How to Start Lingerie Blogging – The Dos and Don’ts of Starting Your Own Brog

I have been blogging about lingerie for quite a while now – it is nothing compared to the likes of Fuller Figure Fuller Bust or the Lingerie Addict but I can safely say that I am one of those bloggers that actually started blogging about lingerie more or less actively. Since then, the scene has burst out quite a bit and now, you can find new bloggers all the time eg through the Bratabase blog roll (speaking of that, I might do a favourite bra blogger roundup soon!). As most of the newcomers have not been “in the game” for more than a couple of months, I would like to give you a nice package of Dos and Don’ts of lingerie blogging and things to consider before setting up your very own blog. By no means I am an expert (hell, I have had the same blog layout for three years!) but I do know something and hope to share a bit of it to you, my dear readers.

The best part of lingerie blogging: meeting new people. The first pic is taken in London at night when I met the one-woman wonder Blue Reign for cocktails. The second one portrays Anna from Bras and Body Image, who is such a dear friend to me and I can’t wait to see her again soon (the pic is taken after Moda at Wetherspoons, yummy!).

Things to consider before starting:

1. Your focus. Lingerie blogosphere is a large field of different topics and you can easily get sucked in by all the influences and inspiration you might come across. Try to think what would be the main focus on your blog whether its comprehensive lingerie reviews (my thang, as you may have noticed), industry insights, the fashion of lingerie or maybe something to do with body image or other more universal topics related to wearing and buying lingerie. Most bloggers seem to be all about the reviews at the moment – which is amazing for all the different fit info! – but maybe find out what else tickles your fancy, to make your blog more unique and interesting.
2. Your anonymity/publicity. This was a hard one for me at first as I was a bit afraid what being half-naked on my blog would mean to my personal life. I know it’s a tough decision to make whether it’s about showing your face, body or whether to use your own name but when you make those decisions, make them for yourself and no one else. There is always the fear of getting called out for showing your more “private” bits on internet but those friends are not really your friends. Real friends know it’s your body and your blog and will not try to interfere with it.
3. Your choice of language. As most of you know by now, I am a Finn meaning English is not my first language. I used to write some of my blog posts both in English and Finnish but as things got bigger, I had to desert Finnish altogether as it was just so much more time-consuming. Choosing English as my primary blog language has brought a lot of good things to me though – most of the lingerie companies I work with are international giants or smaller UK/Polish/US brands who would have never found out about me if I had written in Finnish. Also, writing in some other language than my mother tongue has brought me a much bigger audience than I ever could have hoped for and also, improved my English skills a lot.
4. Your target audience. I personally never chose a target audience for my blog as I wanted to conquer world and write for everyone. Well, that is not exactly what makes a blog work but could easily lead you to side rails and lose your focus. As I am a full-busted gal myself and wear a small band size, I would say my blog is a very good resource for other girls like me who are perhaps DD+ and share the same passion for comfy lingerie. I am also quite young still – turning 23 in a couple of weeks actually! – meaning I would estimate my readers to be young women like myself. Indeed, my Facebook stats show that most of my fb fans are in the 18-34 yo category. I am also super lucky to have a few guest bloggers on board who clearly give my blog some great additional value and a bigger size range to cover.
5. How much time and effort you want to put into your blog. This is so important! Too often I see blogs that start out very enthusiastically and then they just stop updating after a while. I do understand it even though it drives me nuts – lingerie blogging can be a very ungrateful job to do as not many people will even find your blog and it is even more difficult to get them to follow you as lingerie is not a topic most people find interesting to read about week after week. Be patient though – if you put enough thought to your blog (pics, text, topics, layout) you will gain some readers slowly but steadily. Usually lingerie blogs never grow to the size of some fashion/lifestyle blogs but the community and the passion for lingerie makes it up a thousand times if you just have patience to stick around.

Many other bloggers and professional blog sites talk about setting yourself some goals before starting a blog and always revising those goals after a certain period of time. I however, have not found this too effective on my blog but I am considering having some more goals in the future. This is why I have set up a goal of writing nine blog posts this month and so far, I am doing pretty good with it. I wouldn’t start by setting a goal of getting as many freebies as you can or making the blog your job one day, but something small that you can achieve in a rather short time so you can actually get the feeling of “I can do this!” It is so important as I sure as hell know that your motivation can drop at times!

So if after all these scarecrows, you want to start a lingerie blog (haha, JK!) I do have some advice for you to cope along the way whether it’s temptations or intimidating industry people. To get you in a right mindset for becoming a good lingerie blogger, here are some actual dos and don’ts that will take you quite far in your “career” 😉

Same picture of me for an upcoming review. The first one is clearly the unedited one, the second one has been edited with some lighting and colour changes and I have vanished a big mole off my rib cage. Simple changes, a huge difference!

DOS

• Write about things you love and care about. Blogs are a place for people to come and rest their brain a bit or to gain new information. For most people they are purely places of entertainment which is why I try to keep my blog as positive as I can – no one needs a truck a load of negativity in a world where news are full of wars and other bad things. Be honest about the products you write about but don’t bash – it brings nothing valuable to anyone. If a certain product doesn’t work for you, try to consider who it might work for. If you hate something a company has sent to you, send it back instead of writing tons of shit about it.
• Put effort into your pictures. I know some lingerie bloggers are not keen to show their face on their blog but somehow, I find the blogs with an actual face much more relatable. However, if you are sure keeping anonymity is your top priority, try to put effort into your pics in any other ways possible. Lighting and background are super important – people want to look at visually agreeable pics and keeping it simple and accurate you can make your reviews much more information filled. A white wall next to a big window is always a good option for a background! Also, take a few moments to edit your pics as no photo turns out perfect at the beginning. You don’t need Photoshop but simple a simple editing tool to tweak the lighting and colours a bit.
• Let brands know when you have written about their products – they are likely to post your review on their social media and maybe, if they like your blog they might just send you something to review in the future! Of course, not all brands are interested in smaller blogs but some are actually very friendly and will be interested to work with bloggers who are honest – but do it in a nice way.
• Set up social media accounts to share your blog posts and other stories via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Also, be sure to endorse other fellow bloggers as well – you can form such great friendships through blogs and get the support you need when life treats you and your blog badly. I have chatted with my blog sisters countless of times about mean comments and other things and even stayed at their homes when travelling across the world. What could be more fun!

Sometimes shoots with Jo turn into something goofy and arty at the same time. Way to get good giggles out of blogging 😉

DON’TS

• Don’t blog for freebies. I know other bloggers have said it before but really, blogging to get something financially benefiting out of it is usually waste of time as people will see through you.
• Don’t be afraid to be yourself. Some brands will stay clear of bloggers who swear or put too much of their own personality in their work but usually, those bloggers with most genuine content are the successful ones. I have told a familiar brand rep (HI STEVE!) to fuck off for making too pretty lingerie only up to DD but he got the joke and burst into laughter. Cause he gets me and so will all the best people. You don’t need to be tasteless and scentless to be liked and you don’t need to be liked by everyone in the first place.
• Don’t get down about creeps. They will always be there, they will most likely wank at your blog pics cause these guys haven’t found out yet that there is actual porn that exists. Don’t reply to their emails or any sorts of messages and if you really want to get rid off them, check each account that follows you on social media and if necessary, block them. I have had several porn accounts following me on Twitter and it makes me sick, so I just block them completely. My blog is not porn or your wanking-material, it is not made for guys to drool over me but for women who need help picking out bras. End of story.
• Don’t be too naive about some brands trying to “work” with you. If you get an email suggesting a guest post on your blog from an actual e-commerce site, they are just trying to take advantage of you. Any blog posts that are done in collaboration with a brand who has approached YOU, should be compensated somehow. That does not have to be money, but it sure as hell shouldn’t be a sodding 10% from one of their products. Your time and effort is valuable and they should respect it. Also, don’t sell your work or ad space for too cheap as blog marketing is a huge deal and some brands want to take advantage of its on-trend status without practically paying you anything. Respect yourself and your own work.
• Don’t get into blog drama or fights. Things can get a bit intense sometimes and exchanging opinions is totally fine – until it turns into a pointless row which will only burn bridges. If you don’t agree with someone, think twice if it’s worth mentioning about and if it is, try to phrase it the way no one gets extremely offended.

Blogging is a fun hobby and blogging about lingerie is truly, really such a sisterhood of women who support each other no matter what. The best thing about these three years I have been blogging is definitely the people – the friends I have made, the brand reps  I have met and the little notes that are sent along with the packages I receive. I know it might sound a bit fake to some but I truly believe lingerie industry is such a welcoming one compared to the fashion industry as a whole.

If you have any tips of your own or questions regarding starting your own blog, please let me know in the comments! I would also be happy to answer any questions you might have 🙂

Lingerie Review: Gossard “Watercolour Roses” in 30DD

I love working with Gossard as they have been so kind to 2COP from the very beginning and as Jo came along, I have loved how we could showcase the differences of Gossard’s two size ranges. Gossard also comes up with such a variety of lovely styles and prints that I can hardly keep up! This Watercolour Roses print was one of those pure diamonds Gossard came up with for the AW15 season and I was surprised to see how some other brands followed along with this pastel-y romantic autumn trend. As this particular styles goes only up to E-cup, it was Jo’s turn to take the place on the stage. *This set was kindly gifted to Jo by Gossard. All opinions are our own.*

Design: As I showed Jo the Gossard catalog to see what she liked, this was one of the first styles that caught her eye – “it’s so pretty!” And it truly is. The print is consists of what it’s called – watercolour roses – and its paint-like flowers are a mixture of both cool and warm tones which creates a lovely winter-garden-like impression. The printed satin is accompanied with a lovely quality embroidery which adorns the cup edges and and the bra band.

The shape of the bra is a true plunge with a three-part cup construction that gives the bust line a lot of uplift and pushes the boobs together just enough to create an alluring cleavage. The shape is rather rounded yet natural and the amount of coverage is just right for open/plunging necklines.

Fit: I asked for a 30DD for Jo as it is her best-fitting Gossard size so far. Even though the Gypsy bra (click for the review!) was a bit roomy on her allover, the Watercolour Roses felt like a pretty regular Gossard bra with a snug band and large-ish cups. However, it seems that Jo is a bit between with cup sizes right now as sometimes, her left boob tries to escape the cup a tiny bit and thus, we would very much like to put her in a 30DD 1/2 if we could! For the push-up effect though, this is a much better size than a 30E which would undoubtedly be left gaping.

The band is very narrow with Watercolour Roses so if you feel like one hook and eye won’t support you properly, this is probably not the bra for you. The fit is however very good on Jo, who usually wears a 28 band. However, with Gossard she seems to be between band sizes too and if we could put her in a half a size smaller band, the fit would be just a tiny bit better for her. As we know, tighter bands last for a longer period of time and will prevent you from tossing the bra too early for loss of support! The wires however are great on Jo and as with yours truly, they hit just the right spot at the root of the breast. The cup shape and depth are also perfect for Jo’s full-on-bottom boobs so I would definitely recommend this bra for you FOB ladies out there!

Comfort: When it comes to the materials and fit, Gossard always makes some of the most comfortable lingerie on the market. The cups are always lined with something soft and non-itchy and the wires are flexible enough to move with your body all-day-long – even after several hours, the bras are totally wearable and not pressing your ribcage like mad. What does not work with Jo’s body though, are the infamous Gossard straps – they are once again a bit too long but luckily, not as stretchy as with the Gypsy.

The bottoms Jo chose for her set were the thong as she rarely wears anything else – a complete opposite to me, that is! The fit of the XS looks prefect on her and the back part is made of stretchy mesh that makes up for the more rigid satin-y front panel. The construction of the thong is quite simple and frill-free which makes it a perfect option for everyday-wear under tighter clothes such as skinny jeans.

If you would like to get yourself a very own set of Watercolour Roses, do take a look at the Gossard online store. The plunge bra retails for a £34 and the thong for £14, so a reasonable price for such a lovely and comfy set of lingerie.

What do you think of the fall trend of pastel florals? Do you feel it’s more appropriate for spring or do you like the winter garden look? Let me know in the comments!

Lingerie Review: Kris Line “Manuela” in 65H

Over the time, the two Kris Line reviews and my introduction post to the brand have been some of the most popular posts I have ever written. It is quite clear why, too – Kris Line is one of those Polish brands that are widely accessible through the likes of Brastop and Zulily with very reasonable pricing, which makes it a good first choice for testing Polish lingerie. For me, Kris Line has always held a special place in my heart – their wires are not narrow enough to poke me in my breast tissue and the designs are breathtakingly beautiful. Today, I am reviewing something that will be a continuity range for Kris Line starting from last summer and continuing at least to the next summer season. Let me introduce you to the beautiful Manuela! *This set was kindly gifted to me by Kris Line. All opinions are my own.*

Design: I chose the non-padded balconette Manuela but in true Kris Line style, this design comes in several bra and bottom options. I also received the complementing briefs to match my bra. Why I decided to opt for the non-padded bra with this style was because of the realization of the fact that this is the most popular bra style in my bradrobe and thus, it is the most practical everyday style for me. The bra cups are constructed of three pieces, one seam going diagonally and one going vertically, to form a very traditional and natural bust line. The bottom half of the cups is double-lined but the top part remains completely sheer.

The colour and styling of Manuela are absolutely breathtaking and I first fell in love with the sky blue hue and the detailed embroidery of the set. I am fan of blue lingerie in general as it suits my skin tone, eyes and hair colour pretty bang-on, but I am also a sucker for trends and this autumn, it is all about the blues. I was very happy how the styling turned out in flesh as well and the shade of the set, which is truly stunning.

Fit: As I had tried Kris Line soft cups before and found them to run a bit on the bigger side, I decided to size down to 65H this time. Kris Line sizing is quite unique but if you want to learn more about it, I would highly recommend taking a look at my previous post on the brand. According to the size chart I would be a 70H which is the size I went for last time and it fitted me pretty well in both the Deco-shape and their soft cup style. However, I have found the bands become a bit loose after a good amount of wears and decided I would go for 65 this time, just to give my bras a little more time to live. Also, I lost some weight after I first acquired my Kris Line bras about a year ago and I think I have gone about half a cup size down after that. This is why I chose to go down with my cup size as well this time, resulting in 65H as my best size with their soft cup style.

The 65 band feels nice and snug but not restrictive in any way, which is sometimes the result when gambling with your band size. However, I did not notice a significant difference to the 70 band so if you are between band sizes, I would suggest taking the smaller one, even just for longevity. The cups encase my breast tissue nicely and again, the wires are perfect for me as always with Kris Line. The straps are only half adjustable but that has not been a problem for me with this bra, however, I am 5″6 so definitely not petite. If you quite petite though, I would consider getting yourself some Strap Savers or skipping this style all together. Overall, the fit of the bra on me is spot-on and I have no gripes with it whatsoever!

Comfort: I love how comfy Kris Line bras are! If I would have to pick two of the most comfortable brands I wear on day-to-day basis, those would definitely be Kris Line and Gossard. Of course, no brand makes everything perfect to the last detail but these two brands keep rotating in my everyday bradrobe from day to day. I guess it’s a lot due to wiring and comfy bands – if you are pretty average breast root -wise like me, I think you would love Kris Line as well! They are a happy medium between the usual wide British wires and very narrow Polish wires. If Ewa Michalak is not your thang, definitely try KL instead!

When it comes to the panties, I would recommend taking your regular Polish size which is a medium for me. I usually wear a Small with most British brands so especially, if you are between sizes, do size up. I must say the Small is absolutely tiny with KL panties and still, the Medium is smaller than eg my Freya briefs in Small.

If you would like to try some Kris Line for yourself, I would highly recommend checking out Zulily for American customers and Brastop for.. well, basically everyone else 😀 The prices are usually very reasonable on these sites and you are sure to score a bargain!

How do you like Manuela? Also, how do you like the blue colour trend for this autumn? Let me know in the comments below! xx

Gossard Celebrates the Re-Launch of Gypsy! – Our Review on the Collection

A fun little story – when we were on a plane to Helsinki before our flight to London we sat next to a previous lingerie shop owner. She was super interested about our blog so we brought up some brands Jo and I had worked with and when we mentioned Gossard, the lady went nuts and told all about how she had stocked them in a small town shop in the 80’s. That was the same reaction I got from my mom when I told I was collaborating with Gossard – she gushed about it like it was the biggest deal on earth (and it kinda still is to me!) and told how she used to have a co-worker in the 80-90’s who wore nothing but Gossard and was the most proud of it. I finally got it – this brand was a heck of a big deal in the 80’s and I was so proud to represent them as they were one of my favourite brands too, still making fabulous on-trend lingerie for sizes A-G.

Today, we are celebrating the relaunch of one of the most iconic Gossard sets and that is the Gypsy – the set that “made men faint”, as the 80’s Gossard commercial lead to believe. Obviously, I did not live in the 80’s but born over a decade after so it is impossible to compare the new revamped Gypsy to its original counterpart. However, we will do our best to review the new Gypsy to its very last detail – so here we go! 
Design: For a lingerie set designed in the 80’s the Gypsy seems like a fairly classic option for everyday use. As Jo put it – it is so comfy you wanna wear it everyday but still rather sexy so you kinda wanna keep it as a special occasion set. That is, the Gypsy is a perfect medium between the impractical boudoir bra (without the impracticality) and something you put on everyday when you go to work. The style is available in both non-padded full-cup style and a semi-padded demi-cup bra. Obviously, the full-cup goes up to G as it is crafted more for lthe fuller bust and the demi-cup goes up to E – now you can imagine it was a no-brainer who went with which style! The set is completed with a pair of knickers of your choice – I went with the delicious high-rise panties for my uber-vintage look whereas Jo wanted to stick with her everyday style that is the thong.

The Gypsy has definitely been revamped in some way but still has its original feel to it – just without the 80’s vibe. The colours have changed a bit too as instead of the creamy white colour this relaunch brings us a more versatile Caramel shade which is ideal for a pale skin tone like mine. The shape of the full-cup is pretty much the same but just a tiny bit more uplifted and rounded as 80’s full-cups tended to have a bit more toned-down yet pointy shape to them. The lace has a lovely little sheen to it which gives the set its glamorous feel and little something extra to the classic style.

The Fit: Now to the most interesting part as it always quite exciting to see how an “old” style works after revising it a bit. As I have not tried the original Gypsy, I cannot compare the sizing at all but I hope this bit still helps you to figure out your best size in the new version! I was sent my regular size of 32 G + size Small bottoms and Jo went with her regular 30DD + size XSmall bottoms.

To sum it all up, the Gypsy range runs overall a bit big which is why you can see my other cup wrinkling at the top. Jo and I noted the same thing with our Gypsy sets – the cups run a full size larger than any other Gossard bra we own and by the way, that is one large pool of Gossard bras. Also the bands were a tad looser than normal so I would say if you are between band sizes with Gossard bras, size down in this particular style. My 32 was a fairly good fit though so I wouldn’t change that necessarily, just the cup size is notably too big for me. The 30DD was on the other hand too big in the band for Jo and only a tad big in the cups, which was btw easily fixed with tightening the straps with some help from the Strap Saver (click link for the review!). Both the demi-cup and the full-cup bras included a layer of the softest stretch lace you can imagine – great for a-symmetrical boobs and comfort in general!

The wires of Gypsy felt particularly narrow for me compared to my other Gossard bras and you can see in the pictures how nicely the underwire curves right next to my armpit without going too far in it. Gossard wires are always absolutely perfect on me but I can see some girls with narrower breast root enjoying this style quite a bit – it definitely rivals any Polish brand with its wire-width! The straps are quite long with Gypsy so if you are petite like Jo, do give the Strap Saver a go as it can shorten any too-long straps to make the fit of the bra a lot better.

Comfort: Can everyone just praise Hallelujah as Gossard did it again?! As I mentioned in the beginning of the review, the Gypsy is exactly that lingerie set you want to take everywhere with you – to work, to a nightclub, to a summer holiday, you name it. It is such a lightweight set you barely notice it when being active but then again, it also looks good and you can feel confident it it without anything else on. Especially for me the high-waisted knickers sealed the deal with my love affair to this set – they are perfect under light-coloured pencil skirts and dresses and also feel so soft against my hyper-sensitive skin. Also the thong option is lovely and wide at the back with a seamless finish to avoid any bulges or VPL.

What could be improved with this set is the straps though – they are bit too long even for me who never really struggles with too-long straps. This is a common feature with Gossard bras but still something that could be addressed in the future. Otherwise though, everything was so spot-on with both of our sets comfort-wise and we cannot recommend them enough as great basics to any girls lingerie drawer.

Gypsy has launched TODAY and is now ready to be purchased on the Gossard online store! The non-padded full-cup bra retails for an affordable £30 and the padded demi-cup for £32. The bottoms come in sizes XS-XL and feature a regular brief (£16), the thong (£14) and the deep short (£22). Give this babe a try and you won’t be disappointed!

What do you think of the Gypsy? Have you tried the original version and how do you feel it compares to the new? Let me know in the comments, we are dying to know! xx

Sunday with Samanta: A122 Spinel in 65J + Discount Code!

Ah, I know I am late. The Sunday last week passed already but again, this month will feature two Sunday with Samanta posts as I am not someone who skips a post completely 😉 Also, I will apologize for my absence next week as I am visiting UK + Moda again and won’t be home before the 12th. However, from then on there will be Moda-posts-galore and you’ll see some lovely collections from all of our fave brands! (If you have any particular brand you would like me to go and see, do let me know in the comments below!) However, today I am bound to bed with a sprained ankle and will be telling you all about my latest Samanta trial. This time, it is the non-padded balconette style A122 in “Spinel” – a lovely sophisticated French-style beauty who’ll steal your heart, no doubt.

The Design: The A122 is an unpadded balconette bra which is designed especially for women with big breasts and is supposed to offer a beautiful rounded “two cakes on a plate” -cleavage with a little less coverage and an uplifting three-part cup construction. This shape is widely used by British manufacturers as well, but the shape of the Polish balconette is a bit different from what we are used to with the likes of Panache and Curvy Kate. The vertical seam of the A122 cup goes on very straight across the cup whereas many British brands favour a more diagonal seam which gives the bra its somewhat pointed natural shape. I am more a fan of the Polish version though, as it rounds up the bust while still catering a rather natural look to it.

The A122 is something perhaps a Cleo-fan would enjoy – it is a quite simple style yet works brilliantly with all the uplifting and shaping a bigger bust requires. The look of the Spinel however, is something for the more “middle-market” audience meaning the styling is a bit more grown-up and sophisticated. As a 22-year-old gal some might think I would be all for polka-dots and bows but I do prefer a more glamourous look to my bradrobe. This is why I love the grey and peach colour combo of Spinel and lace is AGAIN absolutely stunning – something Samanta does so well each time.

The Fit: The A122 Spinel fits me very well and is the same as my other Samanta bras – I am once again convinced that Samanta is one of the most consistent brands out there which makes it easier for gals like me to order their bras online. It is true that some of the models are a bit deeper, which could affect your bra size with Samanta, but until now all of my 65J’s have been great size-wise. The band is rather narrow yet sturdy with the A122 and is made of stretchy elastic material instead of the usual power-mesh. The 65 band is a rough equivalent to a British 30, yet a bit snugger than with the likes of Freya and Curvy Kate. The cups are again, the perfect size and depth to me which makes this bra a great fit overall.

If you have any trouble with the usual height and width of balconette bra gores, this could be a great style for you to try! The gore is very slim and sits rather low at my sternum, meaning there is no stress on my ribcage even with very “harsh” tacking. The wires are again just the right length and width for me so no poking or too wide cups, which always makes me happy. For reference, I am pretty average-set and not particularly wide nor narrow at my breast root.

Comfort: The A122 is a lovely choice for those who want the same Samanta-quality for their summer but something a bit more light-weight than their padded bras. I personally REFUSE to wear padded bras at summer just for comfort reasons – everyone raise a hand who know that boob-sweat is a thing?? Cause it certainly is when you have big tatas, there is no denying it. Also, non-padded bras are great under tighter tops and dresses that have zero extra room for boobies and extra padding is not an option.

If I could give Samanta some feedback on this particular model, it would be regarding the straps – they are a tad too wide-set for me, meaning they sometimes fall off my shoulders and rub against the edge of my armpit. I think this will get better over time as I haven’t washed the bra more than twice now (there’s a huge review pile to test out each month, so most of my samples only get a couple of washes before being reviewed). However, in any case I would love to see Samanta revising their strap-placement a bit as I know there are a lot ladies who suffer from too widely placed straps immensely.

I also got to test the M300 brazilian briefs which are made of very same mesh/embroidery and sleek polyamide blend as the bra band. The seamless back of the brief is great under tighter jeans and also, quite sexy with its very wetlook-like appearance. The size Medium fits my 39″ hips very well but the rise with the M300 is pretty low, so ya be warned. However, I do like this style completing the set and I am always open to falling in love with new panty styles if they forgive me my ever-growing butt 😉

If you would like to give Spinel a proper spin (hehe), do use the code Mette at the check out to get 20% off your A122 Spinel bra. The bra retails for (full price) 56,30€ and the briefs for 26,30€ on the Samanta online store so not bad at all, especially with the discount! If you live in USA, please contact Samanta via email to place your order. Also, do ask for different shipping methods if you are hesitant about the shipping costs! Have a lovely Sunday everyone and let me know in the comments how you liked the review and Spinel, I would love to hear from you 😉

Lingerie Review: Maison Lejaby “Crystal” Padded Demi-Cup Bra in 32D

As summer has arrived in pretty much anywhere else but Finland, I decided it is time to introduce the perfect lightweight summer bra to you, my dear readers – The Crystal by Maison Lejaby. Now, I must warn you this little beauty only goes up to DD which is why our lovely 2COP guest blogger Jo will be introducing it. However, I thought it would be lovely to showcase some smaller/average-bust options on the blog as well! Here are our thoughts on the Maison Lejaby Premium Collection continuity style, Crystal. *This set was sent as a gift to Jo from Maison Lejaby. This does not affect her or my opinions on the set.*

Design: Crystal comes in various shades for each season, this ss15 season being the time for a lovely coral-like pink. As Jo is a bit on the paler side when it comes to skin tone (not as white as me though), the peachy colourway works as a pretty good “nude” on her too. The only thing that takes away from the practicality of the set, is the lace that is pretty prominent under very thin top materials. However, this feature can be used as an asset too – why not pair it with something a bit see-through for a night out with the girls?

The shape of the bra is rather pointy yet not very notable under regular t-shirts, especially a bit looser ones. The top panel of the bra is made of very light stretch lace which is amazing for any breast shape – particularly full-on-top boobs. Jo is more full on bottom, but rocks this style equally well. The coverage is pretty low meaning there might be some nipple (gasp!) showing through the lace (a feature neither of us is that scared of…). The star of the show however, are the lovely Swarovski crystals at centre gore, which add a nice feminine touch to the set.

Fit: As most Maison Lejaby styles do not carry 30 backs not even talking about 28’s, we decided to ask a size 32D for Jo. What can I say, who doesn’t compromise sometimes? (I know I do -naughty me!) As we knew Maison Lejaby runs large in the cup, we decided go for the D, which is technically a cup size smaller than Jo usually wears (meaning 30E/28F). The size guess was pretty much spot on! Even though the band is definitely a rather regular 32, it does not ride up Jo’s back as her bust is not particularly heavy. She does wear the band on the tightest hook which is by no means the best solution, but as I said, the fit is still reasonably good. Also the cups fit her really well with no gaping or bulging as the stretch lace is such a forgiving choice of material.

The wiring is a lot narrower than with British brands, which makes Maison Lejaby a good choice for Jo – she is rather petite all over with her bird’s bones so too wide/high/dense wires tend to poke her in the armpits and even her ribs. With Crystal the wire width and length seem to be spot-on which makes the bra a better fit for Jo despite the loose back band.

Comfort: As I conducted with my ML “Feline” set (click the link to read the review!), Jo came to the same conclusion with Crystal – Maison Lejaby knows how to make comfy lingerie. It is no wonder though, as they have been in the industry for so many years and clearly, some serious bra-making knowledge has tagged along since the 19th century. Everything from the materials to flexible wiring has been perfected to the very last detail which makes the higher price tag of the garments absolutely worth it.

Jo was also sent the size 1 knickers (translates to UK 8 and US 4) which finish off the set beautifully with the same amount of comfort and style that was put into the bra. The stretch lace is again there to save the day – these panties are great when you need something seamless! Also to praise the bra even more, the half-adjustable straps are just the right length for Jo who usually suffers from too long bra straps (petite ladies, take note!).

All in all, this set definitely scores an A+ when it comes to comfort – it is the perfect light-weight bra for hot summer weather and is equally great when lounging around at home.

If you would fancy to give the Crystal a try, it is sold at least on Amazon and House of Fraser for a reduced price. However, the style is a continuity range which will be available this autumn in Love Red colourway in addition to basic colours Black, Lily and Cashmere. What do you think of the Crystal? Let me know in the comments!

Beach-Ready with Gossard – The Sienna Swimsuit Review

How has everyone’s summer been so far? The Finnish one has been rubbish and to be honest, testing a swimsuit out in here has been almost impossible as public swimming pools are pretty much closed and the river is still +12 C which is cold af. Anyhow, I was so happy to get my hands on more swimwear options and the Gossard “Sienna” is an absolute babe, hot weather or not. Here is review of the beauty with the gorgeous Gossard Hot Tropic kimono. *Disclosure: These products were gifted to me by Gossard. All opinions are my own.*

When the wonderful Laura at Gossard asked if I wanted to try out their classic Sienna range, I was pretty happy as the range is everything a true 50’s gal can hope for: sleek lines, gorgeous cleavage and hourglass-hugging cuts. Even though black is not necessarily my colour, I did like it with the sexy silhouette of the onepiece as the colour toned down its vavavoom effect a bit. As I slipped into the suit I knew there was plenty of “look at me!” action going on already with my boobs + the deep v-neckline at the front. In addition to flattering my bust-line, I loved how the suit creates almost an illusion of an hourglass shape. I am already a curvy girl but the swimsuit took the curviness to a whole another level!

When it comes to sizing, I would stick with your regular Gossard size, unless you are super curvy at your hips. I am not a regular hourglass by definition meaning my hips are not very full but my backside has quite a lot of curve to it. This way, I was blessed enough to get the suit on without any trouble even though my butt-to-waist difference is 11″. However, if you are more of a regular type of hourglass with a very curvy front view, I would suggest going up a band size to get a better fit. I am wearing a size 32G in the pictures and it fits me flawlessly.

When it comes to practicalities the suit clips at the back like a bikini to ensure a proper support to ones bust. As the sizes go up to G this is definitely a plus and makes the swimsuit more wearable when actually swimming. The band bit of the suit is pretty darn tight compared my other Gossard 32 bands but it sure does what it’s meant to do! However, if you are between sizes with Gossard, I would recommend going up a band size with this – especially if you are not a big swimmer in the first place. The 32 bands digs a bit into my skin when worn dry but when wet, it feels already a lot more comfortable (I have noticed this is very common with cup sized full-bust swimwear as brand want to ensure max support while swimming with big boobs).

The cup part of the swimsuit might not be what someone would call the most practical option for actual swimming business but I do like a sexier option to my swim wardrobe as well. The suit can be worn with straps or no straps but I did find it fairly sturdy either way. The cups are made of extremely sturdy and thick materials which makes them fool-proof for any nipple showing someone could be worried about. On the other hand, the sturdy construction of the cup part takes a bit away from the comfort factor of the whole ensemble but that can be expected when heavy lifting takes place 😉

The kimono Gossard sent me to accompany my one-piece is a lovely touch to the feminine look the suit rocks so effortlessly. I am a huge fan of florals and the white base + the colourful print balance out the sex appeal of the swimsuit by creating a more soft overall look. It also reminds me a bit of Spain and tropical islands which would do me a whole lot of good after these pesky months of cold up here in the north! (I mean just look at my skin, Finnish weather has completely ruined it).

All in all, I truly am in love with Sienna and she will be my girl each time I wanna feel a bit btter about myself or when I feel like showing off my curves. One needs to have some options ya know 😉 If you would like to give this babe a try, do visit the Gossard online store as they still have plenty of stock left. The suit comes in sizes 30-38 A-G and sets you back at £60. Also, if you feel a bit hesitant about the one-piece, do check out the bikini options as well! There are some lovely high-waisted bottoms up for grabs. The Hot Tropic kimono comes in sizes S/M and M/L and it is now on sale for £37.

How do you like one-piece swimsuits? Or do you prefer bikinis? Let me know what have been your favourites so far this summer! xx

Sunday with Samanta – Hana A111 Review

As we discussed the Sunday with Samanta series with Marzena, the head designer of Samanta, she gave me a list of suggestions she wanted me to try which included some of their oldies but goodies, including the bestseller “Hana” in A111-cut. To be completely honest I wasn’t super excited about the design but Marzena asked me to give it a chance so I decided to do so. I was glad I did – Hana is a great everyday basic which comes in soft tones of grey, deep red, beige, white and black which all feature the same guipure lace that makes the bra a bit more interesting to the eye. Here are my thoughts on the cut and style…*This set was gifted to me by Samanta. All opinions are my own!*

Design: Even though I was not immediately impressed with Hana as it seemed a bit too mature to me, I decided I would give the unusual combination of rose pink and grey a go as it seemed like a nice option to add to one’s summer bradrobe. The grey is light enough to go under most shirts and even though the lace is a bit bulky it is still a subtle looking bra with a simplistic styling. Even though I am not a huge fan of simplistic florals, I did like the light rose pink daisies quite a bit.

The A111 cut is something I was intrigued to try as I had seen how it worked on Sweet Nothing’s and wished it would be a bit better fit for yours truly. I was pleasently surprised by the shape and cut of the A111 and now it is a firm part of my bra collection where it serves as a great everyday option. The cups feature three parts each, including a narrow side support panel to bring the bust slightly more forward from the sides. The cups give me a natural yet rounded look under shirts and they even look a bit optically minimizing just as the cut description promises. The materials are very light-weight making the bra perfect for hotter climates!

The Fit: The A111 cut fitted me surprisingly well considering how often these sorts of shapes start looking a bit droopy aka not uplifted enough. The A111 Hana offers me just the right amount of uplift for everyday use and I like how rounded it makes my boobs look. The sizing seems to be in line with my other styles from Samanta – I am wearing a perfectly fitting 65J in the pictures. I would say the depth of the cups is spot-on for me with A111, as the bottom part of the cups doesn’t fold at all and my breast tissues fills the cups completely.

I would say the A111 cut is a very good fit for gals like me with more full-on-top boobs as there is plenty of room on the top part of the cups, allowing the breast tissue to take its place without any bulging at all. This is a great feature as so many bras these days are targeted more for the full-on-bottom gals which is of course fair as they are the majority. However, it is nice to find a bra that fits well without any extra room at the apex and no cutting at the top! The band seems like a regular 65 or 30 band and it seems to stretch up to approximately 30,5″ (maybe 31″). The gore seems to float a bit away from my sternum but I prefer it this way as extremely tacking gores can be a bit painful on me.

Comfort: The A111 Hana has got a lot of wear ever since I received it as it is such a comfortable set when it comes to every aspect of it – the materials, seams, cuts and wires are so thought-through they pass the test with full points! I have sometimes had trouble with Samanta straps coming too far apart and the edge of the cup chafing my armpit but this style has none of those problems in sight. This however is no wonder; Hana is one of the oldest Samanta styles produced and has been perfected to the very last detail when it comes to fit and comfort. As you may have noticed, full-bust bras require years of work to get perfect and even then, there is always someone who dislikes the fit.

The straps of Hana are half-adjustable which is always something that needs to be taken into consideration when thinking about the comfort aspect of the bra. I had no trouble with the straps at all though and they are adjusted half-way, meaning shorter and taller gals than me can easily still wear the bra with comfort.

I was also sent B300 classic briefs as co-ordinates which I really liked as a matching bottom to the bra. Even though I am a big fan of the Samanta boxer cut when it comes to bottoms, these were equally comfortable but a bit more revealing as they almost resemble a brazilian cut brief. The B300 briefs are also a bit more low-cut than the boxers so if you like eg Cleo bottoms, these are definitely for you!

If you would like to get a Hana A111 of your own, the style is now on sale for 39,30€ for the bra and 18,30€ for the B300 briefs on the Samanta online store (US customers can order via email). As the style is already discounted, this month’s Sunday with Samanta will not have a separate discount code. Nevertheless, the style is very much worth the price and fairly affordable for such a great staple!

Avocado Bra Review: Calypso in the new NF-cut!

As regular readers of my blog know, Avocado has been a very near and dear brand to me for some time now. I have reviewed several of their bras now and as the time has flown, it is now time to open the final Pandora’s box and stick my claws into the H-cut, which has been requested to be reviewed for a long time since we all got to know Avocado about a year ago. I was always intrigued by this style as you know, the grass is greener on the other side and I had not had the chance to try it on yet.  However, it turned out Calypso is no longer available in the old H-cut which lead Avocado to send me its new improved version, the NF-shape. Here’s how I liked their revised fit! *This bra was gifted to me by Avocado. This however, does not affect my opinions or thoughts on it in anyway.*

The Design: The NF-cut (with the lower part of the cup attaching to the straps) is something Avocado calls their more “natural” pointed shape and it is fairly obvious when putting on the bra for the first time. Before I started to wear the pinup and vintage-style clothes regularly on a day to day basis, the pointed shape was definitely not my cup of tea but something I tried to avoid like plague. However, as the women in 40’sand 50’s did wear a lot pointier bras than women today, I have come to embrace the shape and wear it with my more authentic looking vintage repro pieces (as I don’t own any genuine vintage yet). The NF-cut is perhaps not something I would like under all my clothes, but it does have a place in my bradrobe for those full-on pinup days.

The Calypso style was something that definitely caught my eye when I first came across it on Facebook. I just knew I had to have it! Fortunately, the ladies at Avocado had noticed my admiration and were so kind to send me the gorgeous green little number. Although green is not one of my favourite colours in any way, I do love a good emerald or jade green. I actually have a trench coat in the same colour as well (great combo for some flashing, huh? JK!)! Also the accent colour of taupe is very chic, however the combo makes it very hard to match this set with anything else than the actual bottoms created for the set. As a matching set kinda gal it does not make this the most practical bra but it sure is pretty, to say the least!

The Fit: As the NF-cut is supposedly a much deeper cut than the A and K which I had tried before, I decided to stick with my regular size 70H. This was the right choice even though I am bulging over my 70H in A- and K-cuts. As a conclusion, I would advise to size down with the NF-cut, especially if you are between sizes! The band fits about the same as every other Avocado band I have tried, even though I am now contemplating on trying the 65 sometime in the future. I think might be between 65 and 70 as the bands stretch quite a bit after a few wears so it would be good to know if I could manage to close the 65 and then stretch it to be more comfortable.

The wires are again perfect with the Calypso and in addition to Kris Line and Ewa Bien, they are the best the Polish brands can offer me. Take note, everyone who don’t cope with the narrower wires of EM and Comexim, this is the brand for you! The cups are nice and deep but also pretty closed at the top. This however, is no problem to be even though my boobs are more full-on-top – the cups are pretty full-coverage meaning the edge of the cup doesn’t cut into my breast tissue.

Comfort: I sometimes have problems with a non-tacking gores and even though some bra fitters claims it’s not the most important fit factor, I do like my gores tacking even moderately as it makes the bra feel a bit more sturdy and shows how well the cup depth fits me. Well, this sucker definitely tacks to my sternum! The downside? It can me a be stabbing at first to be honest. However, usually people who report their gores stabbing them have not tried to bend the gore, which is sometimes essential when breaking in the bra. I had the same thing with Tutti Rouge “Nichole” and the issue was easily fixed with some bending, wearing and washing.The same thing applies with Calypso – just be patient.

Another thing that bothered me a bit was the far-apart straps which did chafe my armpit a bit. To be honest, I haven’t had this problem with any of the other Avocado bras I have received so it might be just a small downside to this particular cut. Otherwise, the materials, straps and band are super comfortable as always and I am especially happy about how wide and comfy the bra band is with all Avocado styles.

If you are interested to snatch up the Calypso in the new NF-cut (Natural Firm) for 72,15€, you can do so at the Avocado online store.

Have you tried the NF-cut yet and how did you like it? Let me know in the comments! xx

EDIT: As we had a slight communication problem with Avocado, this style was indeed the new NF-cut instead of the H. As I only got this info now, I have changed the review a bit to avoid any confusion!

Luxury Loungewear Review: Introducing Andrés Intimates

As you my dear readers know, I am all for luxurious fabrics and girly underwear – whether it was a new lacy bra, a pair of well-crafted knickers or a piece of beautiful loungewear. This is why I was so smitten when Andrés Intimates reached out to me and asked if I would like to review some pieces from their current collection. I did some research on the brand and knew immediately this was something I was going to love; the pieces were something my grandma would have worn in the 40’s and as I am vintage-kinda girl, my answer to their request was “Hell yes!” I told the brand representative Dan what my preferences were colour- and style-wise and he was happy to send me their iconic X-back chemise and a matching circle kimono to fulfill my luxury dreams. Here’s how I liked the combo!

When I first unwrapped the parcel and had my first touch with the garments I was absolutely blown-away – this was one of my first touches to genuine silk underwear and I had already started to feel there was no going back now. I knew the quality and the feel of the garments was indeed going to be premium to say the very least but as the I slipped into the chemise I let a small “Ah” out of my mouth as the materials were heavenly against my sore skin (I am having one of those worse months with my skin right now…). I had already had the chance to try some silks a couple of weeks back at my bra fitter training so I knew what the benefits of silk were to my skin – it calms it when everything else makes it feel like on fire. Trust me, I have not tried anything more practical and relieving when it comes to materials on an irritated skin!

Styling-wise, I was so happy to see Dan had picked something I really loved as his choice of colours: I asked him to surprise me and he definitely did that with this combination of radiant coral red + peachy rose pink. As I had picked out the pink circle kimono as one of my favourites, Andrés Intimates was happy to dye the tulip lace of the chemise with the same colour to offer me a matching set. How thoughtful is that! The whole set was so “me” and I cannot thank Dan and his coworkers enough for the spot-on colour choices.

What really makes Andrés stand out from other loungewear brands I have tried, is their craftsmanship and attention to details. All of their garments are created made-to-order in San Francisco which makes it a local business instead of something that is flown from China to lower the costs. The prices consist of a lot of love, attention, care and commitment put into the garments as well as the local production costs and the superb materials. These prices have no extra air in them whatsoever!

In addition to lovely soft materials and the killer colour combo, I really fell in love with how comfy the garments are on. To be honest, I was bit shocked at first to receive a size Large chemise (the circle kimono is one-size) but as I discussed the matter with Dan, turned out he had discussed my bust size with a few of their retailers and decided he wanted to put my comfort first as I am a full-busted lady. Even though I usually wear a size Small and sometimes a Medium, I do suggest that especially full-busted gals sized up with the chemise! If you prefer a snugger fit or are less-endowed in the boob area, you could get away with your regular size but I do think the sizes are still on the smaller side. However, the Large was a bit loose on me and as I gave more thought to it, it was a right decision on the behalf of Dan to send me the L as loungewear is supposed to be as comfy and care-free as possible.

When it comes to covering your fuller bust, Andrés does have your back (see what I did there?) with the X-back design and some adjustable straps. I found myself loving the more loose and lower fit at the front but if you feel like your bust is slipping out and it bothers you (to be honest, I don’t really care when I am at home), you can easily adjust the straps to pull the chemise up a bit at the front. In my opinion the ensemble looks the most flattering when “hanging”  a bit lower but this is always down to personal preference.

All in all I am very impressed with the Andrés Intimates and the way they have renewed their brand to provide classic lounge- and sleepwear options to the modern woman. If you would be interested to treat yourself or have someone treat you (ahem, boyfriends and girlfriends pay attention!) I would recommend Andrés as a good option for something a little more special. If interested, you can use the code 2CAKES25 to claim 25% off your first order. Their classic 32″ chemise retails for a $158 and the circle kimono for $170. Also, if you want a second opinion before your purchase, do check out Becky’s and Afilal’s reviews on Andrés Intimates!

Do you own any luxury lingerie or loungewear? Let me know in the comments! 🙂 xx PS. Huge thanks to Jo for taking the pics – they turned out really well, right?