My big Bloggiversary competition winners revealed...!

As you all know, I launched my big bloggiversary competition last month to celebrate Undercover Lingerista's first birthday!

   The task was the write a piece under the title, "The bra that changed my life" and there were a whole host of absolutely amazing prizes up for grabs from Freya, Curvy Kate, Playful Promises, Affinitas Intimates, Charnos, Fraulein Annie, Miss Mandalay, Lepel, Simply Beach, Large Cup Lingerie, Leia Lingerie, If You Please, notnaked, My Smarty Pants, Lazeme, Violet's Knickers and Lingerie Please. (Thank you to all of the sponsors again for your generosity and support!)

The response to the competition has been incredible and all of the entries were so varied and interesting in content..some of them made me giggle and some even brought tears to my eyes! 

There seemed to be a pervading message in the entries that lingerie is much more than just what we 'wear under clothes'. In many cases, one bra proved life altering, transformed self-perception, restored confidence, empowered women as masters of their own sexuality..the list goes on. 

Due to the overwhelming success of the competition, I have decided to pick 4 overall winners (who will receive 4 prizes each) and 6 runners up (who will get a prize each too!) 

And now, the moment you have all been waiting for...the winners (in no particular order within categories)!

The 4 overall winners that I have chosen are:

- Zh Xing Ooi
- Jessica DiLullo
- S. Begelfor
- Joey Haynes

The 6 runners up are:

- June Brasil
- Cecily King
- Laura Kelly
- Amelia Yousey
- Vic Horsham
- Astrid Lopez

CONGRATULATIONS! 

I will be in touch with each of you this week to discuss your prizes and getting them out to you!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to write an entry - I enjoyed every single one and it was such a difficult choice. (Keep your eyes peeled for more opportunities to win in my future competitions too!)

Aside from giving something back to everyone who has supported me and my blog, I also wanted to run this competition to lend a voice to my readers, who have such interesting stories to tell themselves. 

I will be sharing some of the winning entries on my blog in the upcoming weeks..I'm sure you will agree that the women who wrote them are as inspiring as their stories!

Love,

Kitty xo 

Simply beach and the Freya 'Revolution'...

   With an increasing array of swimwear available to girls with curves, gone are the days of badly fitting, mix-matched bikini tops and bottoms in different sizes. Although I am a convert to cup sized swimwear, a part of me does pine for the gorgeous strapless and bandeau bikinis found on the high street. I initially resigned myself to the idea that the strapless bikini was just not engineered for the larger bust, but I soon realised that I was mistaken. On browsing Simply Beach, I was overjoyed to come across a certain Freya bikini, whose name suggested that it was the end of my strapless bikini envy...  

   Introducing..the Freya 'Revolution' bikini! The 'Revolution' bikini top is a versatile and chic black bandeau, which not only can be worn strapless, but also comes with adjustable and detachable straps, so that you can wear it as a halterneck too! Available in sizes 30-38 back and from cup sizes D-G, the 'Revolution' is the stylish, sexy and supportive multiway bikini that every curvy girl craves. 

   Although I am a 28FF and no 28 back is available in the 'Revolution' bandeau bikini (Freya please take note!), I was keen to try the 30F for size.. because, well, a gorgeous strapless multiway bikini for the larger bust is hard to come by and the 'Revolution' is a beauty! Thanks to the fantastic Simply Beach, the Freya 'Revolution' arrived quickly on my doorstep, bringing with it, thoughts of my next holiday get-away... 

   The Freya 'Revolution' is every bit the glamorous classic in real life, coming in 'flatter all' black, with ivory stitch detailing. Freya add a touch of girly charm with flirty frills at the centre of the cups, whilst the three black buttons give the bikini a sophisticated feel. The fabric is also slightly ruched at the centre and sides, to give the bandeau a bit more shape.

   Freya know that support is key for the busty girl and the concealed underwire in the cups and side boning ensure that you feel comfortable and supported on the beach or by the pool. The 'Revolution' bikini top features a wide back clasp, to give extra security and support. 

   Having the option of removable shoulder straps makes this bikini a real winner. Not only does it give this bikini two 'looks', but it is also great for tanning. Whilst not everyone will feel daring enough to go strapless on the beach, the detachable straps are ideal for avoiding annoying strap marks left after sunbathing! 

   As someone who has never owned a strapless bikini before, I was very impressed with the shape of the 'Revolution'. Whilst some strapless bandeau bikinis can be unflattering styles that simply drape over your chest, the 'sweet heart' neckline and general cut of the 'Revolution' really compliment a larger bust, whilst not revealing too much cleavage or being low cut.

   In terms of support, the 30 back did unfortunately feel a bit too loose for me, but not so loose that it was unwearable. I feel that I could happily laze by the pool in this bikini and have a splash about, but beach games and vigorous swimming would probably be off the cards. For this reason, I would really love for Freya to make their bandeau bikinis in 28 backs, as especially for a strapless, a firm under band is vital to give good support.  

   I was very impressed, however, with Freya's attention to detail in the 'Revolution's design. Aside from the underwire and boning, there is a plastic strip that runs along the inside cups and back band, which helps the bikini to stick to you and stay in place.

   To compliment the 'Revolution' bikini top, I also received the matching bikini shorts, which boast a similar little frill and button detail along the top. The size small fit me perfectly and I like the fact that the shorts give good coverage at the back. Although they come up a bit higher than my usual 'hipster' bikini bottoms, they are very comfortable to wear - perfect for those that prefer a less skimpy look for the beach or pool. 

   The 'Revolution' is a great take on the strapless bandeau bikini and as always, Freya add a signature twist with their attention to detail, flattering shapes and great curve-supporting engineering! The 'Revolution' is available at a reduced price of £25.50 for the top and £16.50 for the short on Simply Beach, making it a bikini well worth snapping up for your next holiday. 

   In the same way that every underwear drawer needs a multiway/strapless bra, I think that every girl needs to own a multiway/strapless bikini. Versatile, stylish, comfortable and curve-friendly, the 'Revolution' seems to be a revolution by nature as well as name!

   To see more of Simply Beach's great swimwear selection (including Freya, Panache, Pour moi, Fantasie and Seafolly to name a few), click here. (Postage is £1.99 with free returns and exchanges!)

Love,
Kitty xo

Another day in paradise - The Freya 'Eden' bikini

  Whether your ideal summer holiday involves jetting off to sunnier climes or staying closer to home, every girl wants to look and feel fantastic in swimwear! With everyone in search of their ultimate piece of holiday paradise, I felt like I had discover mine in the form of the Freya "Eden" bikini...

Eden Underwired Bandless Tri Bikini Top – Pink £27

Eden Reversible Tie Brief - Pink £23

 

  The "Eden" range forms part of Freya's more recent Summer swimwear collection and it offers up a stunning variation on their hugely popular, polka dot "Pier" bikini (Review found here). As a huge fan of my red "Pier" bikini, I was very keen to try the "Eden", which mixes pink and white polka dots with vibrant florals. By mixing two key Summer trends, Freya has created a very individual and fashion-forward bikini, which has the look of a designer piece, at just a snip of the price!

  Although the "Eden" comes in an underwired balcony style (back sizes: 28-40 and cup sizes: D-HH), I was much more drawn to the underwired triangle bikini top, as pictured above. Although the "Eden" underwired triangle bikini comes in a less wide range of sizes (back sizes: 30-38 and cup sizes: D-FF), I fell in love with the plunging 'V' cut of the triangle style. To my delight, the fabulous Simply Beach kindly sent me a 30F in the "Eden" bikini top and a size small in the matching tie-briefs to try.

  As you can see, the "Eden" is a real colour-burst of vibrant shades: from hot pink to light pink, purple, green and white. The bikini cups and back are covered with pansy, cherry blossom and chrysanthemum patterning, offset by pink and white polkadot trim, which runs along the top of the band, cups and up the halterneck straps. The "Eden" triangle bikini top presents a sexy alternative to the more 'full coverage' Freya bikini top styles, showing off your cleavage to its best advantage. Despite being a triangle bikini, it is fully underwired, giving you total support and lift where curvy girls need it most! I also fell in love with the bandless centre (with its sexy cut-out detail) and the double-tie halterneck straps, which can be tied as tight or loosely as desired. 

  The tie-side bikini bottoms (xs-xl) are also extremely comfortable, whilst adding inches to your legs as if by magic! My favourite thing about the briefs is that one side boasts a floral and polka-dot print, whilst the other side is bright pink with white polka dots. The fact that the briefs are reversible adds to their versatility and makes them great value for money - for example, if you already own the Freya "Pier" in pink, you can mix and match it with the "Eden" set!

  As with all bikinis, the best way to 'wear test' them is in the water, so when I was whisked away by my boyfriend recently to a hotel which had a swimming pool, I could not wait to put the "Eden" to the test! I was initially a bit nervous about the sizing of the bikini top, as the 30 band felt a bit loose on me, but it stayed on perfectly in the water (jumping about included!) The tie side briefs also fit a treat and there was no worry at all that the ties would undone. All in all, the "Eden" was a great success, so much so that they surely must have contributed to my boyfriend proposing to me that very weekend...! 

  Although the "Eden" triangle bikini does not come in a 28 (Freya, please take note!), for all of you girls that are a 30-38 band, this is a beauty! High quality, comfortable, supportive and with a great design to boot, what more could a girl ask for? The biggest temptation that the "Eden" holds? Trying not to buy everything in the whole range!

  To see more of Simply beach's great swimwear selection (including Freya, Panache, Pour moi, Fantasie and Seafolly to name a few), please click here. (Postage is £1.99 with free returns and exchanges!)

Love,

Kitty xo