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?

Moda Exhibition 2015: Cyberjammies SS15 + AW15 Collections

A week ago I had the pleasure of going to Moda Exhibition to see all the lovely autumn/winter 2015 collections all my beloved lingerie brands had been preparing for so long. I was about to skip the Moda this time but fate intervened in my plans a bit and I was asked to take part in the Moda lingerie panel discussion – so how could I say “no”? I asked Anna from Bras and Body Image if I was welcomed to stay with her again (she lives near Birmingham) and to my great happiness, she had a spare bedroom for the very weekend. Last week I packed my bags and was ready to visit my home-away-from-home again!

This time I was lucky enough to be strolling around Moda for two whole days which lead me to meet so many new brands I had not heard of before and one of my best discoveries was definitely Cyberjammies. As I have not covered sleepwear that much apart from Gossard and Charnos, I was happy to get to know a great alternative to my boudoir and thermal wear I had been introduced to before.

It is actually a miracle on its own I had not heard of Cyberjammies before – they have a very wide footing around the globe and are also sold on several big online lingerie stores such as my fave Figleaves. Looking at their size chart, they are also actually pretty damn full-bust friendly as their size 10 woven top does not fit a standard bust measurement of 34″ but a bust of 38,5 inches. To me this is definitely a huge plus and I would love to see how this works in practice!

In addition to what seems to be a very forgiving size chart, the brand clearly takes care of the comfort and style aspects of their products. I usually just browse around Moda very hastily (I assure you one day is not enough to see it all, the Panache stand itself steals a good hour of my time!) but as I walked past the Cyberjammies stand I just had to stop and take a good look at their fabulously cute prints and vintage-inspired styling. Those roses, birdies and check prints – so very traditional yet fresh at the same time. Also the colour schemes were super refreshing compared to so many other sleepwear ranges – this brands wants to offer something on-trend in addition to your regular pastels.

Also the comfort aspect seems to be a key to Cyberjammies – of course, it’s a sleepwear line and you’d never wear something scratchy or sweaty to bed, would you! With my extensive skin problems I am always on a look out for comfy yet stylish sleepwear that would fit my curvy figure which is actually a pretty hard thing to find (best regards, “Laying in my bed, hating my bad-quality Primark tee”). As I asked about the materials, the brand rep was quick to point out that most of their jammies are not made out of pure cotton as it is not always the most soft and comfy material on its own. Most of Cyberjammies are made of different cotton blends or eg. modal to make their sleepwear extra soft against even the most sensitive skin types. This was a big relief to me, as soft breathable materials are my best friend for lounging around.

Cyberjammies are made in a few different styles to ensure that everyone gets what they look for: it might a pretty robe, classic pyjamas or perhaps a relaxed nightshirt. Surely there is plenty of room in one’s wardrobe for each though! There are also different lengths of sleeves and bottoms, which makes the brand versatile and suitable for many climates. I am cold-feet by day but nights can get literally quite steamy which is why I feel like my wardrobe is definitely in need of a couple of different styles from these bad boys!

Cyberjammies come in a great size range of UK 8-22 and the prices are bang-on as well (about £40-45 for pyjamas). Pyjamas can be bought even as a set or you can choose to mix and match the kind of tops and bottoms you feel the most comfortable in. If you would like to take a look at their current collection and maybe snatch up a beauty or two, Cyberjammies has their own online store which ships worldwide with reasonable shipping rates.

Let me know how you like Cyberjammies and if you have tried them already! I am always pleased to hear about your thoughts 😉 xx