Men are pants at buying knickers! £100m of underwear bought as gifts lie unworn in our drawers because men keep getting it wrong

One in five women NEVER wear the lingerie their partner gives them
Women most dread receiving crotchless underpants and leather knickers
Men in Edinburgh spend most on lingerie sets for women: £55 compared to national average of £42
Welsh women most likely to hate lingerie gifted by their partner
Top tips for men for gifting underwear by Fox & Rose

PUBLISHED: 09:30 EST, 16 November 2012 | UPDATED: 12:22 EST, 16 November 2012

Lingerie has always been a popular Christmas gift for a man to give his girlfriend or wife.

But that doesn't mean he ever gets it right.

Over £100m-worth of 'lingerie let-downs' lie gathering dust under beds and in the bottom of drawers thanks to bad choices made by men when it comes to purchasing underwear gifts for the women in their lives, according to new research.

You're pants: Men splash out an average of £42 per underwear set for their wives or girlfriends, but one in five women never wear them

The nationwide study reveled that two-thirds of British women have received lingerie as a present from their partner, with men splashing out an average of £42 per set. Yet, one in five women have never worn the gift, and 23 percent said they’d worn it only once.

UNDERWEAR WE DREAD RECEIVING

1. Crotchless knickers - 58%

2. Leather PVC knickers - 58%

3. Edible underwear - 44%

4. Fishnets - 42%

The poll of 1,600 British women by designer lingerie destination Fox & Rose also found that the underwear women most dread receiving are crotchless underpants, followed by leather lingerie and edible smalls.

Amanda Lorenzani, co-founder of Fox & Rose said: 'For many men, lingerie is a confusing and intimidating world, but it's crucial they make the right choices if they want smiles rather than slaps on Christmas day.

'Men should ask themselves, is my partner a fashion trendsetter or a classic dresser? What's her personality type - wild and dominating or demure and dainty? And of course, the all important sneaky peak in her lingerie draw to find out her correct size!'

The study also showed that older doesn’t necessarily mean wiser when it comes to lingerie - 40 per cent of women aged 45 to 54 have never worn their gift of lingerie, double the national average.

What to choose? Lingerie has always been a popular Christmas gift for a man to give his girlfriend or wife, but that doesn't mean he ever gets it right

Helping hand: To help men choose lingerie gifts that really hit the spot, Fox & Rose has launched its free Gentlemen's Lingerie Lifelines advice site

A helping hand: To help men choose lingerie gifts that really hit the spot, Fox & Rose has launched its free Gentlemen's Lingerie Lifelines advice site

Regionally, women from Edinburgh are most satisfied with their lingerie gifts, with all respondents in the Scottish city having worn their lingerie at least once.

Perhaps this is because women in Edinburgh are showered with the most expensive lingerie - £55 on average.

LINGERIE BY LOCATION

Women from Edinburgh are most satisfied with their lingerie gifts, which are, at £55, the most expensive in the country

Welsh women are least likely to be satisfied, with over 40 per cent never wearing the lingerie gift purchased by their partner

Meanwhile, Welsh women are least likely to be satisfied, with over 40 per cent never wearing the lingerie gift purchased by their partner.

To help men choose lingerie gifts that really hit the spot, Fox & Rose has launched its free Gentlemen's Lingerie Lifelines advice site, offering tips on everything from size and style to a glossary of lingerie terms.

Ms Lorenzani continued: 'Fifty Shades of Grey has certainly generated demand for more adventurous lingerie sets, but the line between sexy and sordid is very fine.

'Every woman wants to feel great about herself and receiving the right lingerie set can do that. Men need to be asking themselves just a few simple questions to ensure their partner feels like Brigitte Bardot as opposed to Jenna Jameson in their lingerie gift.'

The poll also asked women which types of lingerie styles they most dreaded receiving, with crotch- less knickers (60%), Leather/PVC (58%), Edible (44%) and fishnets (42%) ranked as the most unpopular gifts.

TOP TIPS FOR GIFTING UNDERWEAR, BY FOX & ROSE

A brouhaha over bras: Play it safe and choose something your partner is likely to wear

1 Know her size
Check her underwear drawer to get the right sizes. It's sneaky but works wonders. Look at the labels to find out what bra size and knicker size she wears. If that's not possible and she has protected all her clothing with deadlocks, choose a beautiful silk robe.

2 Be taste sensitive
This will bring you serious brownie points. What style of knicker does she normally wear? Does she like little thongs, short style knickers or a classic lace knicker? If she's not a fan of red suspenders, don't try and tempt her out of her comfort zone. If she is feminine, go for one of the stunning nude or pale lingerie sets and show her you pay attention. If she's a seductress opt for a more sultry look in classic black. At Fox & Rose we've made this easier for you. Just Shop By Fox if she is a vamp or Shop By Rose if she is elegantly feminine. And don't forget most women are both!

3 Make it special
Designer lingerie is a treat. We find that men either veer towards safe options or opt for ill-fitting and (usually) unwanted crotchless knickers! Most women enjoy receiving beautiful underwear they wouldn’t necessarily buy themselves. Be bold, go for something versatile and different. Try a flowing yet sexy negligee (often referred to as a babydoll dress) paired with a minimal thong for a luxuriously sensual look, for example. If you're stuck, opt for the Fox & Rose ethos and buy her something bold and edgy as well as something classic and feminine and cover both looks.

Questions to ask: What style of knicker does she normally wear? Does she like little thongs, short style knickers or a classic lace knicker? If she's not a fan of red suspenders, don't try and tempt her out of her comfort zone

4 Stay on trend
Vintage is classic, yet sexy. Go for a vintage inspired look with high waisted knickers or corset style bra to accentuate your lover's assets. Or opt for a limited edition print. Some labels such as Stella McCartney Lingerie, La Perla and Ell & Cee are fashion-inspired and you'll demonstrate some serious style knowledge if you manage to channel this season's key trends into her designer lingerie collection. Damaris is an excellent choice for a truly special gift, whereas Mimi Holliday never fails to delight and Maison Close is perfect for a sensuous touch.

5 Be practical
Ask for help - whether you're buying on or offline. You can email one of our designer lingerie gurus at Fox & Rose if you have any questions. Most retailers enjoy helping out their male customers so don't feel embarrassed: they are there to help you pick the perfect gift! And don' forget to opt for the gift wrapping…stunning packaging is essential and you won't have the chore of making it look beautiful either.

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There are three things I have always refused to buy my wife. Clothes of any kind, makeup, and jewelry. I am more than happy to take her to a shop and pay for whatever she wants, but I will not, under any circumstances, buy any of those products on my own. My mom was very helpful in teaching me the basic do's and don'ts of buying for women. They know what they want better than I ever will. - Completely Average, Somewhere, United States, 16/11/2012 19:55 You, good sir, have got it completely right. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

- Jess , England, 17/11/2012 08:17

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The secret is to take her to a quality underwear shop and just be an open wallet, she can get something she's wear and you can try and 'guide' her towards what you where thinking of ;)

- Steve , Maidenhead, United Kingdom, 17/11/2012 07:48

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These men obviously don't know their partners well enough. My hubby does not buy me anything like this as he knows me and what i like.

- only me , somewhere over the rainbow, 17/11/2012 07:32

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A brief look at the Fox & Rose website reveals that it sells precisely the sort of underwear that will remain unworn. Not only will many women react adversely to some of the items, as sales are web based the likelihood of it actually fitting is low. It is a brave man indeed who presents his wife with a set of Maison Close Belle de Nuit Naked Briefs on Christmas Day !!! I really doubt that the "open back derrier" will be this season's look

- Gatvol , Manchester, United Kingdom, 17/11/2012 06:43

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What happened to Janet Reger lingerie. They used to have some fabulous classic and sexy silk lingerie.

- Totally Fed Up , Edinburgh, 17/11/2012 03:55

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Oh yeh and what goes through the woman's mind when you present her with it? Who's he seen wearing this? What"s he been up to? He doesn't think I look sexy anymore. Etc etc etc. It wouldn't matter what we do women will always reach the conclusion that their man is guilty of something rather than they just want to give their other half a nice gift. And men, don't even try to work out how they reached the conclusion they did unless you want to spend years on a osyche ward.

- Totally Fed Up , Edinburgh, 17/11/2012 03:49

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I have told my partner i do not want a hoover,a toaster or underwear for Christmas.

- lynda Davidson , moray, United Kingdom, 17/11/2012 03:41

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If 1 in 5 women never wear what they're given, does that mean 4 in 5 DO????? (And someone tell me how Pete from Sheffield's comment got published on these hallowed pages.)

- Arfer Mow , Stunderland, 17/11/2012 02:26

Click to rate Rating 5

Ah poor men! If you don't lie about your size - it's pretty easy for a man to pick up a pair of knickers. Bras and basques though vary so much I don't even know where to start so they have no chance! Best option - just go together!

- Me , UK, 17/11/2012 02:16

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There's much more to fitting a bra than simply getting one in the correct size. It is normal to have to try on several bras in the correct size before finding one which fits perfectly. As for taste in colour and design, that is also something very personal. It is too easy for a man to send out the wrong message when buying underwear for a woman. It can all too easily be interpreted as "I'm bored, I want you to look sexier / more interesting/ more alluring / like that model I saw in the catalogue". Buying underwear for a woman likely not to be seen as a compliment, it is more likely to come across as an unwanted intrusion into her personal space.

- Azure , Scotland, 17/11/2012 00:35

Click to rate Rating 14

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