Lingerie Review: Katherine Hamilton Intimates “Louise” in 32GG

Many of you might remember me introducing you to Bosom Galore a couple of years back – Katy, the owner of the brand, has been super blogger-friendly from the get-go and thus the brand name spread through the lingerie blogosphere rapidly. Quite soon after the launch Katy decided to re-brand Bosom Galore and named it Katherine Hamilton Intimates, a brand with a stronger look and even more luxurious vibe to it. The relaunch of the brand took a while – but we all know that anything that’s good is worth the wait. A couple of months back Katy sent me a set from her new collection and I was delighted to see the brand had definitely grown into something bigger and better – the unsure teenager had become a strong independent woman. *Disclosure: This set was sent to me for review purposes by Katherine Hamilton Intimates. All opinions are my own!*

The Design: The first moment I saw Louise, I was sold. Who doesn’t like strappy designs? Well, I do! The idea behind the black strappy is not something particularly new, but I like how Louise does it is its own sophisticated simple way – there is only one strap going over the upper boobage and the magic of the bra is really the amazing shape and comfiness it provides.

The cups are constructed of three parts and they form a subtle plunge shape, even though the actual gore of the bra is on a balconette level. The centre gore doesn’t have any bows or ruffles on it which is why I don’t even mind it peeking from my shirt necklines. The cups are lightly padded but it is a cut-and-sew bra still, it provides a much better fit than most moulded padded bras. The shape with the Louise bra is also round and uplifted, which reminds me a bit of Ewa Michalak PL bras.

The Fit: I am always a bit skeptical when it comes to padded bras, for the reasons mentioned above; the padding usually tries to mold my breast tissue to the shape of the bra, not the other way around as it should be. With KH Intimates the road has been long and Katy has wanted to make everything on-point as her price tag is a bit higher than with some of the biggest full-bust brands. It’s definitely a luxury brand, so mishaps are a no-no.

The wait was long, but now it seems KH Intimates has got it right – the sizing seems pretty much on par with other UK brands with the exception that the Louise band seems to be running on the snugger side. I went for my second most used size 32GG and it is the perfect size for me. The cups run true-to-size and there is much more depth than with most other – especially new – British brands. The underwire reaches under my armpit so it’s a bit too wide for me, but this doesn’t cause me any discomfort. The centre gore tacks my sternum and the cups are deep enough at the bottom which prevent the cups from denting and collapsing under my breast tissue.

Comfort: When I first put the Louise on, the band was on the tighter side for 32 and reminded me more of a 30-band. However, it has since stretched out a bit and I can now comfortably wear the bra on the loosest set of hooks. I have even had this on for a whole night of dancing and partying and never once did I regret that choice! The materials are sleek on the outside but the lining inside the bra is 100% cotton as with the previous Bosom Galore bras – this is fantastic for us girls with skin conditions!  The straps are bit on the slippery side so I would perhaps think about the material choice on them, but otherwise the bra is pretty much spot-on when it comes to comfort.

I surprised myself with opting for the thong this time – as you know, I never ever wear thongs! However, the bra is a bit sexier so I figured it would be nice to have something skimpy as co-ordinates. I went for the size 12 and it fits me really well and I actually think it’s quite flattering too. You can never have too many strappy panties, I think!

The Louise set is available on the KH Intimates website – the bra retails for £78 and the thong costs £34. The size range is especially kind to those with a smaller band size – the band sizes start at UK 26! The whole size range with Louise bra is 26-36 D-HH and the panties UK 6-16. What do you think of KH Intimates and the Louise set? xx

Introducing Bluebella More DD+ Range – Review of “Asteria” in 32G

If you are a lingerie lover like myself, there is a chance you have heard of Bluebella. They are a woman-lead lingerie business in UK who sell mostly their own house brand and offer a fantastic selection of contemporary and boudoir-inspired lingerie pieces. I was over the moon when I first found out that they were coming out with a DD+ collection called “MORE” and in no time, there it was on their website. I was lusting after the strappy pieces that so many full-bust brands are still lacking in their collections and after a couple of days of scribbling a wishlist for myself, the lovely people at Bluebella contacted me and asked if I wanted to try a set from the new collection – and of course I did! I opted for the Asteria set in 32G and size 12 bottoms and here’s how I liked them…

Editor’s note: These pics are in black and white as the whole set is completely black and I liked the femme fatale look of it! Hope you don’t mind, my dear readers 😉

The Design: The Asteria bra is made completely out of black mesh, golden metal parts and black elastic strapping to finish off the look. The bra is double lined (as opposed to the bottoms which are completely sheer) but still remains a bit sheer – the materials feel very supportive and I love the sleek styling choices with the strappy bra strap/ back design. The whole set looks and feels much more expensive than it actually is – the bra costs an affordable £36 and the panties £18. The bra band features three hooks and eyes and the bra straps are attached to each other at the back with a small hook closure. This can be a bit tricky when getting the bra on and off (I usually ask my bf to help!) but it looks stunning when closed!

The shape of the bra is phenomenal for such a new DD+ brand – I have never seen a new full-bust brand making such rounded yet naturally curving bra cups so I am truly astonished. The shape of the bra reminds me a bit of the SM shape by Ewa Michalak but not as much in-your-face and forward-projecting. Even with the extravagant strappy styling this bra is a great everyday option as the shape of it is natural and the cup design so simple it goes really well even under a thinner jersey material.

Fit: I went for the 32G with the bra as Bluebella did not offer any 30 bands and the cups stop at UK G-cup – I am glad I didn’t have the option to choose otherwise though! This size is absolutely perfect on me and I wouldn’t change it even if I had the choice. The thing is, my underbust measurement has recently ballooned closer to 32 (probably due to both BodyPump and some pizza-loving, hehe) and the Asteria bra band only stretches up to 32″ or so. So I would advice to size up with the band if you are between sizes! The cups seem to run a full cup size big, so I would suggest going a cup size down with them. This is great news to any GG-ladies out there!

The cups are very well constructed and quite deep and narrow for a British brand design. I would say they are actually a perfect fit for me! The wires encase my breast tissue fully without being too high, wide or rigid, meaning the bra stays comfy throughout the day. The centre gore tacks me well and comes just high enough to keep my boobs from falling out of the bra but also low enough to go well under most of my shirts and dresses.The straps are half-adjustable but I haven’t really even done any adjusting on them as they were the perfect length for me straight outta box.

Comfort: Ever since I got the bra set (which is not that long ago) I have been wearing this set A LOT. It is very comfortable and stays that way for so many hours, I don’t even want to take it off when I get home. It makes me feel both physically and mentally amazing! The materials are high-quality and the straps stay up really well due to the hook-closure design on the back. My only real gripe with the bra is that the cups are a bit high on the sides which makes the edge near my armpit chafe against my skin a tiny bit when lying on my side (you should never sleep in your bras anyway but I took a nap the other day in this bra – oopsie!). However, in regular use (ie standing up) the bra does not irritate my skin at all.

I got the Asteria bottoms in size 12 and it was definitely the right choice for me. If you consult the size chart, you will probably get the bottoms size right as it pointed me at the right direction. My hip measurement is 40″ and the size 12 is meant for 39″ hips – even stretching it with an inch the bottoms fit me well and I love how they compliment the set with the strappy side design. The rise is also a good one for me – it’s a bit higher than eg with Cleo which is ideal in my opinion.

If you would like to get to know MORE yourself, please check out Bluebella’s online store for that. The shipping options at Bluebella are extremely cheap – only £3,95 to US and free if you spend over £30 – so I would definitely take the plunge and order something to try out! I am quite sure you won’t be disappointed 😉 The size range is 32-38 DD-G and the panties come in UK sizes 8-16.

The Perfect Christmas Babe – Review of Scantilly “Peek-a-Boo” in 30H

When I first got to know Scantilly at Moda Exhibition, I fell head over heals in love with the whole range. It was something completely new that no full bust brand had ever done before – something sexy yet still sophisticated that came in both small back sizes and big cups. Erotic lingerie has been huge after the whole 50 Shades phenomenon burst into the scene but there were definitely audiences that weren’t reached for too many years. First core sizes, then plus, but the fuller bust brands never really took the plunge and so many women were left hanging and disappointed.

Today, I am finally reviewing the Scantilly “Peek-a-Boo” set which is available in both red and black. Lumingerie, who are longtime 2COP supporters and a local lingerie e-commerce shop, were kind enough to gift me a set for review so here’s how I liked my first Scantilly underthings!

Design: I love how this set makes me feel! I went for the red Peek-a-Boo set as I love how appropriate it is for this particular season. What a perfect stocking stuffer! The construction is quite different from any Curvy Kate bra I have ever tried (Scantilly is a CK sub-label, if you didn’t know) as the cups are made of FOUR parts, with two vertical and one horizontal seam. The three lower cup parts create a great rounded look to the bust but also lift my girls a great deal.

The style of the bra is a very traditional balconette, meaning the centre gore of the bra is quite high. The gore itself features a lovely key hole detail which actually sits very nicely on my sternum – which is not something that key hole gores usually do! I am not sure if this has something to do with my particular rib cage and bust shape but I am really digging the sexy detailing. The cups are very much see-through which is an absolute upside for me but could be a turn-off to some who want to stay more modest – this however, is not what the set is going for obviously, so no gripes there!

Fit: Curvy Kate is one of those brands that usually fit me pretty consistently so I was quite sure that a 30H would be my perfect size with Scantilly as well. As Lumingerie storage locates in my home town I was lucky enough to get trying these beauties in a couple of different sizes before opting for the right one. I did try a cup size up, so a 30HH, but the other cup wrinkled a bit more with that one, so I decided to choose my regular 30H. There was not a big difference between the two sizes but I did notice that the bigger cups were instantly a lot wider and thus did not fit me properly. I would suggest going for your CK size, with Peek-a-Boo at least (the All Wrapped Up bra was a bit smaller and I fitted well in a 30HH).

What I have always loved about Curvy Kate is their extremely comfy bands. They are amazing at making just the right size bands for me; as most of you know, I am between 30 and 32 at the moment (I think I measure around 30,5-31″ under my bust) and the Peek-a-Boo 30-band stretches pretty much up to 31″ which is great for comfort. The band features three hooks and eyes which makes it all the more supportive and sturdy. This time I was very pleased with the wire-width as well – usually CK is a bit too wide for me but this time the wire width is quite average so pretty much perfect for me. The cups run true-to-size and are on the shallower side but not horribly so – I only get a bit of empty space at the bottom of the cups.

Comfort: As I said before, I think Curvy Kate and thus Scantilly as well, make the best bra bands for me personally. I have a pretty prominent rib cage meaning very rigid bands can cause me both skin irritation and too much pressure on my bones. The band is wide and stretchy yet sturdy enough to feel good quality and nothing that will stretch out too easily. The bra straps are fully adjustable but quite short for a change, so I am not sure if very tall and long-torsoed women would find the bra comfy (anyone have any experience on this?). The straps are also placed quite widely on the shoulders which is actually my only gripe with this bra. I am not particularly petite regarding my shoulders but still, I have some chafing around the armpit area as the straps touch it while moving my arms.

The Peek-a-Boo set comes with two bottom options: the open-back brief and the regular one. I loved the idea of the naughtier panty option (forgive me, Santa!) so I did request for it in size Small for the co-ordinates. The Scantilly knickers come in double sizes, meaning the Small is a UK size 8-10 which sounds a bit skimpier to me than they actually are. I would say the Small is about exactly size 10, meaning I would have perhaps preffered something between Small and Medium. The knickers fit me well though and I am very happy with how surprisingly comfy they are, regardless of the open back that made me a bit hesitant at first. Do give these babes a try if you can – they are so unique and the style is very flattering in flesh!

If you would like to try the Scantilly “Peek-a-Boo”, head over to Lumingerie as they are now shipping FOR FREE to EU countries in addition to Finland! The Peek-a-Boo bra sets you back at 66€ and the open-back panties at 33€ which is a bit higher than usual Curvy Kate sets but still very reasonable for the unique styling and lovely quality materials. I must say this set is absolute lust-list material and many ladies would be happy to receive it as an Xmas gift 😉 (Hint hint, ladies & fellas!)

Suomeksi: Moikka moi! Enpä ole pitkään aikaan kirjoittanut suomeksi, mutta nyt häätynee, kun on kyseessä niin spesiaali tuotearvostelu – varsinkin kun tämä setti on niin helposti saatavilla ihan täältä kotosuomesta! Ai niin, ja hauskaa itsenäisyyspäivää kaikille 😉 Nyt onkin jo se aika, kun moni leidi ja herrasmies miettii siellä kotosohvalla, että mitä sitä shoppailisi sille rakkaimmalle ja tässä olisikin hyvä vaihtoehto pukinkonttiin: kauniita alusvaatteita joulunpunaisissa sävyissä!

Kyseessä on tällä kertaa yllänäkyvä Scantillyn “Peek-a-Boo”-setti, jonka Lumingerie ystävällisesti lahjoitti minulle arvostelua varten. Settiä on saatavana sekä perusmustana kuin tänä herkullisena punaisena, joka valikoitua tällä kertaa omaksi suosikikseni. Setin sain brittikoossa 30H eli 65H ja alushousut valkkasin koossa S. 

65H on minulle melko tyypillinen koko britti-merkkien kanssa, joten olin tyytyväinen kokoluokitukseen myös Scantillyn kohdalla. Scantillyhän on siis Curvy Katen tuhmempi pikkusisko, joten oletin myös istuuvuden olevan samaa luokkaa. Yllätyksekseni eroja kuitenkin löytyi – Scantillyssa kupit antavat mielestäni pyöreämmän muodon rinnalle ja kaarituet ovat hiukan kapeammat kuin Curvy Katen liiveissä. Molemmat ominaisuudet miellyttivät itseäni kovasti ja itselleni liivit istuivat todella hyvin. Sanotaanko kuitenkin se, että istuvuuteen näyttäisi vaikuttavan huomattavasti rinnan kiinteys ja rintakudoksen jakautuminen – kiinteät ja “yläosasta” täyteläiset rinnat ovat tämän mallin kanssa ehdottomasti yhteensopivimmat!

Jos jotain miinuspuolia pitäisi setistä etsiä, olisi sellainen todennäköisesti ainakin joillekin vartaloille ko. rintsikoiden olkainten sijainti ja pituus. Olkaimet ovat aika lyhyet, joten jos olet erityisen pitkä, voivat ne olla sinulle liian kireät jopa täysin löysytettynä. Pienemmille tyttösille ongelmana voi puolestaan olla olkainten kaukainen etäisyys toisistaan: liian leveälle asetetut olkaimet voivat hiertää kainalon seutua ja aiheuttaa näin lievää ihoärsytystä.

Kaiken kaikkiaan Peek-a-Boo vaikuttaa minusta laadultaan, istuvuudeltaan ja mukavuudeltaan kuitenkin oikein ihanalta setiltä. Vaikkei istuvuus olisi juuri sinun rintojesi kanssa se paras, on setti joka tapauksessa loistava vaihtoehto vaikkapa vain omaksi tai puolison piristykseksi 😉 Jos haluat napata setin jo ennen joulua, kannattaa se tilata nyt, ennen kuin joulupukki on vienyt kaikki koot muille naisille! Rintsikat kustantavat 66€ ja alushousut 33€, mikä on mielestäni ihan kohtuullinen hinta näin laadukkaista ja uniikeista alusvaatteista. Lumingeriella on ilmaiset postikulut, vaihdot ja palautukset, mikä tekee tilaamisesta todella helppoa meille suomalaisille. Tuotteet tulevat myös parissa päivässä, joten kokoakin kerkeää vaikka vaihtaa ennen aattoiltaa!

Gossard Bikini Review: “Blossom” in 32G

Even though summer is almost over here in Finland and no heat-waves have reached us at all, it is still nice to get yourself a new bikini and/or a swimsuit to celebrate even the mildly warmer weathers. I am not much of a swimmer but when Gossard came out with another outstanding swim piece for this AW15 season, I could not help but fall in love and pursue the lovely Blossom bikini set for myself. Luckily, my and Gossard’s thoughts collided and they were super kind to send me a set in 32G + UK size 10 short bottoms, so here’s a small review before our beach weathers are over!

The Design: I have to say this style appealed to me the first time I saw it at Moda six months ago and still, it is one of the most beautiful prints I have seen in the swimwear scene in my whole life. Blue hues are a huge trend for next autumn/winter season which is why the colour seems very appropriate as well – however it is a lovely lighter vibrant shade which also suits summer very well. I am a fan of blue myself as it suits so many skin tones and looks usually much better than black yet still being classic enough to suit most tastes.

The Blossom style comes in two different top and bottom styles, from which I opted the bandeau plunge (£46) and the frilly shorts (£16). However, if you would like something a bit more revealing and a little less heavy-lifting appropriate bikini top, you can always try the same set with the triangle top and the brazilian bottoms. I like my bikinis a bit more covering (aka comfy) and both the bandeau top and the short bottom suited my tastes well. The top is very similar to the construction of my Sienna swimsuit (click for the review!) with the plunging neckline and push-up pads. The extra oomph is certainly guaranteed with this style!

The Fit: As Gossard seems to be very consistent with their sizing, I decided to go for my regular 32G and size 10 bottoms (US size 6). This was definitely the right choice even though as with other Gossard swimwear I have tried, the band of the bikini top was a bit tighter than I am used to. Again, it is much easier to put the top on while wet as the materials get stretchier! However, if you are just looking for a cute bikini to sunbath in, I would suggest going up a size from your regular Gossard band size (the 32 band stretches up to roughly 30-30,5″). Also the band is pretty narrow which is something I would revise a bit when it comes to the top – the security is still there but the narrow band seems to create a few extra bulges on my back which is not something I fear immensely but feel a bit “meh” about.

The cups of the bikini run true to size for Gossard (one cup size bigger than with other British brands) even with the push-up padding which usually leads into overall smaller cups. My boobs fit in the cups well but the structure of the cups seems to be more suited for a full-on-bottom shape as the bikini top gives me “two cakes on a plate”-cleavage in addition to the regular one. I don’t mind this at all, but for some FOT gals this might be too much.

The bikini bottoms are just the right size for me so I would go for the same size as with your regular Gossard knickers. Gossard bottoms usually run a bit large-ish so if you are between sizes, I would recommend sizing down. The shorts cover my butt really well and look flattering on, even though shorts are sometimes not the best look on me. What would actually be a great addition to the bikini set would be a choice of high-waisted ruffle bottoms – at least I would buy them in a heart beat!

Comfort: Even though I was a bit hesitant about the comfort aspect of the bikini top (I had some uncomfortable chafing with Sienna), the top is actually fantastic when swimming and stays on comfortably like a dream. I took this baby to a test-run in a nearby public swimming pool and it stayed on really well while doing laps. Swimwear is after all all about the practicality and this bikini set definitely ticks the box. Also, this time there was no chafing whatsoever and I could comfortably swim for a good half-an-hour (could have done it for much longer as well but I’m a lazy swimmer, haha). The halter bikini straps are removable, which is why it is super important for the top to be sturdy if you fancy a strapless look to your bikini. Also the bottoms stayed on well while swimming, which is why this bikini set is a sure winner for all full-busted and even smaller busted ladies out there.

The bandeau plunge comes in sizes 30-38 A-G and the bottoms XS-XL. If you wanna snatch this beauty up at a discount, you can get 20% off with the code PAYDAY20 – how awesome is that? The code applies site-wide and ends 12th of Aug, midnight in GMT.

Have you had a chance to wear a bikini or a swimsuit this summer? Which one has been your favourite so far? Let me know in the comments so I can check your fave picks out! 😉