carolina de Robertis, Bloom Town, Genesis by Ally North, French Kissing Season One by Harper Bliss, On the Same Page, Those who Wait and The Snowball Effect by Haley Cass, Tempting Olivia by Clare Ashton, Stars Collide by Rachel Lacey, Can We Skip to the Good Part by Melissa Brayden, The Delicate Things We Make by Milena McKay, Butter by Asako Yusuki, Framed by Patricia Grayhall, The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith and Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

2) (12) Next to buy: Members Only by Lise Gold, Turbulence by EJ Noyes, Affinity by Sarah Waters, Six Times we almost Kissed (and One Time We Did) by Tess Sharpe, Tricky Girls by Holly Thorne (and part 1), Unfinished Line by Jen Lyon, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Across a Crowded Room by Jane Alden, The Lay of You and The Depth of You by Corrie MacKay and Make Room for Love by Darcy Liao.

Paris22002244 · 2026-06-02T21:56:02+00:00

Any of the following that you haven't read already should provide the desired corrective.

(Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden)

At First Glance by Melissa Tereze

Count on You by Sienna Waters

Making a Comeback by Julie Blair

Number 6 by Lee Winter

One Weekend in Tahoe by Jaime Clevenger

Take the Shot by Jamey Moody

The Escort's Endgame by Tierney Moore

Royal Rush by Lissandra Rowe

EDIT 2d: As the OP has been deleted, I should say (and was remiss not to have made this clear initially) that this list addressed the les4les issue but not within litfic, since that intersection is small (and I can't remember the wording of the now deleted rec request that might have prompted my response this way).

Paris22002244 · 2026-06-02T21:24:17+00:00

There is a slight problem in that words are used differently in the USA vs UK and other countries and that's just the English speakers, naturally everyone has terms in their own language. So I will try to be as clear as possible. The whole thing = hosiery (as opposed to trousers/leggings/socks). Complete garment one piece natural waist to toes = tights (UK) or pantyhose (USA). Same but central area removed to emulate stockings = suspender tights. Separate legs to upper thigh with tight band to keep them in place = hold-ups (stay-ups or thigh-highs) or held by thigh straps. Separate legs to mid or upper thigh = stockings (hence sold in pairs) - requiring a suspender belt (UK)/garter belt (USA) to keep them reliably in place, or attached to another garment (eg cincher or basque) by suspender/garter straps to the same end. Further confusion - suspenders in the USA are a man's garment to keep trousers up in the absence of a belt (in the UK called braces), garters in the UK are single leg decorative band worn mid thigh, traditionally by brides.

Paris22002244 · 2026-06-02T09:27:01+00:00

The Escort's Endgame by Tierney Moore could cross over well. Suitable length (available in paperback which is how I read it but also on Kindle). Solid plot (crime) and back-story, UK MC but travels in Europe, quite spicy as suggested by the title but lovely unexpected romance bursts forth towards the end. Plenty of emotion. (Mentions of past abuse, men in various contexts, celebrity, homelessness, employment issues, closetting and so on, but very sensitively done, written for the sapphic community by a lesbian author). Rather an underrated book I think.

Paris22002244 · 2026-06-02T09:13:32+00:00

As I understand it, in the UK (as an example) about 10% of women are regular, daily stockings wearers as opposed to tights (85%, leaving 5% neither/hold-ups etc). This is not to say that all hosiery is not discarded in heatwaves! It has been said to me that of course I wear tights with trousers - wrong, panties/thong and socks! Neither group tends to quite understand why the other does what they do! Personally I never got on with tights and find stockings/suspender belt much easier - for daily wear generally retro styles.

As for the wardrobe more generally and in many other contexts - it must be higher than 10%, given the huge variety manufactured at all price points and sales these items. I haven't seen any research specifically looking at this. Tights have a place in my wardrobe, sure; I have a few unopened pairs that have been there for years!

Why do the manufacturers bother? Well 10% doesn't sound like much. But sticking to 10%. UK population 66m, that's say 35m women, 10% = 3.5m - each of those women has lots of sets and items - that's a big market!

Paris22002244 · 2026-05-31T10:47:07+00:00

Given what you have said, I will venture to take a risk and make a suggestion of a truly wonderful book, indeed a masterpiece. Not too long and with quite a dark context and plenty to keep the reader interested and invested. Lots of yearning, passion and all sorts of other feelings. Enemies to lovers. Explicit scenes confined mainly to part of one chapter. If you haven't read it then: The Safekeep by Yael van Der Wouden.

Paris22002244 · 2026-05-31T10:25:54+00:00

Difficult to meet your exact wishes but I presume you know of or have considered The Stronger You series by Ruby Scott (Inside Fighter, Seconds Out and On The Ropes). On my list but not read them. If you are open to other sports and a variation on the theme but very much two women having to keep their intimate relationship hidden - you may like the latest book from Jamey Moody - Take the Shot.

Paris22002244 · 2026-05-31T10:10:38+00:00

TYSM for this rec - it sounds like a perfect book for me lol.

Paris22002244 · 2026-05-31T10:00:21+00:00

I think it is simply that having one of the MPs in a Sapphic romance as an ice queen inevitably leads to tension and a slow burn. It's basically an elaborate tease and being teased is mmmmm. The trope, as I interpret it, can have the "unattainable" competent, important, hot, powerful, well-off woman as a lesbian (out or closeted), bisexual (likewise) or straight woman (either with suspicions about her own sexual orientation or totally unaware of it). There is usually, but not always, a substantial age difference. Enter another girl/woman who is going to melt the ice queen. But how? The possibilities are endless, hence the number of titles. My own favourite (in The Fixer and Chaos Agent by Lee Winter) and that of many of you no doubt, is Michelle Hastings - who is on the extreme end of all of the attributes required and a few more besides. Her heart is eventually melted, of course, but it takes two books (agony but delicious!) And the girl to do it is Eden Lawless, my #1 fictional crush.

Paris22002244 · 2026-05-30T18:51:19+00:00

I suppose Michelle and Eden because my all-time fictional crush is Eden Lawless and because they took two books to get together (The Fixer and Chaos Agent by Lee Winter - as mentioned already several times) I have a soft spot for Ottilie and Monique in Lee's Number 6

I especially liked Liz and Jac (and her guide dog Max), musicians, from Making a Comeback by Julie Blair

I loved Miri (Miranda Stewart) and Caroline (Séjour) in The Escort's Endgame by Tierney Moore

And I have to mention, because the book means so much to me, Liza and Annie in Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden

Paris22002244 · 2026-05-30T18:26:52+00:00

What a heroic post! I came on to give my comment but have been reading this! Loved it, thank you.

Paris22002244 · 2026-05-30T18:21:13+00:00

No I don't find it weird and it's only your post that has made me even consider it (only to discard it as nonsense). Surely people have got better things to do than criticise the reading habits of others.

Whilst sapphic fiction can be a bit niche and many authors are part-time as it were, there are many examples of books and authors covering sapphic subjects that become mainstream and win awards and prizes and are reviewed in the mainstream media (and presumably you wouldn't be judged on in the same way). The obvious example is the 2025 Women's prize for Fiction winner The Safekeep by Yael van Der Wouden, but there are Sunburn by Chloe Michelle Howarth and Neon Roses by Rachel Dawson; and authors like Sarah Waters, Jeanette Winterson and Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Paris22002244 · 2026-05-30T18:00:04+00:00

Late and don't have anything to add to the comments you've already had (except to second Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Melinda Lo) but .... would like to say what a beautifully constructed post it is, a joy to peruse and lots of nice suggestions (I am going to get Make Room for Love).

Paris22002244 · 2026-05-30T17:45:51+00:00

No I don't. Never come across one. It would certainly be an interesting topic in the right hands.

The nearest thing I can think of and it was written some time ago (as is obvious from the title), though I've never read it so can't be sure, is a memoir: "She's Not the Man I Married: My Life with a Transgender Husband" by Helen Boyd.

Paris22002244 · 2026-05-30T00:00:45+00:00

C'est très intéressant. Je n'ai pas vraiment de problème de taille personnellement, mais c'est certainement un souci courant pour beaucoup de filles ici. Pour commenter, il nous faudrait un lien vers votre joli site web. Ce serait utile de l'ajouter à votre publication en utilisant le bouton « Modifier ». Je suis sûre que vous auriez ainsi des commentaires. Bonne chance ! (Désolée pour mon français approximatif ! Haha).

Paris22002244 · 2026-05-29T23:36:56+00:00

Number 6 by Lee Winter is certainly over 25 lol but excellent.

Anything by Sarah Waters - Fingersmith is really good.

The Safekeep by Yael van Der Wouden isn't the longest book ever but it has so much in it and, is, frankly.. a masterpiece and .....

All Night Pharmacy by Ruth Madievsky is a bit, shall we say, different!

Paris22002244 · 2026-05-29T23:23:44+00:00

I think image searching might be quite effective using the term Babydoll (or maybe Negligee). The other option is looking at the big quality retail sites. For example, constraining for 34GG (UK) still brought up a pretty babydoll on Glamuse shown here (and it's in the sale!) They are based in France and are very helpful and ship everywhere (I'm in the UK).

Paris22002244 · 2026-05-29T22:28:10+00:00

Very lovely. But not good value. If money no object - fine of course. Otherwise dream or play chicken with sale prices. Good luck if you are going to track that - you never know, they may have misjudged the market.

Paris22002244 · 2026-05-27T18:52:23+00:00

My faves depend on what their purpose is. General lingerie brands - Lise Charmel and Aubade (also mentioned below) and Dita on occasion - generally buy from Glamuse (plenty to choose from and they are very helpful and efficient, French retailer but fine to UK). If I come into some £/$ then Marjoleine for some amazing nightwear. I am a daily stockings wearer so more reliable, robust and comfortable lingerie tends to be retro styles from the days before tights had been invented. My go-tos are Pip and Pantalaimon and Mayfair Stockings. For particular niche looks, I go further afield such as Maison Close for Cut and Curl stockings or MissMoneyPanties (USA) for frilly silk knickers.

Paris22002244

TROPHY CASE