Bling for your bra - Esty Lingerie choker strap review

   An accessory can be the perfect finishing touch to any outfit, so where does the lingerie market stand when it comes to underwear accessories? 

   You may be aware of the existence of functional bra-cessories such as your commonplace bra-extenders, comfort strap pads and chicken fillets but what about accessories that take your bra to the next level of aesthetic impact? 

   With the widespread furor caused by 'Fifty Shades of Grey', bondage accessories have taken to the stage in a big way and it seems that now, the sky is the limit when it comes to sprucing up your underwear with edgy (and sometimes risqué) accessories...  

(Picture via: Bloodglitterlust @ Tumblr)

   Although the 'Fifty Shades' book has bypassed me somewhat, bondage-inspired lingerie certainly hasn't! Anything strappy/cut-out/mesh/harness-like gets me weak at the knees, so I was delighted to stumble across Esty Lingerie's new and improved Accessories section. 

   I have been a fan of Esty Lingerie for a while; the company boasts an extensive range of amazing independent designer names on its website that I regularly lust after. Even more exciting, however, is the fact that company director, Estelle Puleston, is also a lingerie designer and her new range of lingerie accessories is certainly something to get dreamy-eyed over!

   Esty Lingerie's Accessories range is an ideal way to personalise and rejuvenate the lingerie that you already own and the collection includes everything from customised bra straps, suspender straps and garters to cuffs, harnesses and handcuffs! The accessories that really caught my eye were the gorgeous, bondage-inspired choker straps, which come in a variety of styles and colours..

   What particularly excites me about the choker strap accessory is that it fuses the idea of a necklace, harness and bra strap to create something that bridges the gap between under and outer-wear. Bondage-inspired bras also do not tend to be readily available to small-backed and fuller busted girls such as myself, so a choker strap seemed to be an ideal way of customising the lingerie that I already owned! 

   I was over the moon when Esty Lingerie offered me the chance to channel the trend with an Esty choker strap of my choice! As a fan of Alexander McQueen and his trademark skull motifs, the black satin elastic choker bra strap with crystal skull seemed to be a great nod to the late designer!

   The Esty Lingerie black satin choker strap is one size and is incredibly adaptable thanks to its stretch elastic and metal adjusters, which can be modified to fit the individual. To attach the choker strap, the bottom slider can be adjusted to form a loop and then all you have to do is slip it over the bra wing and slide it to the centre. Put on your bra as normal and then use the clip at the top to fasten the choker at the neck. Tighten or loosen the top and bottom sliders as necessary and voilà! Your very own custom bra harness!

   Whilst I have tried my choker strap with plunge and balcony bras, I really love wearing my skull choker strap with a plain strapless bra like the black Freya Deco. The choker strap works so well with a strapless as the choker almost becomes part of the bra, creating a new bra design in itself. The eye is also drawn upwards to the neck, honing in on the glint of the diamanté skull charm and cute satin ribbon bow detail.

   The Esty choker strap is well made and comfortable to wear, meaning that it is not limited to the boudoir; it can be incorporated into day and evening outfits alike. As the Esty skull choker is such a 'wow' piece and I am such a big fan of the lingerie as outerwear trend, I have enjoyed wearing my choker strap with slinky evening dresses, under blouses and even peeking out of casual vest tops. 

   I have put a few outfits together so that you can get a feel for some of the ways that the choker strap can be worn in harmony with clothing without looking OTT...

Day: Casual vests and acid wash jeans

Neon vest top: Undiz (France) 

Bra: Freya Deco strapless

Acid wash jeggings: Topshop

Stud boots: Primark

Neon is a huge trend at the moment and yellow/lime is one of this season's hottest shades - it looks great against a tan and it even works with my 'moon tan'! I love the contrast of the neon with my Topshop acid wash jeggings and my Primark studded boots tie in well with the skull choker strap - ideal for adding a rock-chic edge!

Burgundy vest: New Look

Bra: Freya Deco strapless

Acid wash jeggings: Topshop

Stud boots: Primark

If you're not feeling daring enough to wear out-there neons this Summer, burgundy/rust is a great transitional shade that will take you into Autumn. Burgundy feels a little more sophisticated and understated and I love the relaxed simplicity of this outfit, whilst the choker strap turns up the heat.

Evening: Mesh and velvet bodycon

Dress: H&M Conscious collection

Bra: Freya Deco strapless

     Let's just say that I was feeling unusually Gothic when I put this outfit together! I really like the textural contrast of the velvet with the mesh of this bodycon dress and the waterfall/batwing sleeves give this outfit plenty of dramatic impact. My Deco strapless works brilliantly under this dress, meaning that the only strap on show is my fabulous Esty skull choker strap!

   As you can see, the Esty skull choker strap is a perfect way to spice up any outfit and it really gives the 'wow factor' to a variety of bra styles. It is quite brilliant to me that you can totally transform your under and outerwear simply by slipping on choker strap! Aside from being easy to wear, the Esty choker is great quality, comfortable and the pièce de résistance? It only costs £10.99! An absolute steal considering its versatility, luxury appeal and suitability for ALL cup sizes!

   I am such a fan of this skull choker strap, that I can't wait to add more Esty accessories to my collection. I might buy the matching skull bra straps or skull suspenders, but more likely I will get one of these beauties:

See the rest of Esty Lingerie's Accessories collection here.

   What do you think of Esty Lingerie's choker straps? Is bondage-inspired lingerie a trend that you would rock and how do you feel about lingerie accessories?

Love,

Kitty x

Best of British: Jonathan Aston blogger 'style off' competition!

   Jonathan Aston was founded in Leicester in 1965 and since then has quickly become an iconic fashion hosiery brand, counting celebrity fans in the form of Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Jessie J. Jonathan Aston's collections include everything from trendy tights with graphic patterns and bold colours to vintage-style stockings, cute anklets, lace knee-high socks and 60's-esque leggings and skeggings (skirt and leggings all in one!)

   As a fan of fashion and style blogs, I was excited to hear about Jonathan Aston's 'Blogger Style Off Competition' and I couldn't wait to put my fashion styling to the test. With all of the 'Best of British' buzz surrounding the Jubilee and with the Olympics fast-approaching, it seemed very fitting for the competition to involve creating an outfit around a pair of Jonathan Aston's Union Jack print tights...

    The Union Jack flag print on these tights is quite loud and eye-catching, so I really wanted the tights to do the talking. However, where the temptation is to reach for a black, red, blue or white dress, I wanted to make this look wearable and not look too much like fancy dress or a Spice Girls reunion outfit! With this in mind, I put together an outfit that channels my personal style, but at the same time challenges it. 

   I am a big fan of blouses, so this red-orange ruffle shirt from Peekaboo vintage was a great starting point. Leather is a great way of toughening up a girlie look, so my faux leather flared mini skirt from H&M updates the look really well and gives the outfit shape by drawing emphasis to my waist. I then added gold stud earrings, a vintage gold chain waist belt and a TOPSHOP black gem statement necklace under the collar of my blouse for added impact. Contrasting gold stud heeled boots (from Love Label) lend to a glamorous finish. Finally, a slick of dramatic red lipstick and black cat-eye flicks complete my 'Best of British' look.

   The exciting news is that the winning blogger of the Jonathan Aston style competition wins a 'Best of British' Hamper filled with goodies and I would love to give his hamper to a lucky Undercover Lingerista reader!

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is:

1. VOTE for my picture (same as above) by LIKING it on the Jonathan Aston Facebook page. 

2. For an extra entry, LIKE my Facebook comment about the competition!

   

If I get the most 'likes' and win, I will select a winner at random using a random number generator..

Thanks for your support! :) (Voting ends Monday 23rd July at 10am)

VOTE HERE!

Love,

Kitty xo

Style file: The curvy girl's guide to a night out

Your night out is planned and all of your friends have confirmed, but the big question remains..what to wear?

  Every girl has experienced that ‘I have nothing to wear’ moment prior to a big night out and for the curvy girls out there, there are just so many things to think about aside from whether you can walk in your new sky-scraper heels! Dressing curves is never an easy task – the balance must be addressed between showing off your assets and looking like you’ve tried too hard or have dressed to get the wrong kid of attention!

  Another issue is finding clothes that accommodate for curves and a bigger bust. Going up a size to give enough room to your bust can be disastrous, resulting in too much material around the waist, or clothes that just ‘hang’ off your frame. No-one wants to get lost in too much fabric, but not everyone has the confidence to pour themselves into a fitted dress…

  The solution to dressing curves is firstly to work out the kind of occasion that you are dressing for and secondly, to decide which areas of your body you want to highlight or conceal. Although there are specialist fashion stores (like Pepperberry) that cater for curves, I want to show girls that they can pick up curve-friendly clothes on the cheap! 

 

LOOK 1: Trendy but understated

(Necklace, top and black skinny jeans from Topshop. Studded heeled boots from Love label.)

Skinny jeans are a great night-out alternative to a dress. They can be worn to more casual events, dinner with friends or the cocktail bar.

Black skinny jeans are very slimming and flattering to curves and also elongate your frame.

Wrap-over tops or ‘V’-shaped plunging necklines draw attention to your bust, whilst not revealing too much flesh.

Gold accents and embellishment add a little bit of glitz for the evening. Whoever said you can’t stand out in a pair of black jeans?

LOOK 2: Flirty summer prom dress

 

(Dress, belt and heels – all Primark)

With the onset of summer, what better way to celebrate, than with a

pretty prom-style dress?

This dress from Primark is perfect for curvy girls, due to the fitted bodice and sweetheart neckline, which flatter a bigger bust. The A-line skirt and cinched-in waist give the impression of an hour-glass figure, whilst skimming over the stomach and thighs.

Nude heels finish off the outfit by elongating the legs.

LOOK 3: Chiffon and leggings

(Tunic dress and heels from Primark. Leggings – H&M)

This rust-coloured tunic dress is very girly and great for an evening out with the girls. The bust is roomy and the buttons can be undone to reveal a stretchy under-slip.

The plaited belt adds shape to the dress and draws attention to your waist. Leggings keep the look casual, but the embellished heels add a bit of nighttime glamour!

LOOK 4: Elegant in summer brights

 

(Dress, belt and heels from Dorothy Perkins. Necklace – Primark.)

Take on the summer brights trend with a vibrant purple dress like this one from Dorothy Perkins! The dress is made from a stretchy material and will accommodate for larger busts.

The fabric falls from under the bust and skims your curves. The accompanying belt can also be worn under the bust, enhancing your chest whilst giving you a cinched-in shape!

LOOK 5: Daring panelling

(Bodycon ‘Emma’ dress from Motel)

For the more daring of curvy girls, body-con can be a knockout way to show off curves and an hourglass figure!

This dress by Motel is very glam and perfect for a night out on the tiles. Look out for strategic panelling, which emphasises curvy figures. The panels of the Motel ‘Emma’ dress give the illusion of a smaller waist!

Don’t forget to wear seam-free underwear and a supportive strapless bra. Here, I am wearing the Freya ‘Deco’ strapless bra in black.

LOOK 6: The little black dress

(Dress by Geitzy London – found in a vintage shop. Heels from Dorothy Perkins)

Look out for the perfect little black dress that you can wear over and over again. This ‘Geitzy’ dress is made from very stretchy material and is slightly ruched at the bust. Stretchy dresses, like this one, are great as they cling to the curves that you want to show off (your bust), but aren’t too clingy on the rest of your body!

Team with a gorgeous pair of platform heels and rock those curves!

  I hope you have enjoyed my going-out style file for curvy girls, which should hopefully provide some ‘food for thought’ and show that you don’t need to spend a lot to look good!

  When shopping for clothes, remember to look out for clothes that streamline your figure, enhance your best points and skim over any parts of your body that you dislike. Don’t be afraid to customise – tacking, sewing and altering can really transform an outfit that is not ‘quite’ right when you buy it. Adding a waist belt to a dress is also a great way of giving shape to clothes that otherwise fit too loosely and do not pay enough homage to your gorgeous figure!

  One last thing to keep in mind is underwear. The first step to looking great starts with the basics…and that means a well-fitting, supportive bra! I am wearing the Freya nude ‘Deco’ bra in looks 1-4 and the Freya black strapless ‘Deco’ in looks 5-6. These are the staple lingerie pieces that I reach for again and again. Due to being completely seamless and providing fantastic uplift and support, these bras are a must-have for all curvy girls!

  Although fashion is very subjective, the most important thing is to dress for your figure, as ultimately, only you know what you feel most comfortable and confident in. A beautiful girl is a confident girl; so don’t forget to finish off any outfit with a dazzling smile!

Love,

Kitty xo