Custom-Made Lingerie by Impish Lee – A Review

Hi there folks! How are you doing? I am doing fabulous, just started my own business so been busy busy busy! I am now doing burlesque full-time, which means teaching classes and workshops, performing and producing. I am absolutely having time of my life! Still, I would like to keep the ol’ blog alive and get back to you from time to time. This time for an excellent reason!

Recently I got approached by the amazing ladies at Impish Lee, who I have written about in the past as well. Since then, the brand has grown to be quite an Instagram phenomena with its body positive imagery and a fresh take on luxury lingerie. I have been a fan since day one (thanks to my friend Jessica at Warning, Curves Ahead!) and now I got to try one their custom-made sets myself. I was so excited! *This set was sent to me as a gift by Impish Lee. All opinions are my own.*

The process of ordering from Impish Lee is a bit different, if you go for a custom-made set. When I say custom-made, I mean that the customer is able to put together a completely original look choosing all of their own materials and colours. The sizes are not custom per se, but the brand has a pretty good selection of sizes going up US J-cup. Their size calculator seems to be up to par as well, even though calculators may not work for everyone, as we well know.

Impish Lee offers ready-to-wear sets but if you have the chance to try them, I would gladly recommend trying the set customizer. Their variety of fabrics, colours and design choices is very vast and I had a ton of fun choosing my exact materials! Impish Lee offers 16 different top options and 11 bottom options, meaning there is a lot of things you can do with your design. I went with a balconette bra and high-waisted short, as it was obvious to me that a set this special was going to end up on stage – I don’t like skimpy costumes on stage so I wanted go for a more retro flirty look with the pants.

The materials range from more everyday fabrics like modal to luxurious velvets and shiny options as well. I decided to use velvet as my main fabric choice, because of the rarity of it in full-bust lingerie. I loved the rich shades of fuschia and burgundy and decided to pair them with a classic black ornament pattern. I decorated the set with a couple of cute bows and that was it!

The Pricing of the set depends on what you choose as your garments – meaning that more simple designs such as tank tops and thongs are less expensive than longline bras and underskirts or shorts. This way you can alter the price of your set and get something custom-made depending on your budget. However, custom lingerie is never cheap and nor should it be. Impish Lee produces its designs ethically in USA and it’s a woman-led business creating something very unique in a vast size range. This alone makes it worth every penny.

The Quality of the set is also very noticable – there are no loose ends or cheap materials and overall the set feels very well made. It is sturdy and offers me good support. The velvets are very plush and overall the materials feel great on my skin, even with a bad skin condition. The cups have a fairly good amount of depth to them, which is rare for an American brand. The straps get a special mention with this bra, as they have been placed quite well for a balconette bra. These don’t fall off my shoulders and still, the bra is not a full-cup but a true balconette. Other brands, listen and learn! The shape of the bra is also quite lovely, yet more on the natural side so not ultra round. This may put off some customers but I really like the shape the bra gives me.

The Sizing of the brand is a regular US sizing, meaning it’s pretty similar to EU-sizing after F-cup. As a result from the calculator, I got a 32I but resulted in ordering a 32J according to my ususal size. This is a rough equivalent to a size UK 32GG. I was right with my choice and am happy with the size! The pants go by US sizing as well, so keep that in mind if you are more familiar with EU or UK sizing. For example a US 8 is a UK 12.

My overall experience with the brand as people and as lingerie-makers has been extremely positive. They were darling even with all my hassles with the Finnish customs office (which is a absolute dumpster btw) and have been very helpful along with the process of making my own set. I cannot recommend this company enough! I know I blog extremely rarely these days, but when I do, I like to promote brands that actually earn it. This was definitely one of them!

What do you think of my colour and material choices? What would you choose for your very own custom set? Let me know in the comments!

 

Lingerie Review: Parfait “Darlene” in 32G

Even though Parfait by Affinitas collection is not the biggest on the full bust market, Parfait has nonetheless acquired a steady staple status as being the most promising American full-bust brand, going up to K-cup with their cult favourite bra Charlotte. I have been lucky enough to have met with the brand’s reps several times during these years of lingerie blogging and they have always been super supportive of my blog. This winter, even during my non-inspired phase and not-that-frequent blogging, Parfait has still wanted to keep me in the loop with their new styles. Today I am bringing you some more snow-queen-off-duty realness (which seems to be this winter’s theme here over at 2COP!) and introduce you to the new beautiful Parfait set, called Darlene. *Diclosure: This set was kindly sent to me by Parfait. All opinions are my own.*

The Design: Darlene is a rather unique sort of bra to me personally as its shape is something between a full-cup and a balconette, but it is also nor seamed nor moulded but something in between – does anyone actually have a name for such a cut?! There is one seam going across the bottom half of the cups but it only reaches the apex of the cups giving the otherwise moulded fabric a bit more uplift. Completely moulded non-padded bras have a reputation of not being very uplifting and thus attractive shape-wise (at least I like my boobs lifted, huh?).

The shape of the Darlene is still rather subdued so it’s not “up your chin” type of boobs, but a more natural look, almost a bit minimized if you ask me. The one thing that I would change about the bra is that the cups don’t necessarily bring my boobs closer together, which is something I would prefer. However, the balconette neckline is quite nice under wide necklines such as my Pinup Couture peasant tops. The bra is very appropriate for work as it does not offer much cleavage, which suits me well as I work with kids and need to look “appropriate”.

The look of the bra is quite subtle and elegant, and I like that is not your average t-shirt bra even though it works pretty well for that purpose. The lace lies flat under most tops and there are no extra ruffles to show through – yet the ensemble is still pretty and not too boring.

The Fit: I have a pretty “wild” history with the Parfait sizing – starting from 30G a couple of years back, trying 30HH at some point and now settling into 32G/GG. My Darlene is a 32G as most Parfait bras are not made in 32GG which would probably be my best size with them. The Parfait bands are said to be on the snugger side and this holds true with most of their styles – however, Darlene seems to run rather more true-to-size as opposed to eg Elissa which was the latest Parfait I tried last spring. I enjoy the Darlene’s band quite a bit – it is supportive with three hooks and eyes yet it is still rather comfy.

The cups are true-to-size as well – which unfortunately mean that they are just a tiny bit too small for me, mainly on my bigger boob. You can see the edge of the cup cutting into my full upper breast tissue, but I have forgiven the bra for this as it is a great shape under certain tops I already mentioned above. The cups are actually otherwise very flexible and thus if you are more full-on-bottom, you might enjoy this bra even in a smaller cup size.

Comfort: Even the look of the bra oozes: “I’m so comfortable! Wear me to everywhere!” The materials of Darlene are lightweight which is always a plus for me – I don’t need any more bulk to my bust and the Darlene works perfectly when I need a bit of minimizing to my bust line. As said, the bra cups are quite stretchy which will be a good thing for ladies who fluctuate in breast size during their cycle or have a bit of asymmetry.

The cups of the bra are a bit too shallow and wide for me, but the too-wide underwires are not a problem per se. I take more issue with the strap placement, which is sadly a bit too wide for me and leads up to some minor chafing in the armpit. If you are more broad-shouldered and wide overall, this may not be an issue for you. I wish Parfait would take into consideration the strap placement when going back to their designing table, as otherwise, this bra is very comfortable indeed!

The bottoms are a bit of a pass to me, as they are not exactly my taste to begin with. I always give a low-cut brief a chance – after all, I do have some really nice low-cut panties as well – but this time the sizing was a bit off for me and the Small felt just a bit too snug. I would say the Darlene panties feel a bit smaller than eg the “Charlotte” briefs. They are cute everyday knickers for someone who likes a super basic low-cut brief, but I prefer my panties a bit higher to feel comfortable and covered.

If you would fancy to treat yourself a bit for Xmas, you can find the Darlene set at Bare Necessities for 33,70 € for the bra (sizes 30-40 D-G) and briefs for 14,29 € (sizes S-XXL).

Bespoke Corsetry: Review of Vollers Made-to-Measure Corset

There is nothing like getting a lingerie item made to your own specific measurements: it feels like the ultimate luxury, having something so close to your body fit like a dream. So you can imagine my delight when the legendary Vollers Corset Company contacted me and asked if I wanted to review a corset from their selection. Of course I did! Knowing I wouldn’t fit into the measurements of their regular overbust corsets, we immediately decided to have a corset made to my measurements specifically. I was over the moon! After a couple of weeks of making my corset and sending it to me in a lovely luxurious wrapping, I finally placed my paws on this beautiful garment. As corsets take time to test, I have owned this piece for a few months now but I hope I can be a bit more thorough with my review because of that.

The Design: I wished for something similar to the Eye Candy corset as it was a classic sweetheart neckline with a Jessica Rabbit-ish look to it! I had seen a couple of other bloggers wearing similar styles and had fallen head over heels in love with it. I also really wanted an overbust corset, as that was something quite impossible for me when buying corsets off-the-rack – so it was kind of a once-in-a-lifetime kind of opportunity. I would say that the Eye Candy style is more of a quarter-bust style as it does NOT cover even half of my bust. I know my bust is quite big to be contained in an overbust corset, but it is also a matter of breast shape; my bust has a lot of fullness on the top part of it (ie above the areola) which means there will be naturally more overflow with these sort of corset styles.

I had no idea what colour my corset would be, but I wished for something golden, as I thought is was a great colour for both spring and autumn and would fit perfectly under a little black or red dress during the Christmas party season. The Vollers team decided to make my wish come true and paired the gold with a classic black. The laces are black to be as modest as possible and the golden grommets are carefully hidden with an extra fabric trim at the front. The curve of the corset is quite impressive which is always a huge upside when it comes to corsets – however, if you want something extra curvy and decide to go for bespoke Vollers corset, I would advice you to give the design team a bit smaller waist measurement than you actually have. This will ensure you can tight-lace and even waist train in your corset and won’t have to change your corset size too soon.

The lower part of the corset is not my favourite style though – the rounded “hem” makes my belly look more rounded than it is and does not flatter my body type the best way. I would have probably needed something a bit more straight/horizontal line to fit my body – now the hem of the corset curves upwards at the sides which is not ideal on my body, as I would love some compression and definition especially on my upper hip/lower belly area.

The Fit: The corset I received features 16 steel bones, ten panels , a waist tape and five busk closures to close it at the front. As I knew better with this corset, it being my second, I knew that I had to close it at the front starting from the middle busk closures and then working my way up/down from there. This corset was a lot easier to close and open compared to the True Corset which I reviewed here – I think that might have had something to do with the Vollers corset being an inch or so bigger at the waist, which made it easier to loosen it up before trying to put it on. As this corset is made to my very own measurements, I could choose the size between regular corsets sizes 24 and 26, which made the waist size absolutely perfect for me. I only wear corsets for special occasions, so I won’t be closing the back anytime soon, but as this is the right size for me, I can still tighten the corset the way it won’t show any skin under the modesty panel.

My biggest gripe with this corset, as with the previous one from True Corset as well, is that  it is undoubtedly too short for me. I have an extremely long torso that would need a suuuuper longline-style corset, which the Vollers corset unfortunately is not. This is a preference thing though – some like their corsets short and sweet, whereas I like mine to go seamlessly across my whole upper body. I feel like the shortness of the corset is pushing my middle body fat towards my lower belly and thus creating more bulk there, which is not the most desirable affect, especially with wiggle-style dresses. Also, it gives me less boob coverage when being so short, as I can’t hike the corset up more and risking my lower body having even less coverage.

The first and foremost question we need to ask with this piece is however, does it support my boobs? Well, in short, it really does. If you scroll down to the last picture of this review, you can see me wearing the corset under my Collectif Dolores dress without a bra on. The corset gives me a very Marie Antoinette like shape – kind of like a shelf-boob – but there is no discomfort with the bust flopping around or moving painfully inside my dress. The cups are big enough to hold all the volume of my lower breasts and there are no unsightly bulges to make people guess I have crammed myself into a too-small OTR corset. It doesn’t flatten me out either but makes my waist and bust ratio look deliciously curvy.

These pics have been taken a few months apart – this means there may be some slight changes to my body and how the corset looks on it.

Comfort: This one is always a bit tricky for me when it comes to reviewing corsets – some people claim good corsets are never uncomfortable and you will be able to breathe pretty normally with one on. To be honest, this is not the case with me. Even with a bespoke corset, I have hard time wearing it for several hours as it constricts my breathing, movement and eating habits. Disclaimer: don’t eat a normal warm meal when wearing a corset! It will instantly make you feel sick and you will need to take your corset off, especially if you are a beginner. As someone who lost her corset virginity only a few months ago, I cannot say for sure if the comfiness aspect will improve over months of wear, but I am pretty sure me and corsets are not meant to be full-time lovers. I also think this is a lot due to my ribcage shape which is very protruding and thus fights the shape of the corset. However, bones are flexible and will get used to corseting over time.

The materials of my Vollers corset are definitely premium quality and feel good against a bare skin – I know you are supposed to wear a liner or a cami of some kind to prevent your corset from greasing and getting sweaty, but I don’t wear them for a full day ever, so I am not too concerned about that. With my Vollers corset, I can clearly see that the quality is overall supreme, and it is lovingly stitched to the very last detail to make its wearer feel extra special.

Overall, my experience with the Vollers bespoke service was excellent, even though I forgot to mention a few details that would have helped them to create an even better fitting garment for my body type per se. If you are looking to have something made just for you, make sure to tell them each detail that they would need to take into consideration when it comes to your corset. Bespoke corsets cost always a bit more than their OTR equivalents, so make sure that the makers have all the information they need – this will ensure that at the end, you will have a perfect luxury product for your special occasions.

If you are looking to invest in a reasonably priced, well-made made-to-measure or off-the-rack corset, I would be happy to recommend Vollers for both purposes and budgets. You can find their look book here and  get an idea what would suit your body the best way. To have a corset especially made for you, you can contact Vollers by email. However, they do offer most of their corsets in sizes 18″-38″ which is a very impressive size range on its own. Have you ever considered buying a bespoke corset? After this review, would you be tempted to? Let me know in the comments! xx

My First Corset! – Review of a Playgirl “Under the Cup Support Corset Cincher”

This review is a bit overdue for multiple reasons – the first one being my illness a couple of weeks back when I was in a horrible flu with the side effect of an ear infection and ferocious cough that prevented me from wearing the corset in the first place. It is absolutely not true that you cannot breath in a corset but breaking in a new one when being sick? I didn’t want to take the chance, I was coughing my lungs out already. Another reason for postponing this review was my fear of writing my very first corset review – corsets are not as familiar to me as bras which is why I wanted a proper testing period for this product but also time to do some heavy research. After much reading about corsets and wearing one now and then, I can give my thoughts on being a first time corset wearer and also how this Playgirl waist cincher suited my purposes of a first-time corset.

When True Corset asked if I wanted to try something from their selection, it was a tough choice and I wanted to pick something suitable for my body – something quite long, full-bust appropriate and rather basic yet curvy. I know some of the off-the-rack corsets can be a bit too straight for my body and purposes, so I tried to pick something with a bit more curve, yet nothing with hip panels per se as I don’t have that prominent hips that would fill such a corset. I also thought about the colour for a while – on one hand I love bright colours, on the other a black or a white corset could be combined with most lingerie and would still look nice. As I stumbled across the “Under the Cup Support Corset Cincher” and it claimed to be one of the best options for us larger busted ladies, I decided to go for it.

Note: These pics have been taken after just a couple of wears and I have NOT tightlaced the corset and it has NOT been properly “broken in”. I  could have laced it in much tighter but that is not the best decision when wearing the corset for the first few times.

The Corset Cincher is 12″ long at the back and 11″ long at the front, so I knew that it would be a bit too short for me, even though being on the longer side of OTR corsets. I have a freakishly long torso, about 12-13″ and thus it’s hard to find a corset that would reach as far down on my body as I would like to. This particular corset was meant to cover all of the skin below your bra, but for me it did not unfortunately do that, because of my own body proportions. There are ten panels in the corset and twelve steel bones, eight spiral and four flat. Grommets are completely black which means the style is very discreet and classic. The materials are pretty basic too: the outer layer of the corset is thick taffeta and the inner layer is made out of 100% cotton twill. There is also a waist tape inside the corset, which apparently is a sign of a rather good construction.

Breaking in a corset takes quite a bit of time and it is not recommended to wear your first corset for long periods of time. I started with only a couple of hours and now have proceeded to wear the corset up to 7-8 hours a day. I am not waist training as I don’t have time and patience for it, but I would like the gap of my corset to close so that there wouldn’t be any skin showing at the back. This will take some regular wear so I hope to be wearing this corset as much as I can over the next couple of months. I went for a size 24 which is meant for a 28-29″ waist just like mine, but I do have to say that the sizing with this particular corset feels small. Side note: put it on in the morning before you are all bloated! I would say that in my experience (which is quite little though!), this feels more like a 22. The rule of thumb is to go for about 4″ smaller size than your actual waist measurement, especially if you are waist training. More experienced corset-wearers can go even smaller!

Putting on a corset is another task that can be a bit tricky when you are just a beginner – I for example thought it would be best to try to close the grommets from up to down or vice versa but in fact, the easiest way to close them is to start from the middle grommets and then work your way up and down. To even close the grommets you have to loosen up the laces of your corset quite a bit, depending on how small you went with the size. When you get the hang of it and especially if you have a friend to help you, it is not an impossible task to do! To read more about practical advice on corsets, please take a look at the What Katie Did corset guide.

I happen to own two corsets at the moment and have enjoyed wearing them a lot when I have the chance to do so. What I noticed particularly about the Playgirl corset  is that it’s quite comfortable for a first corset. The long back supports my bust area quite nicely, it makes me sit straight and is comfy to wear even for several hours! There are some things to remember when you are wearing a corset though: you can’t eat as much, you won’t be able to move your middle the way you are used to, so even taking a wee in the bathroom can be a hilarious task to do. When you get used to it, it will be worth the hassle though!

When it comes to the appearance of the corset, I do like the curviness level of it but there are still some things that I need practice with – for example estimating how tight I can lace the whole thing. As you can see, in the pics there is a significant amount of space at the lower portion of the corset meaning it stands out a bit. I haven’t even tried to tighten the corset without Mr 2COP’s help, so I am pretty much on his mercy when it comes to getting the fit right. It’s trial and error, but I am sure to get it right sometime in the future. I promise to take you some progress pics and post them on Insta! Also, if you would like a progress post here on my experience of wearing corsets after breaking them in properly, I would be happy to write about that as well.

If you would like to try this Playgirl Under the Cup Corset Cincher, please take a look at the True Corset site, here. This particular corset comes in sizes 20-36 and costs $75 – they also have great deals on selected corsets so check that option out as well! Also, please let me know in the comments if you wear corsets and what are your tips and tricks for wearing them – I would love to know! xx

Sunday with Samanta: Zorza A330 in 65E

Technically, it will be Monday in 5 minutes or so but as it will be Sunday for a few more hours in States, I can still write my Sunday with Samanta post, right? 😉 It has been a long Easter Sunday and I just couldn’t bring myself to blog before midnight – so typical of me! However, today we are bringing you the Zorza in A33o by Samanta lingerie. For new readers, Samanta is a Polish brand that creates beautiful lingerie for many different sizes, shapes and budgets. Today, we see a style targeted for smaller/ average-sized breasts, that is the A330. *This set was generously gifted by Samanta. All opinions are our own.*

The Design: The A330 is a Samanta model that goes up to EU G-cup in the 65-band – thus it’s made for smaller and more average sized breasts to give them more volume and cleavage. The A330 was especially designed for softer breasts but is definitely suitable for firmer ones as well, which Jo absolutely proved while testing the bra. The bra features detachable push-up pads but even without them, it gives a subtle hint of sexy cleavage. The shape of the bra is very rounded and forward-projecting, just like with most Samanta bras I have encountered so far.

The Zorza is a style part of Samanta’s Pret-a-Porter collection which is a mid-priced core collection alongside of “Young” and “Glamour”. The collection offers beautiful styles with subtle yet luxurious detailing and quality materials – with a lower price point than the Glamour range and yet more “grown-up” sophisticated designs than the Young range. The Zorza style is definitely something you would wear for a Friday night out – it’s sophisticated, yet steaming hot and features some feminine embroidery to seal the deal. The embroidery on the cup edge resembles a lot of sunflowers which go perfectly with the beautiful roses and bows that adorn the set.

The Fit: Jo received the Zorza in the same size as the Anvers she reviewed last time, that is 65E (UK 30DD). She reported that the size was quite similar to the Anvers A475 bra but to be a bra nerd, I must say the cups seem a tiny bit smaller (or perhaps shallower?) and the band is a bit stretchier, not necessarily smaller than with Anvers. I would say that if you want to wear this bra with the push-up pads in the bra, do size up a cup size. The band stretches out a bit during a whole day of wear and thus Jo usually tightens it up a bit at the end of the day by hooking the bra to a tighter set of hooks. However, we need to keep in mind that Jo’s underbust measurement is around 26″ so the 65 band would be too big for her in the first place anyway.

Again, the length and height of the underwires is pretty much perfect for Jo but this time the cups seem a bit shallower than with other Samanta bras. This is quite usual for push-up bras so if you are fan of the shape, do give this beauty a try. The centre gore of the bra is very low and narrow so if you have smaller close-set breasts or find high centre gores painful, this style would be prefect for you.

Comfort: When comparing to Anvers, the A330 Zorza bra is definitely a lot skimpier and thus perhaps not as supportive and everyday-appropriate. Don’t get me wrong – it’s still one of the best push-up bras out there, but as it is targeted for smaller breasts, it is not meant to do any “heavy lifting”. The straps of the bra are a bit thinner and the whole ensemble is quite delicate – thus it is most appropriate for date-nights to look and feel sexy. However, the straps are fully-adjustable and the band features two hooks and eyes, so you can definitely wear it at work as well as it is not made out of strings only! The materials of the set are a bit scratchier compared to Anvers but still feel nice against skin and don’t itch even after a long day of wear.

Jo also received the M300 suspender thong in size Small and even though the tag says “thong” the style is definitely more of a Brazilian brief. This makes sense though – apparently actual thongs are not super popular anymore in Poland which is why Samanta offers their customers a more popular and fashionable choice, that is the Brazilian. The rise of M300 is a bit weird on Jo to be honest – not high or low enough to look the most flattering on her, but I do know some women would find this particular rise absolutely perfect. In my opinion though, these would need to be a bit lower to maintain the sexy look of them and also to not bunch up on Jo’s body, like they do now. However, the suspenders hold stockings really well and are a nice touch, if you want something a bit more special. They are also detachable which makes the set more versatile for everyday wear.

All in all, the Samanta “Zorza” is a lovely style up to EU G-cup (UK F-cup) which would be a perfect pairing with a festive little black dress or a v-neck top. If you are interested to order the Zorza for yourself (or why not for your partner?) take a look at the Samanta online store. The A330 bra sets you back at 59,70€ and comes in 65-85 A-G and the suspender brief is priced at 39,70 and comes in size S-XL. How do you like the Zorza? Have you tried Samanta bras yet? Let me know in the comments below! xx

Lingerie Review: Gossard “Entice” in 32G

The spring is upon us and so are the amazing spring collections that I have been lusting over for over half a year now. It was in August 2015 when I first laid my eyes on the Gossard ss16 collection and again, couldn’t wait to lay my paws on all the pretties. A couple of months ago Gossard dropped its first spring styles with a few gorgeous styles up to G-cup, including the lovely photo-print floral number, Entice which I am reviewing today. *This set was generously gifted by Gossard. All opinions are my own.*

The Design: With a first look, the Gossard “Entice” looks actually a bit like a non-padded bra – its upper mesh part with a beige underlay tricks us to think it’s completely see-through on the upper part of the cup. However, the cups are fully padded and moulded, so this is only an illusion. Personally, I have come to prefer unpadded cups with my current bra size of 30H as my boobs are quite literally BIG. This is something I wish Gossard would take more into account with their designs: there is a time and place for super enhanced look but also for practical non-padded bras.

For a moulded plunge bra it is a gorgeous one though – I love the print and the styling with the black upper half of the bra and if you like the added boost of the padding, this might just be your go-to-bra. The shape is quite rounded and uplifted and the finish is rather smooth under most of my clothes.

The Fit: I went for my regular Gossard size with the bra which is 32G – size-wise Gossard seems to pretty damn consistent which is what I really love about the brand. The only exception so far has been the Gypsy which runs both large in the cup and the band. Even though the size is right for me again with the Entice, this time I unfortunately bumped into some fit-incompatibilities; it seems my upper fullness is not really coping well with this bra and there is some slight bulging with my bigger boob. I would say the Entice is a better option for someone with more lower fullness and also someone who needs wider shallower cups than me. As you can see, there is a bit of empty space at the bottom of the cup which means there is not enough depth for my breasts to sit nicely in the cups.

I think there has been a slight shift in Gossard’s fit when it comes to padded plunge bras as I have noticed that their bras have become more wide and shallow when it comes to cups – I am not sure if it’s just my body that has changed but I certainly encounter more fit issues with Gossard these days. I LOVE their designs to death but I would be really grateful if they could make some more non-padded options up to G-cup. So hint hint, team Gossard 😉

Comfort: As always, I do like how comfortable this set is – the materials are soft and sleek and the mesh featured in the co-ordinates is so thin yet high quality, I feel like I am not wearing anything at all. It’s a bit funny since the bra is so heavy-duty and super padded whereas the panties are like made of fairy dust. I went for size Small with the co-ordinates and it was the right choice. I do feel the Entice panties run a bit more generous than Gossard panties in general but I think it’s partly due to the stretchy mesh at the back of the bottoms. The suspender belt felt true-to-size though so keep that in mind! To me, the suspender belt could have been a bit deeper/wider, as I have such a long torso. However, if you are a more petite gal, I think this would work wonderfully!

When it comes to the bra, the materials are equally lovely as with the co-ordinates and the bra feels sturdy in regular use. The bra band only features two hooks and eyes but I feel the power mesh the band is made of is so strong it does feel very secure even while being a bit narrow for my taste. The bra straps are made with a satin-y finish which is not the best choice for my shoulders as most bra straps fall off my shoulders now and then anyway. The straps are a bit wider though than with most Gossard bras which is a plus if you don’t like your bra straps to feel too wishy-washy.

Even though me and Entice weren’t a match made in heaven fit-wise, I wouldn’t say it’s a bad bra – it just didn’t mesh well with my personal breast shape and preferences. For example, it’s a much better fit for Wen from Comic Girls Need Bras (check out her review!). Overall, it’s a gorgeous style and as most Gossard sets, I do love to wear it on special occasions. Also, you are a burlesque performer, this is a brand and set to try if you are looking for some D+ stage wear! If you are interested to try the Entice, you can find it at the Gossard online store. The bra (30-38 A-G) will set you back at £34 whereas the briefs (XS-XL) cost £14 and the suspender belt £24. That’s pretty damn affordable for such a stunner!

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.

SIL Tradeshow -Parfait AW16 Collection Preview

Parfait is one of those brands that are really famous for one bra – that is the Charlotte. Most of us have bought it at some point of our lives and love the bra as a great bradrobe staple. It is a wonderful ensemble with a unique design and great shape, but I also feel that the rest of the Parfait collection seems to stay in the darkness and not many of my regular online shopping platforms offer some of the other lovely Parfait styles. I hope this AW16 season will be a different story as it is one of the strongest collections Parfait has come out with. Even while being small, the AW16 range offers a variety of lovely lace pieces but also practical basics. Let’s dive into it!

Charlotte in Bronze, Casey in Ruby Wine & Estelle in Merlot

This new AW16 was definitely a great step towards more inclusive DD+ lingerie industry and thus a season for “nude” lingerie for women of colour. As compared to this spring season we are already seeing lots more variety with the “nude” colour palette and Parfait is a great example of it – they didn’t come up with just one, but three styles that will be a great match for dark chocolate toned skin.

The first one of the styles featured above is the good old Charlotte. This style already comes in a dusty rose colour which is great match for my skin for example, but now Parfait has created another lovely basic colour for their signature bra style. Also another classic, Casey (sizes 30-40 D-G), comes in a warm, almost red-ish dark brown colour with the lovely smooth surface to go under the thinnest of t-shirts. If you are looking for a more sexy style though, I would go for the Estelle which is my personal favourite from this whole collection – it’s a lacy, almost Marie Antoinette-like version of the Charlotte and I really like its more feminine look as compared to Charlotte’s fashion forward and edgy design.

Estelle in Black, Aline in Black and Nude

Estelle and Aline are the two new styles for Parfait that come out around July/August in 2016. With the Estelle being a total queen of the collection, the Aline is a new more basic style that comes in both Black and Nude and a classic pinstripe pattern. The design is bandless, which means there is no band fabric at the lower part of the centre gore and the wires make a U-shape on one’s ribcage. I am not a fan of basic t-shirt bras but I know there is a market for them – my mom for example would really enjoy the nude version of Aline.

Destiny in Nightshadow Blue, Marianne in Cobalt Blue

Blue is still going strong as an alternative for black and purple. I am also very much fancying the grey-ish blue tones that seem to also be making their way into basic colours this SS16 season. The new colour of the Destiny bra set would be beautiful on any redhead like myself – it also sports some luxurious satin and lace, which makes the set look far more expensive than it actually is. Both of the sets above come in 30-40 D-G. I am really hoping that at some point Parfait will expand their size range with some of their other styles in addition to Charlotte – I think that would make a lot of ladies super happy!

How do you feel about the new Parfait autumn collection? Do you like the dark brown options? Let me know in the comments below! xx

Salon International de la Lingerie: Preview of Scantilly AW16 Collection

I am back from Paris! So happy to be back even though it was a great trip – I got to meet not one but three lingerie bloggers this time (hi Astrid, Anna and Cora!) and see so many brands that cannot really be seen anywhere in the UK or Finland. Exciting times! This roundup of SS16 collections is going to kick-start with the oh-so-alluring Scantilly by Curvy Kate, which was one of my personal favourites for this upcoming autumn.

Peek-a-boo in lime green & Invitation in royal blue (Editors note: the ever-so-stunning Laura is NOT wearing the right size in these pictures, but a cup size too small for her – this is because the samples were crafted for another CK model, Lottie! The size range all across the collection is 30-38 DD-HH, S-XL.)

I love Curvy Kate as in my opinion, it is one of the most comfortable lingerie brands out there (this is only a personal preference though). But what really excites me is their naughtier sub-label Scantilly – I have been raving about the aesthetics of this brand for half a year now and I have even written a review of their core style Peek-a-boo (click for the review!). This AW16 season there will be three previous styles (including the breath-taking “Surrender”-basque, YAY!) continuing their journey in the Scantilly storyline, but also four new styles to take the collection a bit further.

The Peek-a-boo is introduced in a lovely new colourway for the autumn season; an amazing lime green which is a lovely unique shade to the full-bust lingerie industry. Not much green has been seen for the past couple of years but this spring it’s actually making its way into the collections of some mainstream brands. The black version of this set will still be included in the collection as a core style but to be honest, I am way more excited about such a unique colour than any sexy black bra out there! “The Invitation” is another style introduced already a couple of months ago – this time however, it will be launched in a more sumptuous royal blue colour which takes the set up a notch with a more luxurious feel to it.

Fixate & Showtime, both in black/cream

The Fixate and Showtime sets are both new-comers in the Scantilly family – they are lovely feminine ensembles with contrasting classic colourways and luxurious feeling texture to them. I am not usually the biggest fan of polka dots but I do like it at times when it comes to cute lingerie. And that’s what Showtime really is – something über cute with some seriously sexy + strappy detailing and a suspender belt to top it all of. The set comes with a more covering short-style brief but also a skimpy thong for those more daring.

The Fixate features a lovely scale-reminiscing embroidery that adorns the lacy non-padded cups but also the matching ouvert-back knickers and the teeny-weeny thong. The style of the Fixate bra is something quite new to both CK and Scantilly – it is a bandless shape which is always quite intriguing fit-wise.

Ignite in copper/black and Unleash in black faux leather

These last two sets are the ones that really stood out for me in this collection – the gorgeous metallic ensemble Ignite and the leather-y show stopper Unleash. Both collections are on the naughtier side of Scantilly – there is nothing sweet or girly about these sets anymore, they are pretty much oozing of sexiness that nobody can deny. Copper is still not very widely used as a contrasting colour in lingerie (at least not in the full-bust market) but what really is not for the shyest about the Ignite, are the open-crotch knickers. Yap, you heard me. Open. Crotch.

My absolute favourite set in the collection is the Unleash though – who is not in for a bit of faux-leather goodness?! The bra is a classic half-cup shape with an amazing rose-gold buckle and there are two sexy options for the bottoms; a strappy thong or a key-hole detail featuring high-waisted knickers. The range also features two novelty pieces to it which include a sheer black smock top and a breath-takingly innovative Tuxedo harness. I am pretty sure the Tuxedo will be a hit product as soon as it launches in late autumn!

What are your favourites from this Scantilly AW16? Also, what are your thoughts on faux-leather lingerie and open crotch knickers? I am itching to know so drop me a comment below, will you!

Happy New Year with Playful Promises – Review of “Juliet” in 32G

Hi everyone and happy Three Kings’ Day! Christmas is finally over and I am finishing off my holidays as well – the uni is starting again on 11th so still a few more days to go. The reason I haven’t blogged for two weeks is because, obviously holiganza happened but also because I have been organizing things for my incoming exchange students. I am taking care of 11 students this spring term and it has already been a hassle so excuse me for lacking the time to engage with you! I am happy to say though that I am back and will start off the year with something super lovely – that is the Playful Promises full bust collection.

When Anna from Playful Promises contacted me this late autumn and told me about her upcoming DD-G collection, I was so excited – PP is a brand I have been loving and drooling over for a couple of years now and as they were out of reach for me because of the size range, they left my heart broken in million pieces. Imagine my joy when they announced the size expansion! Anna was kind to offer me a set from this new collection and as I had been lusting over the strappy lingerie trend for a while, I decided to go for the sexy and edgy Juliet. Here’s how I like the complete set!

Design: I had such a hard time picking a set from this fantastic collection as Playful Promises really nails it with every single design they do. And I am not kidding – you know when most brands come up with a couple of gems a season but this brand is something else. Each set is a carefully crafted piece of seduction that speaks to me personally on so many levels. When I saw the Portia on eg Becky from Becky’s Boudoir I went instantly nuts and was sad I couldn’t catch them all – but you mustn’t be greedy ya know 😉

I have loved the strappy Dom lingerie trend when it first came in fashion and even though some people are predicting it to finally see its end, I am really loving these sorts of designs still. I was happy to see Playful Promises translate the style to a full-bust collection and I think they hit jackpot with Juliet – the clean styling and black colour of set emphasize the carefully placed straps that adorn the bodice and upper bust area. The bra comes with a separate harness that goes over the bra and can be tossed if it does not suit your ensemble of the day. I personally haven’t found many dresses that would compliment this bra that much but I have a red little number on the way that just might be it.

The bra cups are constructed of three pieces with two vertical seams – which is actually pretty unusual for a G-cup bra. Most brands refuse to use this pattern as it is not seen as the most supportive one – which I beg to disagree on. I really like how PP uses this sorts of style to create half-cup like look but unfortunately, there is still some work that needs to be done on the shape. I personally feel it flattens and widens my bust a bit which is something that Anna and her design team could still look into. I prefer a very rounded look to my bust and this is why I would love to see this style tweaked just a bit.

Fit: With new full-bust collections it is always a bit of a hassle to find your perfect size and fit. As PP does not go above G yet, I decided to sister size down from 30GG (which I still sometimes wear in addition to 30H) to 32G. I was aware that PP might come a bit small in the band like most vintage inspired / reproduction lingerie brands which is why I was quite certain the band wouldn’t come up too loose. And I was right – the band is very tight and the 32 only stretches up to approximately 31″ which is my exact underbust measurement (I should probably cut down on my back weights at the gym, sigh…) at the moment. If you are between band sizes, I would definitely suggest sizing up. The band is a rather rigid sort of power mesh which is why I don’t see it stretching out too easily either.

The cups are pretty much true to size and fit the same way as with most British full-bust brands – quite wide and shallow that is. This does not personally suit my breast shape that well and I would love for PP to experiment with just a smidge deeper cups to achieve a better fit for so many girls like me. However, I know that there really are wide and shallow girls out there as well and this could be a great fit for them. I am just being greedy and wanting this brand to fit me amazingly so I can buy all the pretties, haha!

The wires are not super wide like some British underwires so I definitely don’t have a problem with them going too far in my armpits. The cups are also pretty low-cut meaning the wires are not chafing me anywhere. The centre gore of the bra floats a bit off my sternum but not horribly so and if the cups were just a teeny bit deeper, I am sure this would be fixed (though I am not too fussy about floating gores, I actually hate when they tack me too hard and pinch me in the sternum!)

Comfort: As I did mention before, the band is very tight on me which is why it’s perhaps not the most comfy on me yet. This is because I have not gotten much wear out of the bra for not getting my creative juices flowing and pairing it with enough outfits. I am sure however that after a few more wears the band will loosen up and feel more comfortable. In fact, it is better for the band to be a bit too snug at first, so it will still be supportive after you “break it in”. The materials are lovely on this set and I love how good quality they feel on – the metal parts are sturdy and the garters of the girdle are “real” garters which actually hold up your stockings.

The straps of the bra are quite wide and placed well so they won’t fall off my shoulders easily; they are also half-adjustable but still quite a good length so I could see this working on someone a bit taller or shorter than me (I am 5’6 for reference).The underwires of the bra are very flexible meaning they move nicely with my body while being active throughout the day.

The co-ordinates to this set are equally lovely as the bra itself – I love that the set comes with a high-waisted panty which is my preferred style of knickers but also with a lovely vintage-style girdle. Both of them have little peep-holes at the back which is a great design detail and suit the set well. I got both the panties and the girdle in a UK size 12 but I can see that there is a slight size difference between them – the girdle comes up a bit snugger than the knickers and I easily could have sized down to 10 with the panties. I think this might be because the girdle is a smoothing garment as well and needs to suck your tummy in a bit to create a desired silhouette. All in all, I love both of the co-ordinates and they are perfect for everyday wear for being simple in design and creating a clean line under pencil dresses and other sleek clothes.

If you would like to get some extravagant full-bust lingerie for yourself, do check out the Playful Promises full-bust collection on their online store. The prices are a bit higher than your average full-bust bras and everyday panties but then again – this is not your average lingerie. The Juliet harness bra (comes in sizes 28-36 DD-G) sets you back at £65, the high-waisted knickers (UK sizes 8-16) at £25 and the girdle (sizes 8-16) at £38.

How do you like the new Playful Promises full-bust collection? Do you think boudoir brands are in need in the full bust market? Let me know in the comments! xx