Chantal Thomass – Passion’elle

When I went to Paris last year I made it my mission to visit the Chantal Thomass boutique. Her brand has such a wonderful style that I knew her boutique would be as beautiful as her lingerie. Browsing through the racks of lingerie sets, I got a feel for the brand: The different bra styles and how they lift, push and support; The types of luxurious fabric she uses; and the unique and quirky designs she creates. This is when I bought my first set and ever since I have been lusting after her over and over again.

I’ve always found it hard to locate Chantal Thomass online: Many online boutiques like Dolci Follie have their own selection of her lingerie but this is very limited and a lot of the time isn’t from the most recent season. There is a section on the Chantal Thomass website that shows all their online stockists from all over the world, so this is definitely the best place to check to try and find one in your country or continent. I found Passion’elle thanks to Marionette Mew, who had previously bought lingerie from a boutique called Glamuse. She highly recommended their service and she was right, their customer service was wonderful, my items shipped within a day of ordering with a delivery company of my choice, which then arrived within a few days. Opening the package, the order was inside this beautiful silk satin drawstring bag which is such a cute touch and great for me to store my set.

So on to the set itself! Passion’elle is utterly beautiful. The product images do not do this set justice, it is a million times more fantastic in the flesh. I ordered a size 85B, which is the french equivalent of a 32B, my sister size. I’m usually very picky about bra sizes and will only ever buy my true size (30C) but after trying on my first Chantal Thomass bra I knew that this size was a good fit. This means that the band isn’t super snug but it feels like a great fit and doesn’t dig in whilst still providing full support. The luxury elastic of the band has a very unique scroll style design woven into the elastic and follows the entire length of the band to meet at the back, with a two eye hook closure for extra support.

So my favourite thing about this bra are the foam cups. When I saw this online, I thought that the scalloped edge was a printed effect on nude but when holding it in my hands I realised how truly spectacular the design really is. The scallop cut is the foam cup itself, and either side of the cup is sheer material to enclose the foam. This material is then joined at the top seam of the bra to create the balconette shape. It is the most flattering and beautiful design I have ever seen and for this reason, it’s now my favourite piece! As well as being beautiful, the foam cups and sheer fabric provide great support and are incredibly soft on the skin. This bra comes with little removable cookies to help create the nice rounded push-up that the balconette cut is famous for.

There are 4 different style of bottoms for this set: Panty shorts with garters; high-waisted briefs; low cut briefs, and thong. I was leaning towards the high-waisted briefs but in the end went for low cut because it was more practical for me, as I rarely wear high-waisted briefs under my clothing. The briefs are also a similar cut to my first CT set so I knew that they would fit and flatter me. I purchased these in an XXS (36) and I wear a UK size 6/US 2 so if you’re looking to buy the briefs then hopefully this helps you figure out what size you’d need. The scroll style designed elastic is a front panel on the briefs, with the rest being doubled sheer material. They are so soft and incredibly comfortable, I can wear these all day and feel like I barely have anything on. They’re also very soft on the hips which means a very minimal panty line, and the sheer material on the back is seamless to help combat the dreaded VPL.

Overall, this is my absolute favourite lingerie set to date and Chantal Thomass will continue to be a designer I follow for her unique designs and great knowledge of the female form. Every piece is so well thought through, from flattering cuts to avoidable VPLs, I highly recommend browsing her collections because there are so many great designs, and I know there will be one that jumps out and steals your heart. I also recommend buying through Glamuse as their service was great they have a wide selection of her designs.

How To Wear: Creepyyeha’s Iphie Belt

One of Creepyyeha’s most versatile pieces is her Iphie belt: With three separate belts combined into one and with a total of 4 parts, there are many ways that this style can be worn and layered. When I first purchased Iphie I didn’t really think too deeply about how I would wear her except for buying some sweet, simple black dresses and skirts, but upon receiving my parcel and playing around with the piece, I realised she was well worth her price by versatility alone.

To break down the garment itself into its four parts: The first belt strap is the Uri belt as holding down the main structure, with an added metal loop in the centre to attach each additional strap. The second strap is the belt that runs below Uri, which is one long piece of leather that wraps around the hips and meets together at the front loop, this creates the belt Alethea. The bottom two straps are the final, lower elements that create the full Iphie ensemble. So with Iphie, you’ve basically bought Uri, Alethea and Iphie all rolled into one and the belt can be worn as all three. This in itself creates a whole new level of wear, as it complements more clothes, lingerie and layering. Below, you can see each belt option on myself, styled with the Rina high-waisted panty by Kayleigh Peddie.

I have to admit, the next suggestions are my favourite way of wearing Iphie, which seems wrong because I bought her as a belt but she is absolutely outstanding as a harness. By turning the main Uri belt upside down so that the added metal loop is facing up, you can attach the second Alethea strap and loop it around the neck to join back in the middle. This is perfect to style with crop tops or long-sleeve tops, high waisted jeans and a vintage denim jacket thrown over it to finish the look, the harness peeking out from under the jacket has a nice subtle edge to it.

The second style is to add the two Iphie straps to the front and back loops on Uri to create two straps next to the halter strap. This is the ultimate wow factor and I only really wear this style on its own with a nice pair of knickers to give it the dramatic effect it deserves. I do think this style would look great layered over a tight fitted, turtleneck sheer crop top so if anyone wants to try this I would love to see it!

The final look is removing the Alethea strap and leaving the two Iphie straps to create a brace harness effect, which is also fun to wear on its own. Wearing her with a thin strap vest top or a strappy bodycon dress hides the thin straps of the top, giving it the look that the belt straps are the straps for the garment underneath, but also giving you a little lift under the breasts. The only issue with wearing the straps this way is that the length of the straps is a bit restricting, so this may not work on fuller busts unless bought in a larger size. It might also be quite hard wearing a moulded bra underneath because of this too, and I’ve only worn bralettes or nothing underneath when styling Iphie this way.

All in all, Iphie can be worn in a minimum of 6 different ways which means that she’s possibly one of the most versatile accessories in styling and layering, making her worth every penny. I’d love to see the way you style your Iphie belt so please feel free to comment or to message me over on Instagram at @TheLingeristas

Here are some pictures of different styling with the Iphie belt:

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*Apologies for not providing links to each individual piece I am mentioning but the Creepyyeha shop is currently closed, due to reopen again Mid-July. I did plan to release this alongside the opening of her shop but it only opened for 1 hour last night before the maximum orders were reached, so instead we shall pop her on our wishlists and wait until she launches again!*

Urban Bird: Behind the Brand

I’ve loved Urban Bird ever since she started her lingerie business adventure and I was lucky enough to collaborate with her two years ago for a lingerie shoot inspired by Moonrise Kingdom – I remember it was mid December, absolutely freezing and our model was amazing, you couldn’t even tell she was shivering her little bones off! So when Molly approached me to shoot with her again for a summer shoot, I jumped at the chance.

I interviewed the beautiful talent behind the brand for this shoot so we could get to know the person behind the brand and her inspirations as a designer. All images in this interview are from our collaboration, and feature model Florence Andrea and MUA Linda Wong with some styling from Festival Fashion.

VICKY: Why did you decide to become a lingerie designer and was there a moment of epiphany when deciding this path?

MOLLY: Not exactly! It was more of a gradual realisation. I started off by making clothes, but I’d always been fascinated by lingerie, I always wanted to give it a try. It seemed impossible at first, it’s such fiddly and delicate work, but that just makes it all the more rewarding when you finally get it right. When I first started playing around with lingerie designs, it was more of a hobby, I was mainly testing myself, seeing if I could do it. I didn’t actually believe that I could achieve a standard that I would be happy to sell, to make a business from, but somewhere along the way it started to seem possible.

VICKY: Where do you find your inspiration when designing?

MOLLY: I’m a lover of all forms of art, and so I find inspiration in everything; literature, art, music, film. I once went to a garden centre and saw a fish with the most amazing colours, and from that the Belle set was born! Most of the time inspiration comes from the most unlikely places. Shapes, colours, textures that are around us in every day life, in both natural and man-made environments.

VICKY: You have an incredible eye for colour combinations, you even predicted the pantone colours of the year with your Belle set! How do you figure out what colours and patterns you want to work with for each collection?

MOLLY: It is crazy how much the Pantone colours of the year resemble the Belle set! I’ve always been an artistic person, I’ve just finished my degree in film and photography, and have always studied art previously to that, and so I guess I’ve always relied heavily on my eye for colour. For my past collections, I’ve always tried to keep an open mind, and just explore any colour combinations that come to mind. However, for my next collection, I’m trying to limit myself to a select few colours that compliment each other beautifully, so that customers can easily layer my designs, and mix and match between sets!

VICKY: For our photoshoot collaboration, you had a very vivid idea of what you wanted. Can you explain what this was and how you wanted these images to come across to potential customers?

MOLLY: As I mentioned, I started off by making clothing. Mainly kimonos, crop tops and short sets, all with a very ‘boho’ feel to them. I was always inspired by the festival style, and even though I no longer make clothes I think these inspirations can still be seen in some of my lingerie styles, specifically my longline bralettes, which can be worn as outerwear. So for this shoot, Vicky and I discussed ideas about a very ‘hippie’ styled shoot. We wanted it to be light, summery, care free. I also wanted to show how my lingerie can be incorporated into outfits, hence why the bralettes are styled with outerwear! We wanted potential customers to realise that these bralettes would be the perfect addition to their summer wardrobe, not just their underwear drawer!

VICKY: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt since starting Urban Bird?

MOLLY: To not compare yourself to others, ever! It is absolutely vital to remember this, both in your personal and professional lives. I have a huge amount of admiration for my fellow independent lingerie designers, and until very recently I would give myself a really hard time about not being at the same level as them, despite the fact that I’m very new to this. Accepting that I’m on my own path, and realising that it can’t be compared fairly to anyone else’s has really helped me to overcome this self doubt.

VICKY: What’s your favourite set from all past Urban Bird designs?

MOLLY: That’s a tough one! I’m torn between the Belle set, and the Indigo Keyhole set! I love the bold and daring look of the Indigo set, it really is an empowering set to wear. But on the other hand, I really miss the delicate, romantic look of the Belle set! I think it’s safe to say you should expect more of this style in the next collection!

VICKY: What kind of mood should we expect from your next collection?

MOLLY: Cool colours, delicate and luxurious fabrics, and classic, timeless cuts. If all goes to plan, this will be the most challenging, yet exciting collection yet!

VICKY: And a fun section! Finish these sentences:

Sometimes I forget that….. I’m an ‘adult’ now. Turns out being an adult is basically just putting on a brave face whilst winging everything!

One day I wish…. To travel. I know, I know, that’s everyone’s dream. But I can’t really think of anything I wish for more than to experience the world.

The most important thing my family taught me….. There are far too many things to count, my family have taught me so many valuable lessons! But one thing my dad has always says, that’s always stuck with me is that money doesn’t matter. He always says ‘youth is wasted on the young,’ and so encourages me to go out and experience everything, and to not worry about savings for things like a house or anything so soon. Money might make certain things easier, but it alone will not bring happiness or satisfaction with life!

It’s good to…. Treat yourself! I put most of my money back into the business, but sometimes you just have to splash out and treat yourself to something you’ve been lusting after! You kick ass everyday, you deserve it!

When I want to feel inspired, I…. Go to the beach! There is literally nothing that a trip to the beach can’t help.

I hope that this year brings….. Adventure!

 

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Hopeless Lingerie: Denise

At the moment, there are a few things that I’m really loving and immediately drawn to when it comes to lingerie: bodysuits, pastel colours and leopard print. So when I saw Hopeless Lingerie post an image of Denise on Instagram, I wanted her. She was everything I wanted rolled into one. I enjoy buying from Hopeless because of her work ethic and that her designs are completely handmade with love in Australia.

When buying indie lingerie I like to study the size guide to make sure that everything I order is the best size for me, and I can be put off by falling into an in-between size. One thing I find difficult with sizing, especially with bodysuits, is that the smallest size always comes with the smallest of waists, much smaller than I can even believe people have (girls, I am envious of your tiny waists!) Hopeless Lingerie make this process easier will a very informative size guide and also the option to order custom sizing for an extra charge. The team were amazing and took out the waist on the XXS so that the measurements were correct for my body (XXS bust, XS waist, XXS hips). From making the order to shipping, the process took around six weeks, and about a week to get through shipping to the UK, which is slightly longer than their time indication on their FAQ which is 3-5 weeks, but they do state that the wait can be a little longer. I believe in patience and respect for designers of handmade lingerie as it is time consuming, and I’d rather the designer take their time on orders to that they are made perfectly than to rush and compromise their quality.

When I received my Denise bodysuit, the first thing I noticed when trying it on was that it’s a little short in the body. I think a lot of brands have this issue of a short torso when it comes to bodysuits and I’ve yet to really find a designer to make a long enough bodysuit. It may be that ordering a larger size adds length to the garment but this could compromise the fit of the bodysuit and is a bit of a risk as I’m not sure how much length is added as the size increases. Sometimes a short bodysuit is ok if the fabric has enough stretch but the blue leopard print fabric, I believe, is a 2-way stretch which means that it only stretches in one direction, which in this case is in the width and not the length, so as a result the top of the bodysuit sits a lot lower on the front and is quite revealing.

I do think that the low top teamed with the very high cut leg can lend to the style though, giving a bit of a show to your legs and breasts without giving it all away, but if you are wanting to buy the Denise bodysuit for comfort then it’s not quite as comfortable as I’d have hoped from it. I was also hoping with this bodysuit that it could be worn as a top with a cute skirt, high waisted jeans or little shorts, but with the low cut it may be too revealing on its own.

 

I do really love the straps on this bodysuit, they add a nice comfort and adjustability to the garment, and the cross back is so flattering. The materials used by Hopeless for trimmings and straps are always of the highest quality and are so soft on the skin. The back of the bodysuit is cut low so it follows the curve of the back and the very high cut leg of the bodysuit hits the right point between the hips and waist to highlight the small of the waist which I really like. I also really love this fabric: the large leopard print is eye catching and so eighties, and in baby blue? Perfect colour choice!

One other little detail that is that the gusset of the bodysuit doesn’t have poppers, so when wearing the garment there’s no easy way to pee without getting completely naked. I do think that with poppers there may be chance for the garment to pop open because of the length so it’s probably a good thing that it’s sewn up at the gusset.

All in all, I really like this bodysuit (which also comes in black, red and mesh), and if it were a little longer then I’d be completely in love with it. As a customer, please consider your height when ordering this, I am 5ft 4″ with a regular length torso, so I feel that if you are shorter than this then you may get away with the sizing as is, but if you’re taller I would highly recommend dropping the team an email and seeing if there is a way of customising the length on this garment so that you can keep the comfort and not worry about any restrictions to the bodysuit.

If you have any questions, please feel free to drop me a comment or an email and I’d be happy to help.

Lingerie and Full-Frontal Finance

After a conversation with my favourite blogger Of Lambs and Lace, about the sudden influx of lingerie accounts on social media platforms like Instagram with a seemingly infinite disposable income, I wanted to be a little more open about my spending when it comes to lingerie. Many other bloggers have been writing about this and sharing their own spending habits online, like Lamb, Write Me Bad Checks and Morning Madonna.

I’ve always been interested in lingerie, but for a long time I was only buying high street brands as I was in university and had a very limited budget. It wasn’t until I went to a specialist bra shop to be properly fitted that I started to experiment with lingerie. Once I was wearing the right bra size and excited about the fact I felt comfortable and happier with it, I began to explore a little more online. I found a bunch of beautiful lingerie babes who completely opened my eyes to new brands through Instagram: Through forming close friendships with them, I have continued to expand my collection and think more deeply about my purchases and who I am buying from.

I currently live with my parents which means that I’m not having to pay rent or bills, so I do have a larger disposable income than most, but I do not spend frivolously. I’ve been saving ever since I started full time work and am dedicated with it. I spent a lot of my savings during my long distance relationship with my American ex-boyfriend, with flights costing around £800 and the cost of living there for 3 months with no job meant that most of my finances were saved for needs, and only a small percentage spent on things I wanted. After my relationship breakdown, the money I was saving for travelling turned into a nice savings account so I could begin to work on feeling like myself again, on my own.

I am very strict when it comes to spending any money in my savings as it is pinpointed for the future and not for instant gratification. I work a full time job with a pretty normal salary and try my hardest to save around 50% of my wages each month. The remaining money from my wages is mostly spent on travelling, photoshoots and the creative parts of my life, and anything that is left over may be spent on lingerie, clothes or even transferred over to my savings.

Since January, my lingerie purchases have been relatively small, as I’ve started to really think about where I buy my lingerie and not buying for the sake of it. I’m working on saving to finally buy from brands that I love, and over the years have started to buy from abroad (before I was always put off by the import tax that comes with living in the UK: 20% tax and a horrendously high handling fee by our postal service) but below is my breakdown for the year so far:

	Brand	Item
Jan	The Little Bra Company	Mercedes Bra $60 and Brief $26– Ballet Pink and Black	PR Gift
Jan	Lascivious	Logo Knickers – Black	The Lingerie Edit free gift
Jan	Sapph	High String Thong £11.50 – Red	The Lingerie Edit free gift
Jan	Lascivious	Milla Bra £115	50% Press Discount
Jan	Fairytales by Angela Friedman	Lily Soft Bra and Brief $103	Gift from Lamb
Jan	Bluebella	Erin Set £8.40 – Red	Bluebella Sale. Paid with wages.
Jan	Agashi	Belle Choker £38	Paid with wages
Feb	Alexandrea Anissa	Crimson Lace Balconette Bra $117 and String Bikini $74 – Black	Paid with wages, $10 first order discount
Feb	Vollers Corsets	Spirit Overbust Corset £175 and Passion Underbust Corset £125	PR Sample for Review/Editorial purposes
Feb	Sonata Rapalyte	Valentina Bodysuit £299 – Red	Instagram giveaway winner
March	Hopeless Lingerie	Denise Bodysuit $95 – Blue Leopard	Paid with wages
March	Agent Provocateur	Masie Bra £65 and Brief £45 – Purple	£75 Gift Voucher & paid with wages
April	Calvin Klein	CK One Cotton Bralette £28, CK One Cheekini £20 and Signature Push Up Bra £38	Paid with wages
May	Chantal Thomass	Passion’elle Bra €94.90 and Brief €44.90 – Black	Paid with wages

Looking at it, it doesn’t seem like a crazy amount! But that just shows to me that I really am being good when it comes to thinking about my purchases instead of impulse buying. I also had a little lull in my love for lingerie from the time I shut down the old blog until a few weeks ago, and I think that’s obvious in my spending habits as I started to slow down on purchasing pieces.

I hope this was helpful in some way, and shows others that instead of constantly adding to my collection, I tend to grow it slowly and show love to all my past purchases instead of replacing them with new ones. I’ve also started a wish list so I can keep all my future loves in one place and actively save for what I really want which I think will help me continue to buy according to my true lingerie self.

Kayleigh Peddie

Oh what I wouldn’t do for Kayleigh Peddie. She was one of the first designers I fell in love with when I started to explore the world of indie brands and she’s always been high up on my wish list. With each collection she brings a whole new wave of excitement whilst keeping her unique signature elements at the heart of her designs, so when I saw her release the Georgie set I was floored. This was a new kind of vision for Kayleigh Peddie: With most of her designs involving sheer fabric, the choice of this beautiful patterned fabric drew me in. Georgie has a hint of vintage glamour with the roll on garter and classic cut bra and seeing as I’ve spent the last year consumed by films from the fifties and sixties, I knew there was a place for her in my collection.

The thing I love about Kayleigh Peddies designs is the fact that style goes hand in hand with comfort, and there’s nothing like a really comfortable set of lingerie that still has you feeling your most confident self. The moment I put on the set and clipped the garter to my Agent Provocateur Stockings, I felt like I transported back to the fifties. Walking around on my tiptoes and swinging my hips, I immediately started channeling my inner Grace Kelly. The full set, which consists of the Georgie Bra, Roll On Garter and Panty  also has a slightly more rock n’ roll ‘twin’ pairing, with the Georgie Lace Up Bra and Lace Up Garter, for those of you who want to really pack a more eighties glam punch with your style. 

Georgie Bra

Georgie Roll On Garter

Georgie Panty

The cut of the bra gives a plunge effect as the curves of the side panels really flatter the bust. It is possibly one of the comfiest soft cup bras I own, my skin was screaming with happiness the moment I put it on! The Georgie panty has a back panel made in sheer black fabric to complement the back of the bra. The cut of the front of the brief is sweet but sexy, looking slightly skimpy with the thin side straps accentuating your hips. I am really drawn to this kind of cut at the moment, and love that quite a few brands have started to experiment with this. The roll on garter is the cherry on top of the cake, with a little keyhole in the back, and a length just short of covering your bum, it’s the perfect level of classy and cheeky (no pun intended). 

Kayleigh Peddie – Georgie Set

So if you love vintage glamour (or a bit of rock n’ roll glam!) then Georgie is the perfect set. She’s beautifully classy and undeniably flattering with every piece made to the highest quality. So whether you want to feel like Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly or Lauren Bacall, you’ll find your inner retro goddess the moment you slip the soft fabric onto your skin.

CreepyYeha

Ever since I started collecting lingerie, I prayed for the day that I had saved enough to buy some of CreepyYeha’s designs. So when I’d finally found a stable job and had the funds, I had the ridiculously hard task of trying to decide what pieces to buy. 2 days and one boob flash later (Thanks Dima) I’d settled on two pieces: Nedda and Iphie. I love a full set and originally I wasn’t fully sure on buying Nedda because there wasn’t a matching bottom, but after browsing the incredible Instagram account for CreepyYeha, I soon saw that this didn’t matter and I liked the way she looked with Iphie.

Creepyyeha Nedda – Black Leather with Silver Hardware

Nedda is a wonder to behold: She could give any woman a great cleavage! The way the leather sits over the breasts is slightly snug in the best way as it gives an obvious plunge effect. The hardware across the chest and neck causes no irritability as it’s carefully thought through in design, making sure any part of the piece that touches the skin is comfortable. The only slight negative I have with the bra is that the large band causes a slight bump in the front where it’s quite stiff, so lying flat against the skin is difficult, but this could possibly be resolved with the custom sizing. I bought mine in my standard measurements but now thinking about it, I feel I should have ordered the band maybe an inch or half an inch smaller. I wouldn’t recommend just following this advice though, the customer service from CreepyYeha is fantastic so if you have any questions, I highly recommend dropping her an email.

Creepyyeha Iphie – Black Leather with Silver Hardware

With Iphie, I ordered in the standard size but I wish I’d asked for a custom size, as it’s ever so slightly too big without much room for adjustment. Completely my fault though, that’s one of the issues when you’re worried your waist isn’t as small as you think it is! I have a 24”/24.5” waist and ordered the 25”-26” size, so when purchasing Iphie I’d recommend triple measuring your waist and ordering either custom or order the size range with your waist size as the largest size, so it has a nice snug fit. This will also help the belt to stay level on your waist with the weight of the added straps. Other than my silly size ordering, Iphie is an absolute dream. The fact that the second and third straps are detachable means that she can be worn in many different ways, and even as a harness if you turn the piece upside down! The second strap is one continuous piece which wraps around the back to join back up at the front, and the third strap is two separate straps attached at the front and back to create the longer, curved look. As someone with small hips and a very very slight hourglass, I wasn’t sure if Iphie would suit, but she is incredibly flattering on even my tiny hips, giving the illusion of a more curvy body.

My favourite thing about CreepyYeha though, without a doubt, is the attention to detail. With every single piece of hardware embossed with the CreepyYeha signature font, and every cut, slice and hole being as clean as ever, it is obvious why this brand is luxury. There is no faulting the daring designs and beautiful imagery that embodies CreepyYeha right to their core. Never have I known a brand that absolutely lives, breathes and believes every moment of their journey. I would highly recommend purchasing, and hope that this review proves why this brand is a beautiful luxury brand and worth saving every penny for!

If you have any questions, then pop a comment below and I will endeavour to answer as best I can.