Trompe l'oeil tattoos: Tatu Couture 'Carine' bodysuit review from Honeys Lingerie Boutique

   As a lingerista, it only goes with the territory to love the 'underwear as outerwear' trend and I make no secret of my obsession with luxury British lingerie and bodywear brand, 'Tatu Couture', whose striking tattoo-inspired pieces transition seamlessly from boudoir to outerwear.

   Since its launch in 2012, Tatu Couture has carved out a veritable name for itself as both a lingerie and ready-to-wear brand, thanks to the versatility of its trend-led pieces and high quality craftmanship. Tatu Couture is best-known for its 'trompe l'oeil' tattoo designs printed on to sheer mesh panels, giving the illusion of inked skin. The brand's signature collections are the perfect blend of style and innovation, thanks to the use of sculptural, bodycon silhouettes and edgy, graphic tattoo prints.

   After meeting Tatu Couture's designer, Luisa Sidoli, at the Lingerie Collective in 2011, I was lent two pieces from the debut collection for review and, of course, I fell head over heels in love with them! Ever since, I have been lusting after the new collections year in, year out, hoping to eventually own a piece of Tatu Couture luxury! 

   Luckily for me, the amazing people at Honeys Lingerie Boutique recently got in touch and offered me the chance to review a piece for them! My choice was a no-brainer and before too long, a luxurious Honey's gift box arrived on my doorstep.

   The packaging definitely added to the excitement and I couldn't wait to unwrap the tissue paper to reveal my new Tatu Couture 'Carine' bodysuit!

   The 'Carine' bodysuit forms part of Tatu Couture's new Fall/Winter 2014 collection, which focuses its attention on chic tailoring details and 'alluring silhouettes' with a contemporary edge. The collection is sophisticated and feminine with sculpting shapes and lace panelling, whilst retaining strong attitude and drama through strap detailing and racy mesh inserts.

   'Carine' is every bit as exquisite in real life as I hoped that she would be - fashioned from a sleek,  sculpting polyamide and elastic fabric, this bodysuit feels ultra soft against the skin, skimming the body's curves for a smooth silhouette. To contrast with the matte black body panelling, luxurious woven satin adorns the neckline and arms, adding a glamorous sheen to the bodysuit.

   One of the key design features of the 'Carine' resides in the use of sheer mesh inserts to mimic the illusion of exposed flesh. The black mesh chest panel boasts a sweetheart plunge neckline, revealing a seductive flash of cleavage. By contrast, the front panels are made from 'nude' mesh, giving the impression of 'cut outs' on light-medium skin tones.

    The back of the bodysuit features 'nude' stretch mesh panelling, separated by a chic statement black and gold zip which runs down the spine, giving the bodysuit a couture finish.

     The undisputed 'pièce de résistance' is the breath-takingly intricate angel wing tattoo printed on the back panel. Luisa Sidoli has worked extensively with real tattoo artists to produce authentic and beautiful tattoo prints for her collections and the wing design on the 'Carine' showcases tattoo artistry at its finest.

   The tattoo print has been executed to a truly exceptional standard and the black and blue inks have been shaded to add depth to the tattoo design. When worn, it is incredibly difficult to believe that the printed mesh is not a real tattoo on somebody's back and I have already fooled several people into thinking that I have an impressive new back tattoo!

   I am extremely impressed with the attention to fine details on this bodysuit and I love that 'Tatu Couture' has been calligraphed on to one of the side panels! Additionally, thought has been given to the wearability/ functionality of the 'Carine' bodysuit and a popper opening makes it easier to take on and off.

   With regard to the fit, I was recommended a size small, which equates to an 8-10 according to the Tatu Couture size chart. Although the bodysuit does fit me, it is slightly too big at the waist for my size 8 frame and my longer-than-average torso makes it a bit too short in the body for me. 

   This means that the bodysuit does not 'sculpt' my body in quite the way that I had expected. You can see in the picture below how the excess fabric stands away from the curve of my back at waist level...

   Although the 'Carine' is not the perfect fit for my body, this is easily hidden when I incorporate it into my outerwear looks. This bodysuit looks fantastic with high waisted skirts, leggings and skinny jeans and it is ideal for transforming both day and evening outfits into something strikingly dramatic, unique and glamorous!

   In the pictures below, I have gone for an edgy, sculptural look, keeping the colour scheme to black, gold and 'nude'. I have paired the 'Carine' bodysuit with some shiny, high waisted American Apparel  leggings, ASOS gladiator heels, a gold detail Topshop belt, gold 'spike' earrings and a gold cuff to match. This look would be perfect for a night out and it makes me think of an inked Sandy from Grease!

  

   Although the 'Carine' is quite a graphic, edgy piece, I find that wearing a lace bodycon skirt with it injects femininity in to the look. Below, I have again kept the colour scheme simple ('nude' and black), adding elegant touches of gold and pops of scarlet red to 'up the glamour'.

   I recently wore this outfit to the UK Lingerie Awards and I certainly felt very glamorous and edgy in it - ideal for such a stylish, star-studded event!

   The Tatu Couture 'Carine' bodysuit is a stunning statement piece of couture bodywear, exuding high octane glamour worn on its own as a boudoir piece or equally as lingerie-inspired outerwear. The 'Carine' retails at £240 and also comes in a black and pink colourway, which would be well-suited to darker complexions.

   Whilst this bodysuit is an investment piece, it is a truly unique designer garment that has the versatility to be worn and styled in a multitude of ways. Every Tatu Couture piece is crafted using the highest quality fabrics, sewn by a team of highly skilled Ateliers based in the UK and every printed design is placement cut by hand, meaning that you are paying for outstanding craftmanship right down to the smallest detail.  

    I am absolutely thrilled with my beautiful Tatu Couture bodysuit and cannot wait to style it up again next time I go out. The angel wing tattoo print on the 'Carine' is like a piece of art in its own right and as somebody who has always toyed with the idea of getting a tattoo (but cannot quite commit), this bodysuit is my perfect solution!

You can buy the 'Carine' here or shop more of Tatu Couture's stunning collections at Honey's Lingerie Boutique!

As Christmas is on its way, Honey's are kindly offering Undercover Lingeristas 10% off any purchase with the code: 

KL10

What better way to treat a special someone (or yourself!) than with gorgeous luxury lingerie?

Love, 

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Special thanks goes to the amazing Brian Harris, who took all of the professional studio shots in this blog post!

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Harnessing the power: Body harness OOTD and review of the Freya Deco 'Spotlight' !

   For my birthday last month, my husband was kind enough to treat me with a trip to The Crazy Bear hotel in Beaconsfield. The hotel is nothing short of opulent, with its brocade-patterned doors, chandeliers, gold leaf walls and quilted seating (and that's just the restaurant and bar!)

   Our room was situated in the town house and it epitomised boudoir decadence with dim lighting and a backdrop of dark brocade wallpaper, heavy velour drapes with gold tassels and scarlet red carpet. The room was furnished with gothic-baroque elements such as an ornate gold mirror and a golden chandelier (dripping with red and black crystals)!

   Having been to The Crazy Bear once before, I wanted my dinner outfit to reflect the outré décor and eccentric glamour of the hotel, so I put together an ensemble that centred upon a lingerie-come-fashion-accessory that I have not felt daring enough to wear out... until now! The item in question is my gold-studded, black, faux-leather ASOS harness (which has been hanging in my wardrobe, unworn, for around a year or so!) If the Crazy Bear was not good enough excuse to channel bondage-inspired outerwear, then I don't know what would be!

   Harnesses can be very tricky to wear as outerwear because the styling has to be spot on - showing too much flesh was a 'no-no' for me as I felt that too much skin on display with a harness could look slightly indecent! I chose to channel the Crazy Bear colour scheme of red, black and gold in my outfit, starting with a simple bodycon midi dress in crushed red velvet, which I picked up in Primark for about £10!

 The 'midi' has become a real wardrobe staple for me, as at 5ft10, they often come up shorter on me (to around knee length). This Primark dress feels lovely on and hugs my curves (with a good amount of stretch over the chest!) - ideal for showing off your figure without showing much flesh at all!

   I decided to jazz up my outfit with a pair of patterned tights. I chose my eye-catching, black Wolford 'dolly dots' tights to pick up the circular stud detailing on my harness. The quality of these tights is excellent and they seem much less prone to laddering than my usual tights!

   The heel-boots are again a bargain from Primark and I thought that the faux suede and black strapping detailing with gold studs mirrored the harness detailing perfectly.

   I finished the look off with gold earrings, a slick of bright red lipstick, cat-wing eye make-up and, of course, some matching lingerie! The underwear that I wore with this outfit was the Freya 'Spotlight' Deco, which I bought from Figleaves when they had a 15% off code (naughty me!) The claret red tone and black polka dots match the theme of my outfit perfectly. With its trademark seamless finish and cleavage-flattering moulded cups, the 'Spotlight' was extremely practical underneath a bodycon dress too!

   In true lingerie blog style, my review would not be complete without briefly touching upon the look and fit of this new Freya Deco.. 

   The 'Spotlight' bra delivers a fashionable twist on Freya's best-selling 'Deco' design. The unusual claret base colour adds a touch of sophistication, keeping the polka dot pattern from looking too 'cutesy'. I love that Freya have inverted the colour scheme on the straps, trim and central bow (burgandy polka dots on a black base) and I am also glad that the pattern and trim continue down the bra wings - it really pulls the design together!

   Whilst this bra, for the most part, delivers the same fit and support of a regular Deco bra, the 'Spotlight' did not feel exactly the same when worn. Although the fit is only fractionally different, the top of the cups of the 'Spotlight' appear to curve inwards more than the regular Deco or Deco 'Honey'. I would attribute this 'curving inwards' to the presence of a thicker (and stiffer) elastic trim, which is present on the inside and outside of the 'Spotlight'. 

(Comparison of the outer trim of the 'Spotlight' compared to no trim on the regular nude Deco)

(The inner trim of the 'Spotlight' is significantly thicker/wider than the interior trim of my regular nude Deco)

   For those that experience slight 'gapping' at the top of the cups on the regular Deco, the 'Spotlight' could help to reduce this. Conversely, this design alteration may result in a slight 'cutting in' on those that are quite full-on-top in shape (this may not warrant having to size up in the cups, however). 

   All in all, I found that my usual 28FF was a good fit in the 'Spotlight' and like all of my Freya Deco bras, the 'Spotlight' feels comfortable and supportive when worn. I am looking forward to adding more Deco bras to my collection in future. Take a look at these beauties that are coming out this S/S14 and A/W14!

(L-R: Freya Deco 'Lagoon' (S/S14), Freya Deco 'Delight' (S/S14), Freya Deco 'Rebel' (A/W14))

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As always, I hope that you enjoyed my blog post. Let me know what you think of my outfit! 

Would you be daring enough to wear a body harness out? 

Love,

Halloween Style File: Corsets, lace and vampire fangs!

   Halloween is nearly upon us; a night synonymous with ghoulish goings on, trick or treating and scary movies! If, like me, you enjoy Halloween as a good excuse to 'paint the town red', then you will undoubtedly be excited to get costume planning!

   People tend to go to varying lengths for a Halloween fancy dress party.. witches, zombies, skeletons, cat women, devils, vampires and ghosts are quite common, but you also come across some very original outfits that are more kooky than blood-curdling..

('Barbie and Ken', 'Shark Attack', 'Sexy Corn' (what!?) and 'Rubix Cube')

(Couples costume via Tumblr)

   Whilst the above costumes are a great laugh, I decided to take a more 'traditional' Halloween approach to my outfit this year, choosing to be a vampire for the 'Lost Souls II' Halloween party at the London Aquarium! Whilst there's the temptation to buy a 'pre-made' Halloween costume from a shop or online, I decided that I was going to fashion a spooky costume from my existing wardrobe, incorporating my love of lingerie.

   One of the difficulties with Halloween outfits is striking a balance between looking scary and sexy at the same time.. particularly when lingerie is involved! I wanted to channel 'underwear as outerwear', rather than 'gone out in my underwear', so keeping things classy was a 'must' for my outfit choice.

   I started with my 'base' piece which was the black 'Vintage Stitch Corset' (size medium) that I bought from Playful Promises. This overbust corset is plastic boned with metal front fastenings and it boasts glamorous Art Deco style stitching at the hip. It features a traditional lace up back, which can be tightened as much as desired to draw in your waist, accentuating your curves.

   This Playful Promises corset gives a great hourglass shape and it is surprisingly comfortable to wear on a night out (I didn't need to adjust it at all)! As you can also see from the picture, there is a pop of red and black lace peeking out from underneath the corset and Curvy Kate aficionados may recognise this bra as the 'Tempt Me' (Scarlet and Black) from the 'Showgirl Range':

   Although it's not 100% necessary to wear a bra underneath a corset, I felt like I would feel slightly more secure and supported in a bra as well..especially for a night out that involved running through a 'scare maze' and busting some vamp-tacular moves on the dance floor! 

   I chose to wear the Curvy Kate 'Tempt Me' for a few reasons, namely that it is a great plunge style that lends itself to a lovely cleavage, but also because the seductive red colour and black lace detailing just screamed to be worn by a vampire on Halloween! The flash of red underneath the corset also gave a bit of contrast to the predominantly black outfit that I chose and also complimented my red 'Dorothy's friend' court shoes from Office, red lipstick and fake blood!

   I also wore a figure-hugging black 'fishtail' skirt from ASOS which has a slightly gothic looking lace overlay. I  accessorised with black earrings, a statement necklace from Topshop, some black satin gloves from Claire's Accessories and, of course, some Vampire-esque makeup and fangs!

(Black, blue, bronze and white smokey eye makeup with black liquid eyeliner and purple under eye liner)

(Scarlet red lips, vampire fangs and a little trickle of fake blood!)

I finished off the outfit with a long floaty cardigan/shawl to keep the chills at bay:

   I certainly had fun with this lingerie-inspired Halloween look, but what do you think of incorporating lingerie into your Halloween costume? 

Whatever you're planning, have a very HAPPY HALLOWEEN, LINGERISTAS!

Love,

Kitty xo