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))

***

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,

Arabel Lingerie - Forget Me Not knickers and Sugarplum garter review

   "Pretty but playful. Naughty but nice." These are definitely dichotomies that I can live by when it comes to lingerie! Although I find myself drawn to the edgy, bondage-inspired designs that have filtered to the forefront of the current lingerie market, on discovering the delicious candy colours, girly frills, bows and delicate lace details of Arabel Lingerie, it was impossible not to develop a sweet tooth for the collection! 

   Arabel Lingerie was founded in April 2012 by the talented, Sarah Lister. After completing a foundation diploma in Art and Fashion Design at the University of Gloucestershire, Sarah began training in pattern drafting, corsetry and lingerie construction before taking on her long-held ambition to conquer the lingerie world with her whimsical and sugar sweet designs. Sarah advocates that "women of all sizes deserve beautiful lingerie"; an ethos that I wholeheartedly champion!

   Arabel Lingerie is all about making the wearer feel special - every garment is lovingly hand made in the UK (to your measurements, if required!), using high quality satin and lace. The Arabel Lingerie collection currently includes knickers, suspenders, garter bets and more recently, a 'camidoll' and soft cup bra! The sugar sweet colours, romantic designs and girly motifs really capture the essence of femininity and playfulness, so I was delighted when Sarah offered me a sample of her pretty lingerie to review. 

   I chose the 'Forget Me Not' knickers (£18) and 'Sugarplum' garter belt (in black) (£32) and emailed Sarah my measurements to ensure a perfect fit. The lingerie arrived beautifully wrapped up in a compact black box. To my surprise, on undoing the bow, the box unfolded like an origami flower to reveal my new lingerie - a lovely touch indeed! 

The lingerie was even prettier in the flesh than on the Arabel Lingerie website and I could not wait to try on my new underwear!

   The 'Forget Me Not' knickers are a gorgeous powder blue shade with a contrasting black elastic trim and a black satin bow at the centre. The bluebell shade is not a colour that I have much of in my underwear (or outerwear) collection, but it is a great nod to Spring/Summer pastels. Although pastels can sometimes wash me out, the pale blue of these knickers really compliments my fair complexion.

   I also love the 'peek-a-boo' effect of the semi-sheer lace and the floral pattern gives these knickers a slightly vintage edge. The 'pièce de résistance' of these knickers, however, is the delightfully girly tutu frill detail that goes all the way from front to back! The only down-side to the frill is that it can get a bit creased under trousers, but the stretch lace material lends to easy reshaping!

   As for the sizing, Sarah has a very handy size guide on her site, which tells you how to find the perfect fit for her garments. Her knicker sizing chart includes standard clothing sizes e.g. 10-12 but it also states a high hip measurement e.g. 34". This was very helpful when picking out my size as I could see which knicker size corresponded to my high hip measurement. It is also helpful for those that are not uniformly 'one clothing size' all over. (I am generally a size 10 in clothes, but my hips are wider and the 36" 12-14 Arabel knickers fit me beautifully.)

Dual knicker sizing chart:

 

30" 6-8

32" 8-10

34" 10-12

36" 12-14

38" 14-16

40" 16-18

42" 18-20

44" 20-22

   I am a huge fan of the stretch lace used in these knickers. The material is very soft against the skin and there is no digging in at all, making them really comfortable to wear everyday. I also think that these knickers would be ideal for bridal wear as 'something blue', paired with the 'Sugarplum' garter belt in blue.

   I was also impressed by how pretty and sturdy the garter/suspender belt was in real life. I went for a plain black version of the 'Sugarplum' garter belt (which is available in blue, pink or white on the website). The garter belt is made from a thick black elastic with a smooth underside, so that it sits comfortably against your skin without rubbing. 

   The garter belt features six adjustable suspender straps - a nice change from the more common four strap garter belts. The belt fastens at the back with a single hook and eye closure (with three tightness settings). Having six straps does make the process of attaching them to stockings a little more time consuming, but the benefit is that when attached, you do feel as though your stockings will stay securely in place all day. The 'slider' clasps are also decorated with adorable satin bows - a beautiful finishing touch!

   Once again, the 'Sugarplum' garter belt is a 'made-to-measure' garment, so I gave Sarah my measurement (a touch below my natural waist as I wanted it to sit slightly lower). It is very useful having the three rows of hooks as I can tighten or loosen it according to where I want the belt to sit. The pictures show the garter belt in two different positions, but it tends to sit slightly lower than my belly button as in the top picture.

   The garter belt was surprisingly comfortable to wear, holding my stockings up with no slipping. The garter belt is really versatile in black and it looks gorgeous with the Arabel 'Forget Me Not' ruffle knickers, as well as with just about any lingerie set in my underwear drawer!

***

   I am really thrilled with my Arabel Lingerie knickers and suspender belt and cannot praise enough how good it is to own lingerie that is exquisitely pretty, comfortable, excellent quality and made to your measurements! Sarah's bespoke service is great as you can order any of her designs to be made in a different colourway and you can even contact her directly if you fancy a made-to-measure lingerie creation of your own imagination. 

***

   Arabel Lingerie is set to introduce even more exciting lingerie pieces to its collections this year and Sarah has mentioned cup sized bras, swimwear, corsetry and even 'plus sized lingerie' (depending on the demand). Sarah recognises that "everyone has their own fit problems" when it comes to lingerie and her brand, Arabel Lingerie, seeks to cater to each unique individual with great fit, high quality and a sprinkle of sugar, pixie dust and lingerie magic!

(Next on my wishlist is the Gwenhyfar garter belt and knicker set!)

Take a look at Arabel Lingerie's current collections on the official website and follow the brand on social media.

What do you think of Arabel Lingerie?

Love,
Kitty xo

2012 in review & a sneak peek at what 2013 has in store..!

   First and foremost, let me start by wishing you all a very HAPPY NEW YEAR and thank you, readers, for your continued support in my lingerie pursuits! 

   2012 has been such an exciting year for me personally (I got married!) and as a blogger there have been so many great events and launches that it is hard to pick my highlights! Never-the-less, here is a little overview of my blog over the past year...

   2012 kicked off with my first guest blog "What I look for from a lingerie boutique" for Lingerie Buyer trade magazine, followed by meeting the fabulous Gok Wan at the Simply Yours/Simply Be S/S12 press event, the Swimwear 365 launch with TOWIE's Sam Faiers, the London Fashion Week 'indie' lingerie designers catwalk show, various lingerie press days (including the hugely popular Eveden A/W12 and Panache A/W12 press events)..and much more! 

   I was also thrilled to win Jonathan Aston's 2012 blogger 'style off' competition and this has given me the confidence to introduce more clothing, nightwear and shapewear posts on my blog. (Take a look at my lingerie-inspired Halloween look, 'Work fashion' style file, luxury highstreet nightwear review and Charnos corselette shapewear review) I have also started to use a few pictures of myself wearing garments that I review to hopefully give an even better idea of how things look in the flesh! 

   2012 has been a great year for lingerie reviews - both of brands that many of us know and love, as well as of some emerging and independent designers that cater particularly to the fuller bust market. Some of my favourite lingerie discoveries over the past year include the 'Parfait' by Affinitas fuller bust line, tattoo-inspired creations of Tatu Couture, new C-J cup lingerie brand, Alegro, Mimi Holliday's luxurious bras and highly acclaimed polish lingerie brand, Ewa Michalak!    

   2012 has indeed been a busy year and 2013 undoubtedly has some great surprises in store for you, lingerie fans! I am particularly looking forward to...

*Freya bringing out their longline bras in a 28 back for S/S13 - it looks like my continual badgering at press events has paid off! ;) 

(Pictured below L-R 'Just Flew In' and 'Patsy' - sizes 32-38C and 28-38 D-G.) 

* Freya's first ever shapewear styles and a Deco multiway bra..I can't wait! (Sizes 32-38 B,C & 28-38 D-G)

* Cleo by Panache's swimwear debut this Spring/Summer (cue a colour explosion of eye-catching summery brights, bold patterns and oh-so-cute details..starting from a 28 back (D-J cups):

* Curvy Kate's first ever babydoll ('Lola') which goes up to a K cup - it really fills a gap in the fuller bust market for sexy 'boudoir lingerie' and A/W13 cannot come around quick enough!

* Claudette's introduction of 28 backs to their 'Dessous' range - after months of lusting, I can't wait to get my mitts on these bright neon bras in my size!

* Miss Mandalay's high fashion, high impact swimwear for 2013 - fuller busted ladies are in for a treat with the new collections (all up to a GG and one range up to an H, with 28 backs in many styles). The 'Los Angeles' bikini (below, right) is bang on trend with its sexy cut-out details - it has my heart doing somersaults already!

* Even more Parfait by Affinitas longline bras for me to hanker after! Here is the ineffably stylish 'Danielle' bra in 'imperial purple' for A/W13..it must be love!

   This 2013, I hope to bring you all even more exciting lingerie, swimwear and fashion related pictures, previews, news and reviews. Blogging is in many ways about self-exploration and I am always striving to bring even more excitement and new ideas to the table when it comes to what I write about. I am pleased to say that I have a few new things in the pipeline for you all..one of my big aims is to bring in some thought-provoking content about the lingerie industry, bra fitting and body image, so keep your eyes peeled! 

   As always, if you have any suggestions regarding what you are interested in seeing on my blog, I'd love to hear from you - this blog exists to help people in their quest for well-fitting, gorgeous lingerie, so do get in touch here..and don't forget to join me on Facebook and Twitter for daily lingerie updates or just a general natter!

Love,

Kitty xo

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