Guide
Lingerie for Older Women: Feeling Saucy After 60
Lace, silk or simply a very good bra: what you wear underneath is for you first. Here is how to find pieces that fit, feel good and look the part.
What Lingerie Suits Women Over 60?
Whatever makes you feel good when you catch your reflection. In practice that means a proper fit first, fabrics that are kind to your skin, and one or two pieces that make you smile. There is no age at which lace becomes off limits, and no rule that says comfortable can't also be saucy.
Bodies change shape over the years, and so do priorities. The bra you bought at fifty may not fit the woman you are now, and knickers designed for a catwalk rarely suit anybody's real Tuesday. A well-fitted bra and a few well-chosen pieces, on the other hand, can change how you stand, how your clothes hang and how you feel walking into a room.
This guide is for adults, 18+, and it stays on the suggestive side of saucy. It covers fit, styles, fabrics, a quick health reminder, photos for your profile and a few words for anyone buying lingerie as a gift.
Start With a Proper Fitting
Many lingerie shops and department stores will measure you at no charge, and a good fitter will bring you styles to try on rather than just reading out a number. It is worth doing whenever your weight or shape changes, or your bras start to feel like hard work.
Not sure whether yours fits? These are the usual giveaways:
- the band rides up at the back instead of sitting level
- the straps dig in, or keep slipping off your shoulders
- the cups gape at the top, or you spill over the edge
- an underwire sits on the breast rather than around it
- the centre panel between the cups doesn't lie flat
Most of a bra's support comes from the band rather than the straps, so a firm band that sits level is the thing to get right. If your shoulders or hands are stiff, front-fastening styles save a lot of fiddling, and wider straps spread the load. If you have had breast surgery, ask for a fitter used to post-surgery bras: specialist styles have pockets that hold a prosthesis securely.
Styles That Flatter, and Why
Balcony bra
Lifts and shapes, with a wide, low neckline that works under square and scooped tops.
Plunge bra
A low centre for V-necks and wrap dresses, with a little cleavage if you fancy it.
Lace bralette
Soft and non-wired. Lighter support, but a treat to wear on a lazy day.
Body
One smooth line under clothes. Look for poppers underneath for practicality.
Silky slip
Skims rather than clings, and looks deliberate without trying too hard.
Camisole and French knickers
A classic pairing with a bit of swish, comfortable enough to sleep in.
High-waisted briefs
Comfort with a vintage look, and no digging in when you sit down.
Stockings or hold-ups
Stockings and suspenders for a bit of theatre, hold-ups when you want the effect with less fuss.
Robe or kimono
The finishing touch. It covers what you would rather keep to yourself and frames what you wouldn't.
Fabrics and Comfort Worth Paying For
- Cotton next to the skin
- A cotton gusset or lining breathes and stays comfortable all day, even under something lacy.
- Silk and satin
- Smooth and indulgent. Real silk usually wants a hand wash, but the way it feels is half the point.
- Stretch lace
- More forgiving than rigid lace, and far less likely to scratch along the seams.
- Flat seams, no labels
- If your skin has become more sensitive over the years, look for flat seams and printed rather than stitched-in labels.
- Colour
- Black and red never date. Nor do ivory, navy, plum and emerald. Wear whatever makes you feel like trouble.
- Care
- A cool wash in a mesh bag, and a day off between wears, keeps the elastic springy for longer.
A Quick Health Check While You're at It
A new bra is a nudge to look after what goes in it. In England, the NHS says women get their first invitation for breast screening between the ages of 50 and 53, then every 3 years until their 71st birthday. From 71 you are no longer invited automatically, but the NHS says you can still have screening every 3 years if you want to, by calling your local breast screening service for an appointment.
The NHS also says to see a GP if you are worried about symptoms of breast cancer, even if you have recently had screening. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own screening programmes.
Saucy Photos: Showing Off Without the Risk
Feeling good in something new and want to show it? On Saucy Over Sixty every photo is screened as it is uploaded, by software and by human reviewers, and pictures that might be explicit are blurred with a warning until the viewer chooses to look. So a little lace is fine, but your main profile photo should be your face and your smile. Suggestive does the job far better than graphic.
For anything more revealing, a few rules keep you safe:
- Keep your face, tattoos and anything recognisable out of the frame.
- Never send intimate pictures to someone you have not met and do not know well.
- If anyone threatens to share your pictures unless you pay, stop replying, block them and keep the evidence. The National Crime Agency says there is no guarantee that paying will stop the threats.
In England and Wales, sharing an intimate photo of someone without their consent is a crime, and so is threatening to share one. The Revenge Porn Helpline helps adults in the UK on 0345 6000 459, Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm. Our guide to dating scams over 60 covers this kind of threat, and the safety page explains blocking, reporting and how fast takedown works.
Buying Lingerie as a Gift? A Few Tips
Gentlemen, and anyone else doing the buying, this bit is for you:
- Get the size right. Ask, or take a discreet look at the label in a favourite bra. Guessing rarely ends well.
- Start with robes, slips and camisoles. They are far more forgiving on size than a bra.
- Buy what she would choose. Think about what she already wears and likes, not what a film would suggest.
- Make an afternoon of it. Shopping together, and a long lunch afterwards, is a date in itself.
- Keep the receipt. Tuck it in the box. Nobody minds a swap.
And the same goes for the men themselves: a decent dressing gown and some well-fitting underwear do more for a man's confidence than he might expect.
Confidence Underneath, Confidence on Show
Feeling saucy is not only about what you wear. If the menopause has dulled your desire, our guide to sex after the menopause covers the treatments the NHS describes, and sex after 60 covers what helps more generally. Back on the scene after years away? Dating at 60 sets out a gentle first week.
Lingerie Questions, Answered
What lingerie suits women over 60?
Anything that fits well and makes you feel good. Balcony bras, bodies, slips and camisoles all flatter without fuss, and there is no style you have to give up at any age.
How often should I have a bra fitting?
Whenever your weight or shape changes, or your bras start to feel uncomfortable. Many shops will measure you at no charge.
Can I put lingerie photos on my dating profile?
On Saucy Over Sixty every photo is screened on upload, and pictures that might be explicit are blurred until the viewer chooses to look. Keep your main photo to your face and smile, and keep anything more revealing anonymous.
Can I still have breast screening after 71?
Yes. In England the NHS says you are not invited automatically from 71, but you can still have screening every 3 years by calling your local breast screening service.
What is a good lingerie gift for an older woman?
A silk robe, a slip or a camisole set is easier to get right than a bra. Check her size first, choose something close to what she already likes, and include the receipt.