It’s 7.40am on a Tuesday. Your hand dives into the drawer and comes out with the first piece it lands on — the one that, without warning, sets the tone for your day. A back that rides up, lace that scratches, an elastic that gives way: three details no one else can see, yet everything feels wrong. And while we’re here: of the ten pairs crammed in that drawer, how many do you actually wear?

Printed lace set worn while sitting on the edge of a bed
The drawer opens, and the first piece sets the tone

That’s exactly Princesse Tam-Tam’s territory, and has been for more than forty years: lingerie you live in, not just hide away.

Open drawer filled with neatly folded colourful printed lingerie
Ten pieces in the drawer, three actually worn

Two sisters and an against-the-grain gamble

Back to 1985. Shama and Loumia Hiridjee founded the brand in Paris, at a time when French lingerie was still very classic: white, black, nude, and little in between. They chose the exact opposite — colour, prints, playful style names like Pudding, Cocotte and Jalousie. The guiding principle hasn’t changed since: refinement. Loumia Hiridjee died in the Mumbai attacks in November 2008.

Beige embroidered lace set worn in a Paris apartment
The Suzy set: delicate lace and a fluid drape
Colourful printed lingerie pieces resting on a velvet armchair
Prints and playful names: the original Paris gamble

The cut sets the tone

A soft lace triangle bra sits on the bust without constraining it: impeccable under a V-neck or an open shirt. A fuller-cup style, meanwhile, gives structure and shape under a blazer. The real test is what you put over it — not what sparkles in the shop window.

Black lace triangle bra under an open linen shirt
The lace triangle bra, discreet under an open V-neck

Drape matters as much as the print, and that’s often where the difference lies. Fine lace glides under a T-shirt; a denser knit shows against the silhouette. For bottoms, a high-waisted shorty lengthens the leg under a dress, while a high-cut brief disappears. In reality, the same size doesn’t measure the same from one brand to another: before you buy, measure your underband and bust.

Fuller lace cup worn under an open beige wool blazer
The fuller cup gives structure under a blazer

And lingerie left the drawer a long time ago. A lace camisole peeking out from an open shirt, a bodysuit slipped under a jacket, and you have almost effortless layering. A lace piece glimpsed under a blazer works as a statement piece — accessorise it with a fine necklace, never with an already busy neckline.

Lace camisole peeking out from an open blouse, fine necklace
The camisole that peeks out: one-piece layering

Read the label before you fall in love

Let’s be upfront: I haven’t tested these pieces myself. I’ve relied on the compositions and product listings. Two labels are worth pausing for:

Product image inspired by Soft Cotton Brassière Repulpante Coton
around £35 (cotton bra from the same collection: £40 for the Hot Décolleté Cotton Lace version) at Yade Paris (the brand’s official boutique) — illustrative image based on the official product photo
Composition label sewn into a lace lingerie piece
Oeko-Tex, GOTS: read the label before you fall in love
  • Oeko-Tex Standard 100: tests the finished product for regulated harmful substances. It says nothing, however, about where the fibre comes from.
  • GOTS: requires a proportion of organic fibres and sets rules for processing, with environmental and social criteria.

A word like ‘natural’ with no label behind it proves nothing. As for end of life, in the UK charity shops and textile banks take used pieces, but what they accept varies from one drop-off point to another: ask before you donate.

Macro detail of fine floral lace on a bra cup
Fine lace or dense knit: it’s the drape that does the talking

The drawer test

Four pieces are enough to cover the week: a seamless brief for jeans days, a lace bra for meetings, a cotton bra for the weekend, a high-waisted shorty for floaty dresses. If a piece hasn’t left the drawer in six months, it’s often because it doesn’t fit you: give it away or recycle it, rather than keeping it out of guilt.

The one move that changes everything: wash at 30°C, in a mesh bag, no tumble dryer. Elastane holds up better and lace keeps its drape.

Lace lingerie slipped into a laundry mesh bag on a light counter
Thirty degrees, a mesh bag, and lace keeps its drape
Rails of lace lingerie and price tags in a shop
In-store, at an outlet or second-hand, the price tag changes

Budget

In the UK, for this segment, expect roughly:

  • bra: £26 to £56;
  • brief or shorty: £13 to £26;
  • set: £43 to £86;
  • loungewear (camisole, shorts, cardigan): £34 to £77.

What changes the price: the fabric, the complexity of the lace, any certification, and whether it’s made in Europe or France. The January and summer sales, online outlet and second-hand can bring the cost down; hard-to-find sizes and cup sizes often sell out quickly, so keep an eye out early. You’ll find the brand in its own boutique, on its website, in department stores and at selected stockists.

Sources

  • Princesse Tam-Tam, official website: princessetamtam.com
  • Oeko-Tex, Standard 100: oeko-tex.com
  • Global Organic Textile Standard: global-standard.org
  • Refashion, France’s textile collection and recycling scheme: refashion.fr