Moda Lingerie Preview: Panache, Cleo & Sculptresse SS17

Panache SS17 is the last collection I will go through before I move on to the AW17 season! This is a huge collection so please keep reading 😉

PANACHE

Clara in Royal Blue (D-J cups), Thea in White Floral (D-K), Floris in Black Floral (D-K), Clara in Pink/Dove (D-J), Jasmine in White Abstract, Blue Blossom and Petal print (D-K)

Sandie in Cashmere (D-K), Elise in Powder Blue (D-G), Cari in Champagne (D-H) and Petra in Capuccino (D-H)

The Panache core collection was once again vast and rather true to Panache’s regular British style – lots of floral prints such as the Thea and Floris. These will no doubt appeal to the most loyal Panache fans who love their quirky colour combos and ditsy florals. I myself prefer a more watercolour-like look and was super satisfied to see the core style Jasmine in lovely pastel-y shades and bigger more blurred floral prints. The Abstract print is super fresh and I like the colour combination – it will suit Easter perfectly! The Clara is an old favourite of mine and I am again very pleased with the colour combination, besides, anything looks great in a shinier fabric with a lace on top of it! The really exciting part is that Clara now comes with a high-waisted knickers, which is a perfect luxurious addition to the line.

There weren’t that many completely new styles in the Panache core collection but the Petra and Sandie are both delightful additions to the collection. The Sandie is a much prettier set in flesh, so if you have a chance to try it in a store, please do so! The embroidery is absolutely beautiful and the colour will be perfect for many pale-skinned beauties in the summertime. If you have a deeper skin tone though, the Petra might be your cup of tea. It is a lightly-padded and well-constructed little beauty and would make a great staple for someone who is struggling to find full-bust sizes in a deep-enough skin tone. It’s still not very dark, but a good start for a British full-bust brand.

PANACHE BLACK

Etta in Navy (D-G), Aria in Navy/Nude (D-H), Ruby in Black (D-H), Quinn in Unpadded Balconette (D-K) and Strapless (D-G)

The Panache Black collection featured mostly core colours such as white, navy, black and beige, which has been the MO of the range since the very beginning. The focus is on the cuts and luxurious materials, which brings the price point up just a bit. The new styles – the Ruby and Quinn – were some of my personal favourites from the collection. I love the cut-outs where the cups meet the straps with Ruby and the bridal collection is stunning with its satins and golden hardware. I am however a bit disappointed that the strapless Quinn bra only goes up to G – but perhaps they’ll bring it up to H next season? A girl can hope! (hint hint, team Panache)

PANACHE SPORT

The Panache sports bra is again introduced in two prints and up to J-cup. My favourite from the two is the more abstract print with a salmon highlights at the neckline. This print would be amazing on matching sports tights! The cyber print is a bit odd and quirky but I can definitely see some people fancying it. The non-wired sports bras go up to H-cup and match the wired ones with their colour themes.

CLEO BY PANACHE

Hettie in Blue/Teal (D-J), Marcie in Navy (D-J), Mimi in Spot Print (D-H) and Minnie in Navy Multi Print (D-J)

Breeze in Floral Print (D-H), Skye in Violet Mix (D-J), Koko Spirit in Fuchsia (D-H), Kayla in White Multi Print (D-J)  and Piper in Acid Coral (D-J)

Cleo is again a pleasant sight: lovely prints and bright young colours. Again, navy is one of the core colours with this collection and I love the fact that there’s not a lot of black. Navy is a basic colour that compliments so many, which is why I prefer it over black, beige and white. Pink and coral were also very much on trend, and neons are making a subtle comeback this upcoming spring. The Piper in Acid Coral was absolutely stunning and perhaps, I will be able to try it this time as last season it was completely sold out!

There weren’t many new styles in the Cleo collection, apart from the padded plunge style Koko Spirit, which is a new version of the regular Koko style, transformed to be a bit more trendy and fashion-y. My personal favourite from the collection is the Minnie though – instead of the older polka dot prints, the Minnie is now available in a lovely more abstract multi print.  Another obvious favourite is the Breeze longline which manages to be a total stunner each season.

SCULPTRESSE

Flirtini in Floral Multi (D-H),  Candi in Cobalt (D-HH), Gina in Raspberry ( D-HH), Chi Chi in Palm Print (D-HH) and Sasha Multiway in Soft Pink (D-H)

Sculptresse, the plus size collection is yet again small yet sweet. Fortunately, there a couple of new styles that were introduced for this season: Gina and Sasha. The Gina is a regular non-padded balconette and the Sasha is supposed to be the ultimate basic bra: nude for Caucasian skin tones, made of light-weight spacer foam material and has a J-hook at the back to form a racerback if needed. The colours are bright and in line with the rest of the Panache collection – corals, blues and pinks to brighten up your spring.

 

PANACHE SWIM

Portofino in Petrol (D-K) and Anya Voyage in Navy (D-G)

Florentine Swimsuit and Bikini (D-G), Nina in Geo Print (D-G) and Britt Stripe in Red/White (D-H)

In the new Panache swim collection there were quite a few new styles, mostly in core colours and floral prints. Unfortunately, there weren’t that many styles that would please me per se, but I did find a couple which I really liked. My absolute favourite was the Florentine strapless swimsuit, which is a lovely vintage-y ensemble. The 50’s and 60’s vibe is still there, which is something I have enjoyed about the Panache Swim collections in the past as well. The Anya Voyage for example is the perfect 60’s Bond girl bikini, in my opinion!

CLEO SWIM

Gigi in Blue/Black (D-G), Avril in Palm Print (D-H), Lucille Tankini in Navy/White (D-H) and Isla in Tropical Orange (D-G)

The Cleo Swim collection was full of colour, palm prints and trendy shapes. I love the piping trend on the new Gigi style and am so disappointed it doesn’t come in my size! If I could wish something from the Panache design team, it would be more bigger cup sizes in especially in the Cleo Swim collection.

Tankinis haven’t been that much on trend recently, but there is one lovely option the collection and that is the Lucille. The colouring is quite classic but the shape is great for younger customers as well.

How did you like the new Panache spring collection? Let me know in the comments below! xx

Guest Post: Review of Panache “Portofino” Swimsuit in 30GG by Comics Girls Need Bras

*This is a guest post written by the lovely Wen from Comics Girls Need Bras. The swimsuit was kindly provided by Panache, but as my big butt prevented it from going past my hips, I decided to gift it to a fellow blogger I admired. Even though Panache was generous to provide us with this swimsuit, all opinions are our own! Many thanks to Wen for the review, she was a darling to jump in and help a damsel in distress.*

As a full-busted woman I’ve struggled for a very longtime trying to find a decent swimsuit that I could wear in any occasion either at the school swimming pool or on the beach. Usually the more simple option is a black or blue wireless swimsuit. The issue with these products is that they contain your breast tissue in a very unnatural way. This could be as uncomfortable as painful because the Lycra flattens your breasts. Even if everything stays in place, the result is rarely elegant because these pieces are basically created for a smaller bust. So when Mette asked me if I would like to review the Panache Portofino swimsuit, I was more than interested! I’ve tried some Panache Sport products and I knew that they usually do a great job hiding the wires of these kind of products to give a smooth look while they still perfectly do the job! However I had never tried any underwired swimsuit and happily, this experience hasn’t been disappointing!

The Design: To be honest when I saw the Panache Portofino swimsuit for the first time on Panache stock pictures I didn’t find it very attractive. It was a simple blue and white swimsuit that I wouldn’t have bought by myself. Then I received the parcel, and the feeling when I put it on was completely different…

First of all, it fits ! This is always a victory when you receive a garment by mail and it fits you well. Second, I LOVE my body in this swimsuit! The design makes me think of the show “The love boat”. It looks perfect for cruise holidays! In my opinion this range has something chic, old-fashioned and I really like its nautical inspiration.

You may have noticed that it seems to be 2 sets of straps: the inner pair is for the invisible “bra” which is hidden inside the bodysuit. That means that the actual straps are not fully adjustable and I have to say that I usually have troubles with half-adjustable straps. In this case, they are quite short and I don’t have to shorten them so much (on these pictures I had forgotten to shorten one of them and I didn’t realise it before I saw the pictures on my laptop). So, the inner bra is basically made like a non padded balconette bra with a good coverage and three-part cup construction.

The ruching in the front seems to make the belly area look more structured. Indeed, the draped fabric paired with the white edge accents at the top of the swimsuit makes it more elegant and flattering. The back also adds a nice finish to this piece with its deep keyhole and its lovely branded gold plate and I was happy to see that the metal finished on the straps are gold too. The plastic closure is easy to use and the « band » feels true to size. I was afraid that it was not “young”enough but finally I’m really happy with the design of this piece. It makes me feel like a really elegant pin-up.

The fit : Mette sent me the Portofino in a 30GG and I would say that it fits me pretty well. However I’d like to try a 30G for comparison. The wires are really wide and sit very low under my inframammary fold. Also the inner cups are a bit too big for my breasts : I had the same impression with Panache Sport bras but as this doesn’t show from the outside, I am not 100% sure if a 30G would fit or not. It is not something I can feel when I wear the swimsuit. It doesn’t bother me, I just notice it when I put it on. So I believe that the bust part of this swimsuit is on the larger side.

One positive thing about the wires placement is that the central gore is very very narrow. This is very good for my close set-breasts and overall, this swimsuit still manages to give me a great support and a natural, yet round shape to my bust. The body is perfect for my usual UK size 10 and it covers everything the right way. The bottom part while providing a great coverage has a nice cut which makes my legs and butt look just fine. I was very surprised to be honest, since I usually think that one-piece swimwears make my legs look shorter and flatten my butt in a weird way.

The only thing that bothers me is that it is not easy to put on. Every time I am afraid to damage it when it passes through my thighs and butt, so the first time I was afraid that it was too small. Fortunately, when I finally put it on properly, the fit is amazing and I don’t have so much to complain about.

Comfort: I think that I am going to wear this piece very often this summer! I love bikinis of course,but wearing a one-piece swimsuit has always given me a sensation of freedom! Let me explain: wearing a properly fitting swimsuit, you can do whatever you want, run, dance, sleep, swim, and while every sensitive part of your body is covered, you are free to move your four limbs! That’s how I feel wearing the Portofino. This piece follows the curves of my body and allows me to move without having to adjust it every now and then.

I think the worst thing I’ve experienced with a swimsuit/bodysuit is when the torso part is too short and makes it uncomfortable because your butt systematically tries to eat it. I didn’t experienced that with the Portofino. The inner bra and lining are made from a very soft mesh and although the crotch is slightly too wide for my body, the legs elastics are quite stretchy and I don’t feel any discomfort.

In a nutshell, I am very satisfied with this piece and I think the whole Portofino range can work, aesthetically-wise, for gals of a different ages, since it is very elegant and pretty! If I could put my hands on the bandeau swim top in my size I’ll be glad to give it a try ! The details of this range are freaking amazing ! If you would like to give the Portofino a try, you can find it on Figleaves for $78 and the size range for the product is 30-38 D-K.

xoxo,

Wen

SS16 Swimwear Roundup – aka My Personal Wishlist!

I am going on a summer vacation for the first time in 14 years. Yap, like a real beach kinda holiday, which is really weird for me as I usually travel to city destinations in the winter time and actually really enjoy. However, a few months ago I kinda blurted out to my mother-in-law that I reaaaaallly needed a proper beach resort holiday and there we were, booking a holiday after a few minutes of conversation. We decided on a lovely city/beach resort of Split, which is located in Croatia, as we really wanted to go somewhere where we could enjoy culture, good food and just relaxing in a nice warm climate.

So, it has been a while since I have actually needed a swimsuit – regardless I do have a few of them, but ya know, why not look for a special one for this occasion. As we browsed through the collections at Moda last August, I did see quite many intriguing little DD+ ensembles, so I would love to share my favourites with you in a form of a wishlist/roundup – who knows, one of these might actually be the one for my holiday in May!

Curvy Kate “Siren” One-Piece

I believe I haven’t really gone through the CK SS16 collection at all, so here’s a lovely sneak peek of what’s coming next from this all-time favourite! The Siren swimsuit is a padded one-piece with detachable straps and adjustable sides at the bottom part of the suit. It features an amazing bright colour and scallop-like detailing which makes it perfect for real-life mermaids like myself! This style is up to J-cup.

Lepel “Hawaii” Bikini

I love Lepel’s swim range – they seem to make so many lovely swim styles each season that I cannot really keep up with them! I had real difficulties picking just one favourite from their collection but ended up with this Hawaii-style which is a cute colourful Tiki-sorts of print with tiny little Hawaiian pinups on it! The shape is very trendy as well – as you can see, it is the same sweetheart neckline that is featured on the Curvy Kate style above. This range goes up to G-cup and as we know that Lepel runs quite large in the cup, I could really give this one a try!

Moontide “Victory” Freedom Twist Suit

Moontide has come out with another strong collection and this time, it’s about clashing colours and graphic prints. I really liked this photorealistic print of the Victory range and even though this particular style does not come in cup sizes, I have heard that this “Twist”-style one-piece is a very full-bust appropriate even in regular dress sizes.

Panache “Britt Stripe” Bikini

The Britt is a Panache classic that has been tweaked a few times and this time comes in a sailor-like navy and white stripe print. I personally became a huge fan of the high-waisted briefs that come with the range and luckily, can also fit into the top as it goes up to H-cup in this halter-neck style. Most Cleo bikini tops stop at G-cup which is a pity to me, but I could easily imagine enjoying this bit more classic style as opposed Cleo’s clashing colours and bold prints. Glam pinup style designs for the win!

Pour Moi “Pineapple” Bikini

All my nearest and dearest know that I have a slight obsession with pineapple prints – which is quite funny cause I reeeeaaally dislike the taste and texture of real pineapple! This cute-ass bikini is by Pour Moi and I am absolutely in love with every aspect of it – it’s navy and pink combo, pineapple printed and comes with adorable ruffly high-waisted bottoms! What’s not to like?? Pour Moi goes up to G-cup so I might want to try their 32G at some point.

Here’s my top 5 of SS16 swimwear – how did you like it? Are you going on a beach holiday someday soon? Let me know in the comments below! xx

Moda SS15 Lingerie & Swimwear Preview: Panache & Panache Swim

I think one of the most awaited previews had definitely been the Panache collection for SS15. As the collection is huge, including all the sub-labels Cleo, Cleo Swim, Panache Swim, Panache Sport, Panache Black (previously known as Masquerade) and Sculptresse. This time, I will be previewing Panache and Panache Swim collections so if you are interested in the other lines as well, stay tuned this week!

Panache or Panache Superbra as it was previously called, offers a range of classics for grown-up women with a larger bust. I am more of a Cleo girl myself but Panache has always something sexy to offer when I’m not feeling super girly and don’t want to look like a colour explosion. This season there were a lot of old styles revised to fit into the SS15 season, but also a couple of new styles which blended in well with the rest of the collection as being sophisticated and mature.

      
Top to bottom: Idina, Clara, Andorra, Fern, Jasmine Floral, Jasmine Dogtooth, Envy, Hepburn & Rhapsody

Panache is great for those wanting more coverage as they offer a lot of options for everyday and occasion wear when it comes to their classic balconette style, such as Tango, Dahlia or Jasmine. The first style pictured above is their classic Idina moulded t-shirt bra that comes with a beautiful lace overlay, very appropriate for so many occasions. The style is quite covering but still manages to look sexy. The Idina comes in this classic beige/black colourway but alsoin a seasonal colourway of pink/lilac. Sadly, I do not have a pic of this beauty but I would say it’s a rather fashionable younger version of the Idina.

The Clara is another sexy yet covering style to spice up your lingerie wardrobe. This beauty comes in a range of colours for SS15, including Charcoal/Black (pictured above), Sherbet and Nude. This range of colours offers everyone a chance to pick something they like – I myself love the sexy Charcoal but also really dig the sweet pink-ish Sherbet shade. The style is quite mature but always manages to stay sexy and sultry. If sexy is not your thing, the same shape can be found with Panache “Andorra”, a full-cup with a cheery lemon shade for SS15 and a pretty lace adorning the bra.

The Fern and Jasmine are favourites among so many women and suits a range of breast shapes. I own a pair of full-on-top breasts meaning Jasmine has been a true life-saviour, especially with some a-symmetry that is easily accommodated by the stretch lace on the top part of the cups. This season there are two lovely colourways/prints available of Jasmine and I am so tempted to try them both. However, as the Dogtooth feels a little older to me as a 20-something young woman, I would probably go for the lovely new pink floral print. The Fern features a floral print too, as it has done along the past seasons but this time the print feels very young and fresh with its purple tones and small dots mixed with some roses.

When it comes to colours, it seems like Panache has definitely fell for pastels this season. I am not a huge fan of pastels, as they remind me of my childhood and the golden 90’s, but overall, the prints and the shades look pretty fresh to me. I love yellow-y tones of Tango and Andorra, but I also like the pink and peachy shades of Olivia and Rhapsody (pictured last). White is not my thing at all, but I can guess it will be a hit with the rather new Envy style that has already become a best-seller in such a short period of time.

    
Top to bottom: Britt, Veronica, Eadie & Savannah

I loooooved this season’s Panache Swim as it was full of retro lovelies and some pretty awesome tropical flowers. The absolute gem of the collection was the lovely Britt, including a range of different tops and bottom and a swimsuit to create your very own perfect vintage poolside style. My favourite was the gorgeous swimsuit but as I already have two Cleo onepieces, I will probably opt for the bikini when this range hits the stores. The halter bikini top looks super cute but even though the high-waisted bottoms are fabulous, the fold pant is a very flattering style for us with a little less wait-definition.

Other retro-ish pieces were the Veronica swimsuit and the Eadie collection. These two had a more 70’s kind-of look to them which I can see suiting many styles and shapes. The Veronica also comes with a balconette bikini option which looks cute and also covering-enough for someone who doesn’t want to have it all on show. The Eadie is a more grown-up nautical collection featuring a lovely lacy overlay that looks really cool and sophisticated in person. The collection features a simple balconette bikini, a bandeau, a swim skirt and also a chic kaftan dress. This line is part of the Panache “Made in Sheffield” range that is manufactured in Sheffield, a great pro for those looking for locally produced lingerie and swimwear.

Another “Made in Sheffield” line is the floral print Savannah, including a balconette bikini, a swimsuit and a lovely sarong. The look is quite mature yet fun and trendy so I definitely love this collection and its unique photo print. The swimsuit features massive flowers on the sides of the suit, to create a more slimmer look and a simplistic yet bold feel to the piece. The bikini is on the younger side of the range as it features smaller floral photo print and a more high-street fashion look to it.

So these were my favourites of the collection! Did you see something you like? Anything you look forward to? Leave me a comment below, I would love to hear your thoughts! 🙂 xx