I was 21 when I bought my first and last lingerie set. 

It was from Victoria's Secret...a rich purple tank that opened up in front and thong undies. I never wore it (ever). I finally got rid of it last year. I've since received another set at my bridal shower but, suffice it to say, I'm a Cookie Monster pants and tank top kinda girl.

At least I was, before I attended a launch party for Dames and Broads, a new lingerie e-commerce site searchable by country (and also by body type).

Let me tell you about it. But first, let me slip into something more comfortable...

Um. Just kidding. ANYways.

When Nerve Nicole and I first walked into the apartment where the launch party was being held, the first thing we saw was pretty pretty lingerie. Everywhere. Set up on coffee tables and end tables and side tables and consoles.

[$60, Dames and Broads]  (This is the first set we saw, upon entering the apartment; gorge!)

Unfortunately (for you), they did not have women walking around in the lingerie, though there was one young lady from the company who had incorporated one of the Brazilian bras into her outfit and, man, did her cleavage look fabulous.

ANYways.

After making a beeline for the sparkling wine (delish), we began to circulate around the room, holding up panties and bras and behaving like 12-year-olds. We soon noticed (using our extreme powers of perception) that the lingerie was organized by country. And herein lies the beauty of Dames and Broads:

Different countries value different body types, and the cut of their lingerie reflects this.

And so, we became enthralled listening to the stories behind each cut and embellishment on each racer-back bra and big-bootied panty. For example:

[$97/$88, Dames and Broads]

England is way into embellishments like peepholes and sheer details, not to mention push-up "balconette" bras, named thusly because men used to peek over theater balconies to get a glimpse of the dramatic cleavage.

[Bra - $110/Panties - $51, Dames and Broads]

In Turkey, lingerie is made to accentuate curves...especially the hips (think belly dancer!). Their pieces create an exaggerated hourglass figure (look at that v shape in the panties above).

[$85, Dames and Broads]

The Brazilian lingerie was made for my booty (though I lust after the English sets the most). They're the ideal for pear shapes, because they value a big behind, and their panties showcase that, using a low rise in the front and more fabric in the back (brallelujah!).

By the time I left the party, I was totally convinced that every woman — including myself — needed and deserved a bit of lingerie-induced glamour. (Are you listening, Michael? Two-year anniversary coming up! That purple, $88 set with the high-waisted panties up above would make such a nice gift. 36C, large on bottom, kthnxbai!)

By the way, we're giving away a pair of passport panties to one lucky reader:

[$45, Dames and Broads]

Ladies: Tell us which body part you're dying to accentuate, and why.

Men: Let us know why you feel that the woman in your life deserves a nice pair of panties.

The powers that be (um, me) will somehow choose a winner by next Friday.

Meanwhile, visit the site to sign up for their mailing list, or follow them on Twitter!

Related: Maison Close's NSFW Collection