Buying lingerie for your lover can be one of the most romantic things you can do. It`s an intimate gift which, if you get it right, shows you really care, really do understand her and have put the effort in to really think about a gift she will like. It`s also one of the most stressful and dangerous gifts you can buy if you are a guy so don`t rush in to it!

Get it right and there are some major brownie points to be earned here. You may even get to unwrap your present later...

Get it wrong however, and you will almost certainly live to regret it...if you`re lucky!

Before you even think about buying make sure you avoid the following pitfalls and take heed of the helpful lingerie buying advice for guys we provide here. A few minutes reading can save you hours of grief.

Common Lingerie Buying Mistakes -------------------------------

Guys, the most important things to remember when buying lingerie as a present are these:

1) It`s NOT for You!

Remember who you are buying lingerie for and tailor your future choice to this. If you buy something in a style she doesn`t usually wear then the chances are, you`ve got it wrong. If you buy it in a colour or design she doesn`t usually wear then again, you`ve probably got it wrong. Buy something YOU like and the chances are...yup, you guessed it, you`ve got it wrong!

The Golden Rule - You are buying lingerie for your lady...and NOT for yourself!

Yes, for sure those models look great in the skimpy, slutty lingerie and no doubt you`d love to see her in the same, but think of the message you are sending. Do you want your gift to say "You`re special and I love you" or "Love? I just wanna ... you!".

Opt for the leather, PVC, crotchless, peephole lingerie or naughty nurse outfit and you`ll no doubt end up sleeping with Rover that night. Go for something silky or lacey and you are more likely to be on the right lines.

2) Do Your Research

The second biggest mistake is going into a lingerie store blind. DO NOT try to guess her size, favourite style or for that matter, try to guess anything else. You`ll fail miserably. Unfortunately, women don`t work in S, M, L, XL sizes like us, they have to go and make it more complicated. When you walk into a lingerie store prepare to be hit by a dizzying array of numbers and letters associated with an even more confusing selection of wierd and wonderful products which to the untrained eye, all look the same but to her, are very different.

Think push-up, plunge, balcony, gel filled, water filled, padded, unpadded, underwired, seamless, backless, boneless, strapless, open cup...with different cup sizes from A to JJ and not forgetting the numbers, different materials and designs...and that`s just the bras!

Basically guys, do your research first before you hit the high street or go shopping online and you`ve got a vastly better chance of getting it right. Wait until she goes out and then raid her underwear drawer. Try to find things with the label in and write down the numbers there. If they haven`t sizes inside you can borrow a bra and panty set and take it to a store and ask one of the sales staff...they`ve seen it all before, don`t worry. Make sure what you take is on the new side or you risk buying something in the size she once was rather than the size she is now...the very WORST thing you can do is buy something in the size she was before she went up a dress size or two!

Whilst you are rummaging around amongst her undies, make a note of the colours and styles she likes. Is there a particular colour she is particularly fond of? Does she like patterns or plain styles? Does she go for comfort or sex appeal? These are important things to note if you are going to buy something she will like rather than something which gets shoved to the bottom of the drawer.

3) Items To Avoid

Now you know her size, the colours and styles she likes there`s a few pitfalls to avoid:

Avoid anything marked as "Control", "Reducing", etc. These are to suck in bellies and hide excess weight...unless you really want to send the message "suck it in fatty" you`d probably be best avoiding these!

Gel filled, water filled and cleavage enhancing bras...again, be careful what you might be perceived as hinting at with these.

Kinky stuff in general doesn`t generally work as an "I love you" kind of gift. If you are daring enough to buy it at all, then save it for the times in between birthdays, Christmas and Valentines Day...

Anything else is probably safe.

Final Tips -----------

Now you`ve got the majority of the pitfalls put to one side and hopefully avoided here are a few final tips:

1) Presentation

An important part of your gift is the presentation. Most shops will professionally gift wrap your purchase for you if you ask for a small charge and this is well worth paying a little extra for.

2) Shop Online

One of the glorious things about shopping for lingerie online is the wealth of information available to you which you simply will not find in a bricks and mortar lingerie retailer. Take a look at their gift ideas, top sellers list etc. for loads of ideas of what are popular choices.

3) Keep The Receipt!

If worse comes to the worse, she can always swap it for something else...

If you are still feeling brave enough to give this a try then good luck and may you reap the rewards your bravery deserves! After all, as the saying goes, faint heart never won fair maiden...