Cleo by Panache 'Maddie': Bra review

  Panache is a huge name in the fuller bust lingerie sphere and quite rightly so. It has been Panache's mission for over 30 years to provide women the world-over, with quality lingerie that marries form, fashion, function and affordability. The company prides itself on its desire to innovate; at product level, Panache seeks to provide lingerie for different bodies and fit needs, and on a wider scale, Panache strive to lead in a competitive market through campaigns that hinge upon promoting good bra fit and healthy body image.  

   I have been very fond of Panache for years and its sub-brands (Panache Sport and Swimwear, Masquerade, Cleo and (most recently) Cleo Swimwear and Sculptresse). Each sub-brand boasts a distinct identity, with collections that continuously deliver well-fitting and fashionable lingerie to a variety of tastes. 

   Of all of Panache's sub-brands, I predominantly wax lyrical about Masquerade (I am a sucker for luxurious and elegant lingerie like the 'Capella' bra, 'Anise' and 'Amor') but Cleo is definitely an unsung hero of the Panache family on my blog (aside from my review of the Cleo 'Lucy'!)

   What I particularly enjoy about Cleo lingerie is the trendy and fresh vibe that permeates the collections. The designs are fashion-led, with popping colours, quirky prints and pretty detailing; all of which serve as a reminder that fuller bust lingerie can be fun, young and playful!

   When Panache got in touch with me and asked whether I would like to review some of their lingerie, I jumped at the chance. I was incredibly excited to receive a parcel with not one, but two gorgeous Cleo sets inside! One of the sets that I received was the Cleo 'Maddie' bra and matching briefs in aqua..

   The Cleo 'Maddie' comes in sizes 28-38, D-H and is available in various colourways: continuity shades include black and 'nude', fashion variations consist of animal print and aqua, with 'strawberry' and 'floral' as exclusives to Bravissimo. 

   The set that I received was the 'Aqua' colourway; a zingy electric blue/ turquoise shade with a contrasting pink button detail at the centre gore. The bra is a moulded balconette, featuring subtly textured, striped, seamless cups, which are edged by a picot trim. As a regular wearer of moulded plunge bras (such as the Freya Deco), I was especially interested to try a balconette style moulded bra. 

   Neon brights are big news for Spring/ Summer 14 and the electric blue of the 'Maddie' is even more vibrant in the flesh. I instantly fell in love with the highly-saturated aqua shade and the subtle sheen of the fabric, which makes the set look rather luxurious. The pink button detail adds a pop of clashing colour, lending to the set's playful aesthetic.

   Panache have taken the humble seamless bra and have updated it with a stylish stripe pattern, giving the bra subtle textural and visual interest, without compromising on practicality. Generally, the 'Maddie' gives a smooth look under clothing, however, I do find that the lace trim edging shows through slightly under tighter tops and dresses.

   I originally asked for a 30FF in the 'Maddie', but due to recent weight loss, I found myself needing a 28FF instead. Compared to other Cleo styles that I have tried (e.g. 'Lucy', 'Eleanor' and 'Marcie'), I would say that the 'Maddie' comes up looser in the band and more 'true to size'.

   The band does feel quite stretchy and after a few wears, I have already found the need to move on to a tighter hook. (The back band is also quite thin compared to that of some of my other bras - an feature that may not be to everyone's taste.)

   I am pleased to report that the straps are fully adjustable, allowing for increased longevity of wear and a tailored fit (which is ideal for women of different heights and builds). The straps are also quite thin, at just 1.3cm thick, making them well-suited to a Summer wardrobe. It is worth mentioning that the straps are quite widely spaced and this design feature is equally reflected by the wider underwires.

 

   This brings me to talk about the fit of the 'Maddie', which seems slightly better suited to wider-set breasts. The 28FF is my best fit, although the wider wires and wide strap placement are not the best match for me. As a result, I experience a little bit of 'gapping' at the top of the cups near the armpit, with the straps cutting in slightly at the armpit also (a result of the design being too wide for me). I also find that the 28 back does not completely tack to my sternum, which suggests that this bra is more compatible with shallow breasts.

   Aside from a few fit issues (which are predominantly due to shape incompatibility), the 'Maddie' does feel comfortable to wear. The fabric is soft against the skin and the bra gives a lovely rounded and uplifted shape, resulting in a natural-looking 'Marie Antoinette' cleavage that is ideal for everyday! I also really like the balconette cut, which lends itself well to square necklines.

   I received the matching 'Maddie' briefs in a size 12 (my usual Panache brief size) and they fit perfectly. The shorts feature an all-over seamless stripe pattern, complemented by two diagonal stripes of picot trim and a central pink button detail. The briefs are made of a polyamide, elastane and cotton blend and the material feels buttery soft and smooth against the skin.

   The cut is also very flattering and the briefs have a good amount of stretch, meaning that there is no uncomfortable digging in. My only criticism is that the button prevents the briefs from being 100% seamless, but on the whole, these briefs really deliver on practicality, flattering fit and fashionable design! (Plus, hooray that they are machine washable!)

   The Cleo 'Maddie' set is a great 'fashion staple' and an excellent option for fuller busted ladies who are in search of an eye-catching and trendy moulded balconette bra that serves up comfort, support and style in equal abundance! This set would definitely have appealed to my teenage self too and I am glad that Cleo by Panache is catering fun and practical lingerie solutions to a younger market. The 'Maddie' looks set to remain a continuity style in the Cleo range for seasons to come, with a scrumptious raspberry version coming out this A/W14. 

Cleo 'Maddie' in Raspberry (Coming this A/W14)

   Cleo lingerie is very reasonably priced and the 'Maddie' set comes in at £25 for the bra and £12 for the briefs, available at a range of retailers, such as Figleaves, Bravissimo and Brastop.

   Keep your eyes peeled for another Cleo by Panache review coming soon and in the meantime, check out the rest of Cleo's gorgeous new Lingerie and Swimwear collections.

What are your favourite pieces from Cleo's latest range?

Love,

A curvy girl's guide to work fashion: Review of the Moda jersey dress by George at Asda

   When it comes to fashion, I love nothing more than to get dressed up and experiment with my style. One of the most exciting things for me to buy is a new 'party' dress, but special occasion dresses are not something that I can wear on an everyday basis and are most certainly not appropriate work-wear!

   My gripe with work wear is that it tends to lack excitement and it is too easy to fall into the rut of a black pencil skirt/ black trousers and a blouse. As a girl with a 28FF/G bust, fitted blouses and shirts can be a nightmare to find and my highstreet blouse purchases tend to be oversized. 

   What I look for in workwear is something that is stylish but easy to throw on in the morning - there is nothing better than looking professional and feeling comfortable without having to make too much effort!

   Bring on George at Asda! I stumbled upon George at Asda clothing by complete chance - I had never bought clothes from a supermarket before, but when I spotted the Moda mono print jersey wrap dress for £16 on my weekly shop, it looked perfect for filling my workwear wardrobe gap!

Unfortunately my size was not available in store, so I went online and ordered a size 10. (Due to the stretchy nature of the fabric, I thought that it would be more likely that it would fit me given that I had not tried it on before buying..)

   As you can see, the Moda jersey dress is a wrap/ cross-over style dress that features a bold monochrome dogtooth print, giving it a great deal of scope for dressing up or down according to preference. It also boasts a 'V' shaped neckline, ruched sleeves and a pleated waistband to add interest and flatter curves.

   Fit-wise, I found that the size 10 came up quite generous and I think a size 8 (if it came in this size) would have been my 'ideal' fit. That said, even in the size 10 it looks and feels lovely on and I am thrilled with the length of the dress, which comes to just above the knee on my 5ft10" frame. The dress has a 97% viscose and 3% elastane fabric content, making it incredibly soft to the touch and the material drapes nicely over my bust and hips. 

   One of the great things about this dress is its wrap-over style, which really flatters a larger bust and curves. The 'wrap-over' meets at a fixed waist seam, so the dress stays in place all day without revealing too much flesh or shifting with a freak gust of wind. I am also very impressed with the amount of space at the bust - there is plenty of room for a bigger bust and it will certainly accomodate for a chest much larger than mine too. (Caroline from Curvy Wordy also sang its praises after I recommended it to her and her 30KK bust looks fantastic in this dress!)

   In the pictures above, you can see that the dress displays a fairly modest amount of cleavage, but for work I tend to pop a black camisole/vest top underneath as in the picture below. Due to the dress being slightly too big for me, I also add a belt to emphasise my waist and give a more 'hourglass' look. 

   Thick black tights with this dress are ideal for keeping me warm in the chilly weather, but in the warmer months of the year, I would be happy to go bare-legged or wear nude tights with this dress. I am also wearing black patent shoes (from Dorothy Perkins) and a set of pearls in the picture above, which lend to a sophisticated and polished finished outfit! 

   Whilst the look that I have talked about here is quite a conservative work/ everyday look, it would be easy to add colour to this outfit with bold accessories and a dramatic lip colour - perfect for taking you from office to bar!

   All in all, I am pleased with my first supermarket clothing purchase. The only real criticism that I have of this dress is that the fabric is quite thin, so you may need to be a bit careful to avoid snagging it on things - I have found that after wearing it a few times, the fabric at the waist band has frayed a little and has created a small hole (which is ok if you're a dab hand at sewing), but for £16, I can't complain too much..

  I would definitely buy more dresses from Asda in future and I am excited to have found such a bust-friendly dress on the highstreet at such a bargainous price! Although the dogtooth jersey dress has since sold out, Asda have an identical Moda floral jersey wrap dress in stock at the moment in a blossom print, available in sizes 10-24. I hope that Asda will bring out more of these wrap dresses in different prints in future as I would love to buy some others for my work wardrobe..

To shop more of Asda's clothing range, click here. (There is also FREE delivery available on all orders over £40 until 8th Dec))

Love,

Kitty xo

Flirty in 'Fiona': Parfait by Affinitas 'Fiona' camisole review

   If you have read my blog about the Affinitas Intimates A/W12 press event a little while ago, you may have noticed that I took quite a shine to the Affinitas fuller bust range, 'Parfait', which encompasses sizes 30D-40G.

   Although I feel lucky that the larger bust lingerie market is expanding and I can now get a range of beautiful and supportive bras for all occasions in my size, it is not always quite as easy to find a bustier, camisole or babydoll for larger cup sizes. Highstreet stores often sell them in standardised clothing sizes with no cup sizes, so finding a boudoir beauty to fit a 28FF is about as unsuccessful as trying to squeeze my bust into those very same standardised undergarments! 

   As you can imagine, I was thrilled to come across 'Parfait' as the current collection offers some really glamorous and sexy boudoir pieces in addition to flirty everyday bras and comfy basics. One of the designs that particularly caught my eye was Parfait's padded wired 'Fiona' camisole in peacock blue, which Affinitas Intimates kindly sent me to try out...

      As 'Parfait' starts at a 30 back (and I'd heard reports that the 30 backs come up tighter than other brands), I decided to go for a 30F (sister size to my usual 28FF) and a size M (10/12) in the matching boyshorts.

   The Parfait 'Fiona' is a beautiful camisole made from silky stretch satin in a jewel tone blue (also comes in wine purple, black or white), complete with black lace trim along the underwired cups. The peacock blue tone was even more glamorous in the flesh and the satin has a slight shimmer to it when it catches the light. I really love the attention to detail on the 'Fiona' too - it features subtle pleats on the straps, embroidered panelling down the torso of the chemise and stylish contrasting black lace on the cups and a little bow and sequin motif at the centre of the cups.

    Additionally, the 'Fiona' boasts an absolutely knock-out detail at the back - a decorative lace-up corset design with ribbon ties and double layered mesh back panels, giving this camisole added sex appeal.  

   Aside from this camisole's obvious aesthetic appeal, it is also very easy to take on and off. There is no fiddly lacing up to do as the 'Fiona' has a half zipper and clasp closure at the side.

   I was pleased that the 'Fiona' in a 30 back was a good fit - not too snug or too loose. The stretch satin and mesh fabric makes the 'Fiona' very comfortable to wear and the material follows the natural contours of the body without feeling restrictive like some shapewear can. The only downside to the fabric is that it rucks up a little bit when worn, but it does not distract from this garment's beauty. 

  I felt very glamorous in this striking camisole and the peacock blue colour really pops against your skin tone whatever complexion you have. The black contrast lace also gives a hint of old Hollywood elegance to the 'Fiona', which I absolutely loved.

   I also really like that this camisole has moulded underwired cups - it is nice to have a little bit of lift and the 'Fiona' gives a great rounded shape to your cleavage. It is worth mentioning that the straps are only part adjustable and I had to tighten them as much as they would go. Luckily, as the 'Fiona' is not an 'everyday' item, I should still get plenty of wear out of this camisole without the straps becoming too loose too quickly. My only real regret with the 'Fiona' is that I ordered a 30F not 30FF and I feel that the cups ran a bit small (although not very obvious from the above pictures). 


   I am glad that I went for the Medium boyshort knickers (roughly a UK 10-12) as they fit me beautifully. They remind me a little bit in style of the Curvy Kate 'Thrill Me' shorts, but refined with less ruffles. Again, made from stretch satin, the 'Fiona' boyshorts are really comfortable to wear and look great on. The black lace, grosgrain sequin bow at the centre and ruffle trim make these boyshorts exude seductive sophistication and are sure to make you feel a million dollars.


   It's worth adding that these boyshorts give quite full coverage to your derrière but are still very flirty thanks to the mesh panel at the back - a great example of how less (fabric) is not always more (sexy)! Additionally, I love that they come with detachable suspenders - they look fabulous with black stockings to mirror the black lace contrast on the 'Fiona' camisole and knickers!

   I am really excited to have found 'Parfait' by Affinitas and the 'Fiona' is a truly glamorous 'boudoir' set. I also have my eye on some of the babydolls from the upcoming A/W collection which are absolutely gorgeous!

'Parfait' is certainly 'one to watch' and I will definitely be exploring more of this exciting brand in future... 

Find out more about stockists of 'Parfait' by Affinitas here.

Love,

Kitty xo

Taylor-ed to perfection - The Freya Deco 'Taylor' bra reviewed!

  As you some of you may remember from one of my first ever blog posts, the Freya 'Deco' is a bra that I hold very close to heart. Not only was it the first bra that I ever bought after being refitted as my 'true' size, but it is also a bra that I have continued to purchase again and again in different shades and prints (you can see my earlier review of the 'Deco' here). 

  The 'Deco' comes in back sizes 28-38 and in cup sizes B-GG and has proved a real best-seller right from its launch. The 'Deco' is a bra that gives great cleavage, whilst being soft and comfortable enough to wear on an everyday basis. It is no wonder that as soon as I glimpsed a preview of the Freya 'Taylor' back in April of this year, I knew that I had to own it! 

  Thanks to Freya Lingerie, I was given the opportunity to review the eagerly awaited 'Taylor' Deco, after being fitted by a Freya expert. I went to my local Freya stockist and the lovely Unnis fit me into a 28FF. I had previously been wearing a 28F in the Deco and felt that I needed to size up in the cups, so I was very excited for my 28FF Freya 'Taylor' to arrive in the post!

  As you can see from the photo, the 'Taylor' builds on Freya's classic black Deco moulded bra, but has been updated with diagonal stripes, lace and velvet detailing and bronze and copper notes. The 'Taylor' is spot on-trend with its semi-sheer black mesh overlay, which gives flashes of the nude moulded cup beneath. The nude colour coming through the mesh really ramps up the bra's sex appeal, without actually revealing anything! 

  The diagonal stripes on the cups give the bra a more 'structured' look, drawing the eye towards the cleavage - meaning that all eyes are on you! The 'Taylor' is also complimented by a strip of bronze velvet ribbon that runs along the cups, adding a luxurious feel to the bra. The straps and centre of the bra boast copper and black satin and lace bows and the top of the cups feature black lace - subtle detailing which lends to the bra's glamorous finish. 

  To compliment the 'Taylor' bra, a matching thong (£12.50), high waisted brief (£16) or short (£12.50) is available. I went for the shorts, as it is a style of underwear that I find very comfortable to wear, as well as being sexy. Like the bra, the 'Taylor' shorts are predominantly black, with two diagonal strips of bronze velvet, black lace trims and a pretty copper and black bow at the centre. I love the panels of striped mesh at the hips, which show off a bit of 'peek-a-boo' skin underneath! (See detail below)

  In terms of fit, the 'Taylor' set was a great success. The bra band sits nice and snug in a 28 and the cups fit perfectly in a FF. The lightly padded cups give a beautifully rounded and uplifted shape and the plunge style gives a cleavage that is truly knock-out! I am also thrilled that the 'Taylor' has such exquisite detailing, whilst remaining seamless. The shorts are also very comfortable to wear and give very good coverage on the bottom. The 'Taylor' shorts are, on the whole, fairly seamless, showing through faintly under only the tightest of my bodycon dresses.

  It is not often that you come across a lingerie set that both oozes elegance and is also practical and comfortable enough to be worn everyday, but the 'Taylor' certainly delivers! What's more, at £33 for the plunge bra and £12.50 for the shorts, it is a bra set that is affordable, well-fitting and very good quality. With its unrivalled support and shape, I think that I have truly found my match in the 'Taylor'. It is definitely my favourite bra set of the moment and something that I would highly recommend to any larger busted lady...

Top marks, Freya!

Love, 

Kitty xo

*The Freya 'Taylor' also comes in a strapless multiway style - A review of the Freya 'Deco' Strapless will be coming soon!

Freya 'Arabella' bra - reviewed!

  After hearing several rave reviews about the Freya 'Arabella' bra, I was very keen to try it out for myself. As a new convert to the world of small bra back sizes and big cup sizes, the 'Arabella' seemed a perfect option to go for. As a 28 back size, I was pleased that Freya stocked my size and offered band sizes up to a 38 and cup sizes from C to J. The choice of colours for the 'Arabella' bra is particularly impressive; black, pink, navy, red, noir, cassis - to name a few! I went for the navy 'midnight' colour as it was on sale down from the usual RRP of £30 at Leia Lingerie.

  The 'Arabella' bra is a full cup plunge bra and features sheer mesh cups with finely embroidered scallop edging, fairly thick straps for support and bow details on the straps and in the centre of the bra. Freya have been particularly clever to think about the way that the bra should be manufactured for GG-J cups, who may need a little extra support in the cups. For these cup sizes, an extra layer of mesh has been added to the cups at the bottom for reinforcement, but the cups still remain semi-sheer.

I purchased the 'Arabella' bra in both a 28F and 28FF. Due to sometimes varying between brands and different styles, buying both the F and FF enabled me to assess the fit. I ended up going for the FF, as it didn't cut into any breast tissue and gave a more rounded shape.

A picture of the 28FF:

  I had never tried a full cup bra before, but I found the 'Arabella' to be surprisingly comfy and gave a good, rounded shape - something I initially thought impossible due to the mesh material of the cups. The mesh is actually quite thick and is more of a 'power mesh' that supports the breast in the cup, rather than stretching (N.B. Most of the support should come from the band anyway!) My only criticism of the 28 band size, was that it felt a little looser than some other Freya bras I own, but the overall fit and comfort of the bra is so good that this can be overlooked. The straps are also very comfortable and I feel very supported!

Detail of the mesh and embroidery: 

  I love the fact that this bra is both a 'bedroom' and everyday bra! It is the perfect synthesis between aesthetics and support - sexy and supportive is a winning combination for any fuller busted lady! The colour combination of the dark navy mesh set off with light blue embroidery and bright green bows at first had me undecided, but when I tried it on, it looked really chic and classy!

  All in all, I am very impressed with the Freya 'Arabella' bra and would highly recommend it to any C+ cupped lady. I now have my eye on the 'Cassis' version, which I may well have to purchase in the near future..

Love,

Kitty xo