Marks & Spencer invited me and my old man to take part in a fun challenge for Valentine’s Day.
His mission: to accept an M&S gift voucher and go trawling through their lingerie range for a Valentine’s gift to make me blush (with pride, hopefully).
My task: to offer a few hints and to try not to get my panties in a bunch if I don’t like what he picks!
It’s no surprise that the majority of fellas are somewhat clueless when it comes to underwear shopping for their partners.
According to a recent survey, UK men wasted more than £100 million last year buying lingerie that was the wrong size, impractical or plain unsexy.
Before I let my OH loose on the M&S lingerie department, I sent him an email including tips like this:
‘any colour you fancy, pretty is good, soft lace/silk or even (a little) frills is fine but not too frou frou and no thong thong thong thong thongs please!’
The plan is he will surprise me on Valentine’s Day with his selection and then I will compare this with what I would have chosen for myself.
Let’s see how closely our tastes align… or whether I’ll be heading back to M&S with the gift receipt!
I’ll update this post with the full story TOMORROW so keep your eyes peeled.
Quick update (Fri, Feb 15): Owing to a slight glitch, the undies didn’t make it yesterday but hopefully should arrive today or tomorrow. He offered to send me a link to what he bought but I said I’d rather be surprised in person. Looking out for the postman!
The Big Reveal
After a weekend of waiting and Facebook friends ‘poking’ me to find out if ‘my knickers had got there yet?’, the packages finally arrived! So how did he do?
The first box I opened contained a pretty racy set of high-leg knickers to match the Per Una Floral Balcony Bra set. First thoughts: very sexy.
The bra is really prettily designed with enough padding to give smaller busts a boost, but doesn’t make you feel like you’re wearing your mama’s bra! You can’t go wrong with black so it’s quite a safe choice — I did expect a slightly wilder shade (he’s partial to red)!
I love this set and judging by the 100+ positive reviews, it’s a solid purchase. Gold stars.
I’m fond of the Minnie Mouse style print on the Limited Collection Spotted Chemise but this is probably the only item I’d swap out, mainly because the material’s a little bit stretchy which means clingy. And these days I prefer fabrics that skim rather than cling!
Also BD added a cheeky note that he hopes ‘I don’t get chilly’, knowing that I tend to bundle myself in about a thousand layers at night time!
I’ll admit I’m more of a t-shirts and PJs girl, but I would have picked this nightie out of the lot.
Probably my favourite choice is the Limited Collection Heart Camisole and Shorts set.
This is not something I’d ordinarily pick for myself but it’s playful, comfy to wear and makes me feel quite saucy.
Spot on, babe.
Final Thoughts
I’m very pleased with his choices and I actually really enjoyed the anticipation of knowing he’d been shopping for my lingerie and waiting for the package to arrive. I love that he bought me stuff I wouldn’t necessarily have imagined for myself, but that I’m eager to wear. Each item came prettily wrapped in individual boxes with a lovely (and private!) note attached. Well done to the Man and thanks again to M&S for a really fun and romantic Valentine’s Day challenge!
Marks & Spencer provided us with a £50 gift voucher to take part in their Valentine’s Day challenge
Top Image: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley modelling her Autograph collection for M&S.
Hello, how cool is your husband for those gorgeous pics. The last one has totally made me rethink my views about camisole and shorts. I am seriously buying this one. Love the nightie too…so funny you get cold at night. I’m the opposite and always stripping off…haha not sure Peter’s complaining! Great post from a great hubby. Hats or lingerie off to him!
Great choices! Mr Babes did very good. I am with you, love that heart camisole and short set it is my favourite of the three, but all lovely. What a fun challenge, good one M and S.
Didn’t he make good choices? I’m very impressed, must send him snooping round lingerie departments more often. Don’t think he minds that kind of ‘research’ ;-)
LOL I’m literally like an eskimo at night time, if i could wear a sleep hat Willy Winkie style I would ;-) Hubby’s like you, hot and buck nekkid so we make quite a picture in bed. And definitely thumbs up for a job well done, Mr Babe :-)