A dear friend of mine has had the self-appointed moniker “Pretty Pretty Princess” for nigh on a decade. What’s ironic about this is that she is the toughest dame I know, with a Masters in Psychology and a job that requires serious physical strength and agility - she can also drink most men under the table. No one in their right mind would dare insinuate that she is remotely prissy, girly or spoiled - the usual characteristics that typically go along with the term. Having been christened with a biblical name that literally translates to “princess,” I suffered the occasional chiding about it from my mother when my behavior bordered on impudence. I grew to resent the word in all its various incarnations - from Disney’s retail empire of princess paraphenalia to stories ending in “and they lived happily ever after…”

So it was with some reservation that I first approached the Princesse Tam Tam line, imagining an explosion of frills, ribbons, doo-dads and the like, all in a terrifying shade of bubble-gum pink. Boy, was I wrong. Dead wrong, in fact. Named after a 1935 Josephine Baker film, this lingerie is anything but froo-froo. Sexy and sophisticated, but still fun and playful, their bra and panty sets are timeless. This is the type of intimate apparel you pick to wear under your favorite new dress when you want to feel like the best possible version of yourself.

Remarkably, it’s even affordable! My favorite collection from this season is “Cocotte” which comes in two amazing colors - a very practical but nonetheless lovely shade of beige and that grey/lavender color that we love so much it’s even in our logo! Ranging in price from $32 to $54, you can pick up a matching set for less than $100 - a true lingerie bargain.

And on the dl…keep your eyes peeled for Princesse Tam Tam swimwear, coming to Lille Boutique in the Spring!