Swazi Observer

FULL STORY

KITTY IN LINGERIE

By Lindokuhle Lukhele | 2018-07-22

SCENE wanted to know if Coralee styles her lingerie for daily outfits.

“I love body suits (lingerie) but I never got to understand the style of wearing a body suit that looks seductive with pants and nothing on top. It does not make sense to me somehow. It looks good on some people but personally I feel like those bodysuits aren't for everyone to see but yourself and maybe your partner.

You not likely to see what I have underneath in any outfit I am wearing. Even when I am wearing very fitting clothes, I make it a point that I wear seamless undies.

If it's see through tops, which I have very less of, I pick my bra based on the colour of that particular top. I pick my outfits first, then underwear so it does not show,” she said.

She is without a doubt one of the most hardworking models Eswatini has ever seen.

From S.A. Fashion week to your typical runway, Coralee Kitty Vilakati has done it. SCENE sat down with the model to discuss her love for lingerie outside her modelling career.

The word lingerie was originally introduced as a euphemism for scandalous "under-linen". Through the years it has evolved into a beautiful, but confusing, field of fashion: bras, corsets, panties, and garters. So many choices also lead to a lot of questions. What styles to choose, what size to try, and questions about which garments are common; Coralee uncovers it all.

While most women are happy to pull on a pair of cotton panties and a standard bra, others take great pleasure in styling their lingerie as carefully as they do their public outfit. For many, the added layer of luxury gives them a boost of confidence in their daily travels. Others may just want to try something special for an event; such as an anniversary, birthday or a new outfit. Coralee on the other hand said that lingerie should be part of every woman’s closet. She spoke of the time she discovered her love lingerie.

“I am not sure when I realised that I was in love with lingerie. But at some point I noticed that I could not help myself but buy sexy little things. As much as some people often buy it for seduction; that is not the case for me. It makes me feel sexy. I’ll wear it underneath and do not care that no one sees it, but it boasts my confidence,” she said.

Coralee remembers checking pictures of the illustrated swimwear models back in 2011. The following year those pictures were in her grade 12 exercises. She says that set her up for her love for undergarments. “What fascinated me was the section of wonder bra… I loved the undies. In fact I told myself that these are the panties I am going to wear the day I start buying myself undies.” To which her mother did not mind. She would pick them during our shopping, and Coralee admits that some parents would not buy their children sassy underwear, nonetheless her mother did.

Undergarments Talk

For most people, talking about undergarments can be pretty disturbing.

Coralee believes that this is because undergarments have a lot to do with intimacy. “So it's a sensitive issue for Swazis because even parents fail to discuss sexual matters with their children. Most Swazi parents would go crazy if they would see their little girls with lace panty (mostly the males) because they think it’s for seduction. I'm not even sure what my dad would have thought about it”, she laughs.

She continued to tell SCENE that she loves both Thando thabethe’s (thabooty) and Bonang Matheba’s (distraction)’s lingerie lines. “I admire young black woman who go after their dreams and let nothing stand in the way of what they believe in, and what they want. So I have got love for these two, because they have made me believe that everything is possible as long as you work hard. What people say or do to bring you down do not ever let it get to you, continue climbing that ladder”, she emphasised.

Thando launched her own lingerie line last year which caters for woman of all body types, which is amazing because they are not so many lingerie brands that cater for beautifully curved woman. Bonang has been working with Woolworths, in which she also has her own line, distraction; which one would say is a distraction indeed for most and Coralee is no different.

“I look at her pictures of her line on her social media pages and I get distracted even though I am straight. I guess it is because I am a lingerie lover; well these two are my favourite.”, she explains.

Lingerie Shopping

We also wanted to know how exactly one can get the right type of lingerie for their body and how to tell if it will be perfect for them.

Getting the right lingerie is often a hustle if you still new in lingerie shopping and do not yet have favourite shops. Sometimes you get something that you like and the day you wear it, just two hours in it, the fabric feels irritable on your skin. Coralee believes that as much as one wants to feel sexy, they also want to feel beautiful and comfortable too.

“I know when one talks of lingerie what pops into their mind is lace. But the best fabrics for lingerie can range from luxurious fabrics such as Lucent Satin, Organza, which are my favourites by the way; to the more cosy fabrics like Cotton Satin. All of these feel delicate and smooth against your skin”. In terms of style, she explains that it depends on who you catering for, your target market and their body types. She also says that it all depends on what one is making because lace is not everything.

share story