Lingerie Review: Ewa Michalak PL Lśniąca Scarlet

Happy March! How are you guys? Feeling spring-y already I have been centered around art, wedding-stuff (I found a dress, yay!) and some unfortunate drama in a project I was working on so it’s good to take some time to sit down and spend some time with the ol’ blog. Also, the blog giveaways are coming so don’t fret! 2COP is a hefty toddler now and just turned four, which is something we need to celebrate 😉 However, today we are bathing in some scarlet goodness, which is the Ewa Michalak PL Lśniąca Scarlet. This set was generously provided me by Ewa Michalak, but all opinions are my own!

The Design: The PL Lśniąca Scarlet is a classic PL-style from Ewa, which means it’s a padded plunge. The design features seams though, which gives the bra its signature well-constructed feel and improves the fit for a padded bra. As someone who doesn’t enjoy padded bras as much, I wasn’t even surprised that I still liked this particular bra – it’s the absolute royal of the padded bra family and I wear it each time I want to feel uplifted and oomphed to the max. The cups feature removable cookies, which is great if you want something extra, have a-symmetry or change a bit in size during your cycle.

The style of the bra is not the most ornate I have seen in the Ewa Michalak collection, but it still manages to appear striking with its colour and satin-y materials. This bra can easily be worn under t-shirts (with a darker colour, of course) but it’s still appropriate for boudoir as well. What’s not to like!

The Fit: The PL bra is not unfamiliar to me and thus I pretty much knew it would fit me in my regular size of 70GG. I don’t find EM sizing to be that different from British D+ brands, maybe just a bit tighter in the band, so I usually go for my looser band size 70 (UK 32). Picking a size is pretty easy for me personally, as the EM team usually does it for me when I provide them with my usual size. Ewa Michalak bras are infamous for varying in fit and size, which is why it pretty much depends on the style whether I go for 70G or 70GG, or even H. This one runs very true-to-size though, which always makes the shopping experience a bit easier.

I have literally no bad things to say about the fit of the PL Lśniąca Scarlet: everything just seems to fall into place perfectly. The cups encase my breast tissue well when I insert just one of the pads into my right cup (my left boob is bigger). The cups are just deep enough for my breast tissue to sit in them without the cup foam collapsing at the bottom (very usual with most padded bras if there’s not enough depth at the bottom of the cup) and luckily the wires are not too narrow for me with this particular EM style! I am so happy, as this trait with Ewa bras has always been a bit of a hit-or-miss with me.

Comfort: In addition to being well-fitting, Ewa bras are usually a pleasure to wear all-day, as the materials are well-thought out. The PL bras are always lined with cotton to feel comfortable against the sensitive boob skin (I am sure most women relate to boob itch, don’t you?!), which is something I wish every lingerie brand did with their bras. It also makes the bra much more comfortable during the summer months, as sweat does not play well with artificial fibers, in my personal experience. The straps are pretty well placed with this style, I would say and they are fully-adjustable, which is great for tall and petite girls alike.

The Lśniąca Scarlet “high-waisted” panties are not the highest I have seen, but still proper cute and sexy. The lace on the back could a bit stretchier in my opinion and if you have a more rounded butt than me, I would suggest sizing up. For reference, I have 40″ hips and these were a size 38/10. These are perhaps not your everyday panties but are sure to make some hearts flutter, if that is what you wish for!

The Lśniąca Scarlet can be bought at the EM online store, which you find here. It’s made-to-order which means it can take 2-3 weeks to make and after that the product will be shipped to you. If you can’t find your size in the drop-down menu, the EM team will be happy to make a custom size, however those are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged. The price for a custom sized bra is 20 PLN higher than the regular price of the bra. The bra (in regular sizes 30-44 A-JJ) costs 189 PLN and the high-waisted briefs (36-48, UK 8-20) cost 69 PLN.

Lingerie Review: Curvy Kate “Tease” Cami in 30H + GIVEAWAY

There are certain styles in the full-bust bra market that will always hold their place in my heart and one of them is the infamous Curvy Kate “Tease” ie the former Showgirl range style Tease Me. Tease Me in cherry/blush was my first extremely well-fitting bra and it made me feel fabulous as well – I had never felt so sexy as I felt in that set. All the ruffles and the delicious colour combo that was actually recently brought back by Curvy Kate, last season to be exact. With the Tease bra set, they also launched the Tease Cami which is lovely ruffly version of the classic romantic balconette style bra. Today I am teaming up with the folks of Curvy, an Australian D+ online retailer, who offered me to try the new Tease Cami in Berry/Black and have also promised to gift two of my lovely readers a set of their choice from the Curvy store selection. Here’s how I liked my old, renewed favourite!

Design: As always, the Tease design is absolutely beautiful and I love all the beautiful ruffles, embroidery and jewel-tone colour combos it comes in. The new cami version is cut open at the front in a way some Disney princesses have their skirts (hehe) and the edge of the hem is adorned with a flowy ruffle. I would perhaps prefer this style in a longer babydoll cut but I do like this one as well. Also the hem part could be a be a bit more voluminous to create more creases and thus be more covering. The colour combo of the new season Tease is quite dark for a summer season but it is created for “bedroom purposes”, so it fits the bill.

The style of the cups is a true padded balconette which is constructed of three pieces and two vertical seams. I have always liked this cup construction and it gives me the perfect Marie Antoinette sort of cleavage. The former Tease bras have been very open at the top making them perfect for FOT breasts but I can see a slight change in the pattern with this particular colourway – it’s a bit more closed at top, meaning it will suit more full-on-bottom shaped breasts now (with me, it seems to create a slight quadboob on my bigger breast).

Fit: I opted for size 30H with the Tease Cami as it is my regular Curvy Kate size – however, I do still have a ss14 Tease in my bradrobe which still fits me at 30GG. I have to report a few differences with these two products, so you can make the right choice with the Cami, if you are thinking of buying one! First of all, the band of the Cami is significantly smaller than the regular CK bands I have tried in the past. Even the Scantilly Peek-a-Boo which is a newer model from the CK sister range fits like all of my previous CK bras – so this is not something they have changed with all of their bras, I think it’s more of a one-off style that happens to run smaller ie more true-to-size in the band. Curvy Kate has been infamous for making quite stretchy bands so far, so all of you petite girls go and buy this beauty right now if you are a CK fan!

The cups are also quite a bit smaller than with most of my CK bras – which I own a plenty! Most of my Curvy Kate bras fit me perfectly in either 30GG or 30H, I would even go and say they are quite generous in cups these days. However, this time the cups proved to be quite small! I would even say they run a full cup size small, so definitely size up with these. If I had tried these in store, I would have loved to have tried a 30HH or a 32H, as I prefer my bands comfortable when lounging (as let’s be honest, this is not a bra for everyday wear at work). Also, as said above, the cups are quite a bit closed at top and the centre of cups is rather shallow, so people with less fullness on top and the centre might enjoy this style more than my boobs. The wires of the Tease are actually pretty decent on me and don’t reach far in my armpit like most of my non-padded CK bras.

Comfort: I believe I have said before here on 2COP that CK Tease has always been my go-to bra for comfort – its soft padding and stretchy band make it easy to wear even around house or being a bit more active than usual. As the Tease Cami provides a firmer bra band than usual, it’s not as comfortable as my Tease bra but still feels good on to wear for lounging purposes. I like this style more than the classic Ritzy babydoll as its wires sit on a better spot for me personally and thus they don’t poke me in the armpits.

What I really like about Curvy Kate is that they make their boudoir style pieces with the same comfort level as their regular everyday bras – who says you can’t be comfy when lounging around or getting frisky in the bedroom?! I refuse to compromise with my comfort level no matter the scenario, so I appreciate CK’s dedication to make all of their sets both beautiful and extremely comfortable.

If you would like to try the Curvy Kate Tease Cami (up to J-cup!) for yourself, the Curvy online store has it on sale for 72 AUD which is a great price. I also really appreciate Australian full-bust shops as they are working in an incredibly demanding field in their country – so show Curvy some love, will you! Curvy would also like to show their love to you and gift two lingerie sets for a raffle! Here comes the important rule: there is one raffle for international readers ie all of you and another for my Australian 2COP readers. 

Here’s a link to the international raffle: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b3aac76b17/?

And here to the Australian one: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b3aac76b18/?

The raffle is open from now on to 15th of July 0:00 GMT and the prize is subject to availability. If you win, you can choose any two piece lingerie set you wish, excluding Primadonna and Scantilly sets. Please complete the tasks in the Rafflecopter widget to gain as many entries as you can! There will be two mandatory entries: commenting on this blog post by answering a question stated in the widget (which set would you choose from Curvy’s selection?) and also by subscribing to Two Cakes on a Plate. Other entries are optional but will increase your chance to win! The winners will be contacted by me soon after the raffle and if the winner(s) fail to reply to my email after a week’s time, another winner will be drawn. Good luck everyone – get entering 😉

Lingerie Review: Gossard “Amour” in 30DD

It seems Jo’s taking over my blog, haha! Can’t blame her though – it’s not always easiest to find a vast array of interesting lingerie brands that make sizes up to H-cup. I am also super grateful for her help as I could not probably do this blogging thing as well if it wasn’t for her. So thank you darling for being the best friend and guest blogger ❤ Today we are bringing you the Gossard “Amour” range which launched near Valentine’s Day – unfortunately 2COP’s review pile was so high at the time that we couldn’t write about it before today. Let’s get on with the review then! *This set was generously  gifted by Gossard for review purposes. All opinions are our own!*

The Design: Amour is part of the Gossard VIP range which is a collection with more detailing, European style embroidery and boudoir-inspired co-ordinates such as waspies and suspenders. The Amour set consists of a non-padded balconette bra, a low-cut brazilian brief and a lush suspender belt, all featuring the gorgeous colour combination of orange-y tomato red and bright fuchsia. The styling of the bra is very French-chic and the design is finished with beautiful key-hole detail on the centre gore.

The shape of the bra is a very classic unlined balconette with one vertical and one horizontal seam – very similar to some of the non-padded Gossard bras I have reviewed before. I wish these sorts of unpadded styles were more popular in the Gossard design team as the fit is so good both with the smaller and the bigger cup sizes! The balconette bra gives Jo a subtle point to the bust line which creates an almost vintage-like look. The Amour bra also seems to minimize Jo’s bust a bit, which is sometimes an upside when wearing tighter tops that may not mesh well with a push-up bra or anything padded for that matter.

The Fit: As always, we went for the size 30DD and size Xsmall bottoms with the Amour set. Again, Gossard seems to be very consistent with their sizing – the set fitted almost perfectly, with just some little bulging on Jo’s bigger boob. I think Jo might actually be right between Gossard’s 30DD and 30E at the moment so this was expected. The shape of the bra is very appropriate for full-on-bottom breasts – the mesh and the embroidery of the bra are quite rigid so if you are more full-on-top, I would suggest sizing up with this style. The underwires of the Amour bra are quite narrow compared to some other Gossard styles and hit Jo’s breast root at the right spot. The cups are not deep nor shallow but something right in the middle which is typical Gossard.

The band of the Amour bra is quite flimsy with just one row of hooks and eyes but that is understandable taking into account the size range and the purpose this set is designed for – it is meant to look delicate and boudoir-appropriate resulting in the choice of narrower bra band and straps. Jo wears the bra in the second set of the hooks to make the bra more secure and better-fitting for her tiny 26″ frame.

Comfort: Gossard sets are usually pretty spot-on when it comes to comfort but with this particular one Jo did have some issues, especially with the narrow band. The back band is so flimsy it tends to twist a bit and the hook moves against the skin in the way it starts to itch after a while. Also, the band features the signature Gossard gateway back which requires a piece of extra boning at the edge of the bra band, where the gateway straps start. This piece of boning is not the best option for sensitive skin types and can dig in and rub at times, which is less than ideal. Otherwise the materials are quite comfortable, the lace is soft enough to not itch and straps are placed pretty well even for Jo’s narrow frame.

The co-ordinates are made of the same sturdy powermesh as the bra band and the shape of the brazilian brief is improved version of the Gypsy thong that scrunched a bit when wearing. These bottoms are designed a bit better with some extra seams at the front to create a better shape that moves effortlessly with the body – they also rise higher above the thigh. The suspender belt is as sturdy as other Gossard ones we’ve tried – the garters themselves are made of metal which helps them to hold on to stockings efficiently. Both of the co-ordinates ran true-to-size, which is quite standard with Gossard.

If you would like to give the Amour a try, you can find in the Gossard online store for £39 for the bra (30-38 A-E), £20 for the Brazilian brief (XS-XL) and £39 for the suspender belt (XS-XL). Keep in mind that this part of the Gossard VIP range which reflects in prices – if you are interested in Gossard as a brand and are on a budget, you can still most likely afford some pieces from their regular collection. How do you like the Amour set? Would it be something worth making in G-cups? Let me know in the comments! xx

Lingerie Review: Signature “Ginger” in 32F

It has been a couple of months since we reviewed After Eden’s Signature range here at 2COP and I am happy to say that it was not the last time for us! Signature is a very promising new full-bust/full figure targeted brand which has only been going on for a couple of seasons now. Today we are reviewing a longline bra set from their AW15 collection, before completely diving into the SS16 season – also, take note about the style of this set as it might be the perfect ensemble for the upcoming Valentine’s Day!

Design: Ginger is a lovely young yet sexy style that comes in a very classic combination of black and red and a smooth moulded cup style. What I think is one of the biggest assets of Signature lingerie, is the cute and approachable styling that lures in the younger girls, who might not fit into the chain stores’ and Victoria’s Secret lingerie as they stop at DD. This effect would be even greater if the brand started making smaller band sizes, so hint hint, Signature! 😉

I picked this set up for Miss E completely out of blue – she had no idea what I had chosen for her but when I came to her doorstep around Christmas time, she was very pleased with my pick. The longline is still something that has been quite neglected by some DD+ brands (even though the AW16 will totally change the game!) and I am happy to see such a new brand making them for us fuller busted ladies. The cups are very rounded and smooth so Ginger could easily be worn under regular t-shirts without showing through. The band features four hooks and eyes so it’s not the widest longline ever but still enough to give the bra its distinctive look.

Fit: Even though Miss E’s best size with Signature would be closer to 65H (that is 30FF in UK sizes) we are both quite happy with the 70G (= UK 32F), especially when worn on the second tightest hooks. The band does not ride up but could be a bit sturdier to stay supportive for a few more months. The cups are just the right size for Miss E so there’s no spillage or gaping in sight! After seeing already three bras on my girl, I would say Signature runs on the generous side of true-to-size – Miss E is usually something between 30FF and 30G and all of her Signature bras have been just the right size (cup-wise) for her in the sister size of 30FF, that is 32F.

The wires are perfect for Miss E with the Ginger bra and she is also very happy to report that this time, the wires do not come too high up for her and there is no chafing near the armpit area whatsoever. As all different brands producing lingerie seem to sport a different underwire shape and size, I would say Signature’s wire seems to be the perfect medium between the very narrow Polish and the quite wide British ones. The depth of the cup is a bit too shallow for Miss E which you can see by looking at the root of the bra cups. There is a bit of empty space there but E gave me no complaints about it as the bra is so comfortable in general.

Comfort: Out of the three sets Miss E owns from Signature, this might be her most comfortable one yet! The materials of the set are very sleek and soft against the skin and the straps are placed in a nice spot where they won’t rub her armpit area and cause irritation. As you can see, the strap placement is much more centered than with the Grace and Sophia bras she tried earlier. That’s definitely a HUGE improvement! This time the straps are only half-adjustable so if you are more on the petite side, I would advice to skip this bra unfortunately – Miss E is quite tall so she had no problem but someone under 5’5 might find them too long for her height. The longline band features additional boning under the armpits to keep the band from flipping, but the boning is flexible enough not to poke E on the sides.

The Ginger set comes with two different co-ordinate options which are a regular shorts-style knickers and a thong. We went for the same size as last time, that is Medium, but thought about trying a Small next time, as especially the thong seems to be a bit big for Miss E. Bottoms-wise, I think Signature runs on the snugger side of true-to-size, yet not a full size smaller. The bottoms are the same smooth material as the bra so very wearable for everyday, whether it be under dresses or the tightest of jeans.

You can find Ginger on Signature’s online store, here (and it’s on sale, yay!). Signature ships only to Netherlands at the moment but if you are interested in stockists near to you, feel free to contact them via email or on social media!

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

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!

Moda Exhibition: Preview of Lepel & Charnos SS16 + Lepel London AW15 Collections

Ah, Lepel. You always manage to steal my heart somehow, whether it comes to new shapes, colours or prints, you are my one true love and this new SS16 season changes nothing. Yes, you did cheat me this time with not making my size in some of your most fabulous styles but I will forgive you as my love is unconditional.

Haha, that’s it for the love letter but strictly speaking, Lepel did up their anté again this season which always seems to surprise me as I definitely thought they could not have done better after this summer’s fabulous styles (such as the Minnie) – but they certainly did. I also feel like the summer season is always a bit stronger for Lepel – they do lovely summery prints on their core styles but also, their swim is the one that really impresses me time after time. This time, there was also one lovely surprise in store to make the new season a jackpot – a completely new range called Lepel London. To learn more about each of their range and my personal faves, keep reading! (All styles go up to G unless stated otherwise, also this is not the complete collection because that would have made a heck of a long post!)

LEPEL

  
Fiore Full-Cup, Fiore Plunge, Lilly Rosette, Daisy, Victoria Balconette, Victoria Moulded Plunge (up to F) & Matilda

The Lepel core collection consists of some of their oldies-but-goodies in new colourways but also some more recent additions to their basics such as Fiore. Personally I am always up for new cuts and shapes but this time, I was instantly smitten with the apple green shade of Fiore and will sure be giving this old lady (hehe) a try when the new colourways launch. Lepel had adopted lovingly the new orange/pink colour trend for SS16 which is actually one of my ultimate favourite combos of all time. The Victoria, another older style of Lepel, will be available in this candy-like combination next spring and I will be sure to get my hands on it!

The Lilly Rossette is a fun take on Lepel’s basic balconette bra and the fit is also revised this time, so I am intrigued to see how it does after some alterations. In fact, I am quite impressed with this specific style with Lepel, as it always comes in such vibrant and surprising prints for each season, this AW season including a fun strawberry print (a must-have for me!). When it comes to newer styles, the turquoise Daisy is a lovely plunge option for us fuller busted ladies as well and if the blue hue is not your thing, it will also be available in white. The lace of Daisy looks fresh and young and the style seems a good basic addition to accompany the older Fiore style.

CHARNOS

Violet (up to J), Sienna (up to J), Cherub & Bailey

As Steve (the very charming head of marketing at Lepel!) mentioned last time we went to Moda, Charnos and Lepel collections have started to become more alike, with some designs overlapping the collections a bit style-wise. This was even more clear with Charnos this time, with Sienna being the star of the show with it’s graphic jungle print and stunning colour combination of yellow, green and bluebell. I have personally never been a huge fan of Charnos but with the new younger prints and sexier shapes, I am definitely intrigued to try something from the collection. Also the materials seem very on point with this particular collection – I mean, who doesn’t love stretch lace? (We all know that I am a fan!)

Even though Charnos has now taken a bit younger approach to their collections, the shapes and styles remain mostly very classic and appropriate for a more mature taste. There are also some very popular trends shown in this SS16 collection, including what I call the “Marie Antoinette vibe” – think pale lace, ruffles and light-coloured wallpaper prints. The Bailey, which is a completely new style for Charnos, fits the bill exactly and is a lovely more romantic option for the Charnos fan, if the loud prints are not your cup of champagne. Also, who doesn’t love tassels?! Tassel panties, y’all, everyone should own a pair.

LEPEL SWIM
       
Sun Kiss, Riviera, Venice Beach, Surf Balconette & Bandeau (UK 8-16), Hawaii, Sunset (UK 8-18), Helena & Lagoon Bandeau (UK 8-18) + Swimsuit (UK 8-18)

With Lepel Swim, I always pretty much go “Come to Mama, all of you!” because DAMN these designs are awesome. I don’t even know where to start as there are literally so many favourites in this swim collection. There is something for everyone: sport luxe style, Tiki pinup style, fabulous prints and colours with some more solid & classic styles as well. What really hit me hard were the Surf and Venice Beach balconette bikini tops which were fantastically styled with some contrasting trims and summery colour combos. However, if I would pick something to suit my everyday style, I would go for the Hawaii bandeau bikini because OMG LITTLE TIKI PINUPS, can I just die??? This style could definitely do with a high-waisted bottom option as I can imagine many modern day pinup girls enjoying this print.

When talking about new shapes, Lepel Swim has now introduced a moulded triangle bikini top up to G which seems very promising from what I have seen of it. The specific style is called Riviera which comes in tankini and a mini-longline bikini top as well but the triangle top is a totally new innovation to me at least – or has anyone else heard of an unwired triangle bikini top up to G-cup? I don’t think so! Even though the style is quite basic to my taste as least, I would love to try out this little number just for the science – these tatas haven’t seen a triangle bikini in years! On the model though the style looked really nice and the shape was fairly rounded yet natural.

LEPEL LONDON
       
Claudia (up to DD), Paloma in Black and Red (up to D), Tiff in Orange and Baby Blue (up to D), Georgie longline & padded bra (up to D), Chelsea Diamond in Black and Turquoise and Tara (up to DD)

Now, if the Swim didn’t blow your mind, this certainly will. The Lepel London range is something that was created for this AW15 season in collaboration with ASOS to offer the Lepel customer something a bit more hip and young, trendy and sexy at the same time. The collection features a lot of key trends for the fall and upcoming spring season as well –  strappy styling, orange and blue tones, longline cuts and eyelash lace. Super-duper stunning, to say the least!

What really did put me off with the range was the cup sizes though – up to DD?! How dare you! I think I actually told Steve to fuck off at this point when I heard they wouldn’t be going up to G (yap, that professional I am…how awkward) BUT to my excitement, ASOS really pushed the brand with the size range and it will expand in the future. The SS16 collection of Lepel London will include F-cups and MAYBE, POSSIBLY the G-cups will be introduced later in AW16. I was kinda promised that. And team Lepel, I will literally murder you if that does not happen! (haha, JK…) Cause yes, that much of a fan I am of this collection.

What really stands out to me with this collection is how it takes all of the key trends and mixes them in with a great fit and affordable prices. These pieces are not supposed to be the “luxury” range of Lepel, but a more fun, on-trend version of their original style for the same price point. This makes it affordable to any uni student out there – even Jo, the goddess of saving herself, stated that she would buy some of the pieces from the collection in a heartbeat as with such a beautiful product and a low price – why not? If not for the necessity, then just for the fun.

How do you feel about the new Lepel collections? Are you as excited about Lepel London as me? I would love to hear your opinions, so let me know in the comments! xx