Sensual Dames Love Stockings & Garter Belts from Secrets & Lace

Count Anne as a woman who loves wearing stockings and a garter belt, at work or on an evening out.

Her introduction to Secrets in Lace came with a present over dinner a few years ago. What man would give a woman a garter belt and stockings on a second date? Try a recently-divorced investment banker. So bold a gesture -- but still rather sexy, you must admit. 

The Pamela Couture Collection includes five different designs of stockings, from Swiss dot to sheer styles with seams up the back. The 100 percent nylon thigh highs (all of which must be worn with a garter belt) retail between $29 and $39 at Secretsinlace.com.

Secrets and Lace caught our eye this morning, thinking about its wide range of retro-attitude, screen-star lingerie. There was more lingerie after the garter belt. We're not actually thinking about Pamela Anderson screen-star status but Rita Hayworth, Lauren Bacall, Elizabeth Taylor -- the dames.

That's a good way to put it -- Secrets in Lace designs lingerie for dames, who are a different kind of bombshell. Not as dreamy, not assuming that Prince Charming will carry us over the threshold of happiness. We probably are older and more experienced women -- career women, moms with kids, perhaps a divorce in our resume, or a strong commitment to light a fire under the man we love.

We're sexy, brainiac, Rock of Gibralter women -- the kind you can count on when the chips are down, a partner and not a major responsibility, women who have this confounding belief that lots of sex is good for a marriage and beds aren't made for dogs, cats and kids every night of the week.

It this attitude makes us old-fashioned women, so be it -- as long as you understand we support women's liberation all the way. Amazing how an image of Pamela Swiss Dot stockings gets our fantasies going -- and on a weekday no less. 

It just may be time to rummage through Anne's self-photography project. Now that she's gone back to NIA dance lessons, the earth is beginning to shake beneath our feet.