'Underneath It All' is a cheeky, smart guide to loving your lingerie

Can a sassy garter belt result in a proposal of marriage? Apparently so for one woman, who relates her tale of love and lingerie in "Underneath It All," a self-styled "Girl's Guide to Buying, Wearing and Loving Lingerie," by Seattle authors Jennifer Manuel Carroll and Kathy Schultz.

Weighing in at a mere 5 ounces, the stylish, pretty-in-pink paperback is an easy-to-read guide that's smart and entertaining. Blithely covering everything you need to know about life with your lingerie -- from bare essentials to sultry extras -- Caroll and Schultz have imbued their charming tome with a well-blended mix of practical how-to and perky, cheeky fun.

For example, the chapter entitled "Sizing Matters" illustrates different body types, from apple to hourglass and tall and petite, with concise, practical advice on what to wear (and what not to wear) under clothes and sans clothes (sleepwear). For example, pear-shapes should choose a sheer camisole paired with boy shorts, with a firm "no" to ruffles around the hip and booty.

"Lingerie 101" deals with the vernacular that is intrinsic to intimate apparel -- from demi to tanga, otherwise described as half-cup bra with vertical seams and exotically named panties that are a cross between a thong and a bikini. "Behind Closed Doors" addresses dressing for the boudoir when we're not alone.

A "Cosmopolitan"-inspired style quiz in the early part of the book is meant to help decipher what's best for your lingerie wardrobe based on personality and lifestyle -- the highest score corresponding to your predominant lingerie style: Sporty, Practical, Romantic/Sweet, Sophisticated/Chic and Sexy Seductress. (Sounds like a new lineup of the Spice Girls, but you get the idea.)

Schultz, a writer who's covered fashion and shopping in Seattle for more than a decade (including several years as the shopping columnist for NWsource.com), and Carroll, lingerie stylist and owner of Fremont's tres chic Bellefleur Lingerie Boutique, joined forces as a result of conversations Carroll has had with customers and their questions about lingerie, body image, style, shape and more. "I felt like there was a book in there and Kathy was the perfect co-conspirator for this lingerie exploration."

"Underneath It All," due to be released and in stores October 1, can be pre-ordered now on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.

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