What Your Matching Underwear Says About You

Maybe you’re one of those women who just has to match her bra and underwear—and we mean pretty much exactly: nude with nude, black with black, a striped set, a lace bra with the matching cheekies that it came with. Or, instead of being matchy-matchy, perhaps you treat your underwear drawer like a grab-bag, willing to be surprised (and hopefully delighted) by the quirky pairings fate offers up. There is no wrong or right here, but how you roll underwear-wise could say something about your personality.

Match like a boss

“For some women, not wearing a matched set ruins their day—even though no one can see it!” says fashion psychologist Dawnn Karen, founder of the Fashion Psychology Institute and a professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. “That indicates a somewhat controlled, particular, and perfectionist personality.” [note: Fashion Psychology is the study of how color, style, shape, and image affect human behavior, while addressing cultural norms and sensitivities.] Women who feel strongly about matching are likely to be bosses or leaders, she adds, and mayyyyybe even a little bit domineering.

“Matching your sets, especially if they’re colorful, says you are confident and stylish,” according to stylist Jenny Altman, a lingerie expert and founder of ILOVEAGOOD.com, a website all about intimate apparel. “Women tell me that they don't do it for the men or partners in their lives, but rather for their own feeling of fabulousness and because it makes them feel great.”

Non-matchers are more creative

The non-matchers, according to Karen, tend to be creative types. “It’s not a negative,” she says, “but they’re usually more likely to have a go-with-the-flow personality. They don’t need a lot of order; they actually find structure in not having structure. If a room is too neat, they feel a loss of control. They enjoy being part of a group rather than in charge.” Non-matchers can fall into the “I don’t care” camp or, says Altman, it could be that they do care…about how things feel (how they look: not so much). “‘These people wear their most comfortable bra and panty, separately—whether or not they match or are part of a set,” she says. “This choice is about function and practicality rather than style.”

“One trend that has changed in recent years is how we match,” Altman says. “It used to be that sets were the exact same color, style, and fabric, etc. Now a set can be a bra and panty that just ‘go’ together—more like clothing. It can be a plum-colored bra and a printed panty with some plum in it. Sets can be fun and very personalized.”

And sometimes it does matter if someone besides yourself is going to be there when you dress or undress, according to Karen. “If someone else is going to see your underwear, especially at the beginning of a relationship,” she says, “you’re more likely to try to match. You’re trying to put your best foot (or other body parts!) forward.”

Here are some ThirdLove combos that we think are perfect matches - and they mix pretty darn well, too. It all depends on you:

24/7 Classic T-shirt Bra in Black + Seamless Cheeky in Black

24/7 Strappy T-shirt Bra in Midnight Teal + Strappy Thong in Midnight Teal

24/7 Lace Balconette Bra in Dark Berry + Lovely Lace Cheeky in Dark Berry

Not into matching? Try our Seamless Thong 3-Pack and keep it perfectly mixed-up on the daily.