The Encyclopedia

Lingerie Colors — A Chromatic Guide

The palette of intimacy — from classic noir to blush rose, explore the colors that define lingerie and the moods they evoke.

37 entries

Black

Black or near-black lingerie, the most common color in lace and satin and a fixture of underwear since Victorian mourning dress.

Charcoal

Charcoal is a very dark grey, a step lighter than black, common in heathered cotton and modal jersey for loungewear and bralettes.

Grey

Neutral mid grey, typical of heather cotton basics and grey satin, and the first color Victorian widows were allowed back after black.

Silver

Silver is a metallic light grey with visible shine, made with metallic yarns such as Lurex or with high-sheen grey satin and foil prints.

White

Pure or near-pure white lingerie, the historic default color of cotton and linen underwear and the base color of bridal sets.

Ivory

Ivory is an off-white with a warm undertone, the usual shade of silk, bridal lace and wedding lingerie sold to match a gown.

Cream

Cream is a warm off-white, yellower than ivory, close to unbleached cotton or silk, often used for vintage-style and heirloom lingerie.

Nude

Nude means a shade meant to match the wearer's skin, worn to stay invisible under clothes; the classifier's nude is the pale beige-pink range.

Beige

Beige is a warm sandy neutral, yellower and less pink than nude, common in shapewear, minimiser bras and plain everyday basics.

Tan

Tan is a warm medium brown, the color of tanned leather, used as a skin-tone neutral for medium skin and in caramel-colored satin.

Brown

Brown covers medium to dark brown, from chocolate to mocha, used as a deep skin-tone neutral and as an autumn fashion color in lingerie.

Taupe

Taupe is a grey-brown neutral named after the French word for mole, used as a cool, muted skin tone in bras, shapewear and loungewear.

Red

Bright primary red, the classic Valentine's and New Year's lingerie color, strong in satin and lace and visible under almost any top.

Burgundy

Burgundy is a deep, dark red with a purple undertone, named after the French wine, and a standard autumn and winter lingerie color.

Wine

Wine is a deep red slightly lighter and redder than burgundy, sold under names like merlot, claret or oxblood in lace and satin.

Coral

Coral is an orange-leaning pink-red, mostly a spring and summer lingerie color; Pantone named Living Coral its Color of the Year for 2019.

Pink

Medium pink, cooler than coral and stronger than blush, one of the most common fashion colors in lingerie after black, white and nude.

Blush

Blush is a pale, warm pink close to a flushed cheek, used for bridal and soft-lace lingerie and as a near-nude on fair skin.

Dusty Rose

Dusty rose is a muted pink with a brown or grey undertone, used for vintage-looking lace and satin and in more grown-up pink lines.

Fuchsia / Hot Pink

Fuchsia, or hot pink, is a vivid magenta-pink; its dye was first made in 1858 and Schiaparelli put it on the catwalk as shocking pink.

Peach

Peach is a pale orange-pink, warmer than blush and softer than coral; Pantone named Peach Fuzz its Color of the Year for 2024.

Orange

Warm orange, from tangerine to burnt orange, an uncommon lingerie color that mostly appears in summer capsules and neon trims.

Yellow

Bright or pastel yellow, rare in lingerie outside spring collections, from lemon and butter shades in lace to neon in sporty sets.

Mustard

Mustard is a dark, dusty yellow with brown and green in it, an autumn color in lingerie that shows up in velvet, satin and lace.

Gold

Gold here means a metallic gold fabric, such as lame, Lurex lace or gold satin, rather than gold-colored hardware on another color.

Green

Medium green, from jade to emerald, a less common lingerie color that tends to appear in lace and satin fashion capsules.

Olive

Olive is a muted yellow-green close to military olive drab, used in utility-style bralettes, loungewear and cotton basics.

Forest Green

Forest green is a dark, saturated green, used in velvet and lace for winter and holiday lingerie and often paired with gold or burgundy.

Teal

Teal is a deep blue-green, named after the stripe on the teal duck, and appears in lingerie in satin, lace and jewel-toned sets.

Blue

Medium blue, from cobalt to royal blue, a fashion color in lingerie lace, satin and striped cotton rather than a basic.

Navy

Navy is a very dark blue close to black, named after British Royal Navy uniforms, and the most common blue in lingerie basics.

Sky Blue

Sky blue is a pale, clear blue, the classic bridal 'something blue' for garters and ribbons, and a soft color in lace and satin.

Purple

Medium purple, from violet to amethyst; the first synthetic dye, Perkin's mauveine of 1856, made purple a fashion color for everyone.

Lilac

Lilac is a pale, cool purple named after the lilac flower, a soft color for lace and cotton that Victorians wore in half-mourning.

Lavender

Lavender is a pale warm purple, slightly greyer than lilac, a pastel that WGSN and Coloro named their Color of the Year for 2023.

Plum

Plum is a deep red-purple, darker than purple and bluer than burgundy, used for velvet, satin and lace in autumn and winter lingerie.

Multicolor / Print

Multicolor / Print

Multicolor is the label for pieces with several distinct colors, such as prints, stripes, two-tone lace or embroidered motifs on a contrast ground.