Supermodel Smalls - The By Caprice 'Audrey'

  Most people will know Caprice Bourret for her career as a model, actress and TV personality. In 1996, California-born Caprice moved to the UK to pursue her modelling career and just six months later, she found herself catapulted into the public eye as the infamous 'Wonderbra girl'. Since then, Caprice has appeared on over 300 magazine covers (including Vogue, GQ, Maxim and FHM) and has fronted an array of campaign advertisements for companies such as M&S, Pantene and Littlewoods. She has also appeared on TV shows, in movies and West End productions and has even released her own single!

   As if that was not enough, the leggy blonde decided to make her mark in the business world in 2000, establishing a licence deal with Debenhams for the creation of her own lingerie line. After seeing her lingerie collection grow rapidly in popularity, Caprice took the leap and invested her own money into the line. She bought back the licence from Debenhams in 2006, and thus, 'By Caprice Lingerie' was born! 

   Since its creation, Caprice has worked intently to develop her brand, adding 'By Caprice Swim' in 2007, 'By Caprice Sleep' and 'Glam by Caprice' (clothing) in 2008 and 'By Caprice Bedding' in 2010. As founder, Designer and CEO of her brand, Caprice has control over all aspects of her business - from designing, to modelling, to marketing. She takes particular pride in going by her instincts and what her customers want, rather than what trends dictate as fashionable. Caprice asserts that her motivation is to make 'ladies feel beautiful, confident, sexy and feminine'. 

   With this in mind, I was very keen to try 'By Caprice' lingerie for myself. The range currently goes from back sizes 30-38 and from cup sizes A-G. Although no 28 inch backs are available in the the range, I was interested to try a 30 back, to see how it fitted. My set of choice was the beautiful lacy 'Audrey' bra from Caprice's current collection. The 'By Caprice' team recommended that I tried a 30FF, rather than a 30F, sending me the 'Audrey' in the teal and black combination (along with the matching lace shorties in a size medium). 

(By Caprice, 'Audrey' - bra: £28 and shorties: £18)

   The By Caprice 'Audrey' bra is a black underwired moulded plunge, with teal scalloped lace overlay. In real life, the teal is more rich in colour than in the promotional pictures and I instantly fell in love with the seductive boudoir styling!

   The bra features dainty black bows at the bottom of the straps and the 'pièce de résistance' is definitely the decorative criss-cross ribbon detailing at the centre of the cups. Although the ribbons that hang down from the centre bow are quite long, they add to the bra's glamorous appeal - reminding me very much of the lace-up ribbons on a basque or corset! The straps are also beautifully decorated, providing a welcome change to the plain straps on most bras. With black and teal mesh frills, the 'Audrey' straps are definitely a feature to be seen! 

(Make a fashion statement by wearing a top that gives a cheeky peek of your straps!)

   With regard to the fit of the bra, I am very glad that I opted for the 30FF, rather than the 30F size equivalent to my usual 28FF size. The 30FF was the correct size for me in the cups and the band felt ok (but a tad loose) in a 30 back. The main issue for me was that the centre gore did not sit completely flush against my chest and for that reason, I would really love for 'By Caprice' to include 28 backs! 

   The 'Audrey' gives a lovely rounded shape under clothes and the boost of the inbuilt foam padding gives a natural-looking lift, without squishing the breasts together and making you look as if you've had a boob job! It is generally quite rare for padded bras to be offered in larger cup sizes, so I am thankful to 'By Caprice' for recognising that every girl appreciates a cleavage enhancer now and again!

   The matching teal and black lace shorties are also very pretty, featuring a floral-patterned scalloped design in semi-sheer lace:     

   The back of the shorties are very cheeky...in more ways than one! I got a size medium (which is to fit a 10-12), but I must warn that they do come up quite small! The cut of the shorties is definitely not for the faint-hearted, as they give quite risqué coverage to your derrière..perhaps not for everyday wear, but certainly perfect for the bedroom! They also boast a stunning V-shaped cut-out detail at the top, which gives a racy flash of skin, alongside elasticated criss-cross ribbons, which compliment the similar motif on the bra. 

  All in all, I was very pleased with my first experience of 'By Caprice' lingerie. The 'Audrey' set is a lovely boudoir piece that is sure to seduce anyone lucky enough to see it! Its teal lace, corset ribbon detailing and unusual frilled bra straps show great attention to detail and make the wearer feel oh so glamorous and sexy! I also liked the shape of the cups and the fact that the bra offers a little bit of 'oomph', with its inbuilt padding!

  'By Caprice' is indeed carving a place in the lingerie retail world, offering glamorous designs at very reasonable prices. 'By Caprice' is available to buy from Littlewoods, amongst other online retails (such as Debenhams, Figleaves, New Look and ASOS).

To find out more about 'By Caprice' and the ranges, visit: www.bycaprice.com.

Love,
Kitty xo

Pretty in pink: Cleo by Panache 'Lucy' bra

   One of the first brands for larger busts that I fell in love with was Panache and their 'Cleo' range. Cleo made its debut in 2009 and since then, it has attracted a loyal customer base of lingerie-loving fashionistas. Cleo is rather like Panache Superbra's trend-conscious younger sister, providing great support in colourful and pretty designs, from a 28 band and up to a J cup! 

  As I'm sure many lingeristas will agree, it is always exciting to come across your favourite brands at discounted prices, so I was really happy to find the gorgeous and girly Cleo 'Lucy' bra on sale for £16.95 on notnaked! 

  I ordered my usual 28FF size and was amazed to receive confirmation that my item had been dispatched the very same day. The package arrived a matter of a day later too! 

   As you can see from the picture, the Cleo 'Lucy' is a non-padded underwired balconette with a three sectioned cup and fully adjustable shoulder straps. This pink beauty is primarily made of doubled-lined mesh, with single mesh panels along the top of the cups. The benefit of having two layers of mesh on the cups, is the added support and superior shape that it gives. Unlike some mesh bras (which can give a slightly pointy look), the 'Lucy' lends to a lovely rounded, yet natural shape. 

   Having semi-sheer cups stops you from feeling too exposed, but at the same time, gives a tantalising hint of what is underneath! The sheer mesh panels along the top of the cups feature a white embroidered Picot trim, alongside openwork floral embroidery - detailing which is complimented by small floral motifs, scattered intermittently across the cups. This girly and feminine bra is finished off by a vibrant pink and white bow at the centre gore. Despite the shocking pink colour of this bra, it works well under most tops and the embroidery does not show through either.

(Detail of the 'Lucy', showing intricate embroidery detailing and sheer panels.)

   Size-wise, the 'Lucy' fits well and feels very comfortable - the under-band feels very snug, which is something that I love about Panache bras and the centre gore sits flush against the chest without digging in. An unpadded bra that gives a nice rounded and uplifted shape is hard to come by, so I was impressed with the shape that the 'Lucy' gives. 

   The only issue that I had with the 'Lucy' bra, was the slight wrinkling that I got along the sheer mesh panels at the top, despite the cup size being correct. Ladies who are 'fuller on top' will probably not experience this, but it is worth mentioning for those who find this a common occurrence in unpadded styles. 

  The Cleo 'Lucy' is a great everyday bra and its vibrant pink shade and floral detailing are sure to make you feel every bit the girly girl! Above all, I am pleased with the firmness of the band and the lovely shape and support that the 'Lucy' provides. Thanks to Panache, this bra will definitely have you feeling pretty in pink!

Love,

Kitty xo