When I was planning the bridal boudoir editorial featured last month on Burnett’s Boards, I knew I wanted to make sure to feature lingerie pieces that are available in a range of back sizes. After all, curvy really describes a shape, not a size. There are women who are very slim with small ribcages who have curves, and there are women with broader ribcages and heavier physiques who have curves. I’ve experienced some pretty unfortunate/sizeist comments from staff in bridal stores and salons when I’ve been shopping for wedding dresses with some of my friends, so I’m really pleased today to review pieces from Elomi’s beautiful full-figure bridal collection Maria. Note: while Elomi very generously provided this set for review, all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Appearance

Part of what I think of as “Elomi’s 2013-2014 Surge of Greatness”, the Maria collection is a beautiful, ground-breaking special occasion lingerie set for people who wear full-figure + full-bust bra sizes. Featuring a strapless bra, convertible basque, brief, and thong, all in gleaming satin, sheer mesh, and delicate lace, Maria is stunningly pretty, highly functional, and an absolute standout in this particular demographic of the lingerie industry.

The basque features panels of ivory satin interspersed with sheer mesh and delicate lace. I love that some panels are totally sheer: it’s a really sexy touch! The basque features four vertical soft bones in the front and four in the back, for smoothing and support. The cups are seamed, three-piece cups made of spacer fabric with a soft, flexible bone sewn vertically inside each cup for extra stability and lift. The back closes with two columns of eight rows of hooks and eyes, and the four suspenders are fully detachable. The straps are also convertible and fully detachable, and there are two points of attachment in the front on each side, you so can adjust the straps to suit different necklines.

The briefs feature an opaque center front and fully sheer stretch lace hips and rear. Both the basque and brief feature ivory bows at the center front.

Fit

I took my “regular” (the size I wear most frequently) bra size and my “Freya” brief size, or one size down from what I take in some other brands. I find most Eveden briefs are cut for hips and rears that are a little fuller than mine, so your mileage may vary. For the basque I found the sizing to be spot on and consistent with other Elomi bras. At first I thought the top of the band was snug, and then I realized that I was simply trying to hook it too high on my back: this piece has a surprisingly low back for a full-bust basque, a lovely feature for gowns that feature low or sheer back details! Once I pulled the back down lower it hooked quite comfortably. I had a little more room than I needed towards my waist and hips, which I again attribute to my not being as full in the hips as I am in the bust.

One tradeoff that comes as a result of the lower back is a not-quite-tacking center gore. In a traditional full-bust bra, the firm, horizontal band combined with the slight lift from the shoulder straps help pull the center gore against the chest wall. Without these forces, I found that the center gore of the basque hovers slightly off my sternum. This means this is probably a good foundation garment for a dress with a little more structure to it, as opposed to one that is looser or more flowing.

I’ll just note here that it’s quite common to wear a different size in “occasion” lingerie than you might in your everyday bras. Sometimes the specialized construction affects the fit (there are often different bells and whistles involved to help provide support and structure), and sometimes you might just find that you want a larger cup or a smaller band to help with lift or to make sure you feel supported but still comfortable. Even though I found a pretty good fit in the Maria basque in my “regular” size, don’t be afraid to try on a few different sizes to make sure you get the comfort, shape, and support you want. For many special occasions, and for weddings in particular, there’s a very strong chance that you’ll be standing, getting photographed, hugging, dancing, eating and drinking, and generally celebrating good times, come on, in your special-occasion lingerie. It’ll be worth it to take some time to make sure your underwear will treat you kindly throughout all of those activities.

Comfort

As I mentioned in my review of the Serenity collection by Masquerade, it’s rare to find special-occasion lingerie or strapless bras that are as comfortable as everyday bras. That being said, for a lower-backed full-bust strapless basque, Maria is pretty exceptional. I really appreciate the boning in the cups, as they help the cup hold its shape and provide a little extra lift. Because this is a seamed cup, the shape is not as perfectly rounded as what you’ll find with a molded cup, but as many wedding gowns and dresses are more structured to begin with, I personally didn’t mind the shape. As with the floating center gore, there are some tradeoffs to be made when constructing a strapless low-back bra for larger, heavier breasts, and a perfectly rounded, perfectly lifted profile (such as you’d get with your everyday bras) is one of them. The bones in the basque are sturdy enough that they don’t buckle or bulge, but flexible enough that there’s no restriction or discomfort.

The briefs are incredibly comfortable. The rise is my personal sweet spot about an inch below my navel, and the stretch lace over the hips mean there’s no elastic to dig in and create panty lines. I happen to think thongs are The Worst, so I love that there’s such a pretty, functional brief to pair with the set, though of course there is a coordinating thong for those of you who prefer them.

Overall

I am so, so, SO pleased and impressed with this collection from Elomi. The size range is phenomenal, the shapes and design are carefully considered, the construction is detailed and flawless, AND the whole darn thing is available in both ivory and black, which makes it incredibly versatile. I’m eager to hear from women across the size range to get a sense of what the fit is like in different sizes. Have you tried the Maria collection? What did you think?

*****

Photography: Kate Ignatowski
Flowers: Mimosa Floral Design Studio
Lingerie: Elomi Lingerie “Maria” Basque and Brief (c/o Elomi). Basque available in sizes 32 DD-HH, 34-40 D-HH, 42 D-H, 44 D-G, 46 D-F, 48 D-E (UK cup sizes), brief in sizes M-4XL.  Coordinating strapless bra and thong also available.
Stockings: Charnos
Hair: Andy Tseng
Makeup: Anny Chow

As though I couldn’t love the Maria collection more, Elomi had to go and introduce the cutest freaking sheer babydoll ever. I’m sorry, Cleo Marcie, you’re very, very cute, but this one has ruffles. No contest.

Maria babydoll by Elomi, garter by Creative Touch Decor

Note: I purchased this piece with my own money under my real name. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Appearance

Maria features a sheer ivory mesh four-piece seamed cup with fully adjustable straps and a three column/three row hook and eye closure. Delicate white-on-white embroidery adorns the top section of the cup, with an ivory satin bow at the center gore. A sheer full skirt with an open, fly-away front fully trimmed with ruffles extends down past the hips.

Maria babydoll by Elomi, Esme kimono by Fleur of England

I really just think this is one of the cutest things out there, let alone in this size range. It feels so light and vibrant and fresh, particularly in the occasionally-staid-and-stiff world of full-figure/full-bust lingerie. The fly-away front is delightfully flirty, and it makes the piece very accommodating of different body shapes.

Fit

I took my “regular” size in the babydoll, and I found it very comfortable, if a little generous in the cups. The sheer fabric feels a bit more forgiving than some of the mesh and laminates Elomi uses in their other bras, and because it’s so sheer, the extra space I have in the sides of the cup is very, very noticeable. Elomi underwires are usually quite a bit too wide for me, and this piece is no exception. If you’re between sizes, you might be able to get away with sizing down. Like many Elomi cups, the embroidery in the center is a little more rigid, so if your breasts are very full in the center you may need to experiment with the “swoop-and-scoop”, or even try a few different sizes. The band did feel true to size, and like many Elomi bands, it lies nice and smoothly across my back without digging or pinching.

Comfort

Oh man, y’all. Oh man. This is so, so comfy. It’s super lightweight and breathable and soft. I’ve tried sleeping in underwired babydolls before, and usually give up after an hour of tossing and turning, but Maria feels just wonderful.

Maria babydoll by Elomi

Overall

What an absolute winner. My only regret is that I didn’t get to wear it very long before my size changed. A beautiful component of the full bridal range, it’s also available in black for Fall/Winter. I’d even love to see it in a range of colors: imagine raspberry, or mint green, or pale yellow! It’s just lovely. Go buy it. For real.

I also reviewed the rest of the Maria bridal collection last week, if you’re looking for  lingerie to wear under strapless gowns.

*****

Photography: Kate Ignatowski (originally published on Burnett’s Boards)
Flowers: Mimosa Floral Design Studio
Babydoll: Elomi Lingerie “Maria” Babydoll, via Bare Necessities. Available in sizes 34 G-H, 36-42 E-H (UK cup sizes, so the cup size progression goes E, F, FF, G, GG, H. A UK H-cup is approximately the same as a US K-cup.)
Kimono: Fleur of England “Esme” Kimono (borrowed)
Garter: Creative Touch Decor (borrowed)
Hair: Andy Tseng
Makeup: Anny Chow

Eleanor (left) and Sophia robes by Harlow & Fox. Photography by Kate Ignatowski.

By far one of the highlights of shooting the Curvy Girl’s Bridal Trousseau editorial earlier this year was getting the chance to swan around in Harlow & Fox‘s sumptuous silk robes. At the time (April) I was outside the Harlow & Fox size range for bras and knickers, but I was so honored that Leanna Williams, Harlow & Fox’s brilliant creator and designer, lent me these two items to wear for the feature. As lovely as they look in photos, they are something else entirely in real life. Wearing these robes (along with wearing my lovely silk ruffled knickers from Angela Friedman) was my first taste of what it feels like to wear luxury lingerie.

Pieces from Harlow & Fox’s Fall/Winter 2014 collection

There’s really nothing that feels like silk, and there’s nothing that compares to wearing something that you feel is just PERFECTLY designed: from seams to lace placement to sleeve shape to length, there is such care and attention paid to the materials, the color (ohhh the colors are perfect), the fit, the construction, and the look that it’s really impossible to imagine anything better. I’ve seen pieces from some of the bigger luxury lingerie labels that I think are lovely or interesting or pretty, but Harlow & Fox stands head and shoulders above them for pure elegance and flawless execution.

Harlow & Fox S/S14 and A/W14 collections

We shot all the photos for the bridal feature back in April, and I sadly packed up the beautiful robes and returned them to Leanna in England. Flash-forward to August, when Leanna partnered with the talented Angela Friedman to host a trunk show in Southampton a few days after the end of CurveNY. I made an appointment to preview Leanna’s S/S15 collection during market week, and once we were finished oohing and ahhing over the beautiful things, Leanna mentioned that she’d brought a full size run of her Eleanor collection for the trunk show, and would I be interested in trying on the bra, as my size had changed since April?

And that’s how I found myself being a lingerie model with the lovely Miss Underpinnings (left, above) in a gorgeous home in Southampton one sunny Friday afternoon.

Yes, it was awesome. This house had actual, like, grounds. It was like being in someone’s country seat for a Jeeves and Wooster/Downton Abbey-style weekend-in-the-country, and if you don’t think that was RIGHT UP MY ALLEY then you don’t even know me at all. But back to the lingerie: while I obviously can’t speak to what it’s like to wear the pieces over an extended period of time, I did spend 5-6 glorious hours in them, and I’m here to tell you all about it.

The Eleanor collection is an iconic group from Harlow & Fox’s debut season that’s since expanded to include a new colorway (the lovely mink, which Krista reviewed for The Lingerie Addict) as well as a few new pieces. The bra in the Almond colorway features soft, pale silk cups with a silk side panel to pull the breast tissue forward and a beautiful ivory Leavers lace top section. A small pearl drop sits at the center gore, and the band is made of the same silk, closing with two rows of three columns of hooks and eyes. Miss Underpinnings (who has her own set and reviewed it here) and I each wore the Eleanor bra and classic brief, which features a lovely little keyhole detail in the back.

Miss Underpinnings advised that she wears her sister size (one band size larger and one cup size smaller than she usually wears) in Harlow & Fox, as silk isn’t as stretchy as some of the synthetic meshes most full-bust brands use. I found that to be the case for me as well: not only is the band a little firmer than some of my other bras, I neither need nor want to stretch it out to its fullest capacity. I did find the knickers a little on the small side: I’ve been wearing a smaller size in Freya, Curvy Kate, and Bravissimo knickers lately, but with Harlow & Fox I preferred one size up for a little more coverage.

It’s been a real education trying lots of the newer full-bust brands in their first, or even second or third, seasons. I’ve also been working as a fit model with Crème Bralée as they work to expand their size range, and it’s made me realize how straight up DIFFICULT it is to design full-bust bras.  There is a LOT to be considered when it comes to good fit in a full-bust bra, there are countless tiny tweaks and corrections that have to be made with each pattern adjustment, and I’ve never yet met a brand who nailed the fit right out of the gate. Until now. From comfortable wire placement, perfect strap length, adequate cup depth, and a gentle, natural lift and shape, Harlow & Fox has blown me away.

Not only is the shape and support fantastic, can we talk about what it feels like to wear a bra that’s basically a soft silken cloud? No thin scratchy mesh, no exposed seams, no irritating synthetic lace: just silk inside and out, with delicate Leavers lace on top. In fact, let’s also talk about the lace, while we’re at it, and how it’s open at the top to allow room for slightly fuller breasts yet backed with a layer of mesh for support, while remaining delicate enough to provide a really beautiful neckline. Many of the guests at the trunk show were surprised to discover how smooth the bra looks under clothes: even though it’s seamed and has lace, because the fit is so good and the construction so immaculate, the bra disappears really well under a variety of tops and dresses.

You’ll also note that we each got to wear the coordinating Eleanor robe in beautiful almond silk georgette trimmed with the same ivory Leavers lace as the bra. These robes are magical– light, flowing, and delicate, and while there’s plenty of room for busts at the larger end of Harlow & Fox’s size range (like, erm, mine), they’re designed to drape softly on smaller busts too without looking droopy. At my height (5’10”) the elasticated waist falls where an empire waist does, on shorter ladies and those on the smaller end of the full-bust spectrum, the waist might fall lower on the torso. Both silhouettes look classic and delicate.

Caro of The Lingerie Lesbian models the all-silk Eleanor gown, looks elegant as all get-out.

Rounding out the Eleanor collection are a coordinating thong, lace-trimmed suspender belt (gorgeous) and a long, magnificent draped-back gown (in two sets of sizes: S, M, L/D-F and S, M, L/FF-G). As I found to be the case with both the Sophia robe and the Eleanor robe, the Eleanor gown, with its clever construction and beautiful bias-cut silk, offers a bit of size flexibility and might be a great choice for someone just outside the size range for Harlow & Fox’s bras. Spring/Summer 2015 will see the launch of a new addition to the Eleanor collection in the form of a lovely, lace-trimmed half slip.

I’m really sorry. This is the only picture I have of it. I was completely high on lingerie at this point in the afternoon.

A trunk show is a really fun opportunity to see people of all shapes, sizes, and ages try on lingerie you might previously have only seen on a model. I gave bra fittings to lots of different women, almost all of whom loved the fit, feel, and shape of the Eleanor bra. As this is a classic shape for Harlow & Fox that recurs across many of the other collections, once you find your size in Eleanor you’re good to go for the other styles. My favorite customer was an older woman who tried it on for literally 90 seconds and then said “It’s great, I’ll take three, what colors do you have? Scarlet? There’s a tassel on it? Let’s do it.”

Corset and lingerie by Angela Friedman

From corsets to sheer slips to silk bras and tasseled robes, it was an afternoon filled with some of the loveliest lingerie from two of my favorite independent designers. I kind of want these two to partner together all the time; there’s a shared respect for sophistication, elegance, creativity, and beauty throughout both designers’ work. Once the trunk show guests had left, those of us who were staying the weekend immediately began playing dress-up with the samples, and I’ll leave you with photographic evidence of our ridiculousness in closing.

The Eleanor gown and robe, in repose.

Detail of the gold lace-and-silk Viola longline collection.

I was really insistent that we go out on the grass and be nymphs. I’m kind of annoying IRL, tbh.

Caro was humoring me, at this point. How sad that we were forced to pose in this hideous hellscape.

The remaining houseguests, wearing Angela Friedman and Harlow & Fox

All photos courtesy The Lingerie Lesbian, because I was too busy admiring my own self to actually take pictures for my blog.

*****

Harlow & Fox Official Site

Angela Friedman Official Site

Congratulations to Donna M., winner of the $50 gift card to A Sophisticated Pair and the full-size bottle of Eucalan Delicate Wash, and congratulations to Andra-Maria, winner of the $100 gift card to Dottie’s Delights! Both winners have been contacted and have until Monday to confirm acceptance of their prizes.

Thank you all again for entering these giveaways, and even more so for reading and being a part of this community for the last two years. This wouldn’t be nearly as much fun without you. I wish you another year full of sweet treats and excellent underwear.

Xoxo,

Sweets

Today I’m excited to review one of the sets I selected for my Springtime full-bust round-up a few weeks ago: the beautiful Daisy Chain from Curvy Kate!

Curvy Kate Daisy Chain in Sherbet/Rose

While I’ve long liked Curvy Kate’s bright, colorful bras and wide variety of styles, I had a really hard time finding a style that gave me the fit, shape, and support I wanted. I’ve never had much luck with padded or half-cup styles, so the Showgirl styles and I just didn’t get along (even though the designs were right up my alley). Last year I had the chance to try the lovely Portia, which, while a definite improvement, still didn’t give me the lifted, centered feel I prefer. I wondered at the time if the mesh wasn’t quite supportive enough for my fuller boobs, and resolved to try one of Curvy Kate’s styles featuring a laminated fabric, which tends to be sturdier and offers more stability.

Curvy Kate offered me one of the new season styles to try, and I decided to go with Daisy Chain, a non-padded plunge bra available in sizes 28-38 D-J (UK). I’d originally hoped to try the black version from Fall/Winter, but alas, my size wasn’t available, so I decided to try this season’s Sherbet/Rose colorway.

[NOTE: Curvy Kate generously provided this set for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]

Appearance

Daisy Chain is a classic three-part cup with solid, laminated fabric on the two lower sections and a sheer embroidered top cup. Right off the bat, we need to talk about the color– this is not my first pick, I gotta say. I know that’s weird coming from someone who painted her bedroom pink, but I tend to keep pink out of my wardrobe.  I’m so pale, and my height and stature lean towards the grand rather than the girly, so pink just feels … odd, and a little juvenile, at least to me (although I LOVE it on others!). When I do choose pink lingerie, I go for peachy pinks, which feel more retro and vintage-inspired. I’d really hoped for the black version, because I wear a lot of black for work and a black plunge bra would have been a really useful addition to my wardrobe, but unfortunately it was sold out before Curvy Kate could ship it to me. This season’s Daisy Chain is a very light bubblegum pink, with contrasting dark pink embroidery. It’s very lovely, to be sure, but at 29 I feel like it really doesn’t fit well with the rest of my personal style

I love the sweet ribbon flowers trimming the briefs and center gore– this detail is much more fun than the traditional bow or rosette!

Fit

I wound up trying the bra and brief in what I think of as my “usual” size (same as I wear in most Panache styles). Based on my experience with Portia, I’d originally requested the bra in one cup size larger than my norm, but to my pleasant surprise the bra feels very true to size, and I had to exchange it for my usual cup size. The band was nice and firm on the loosest set of hooks (much firmer than Portia was, yay!), the cups are deeper and more projected than past-season Curvy Kate styles, and the fully adjustable straps are a fantastic length for me. Like some of Bravissimo’s non-padded styles, this is a shape that really works well for me: the wires sit comfortably on my body, the top of the cup doesn’t dig, and the cup is deep enough.

Both bra and brief fit really well when I first got them. I think I’ve lost a little weight in the last two months, though, and now I’m finding a I have a little extra room in the bottom and top of the cup, and I’ve needed to tighten up both the band and the straps. Even more unfortunately, the briefs are now quite big, and they actually start to slide down my hips throughout the day (once, memorably, as I was sprinting up 5th Avenue to get to an appointment. It was not cute). The Daisy Chain briefs are made of a much stretchier fabric than the mesh used for Portia, so I find they fit generously. I will size down one (or two) sizes in the future.

Comfort

Daisy Chain really, really suits my shape, so I find it a very comfortable bra to wear, especially when I first got it and the size was better for me. One thing I will point out is that (in my size, at least) the sides of the cup and the straps are set quite wide, so if you are someone who has trouble with bras cutting into your shoulders and armpits as you move throughout the day, I’d be cautious trying this style. Because the center gore is so low, some unpadded plunge shapes have to have more coverage elsewhere to provide stability and support, so sometimes you have to compromise on a fit criterion here or there.  I should also note that the bra shows pretty clearly under most of my sleeveless tops and dresses, so that’s another thing to consider if visible bra straps are an irritant to you.

Before the briefs got too big (sorrow), I found them extremely comfortable. I’ve pretty much given up on Cleo’s briefs, for example, because as cute as they are, the rise is so freaking low on my long body that they simply won’t stay up. The Daisy Chain briefs have a slightly higher rise, so while they’re not high-waisted or full-coverage by any means, they will actually sit on my hips where they’re supposed to, and they also offer a bit more belly coverage. I love them! Now I’ll just need to try the right size next time…

Overall, I heartily recommend Daisy Chain. Curvy Kate has always had such a fantastic, specific design point of view, and I think they’re really pushing their fit to get better and better with each passing season.  I get a lifted, round, supported shape from Daisy Chain, and I can wear it under lower-cut tops without it peeking out.  This is going to be a summer staple!

Daisy Chain is available in sizes 28-38 D-J, and the matching thong and brief are available in sizes 8-22 (UK, so approximately sizes 4-18 in US sizes). Curvy Kate is a British company, so the cup size progression goes like this: D, DD, E, F, FF, G, GG, H, HH, J. Daisy Chain is available at Bare Necessities, Figleaves, and Forever Yours (in black), among others.

Ever since I saw Harlow & Fox during February’s market week, the brand has become my definitive standard of luxury. Yes, Agent Provocateur is, you know, provocative, and yes there are brands like Myla and Carine Gilson and I.D. Sarrieri that make extraordinarily beautiful (and beautifully made) garments, but, for me, Harlow & Fox surpasses them.  The glamorous, grown-up style, phenomenal details, flawless execution, and, above all, the full-bust size range make me absolutely weak in the knees.  Even better, Harlow & Fox is a leader in the slowly growing luxury full-bust market, offering the finest silk and lace lingerie (all made in the U.K.) to women who until now have been sized out.

Bras are available in band sizes 30-38 and cup sizes D, DD, E, F, FF, and G, knickers in sizes XS-XL, and suspenders and robes in sizes S, M, L. The first collections are available in elegant color schemes like almond, mink, gold, and this week saw the release of “Sophia”, a gleaming lace collection in a soft, dusky mauve.

“Sophia” by Harlow & Fox

This might be my favorite range so far. For starters, the color: I have never lost my heart to mink in my life, and then I saw the collection in person and wrapped the robe around my shoulders and said “HELLO, MY RADIANT DARLING.” It’s…it’s so, so sophisticated. It’s old-school elegant and classic and romantic and would be right at home in the wardrobe of my new fashion idol The Honourable Phryne Fisher. But I’m getting ahead of myself: we all knew I’d love the kimono, because I’m a robe junkie, so let’s save it for last and talk about the four other pieces of the collection: a lace-and-silk bra, brief, high-waist knicker, and suspender belt.

First of all, I’ve seen both the Spring/Sumer and Autumn/Winter 2014 collections in person, so you can believe me when I say: these things are stitched by fairies. Leanna Williams, H&F’s founder, has summoned up some magical helpers to get this stuff made, because it is IMMACULATE. It is absolutely flawless. The silk bras are lined with silk on the inside as well as the outside, so you feel as good as you look. Seams and finished edges are smooth and nearly invisible, Leavers lace comes from the same manufacturers that made the lace for the Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding gown, and silk panels and bindings give a soft, luxurious finish. Every effort has been made to smooth, streamline, shape, and remove bulk, resulting in bras and knickers that give a fabulous fit while feeling and looking fantastic.

I love the layered tuxedo bows that trim the bra. Sophia is an interestingly sleek collection overall: I usually associate lace with frills and volume, or even girlishness, but the streamlined sheer lace bra and high-waist knickers, especially paired with the floor-length, sweeping kimono, render the wearer a tall, cool drink of water, indeed. It’s a slinkier, sexier look than I expect from lace, and I confess it’s right up my alley.

Speaking of sexy: both pairs of knickers feature entirely sheer lace backs, and the coordinating suspender belt can be worn under or over the knickers, to different effect.

I don’t fit in the size range for H&F’s bras, so I have to admire from afar, but you know what I CAN wear? This kimono. This kimono to beat all kimonos. From the minute I tried it on at the showroom it zoomed straight to the top of my all-time lingerie wishlist. The SLEEVES. The LENGTH. The positively luscious wide silk sash. The woman-of-mystery color. The feel of fine silk against your skin, and the way it ripples and shimmers when you walk. It practically begs you to go sweeping glamorously around some vast estate, classy drink in hand, a dashing paramour in your wake.

Barring any sudden lottery win, I don’t foresee this kimono coming home to me in the near future. I’m on a secretary’s budget in an expensive city; it’s just not in the cards right now. I will say this though: every single item in this collection is worth every penny.  Yes, these are luxury prices: bras are in the $200-280 price range, knickers and accessories in the $130-200 range, and robes and gowns in the $500-800 range (the site now has a nifty currency conversion for those of us in the US, which is very helpful).  But while sometimes I think luxury brands price items super-high because they can get away with it (I’m looking at you, Agent Provocateur), with Harlow & Fox the garments absolutely justify the prices. The design, the materials, the shapes, the stitching, and above all the commitment to local, ethical manufacturing make Harlow & Fox a true standout, and hopefully a game-changer in both the full-bust lingerie and luxury lingerie worlds. I cannot wait to see what comes next! (hint: Autumn/Winter: there will be TASSELS)

Curious about what it’s like to wear Harlow & Fox? Check out Miss Underpinnings’ great review of the gorgeous almond Eleanor collection.

Also, not to brag or anything, but I got to borrow several Harlow & Fox pieces for a photoshoot last month, and just as soon as I’m allowed to share the pictures THEY WILL BE EVERYWHERE, because I will be showing off like mad.

Happy Memorial Day, American readers! Summer is definitely on its way, and with the temperatures climbing in NYC I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite full-bust swim collections from this season.  With picks ranging from bikinis to full swimsuits to athletic wear, I hope you see something you love! All of these suits are in UK sizes, so the cup size progression goes B, C, D, DD, E, F, FF, G, GG, H, HH, J, JJ, K.  All of these swimsuits are available up to at least a UK G-cup, and many go higher.

[Note: A lot of the pictures link to Figleaves, because they're currently running a Memorial Day sale in the US: the code "25OFF" gets you 25% off all full-price styles, and it ends tonight! I couldn't include all my favorites, so be sure to check out the full Midnight Grace, Sophina, and Pour Moi? ranges for cute suits at great prices]

I need to start by talking about the one that got away:

Jecca by Cleo

“Jecca” Longline Bikini and High-Waist Brief by Cleo (28-38 D-H (UK), XS-XXL). Padded bandeau bikini (28-38 D-G (UK)) and gathered swim brief also available.

I love this. I straight-up love it. The colors, the print, the shape– it’s awesome, and I KNEW this one was going to sell out. I knew it. I know that every year some swim collections are sold out by Memorial Day, and that when I start looking for a new swimsuit (usually around the Fourth of July) my pickings are slim, but I just didn’t have the disposable income lined up in time to purchase it in my size. Not only was it really hard to find in stores (thanks to late deliveries from Panache), once it did show up it sold out almost immediately. There are a few smaller cup sizes left in stock around the internet, so if you’re in the D-E range, you may still have some luck tracking one down.

Sundaes by the Seaside by Letters from Evie

“Sundaes by the Seaside” by Letters from Evie, exclusively at Bravissimo (30-32 DD-G, 34-40 D-G (UK))

Sheesh, this is adorable. I really wanted this post to include lots of G+ options, but I love this suit so much I had to include it despite the smaller size range (although it does go up to 40 back sizes, which is nice!). It has ice cream AND polka dots on it, guys; it is SO in my wheelhouse.

Speaking of polka dots, brace yourself for an avalanche of them:

“Sienna” and “Sicily” by Bravissimo

“Sienna” Tankini (30 E-J, 32-36 DD-J, 38 DD-HH (UK)) and “Sicily” Bikini (30-38 DD-K (UK)) by Bravissimo. Coordinating briefs available in sizes XS-XL.

Bravissimo has some tremendously cute options in ever-popular pin-up shapes. The Sienna and Sicily ranges are designed to coordinate, with two tankini tops and a bikini with a whopping four different matching briefs, so you can mix-and-match to find your favorite shapes. In sizes ranging up to 38K (the Sicily bikini and tankini), these styles offer some of the best size ranges out there this summer.

“Ahoy” by Pour Moi?

“Ahoy” Spotty Halter Bikini Top by Pour Moi? (32-38 D-G (UK))

“Ahoy” High-Waisted Control Brief by Pour Moi? (Sizes 8-18 (UK))

While Pour Moi? doesn’t offer the same great size range as Bravissimo, they do offer much more budget-friendly prices, and this unabashedly retro style, with ruffled halter and matching high-waist brief, is stupidly cute.

PinUp Bikini by Midnight Grace

PinUp Bikini and High-Waist Brief by Midnight Grace (30-38 D-G (UK) and 8-18 (UK))

I know, it’s another one that stops at a G-cup, but look how cute! It’s green! I love green! There’s also a choice of a halter-style bikini top, if you prefer a little more support, as well as some other shapes (bikini, tankini, etc.) in other colors. That adorable swim brief is selling out quickly, so if you want one hop to it!

Los Angeles by Miss Mandalay

“Los Angeles” bikini in Magenta by Miss Mandalay (30-38 D-GG (UK)) and deep bikini brief (XS-XL)

While lots of full-bust women love retro or pin-up styles, they’re not for everyone, and sometimes you just want a change of pace. Enter Miss Mandalay with her fabulous, sleek, and very sexy D+ bikinis. I personally don’t love black swimwear, as it throws my pale skin into sharp relief and makes me look blindingly white in the sun, so this yummy color is right up my alley!  I also love the hot cutouts at the hips on the brief.

“Vegas Baby” by Miss Mandalay

“Vegas Baby” Bikini and Tie-Side Bikini Brief by Miss Mandalay. 30-38 D-GG (UK) and XS-XL.

Y’all know I’m not really an animal print person, but I’m aware that I am in the minority, so this sassy beauty is for you, because I want you to have nice things.

“Birds of Paradise” by Curvy Kate

“Birds of Paradise” Tankini by Curvy Kate (28-38 D-K (UK)) and Mini Brief (8-20 (UK))

It can be frustratingly difficult to find cute swim options that offer a little more coverage in G+ sizes. They’re harder to construct, and some of the big players (Panache and Eveden, primarily) tend to stick to bikinis for G+ sizes, or they’ll offer one solid black G+ swimsuit. Fortunately, Curvy Kate comes to the rescue with tankinis up to a K-cup that coordinate with the rest of the bright and colorful collections, like this lovely hummingbird print. The range also includes two bikini shapes and a skirted swim brief, so you can build the suit you like best.

“Santorini” by Bravissimo

“Santorini” Swimsuit (30 E-J, 32-38 DD-K (UK)) by Bravissimo

For another fuller-coverage style up to a K-cup, check out this suit by Bravissimo in a popular navy blue shade with colorblock detail at the legline.

“Bon Bon” Bikini (Bravissimo exclusive) and “Betsey Yellow” Bandeau Bikini by Hoola

“Bon Bon” Bikini and Side-Tie Brief by Hoola (28 DD-GG, 30-36 D-GG, 38 D-G (UK), XS-XL) (Bravissimo exclusive)

“Betsey” Yellow Bandeau Bikini and Side Ruche Pant by Hoola (30-36 D-G (UK), XS-XL)

I hadn’t heard of Hoola before I spotted this candy-striped bikini on Bravissimo, but seriously, you need to click over and look at the rest of these cute D-GG swimsuits. There are some particularly good deals in the sale section, and Hoola offers free worldwide shipping on orders over £50.

Finally, for those of you who are athletic swimmers, there are some great full-bust sports swimsuits available from some of the major full-bust brands. Panache wisely created a swim version of their awesome Sports bra, as did Freya with their Active range, and Figleaves and Speedo both offer full-bust athletic swimsuits, with Speedo’s going up to a J-cup!

Panache Sports Swimsuit (28 DD-H, 30-38 D-H, 40 D-GG (UK))

“Premier Ultimate Gold” Sports Swimsuit by Speedo (30-38 E-J (UK))

“Active Swim” Underwired Swimsuit by Freya (30-38 D-H (UK))

“Aqua” Underwired Swimsuit by Figleaves Active (34-38 B-H (UK))

Happy swimming! I hope to run another post soon with options for even more sizes, so if you don’t see something in your size but you want to, please let me know!

I’ve talked a lot before about what to look for in a brand-new bra, and how to take care of your bras once you have them. A recent closet clean-out (and some recent weight loss) made me realize that I’d never actually talked about how to know when it’s time to say good-bye to a bra. As lovely as they are, and as wonderful as the construction and materials modern brands use may be, bras aren’t immortal, and there will probably come a time when you have to step back and say “You know what, bra? We had a good run.”

1.  That bra is TIRED.

This is probably the number one reason I ever get rid of a bra. Bras, particularly full-bust ones, are designed to have some longevity: Lycra, adjustable straps, sturdy wires, deep bands, and several columns of hooks and eyes all work together to fight stretch and distortion that come with wear. Still, no matter how carefully we fit, care for, and store our bras, they’re not immortal. The band will eventually stretch past the point where it offers support, the wires warp and poke into underarms, and the cups stretch out of shape. When you notice that you have to hook your bra on the tightest set of hooks and yet still adjust it throughout the day, your bra’s molded cups are creased and weakened, the elastic and mesh are starting to get threadbare and worn out, or your once-comfiest bra now pokes and chafes, that bra has probably reached the end of its lifespan.

That hot pink sports bra back there? It is on its last legs. I put my sports bras through heavy workouts every week, and that one is nearing the end of its days (Hi, Gus).

To some extent, whether or not a bra is “too-tired” will vary from person to person, depending on your size, body type, age, and comfort preferences. But I can tell you this for sure: the bra you’ve had for four years that you wear every week and toss in the dryer? That bra is dead. Good-bye, bra.

Remember: friends don’t let friends put their underwear in the dryer.

2.  Change of size.

My size has fluctuated a lot throughout my 20s, so I’ve seen bras get both too small and too big with some frequency.  This can sometimes be an emotionally fraught reason to have to say good-bye to a bra.  Sometimes our weight changes for unexplained reasons, or because of illness, medical side effects, or other adverse physical condition, and discovering that our bras no longer fit can feel like an insult on top of injury.  Even if our weight changes as result of intentional diet and/or lifestyle changes, or even in the case of natural physiological changes (like puberty, pregnancy, or menopause), it can still be irritating to discover that, whoops, there are no more bras that fit, and now we have to buy more, with all of that extra disposable income we have JUST LYING AROUND, SO THANKS, BOOBS.

In general, I always feel like if you’re gonna have a bra that’s not a perfect fit, then it’s better to have one that’s a little too big in the cups instead of a little too small.  A too-small band can in some cases be fixed with an extender, but too-small cups can dig in and create bulges, and too-small wires will sit on top of breast tissue and prevent the center gore from tacking.  Conversely, sometimes a bra will feel slightly too big in the cups, but as long as you’re still getting a shape and the support you like, then carry on.  There is, however, a point where slightly big becomes just plain too big: the band is too large to keep your breasts lifted, the cups will gape or wrinkle, the gore might begin to tack painfully, or the wires will suddenly seem too deep and wide, and they begin to dig or poke into your ribcage or underarm.

As an example, I wore my lovely, adored Cherry Fling set by Bravissimo to work last week, and by the time I got home I had to admit to myself that it was time to pack it away in case my size changes again. The band has held up beautifully through heavy wear– I still get great support when it’s fastened on the loosest hooks, but the cups are just too big now: the center gore is digging into my sternum, I have too much space in the top and bottom of the cup, and the wires are beginning to spread too wide at the sides. Oh adorable cherry bra, I wish we’d had more time together, or at least that I’d snagged a smaller size when it was available.

Now, while there’s no need to let a bra that doesn’t fit take up space in your drawer (I recommend keeping your lingerie drawer a happy place, stocked with bras you can pull out and wear right this minute), I personally like to hang on to any bras that are still in really good shape. I know my size fluctuates, so it makes for sense for me to hang on to a range of sizes, so that I don’t have to buy new bras every time I need a different size. Once I settle into a new size range I do a lingerie drawer clear out and move any bras that don’t fit to a storage box under my bed, while seeing if any bras I’d set aside previously happen to fit again. This weekend I made the happy discovery that a bra I’d sent packing around a year and a half ago for being too small fits again, and it feels like I have brand new undies.  I also keep my stash in case a friend asks me to do a fitting while we’re hanging out at my apartment, and I’ve sent many in-good-shape-but-too-small-for-me bras off to new and happy homes!

3.  You realize the shape isn’t a match made in heaven.

This one can be especially annoying, especially if you’re new to well-fitting bras, or you’re still experimenting to figure out your size range and what styles you like best. Sometimes a bra feels amazing for the first two hours and then you want to rip it off your body.  It can really take a few wears to discover how you feel about a particular shape and construction, and by then, of course, you usually can’t return it if you decide it’s not for you. Now, granted, some bras are like shoes, and they require a more involved break-in period.  I often find that my Panache bras take about two wears and a wash before they start to feel like all-day bras. But sometimes no matter how much you wear it, no matter how many adjustments you make, and no matter that it’s technically the “right” size, the bra just isn’t for you.

I have tried more padded demi and balconette bras than I can count, at every size I’ve ever worn, and I have never yet found one that I actively enjoy wearing. I tried my Tutti Rouge Betty bra on the other day after several months of leaving it in the drawer, and I wore it for about 20 minutes before gratefully switching to something else.  Padded bras are just not my thing: I feel more supported and I get a shape and appearance I prefer in non-padded bras.  I’d much rather clear the padded bras out of my drawer to make way for bras I genuinely want to wear.

Bottom line: If your bra isn’t making you happy, it shouldn’t be taking up space in your lingerie drawer. If it doesn’t make you feel good, either because the fit is bad or it’s uncomfortable or it just isn’t “you”, it’s probably time to break up.

So what do I do with my dead/no-good bra?

In the case of dead bras, unfortunately the best thing to do is the throw them out. Bras with shot elastic, warped wires, mangled hooks and eyes, crushed and crumpled molded cups, and faded, soiled, or stained materials are not bras that should be donated. If you don’t want to wear it because it’s falling apart, why would anyone else?  The exception to this is that sometimes your local lingerie boutique may offer bra recycling programs, in which case by all means save up your dead bras to take with you on a shopping trip.

If , however, you want to get rid of a gently-used bra because your size or needs have changed or you just don’t like wearing it, absolutely consider donating it so someone else can benefit! Many lingerie boutiques like Journelle or Bravissimo offer donation options: Bravissimo has donation bins available in-store year-round, and in New York City, Journelle and Sugar Cookies both offer Spring-cleaning bra donation drives. Not sure if there’s a donation center near you? Consider donating your bra to SOL, a lingerie store in Denver that partners with The Gathering Place to offer well-fitting bras to homeless women in the community. They especially need cup sizes over a DD and band sizes of 38 and up, so if you have some bras in that range going spare, do considering donating!

A quick housekeeping note:

Those of you who have business or hobby pages of your own are probably already painfully aware of this, but Facebook has drastically revamped the way their algorithms handle Pages (like the Sweet Nothings page), to the extent that sometimes only 4 or 5% of those who “Like” Sweet Nothings actually see the content we’re posting! Facebook wants to push more and more business users to pay in order to get their content out, which I understand (hey, we all have to make money), but I do hate how much it affects the “community” feel we used to have. If you want to see posts, pictures, and updates from Sweet Nothings in your newsfeed/timeline/whatever we’re calling it these days, hover over the “Like” button with your cursor, and select “Get Notifications” and/or make sure that “Following” has a checkmark next to it, and you’ll be able to see all the lingerie, blog posts, recipes, and cat pictures your heart could ever desire.

Presented mostly without comment, because when something is this cute, in this fabulous a color, with this wonderful a size range, there’s nothing much more I can add. Pass me a plane ticket, some sunscreen, and a fruity-umbrella drink, because I want to take this baby on vacation.

“Monaco” Bikini Top (£34.00) and Ruched Brief (£22.00) by Bravissimo. Sizes 30-38 D-K (UK) and XS-XL.

Also P.S. there’s a matching brief with a ruffle on it. That felt important to share.

Guys, in case I haven’t made it clear over the last few posts, I STRONGLY FEEL that you should check out the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, starring Essie Davis as the Honourable Phryne (pronounced Fry-nee) Fisher (season 1 is streaming on Netflix, season 3 was just announced, and season 2 is available exclusively on Acorn TV, which makes me cranky because the last thing I need is to sign up for yet another video streaming service, and yet I can feel that I might cave any day now, because I want my Miss Fisher).  It is pure catnip to lovers of mysteries, romantical shenanigans, and olden-time eye candy.

The Honourable Phryne Fisher, who of course keeps daggers in her stockings.

They are frothy and flapper-y and charmingly cast and I promise the first two or three episodes will have you digging through your liquor cabinet searching for a cocktail to swill while you watch. Miss Phryne Fisher is a sexually liberated feminist who can handle her booze, her boys, and her bad guys with equal aplomb. She is slinky and sassy and compassionate and fierce and impeccably coiffed and I love her.

“Yes, I am fabulous. Observe my feathers.”

I also love her wardrobe.

Phryne in one of her many baller kimonos. Swoon.

Julia Lambert (“Julia Lambert” is my twin sister’s blog alias, for those of you who are newbies) and I have both begun reevaluating our lingerie drawers with the single criterion “What Would Miss Fisher Wear?”, and in light of that I thought it would be fun to share some of my picks for How to Build Miss Fisher’s Lingerie Wardrobe. Let’s all pretend we’re wildly wealthy aristocrats in Australia in the 1920s with a yen for social justice and a predilection for awesomeness, shall we?

Left to right: Mary Green “Nouveau Retro” Teddy, Hips and Curves Lace Trim Satin Plus Size Teddy, Kiss Me Deadly Peach Silk “Ida” Bralet and “Peachy Keen” Longline Girdle

The 20th century was a period of immense change in the fashion world in general, and women’s lingerie was no exception. Lingerie was hugely affected by the other Big Deal Things that were going on in the world at the time, like, you know, suffrage, world war, industrialism, and general social and political upheaval. Women’s clothes grew shorter and slinkier, so all-in-one garments like cami-knickers and “step-ins” became popular for their comfort and practicality, allowing the lighter, closer-fitting garments to hug the body. Instead of waist-nipping corsets, many women chose to wear longer, slimming girdles, corselettes, and other pieces of shapewear that helped them achieve the long, straight silhouette of the 1920s. Shorter skirts meant shorter slips and visible stockings, and pale pink and blush were some of the most popular colors. This distinctly retro color palette has made a resurgence lately, so you have plenty of options to begin building your flapper’s lingerie wardrobe.

Clockwise from top left: Dollhouse Bettie “Juliet” Black Silk Seamed Flapper Stockings, Angela Friedman “Charlize” Slip, Mimi Holliday “Knickerbocker Glory” Camisole and Shorties, Hips and Curves Satin Chemise and Robe Set, Dottie’s Delights Gold Lace Bra and Girdle Skirt, Mimi Holliday “Bisou Bisou” Teddy, Kiss Me Deadly sheer “Elle” Knickers and “Van Doren” Bralet

Phryne is, to quote Singing in the Rain, “so refined I think I might kill myself”, and as a woman dressing in the height of sophistication, she would DEFINITELY have some slinky black pieces in her lingerie drawer. These seamed silk stockings, fluttering tap pants, silky teddies, slips and camisoles, and a stunning girdle skirt would make any of her lovers weak in the knees.

Clockwise from top left: Harlow & Fox “Eleanor” collection, Dottie’s Delights “Century Girl” Slip, Harlow & Fox “Eleanor” collection, Mimi Holliday “Banoffee Pie” camisole and shorties, Dollhouse Bettie “Juliet” Silk Flapper Stockings.

But she’s not in full seduction mode all the time. This woman takes her detective work seriously (“I don’t allow myself to be lustfully compromised during my murder investigations”), and she dresses impeccably for every social engagement, from cocktails and dancing to a ladylike garden party. These beautiful ivory styles make a lovely counterpoint to black evening wear.

Clockwise from top left: Carine Gilson “Sonia” Short Kimono, Trashy Diva Flapper Robe, Layneau Collection “Contessa” Robe, Carine Gilson “Sakura” Long Kimono, Jenny Packham Long Satin Robe

Phryne busts out an awesome robe in the very first episode, while seducing a Russian ballet dancer, and that’s how I knew we were soulmates. I could see her wearing any of these stunning robes, particularly the velvet Layneau “Contessa” robe, which reminds me of one of her many fur-trimmed evening coats.

I see you, you saucy minx.

Don’t forget accessories!

I have not seen this episode yet, and so seeing this picture pop up on the internet caused me actual pain because I’m so stoked to watch it, NETFLIX. Season 2. Get on it.

While I can’t in good conscience recommend keeping a dagger in your stockings (we’re not all loaded, Phryne– how many pairs of silk stockings do you accidentally stab?), Dollhouse Bettie offers a silk garter flask that cracks me up, and also I want one.  Throw in a feather boa and some dancing shoes, and you’re all set!

Clockwise from top left: Dollhouse Bettie fan, garter flask, and boa, Very Fine ballroom shoes, Jacques Levine Kraze silk marabou mules

There were far, far too many wonderful options out there for me to include them all in the post. If you’re looking for more, be sure to check out Dollhouse Bettie, Dottie’s Delights, Kiss Me Deadly, Mimi Holliday, and What Katie Did for more retro goodness. From slips to camiknickers to tap pants to seamed stockings, each retailer and brand offers a huge range of vintage-style (and modern!) lingerie pieces in a variety of shapes and styles.

Oh you two. Get a room.

Go catch bad guys and drive the local detective inspector wild.

Miss Fisher and Detective Inspector Jack Robinson. I want Phryne to have all the lovers she wants, but I am firmly Team Jack, in my heart.

Well, the East Coast is heading surely into summer after a long winter and a (thankfully) long spring, and as someone who doesn’t sleep well in the heat, I’m looking for pajamas and loungewear that are both cute and cool.  I can’t really sleep with anything long on my legs anyway, so summer pajamas are right up my alley: camisoles, boyshorts, babydolls, and short-sleeved pajamas in soft, breathable fabrics and relaxed silhouettes offer comfortable relief from the heat.  Here are some of my favorite styles I’ve spotted in stores recently– anything catch your eye?

“Intrigue” Bird Print Nightie by Hotmilk (A-D and DD-G versions available).

Somewhere Julia Lambert is sniggering “put a bird on it, Sweets”, and I KNOW, I have lots of bird stuff in my apartment/lingerie drawer, but whatever. This is light and pretty, and it comes in two versions to accommodate mothers who wear both core and full-bust sizes.

“Zen Floral” Plus-Size Chemise by Natori

Sometimes I look at satin/silk/lace summer loungewear and think “you are so pretty, and you would make me so sweaty”. Even though this chemise features lace, the top is stretch lace and the skirt is soft knit, which I find much more comfortable in warm weather. It’s a pretty plus-size option that reminds me of …

“Pandora” D-G Stretch Lace Chemise by Figleaves

… this lovely full-bust stretch lace chemise from Figleaves. I’ve never tried any of their loungewear, but I’d be really curious to see what the support is like, because the styles are very alluring and feminine.  Speaking of supportive nightwear for full-bust sizes…

Cami Top in Lagoon by Bravissimo (D-H cup sizes)

Bravissimo has a really great range of full-bust nightwear, including some options that are available up to J-cup sizes.  While not as lacy or romantic as Figleaves’ offerings, the range of simple, colorful camis, night dresses, and tank tops will keep you feeling cool and supported without an underwire.

Night dress in Bramble by Bravissimo (D-J cup sizes)

Shorts and camis not your thing? I’d totally wear this night dress as loungewear to goof around the apartment on a hot summer weekend.  Best of all, it’s available up to a 38J, offering support to a wide range of full-bust sizes.

Come Out & Play Babydoll in Bamboo/Dawn by Between the Sheets

I adore my Venus in Play babydoll from Between the Sheets (review here), and I’ve worn it so much it’s nearly on its last legs.  With a flattering, flexible fit for small-bust and full-bust sizes alike, this snuggly babydoll is light, soft, and breezy: perfect for a hot Summer night.

“Lotus Blossom” Babydoll by Dollhouse Bettie

One of my favorite new-to-me brands at February’s Curve trade show was Dollhouse Bettie. Their in-house designs are simultaneously contemporary and retro-inspired, and they inspire a playful creativity that encourages the wearer to mix and match pieces to suit her personality. The Lotus Blossom collections feature lots of gorgeous pieces (particularly for those who wear petite sizes (and check out these cool snag-proof stockings!)), but I was totally charmed by this babydoll.  In stretch lace and sheer mesh, this strapless babydoll mixes sophistication and an effortless, almost beachy sense of relaxation.  The Azure colorway is a winner too!

“Bohemian Reverie” Cami and Shorts by Eberjey (image via Anthropologie)

This color will never not remind me of Pistachio Ice Cream.  Also this whole set is adorable, I love the sweet lace trim, and Eberjey is the master of comfy, cute jammies.

“Domino Dots” Plus Size Pajamas by Oscar de la Renta

Navy blue! Polka dots! Ruffles! Sold.

Pajamas (DD-H) version in grey by Hotmilk

Sometimes simple is super. This classic cami-and-pajama-pant set offers wire-free support up to an H-cup for new mothers and mothers-to-be. The Hotmilk website suggests packing this set in your hospital bag, and I can’t help but agree.

“Venice” Night Dress by Only Hearts

I just really love a good, classic night dress. This one, made in New York City by Only Hearts, is beautiful. The soft knit and relaxed silhouette offer comfort, and pretty lace trim adds a little romance.

Lace Trim Camisole and Boyshort by Hips and Curves

This right here? My favorite style of pajamas. Available up to a size 5X in multiple colors (and currently on sale for $19.95!), this set would make a great lingerie-drawer staple.

“Constanza Eyelet” Slip by Eloise

Finally, this one just makes me want to go on vacation. Can’t you see it? Relaxing in a beach house, strolling in the waves before breakfast, kicking back to snooze in a hammock with a glass of iced tea…

If you need me, I’ll be at my desk. Daydreaming.

Last February I decided to special-order some of my favorite upcoming Spring/Summer styles through A Sophisticated Pair. Erica offers a very generous special order/return policy, and while I often wait for certain pieces to go on sale (or for me to impulse purchase them during a Netflix-induced internet spiral), I knew I wanted to get a jump on one or two styles as soon as they became available, and I wanted to support an independent boutique while doing so. The first set on my list was Elomi’s “Megan” collection, including a lovely non-padded longline bra and coordinating brief. [Note: I purchased this set under my real name with my own money. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]

Appearance

The longline version of Megan features an opaque laminate fabric in a dark purple/navy blue color with a contrasting pink and white ditsy floral print. The longline band features a subtle colorblock effect with the printed center panel contrasting with dark navy powermesh at the sides and back. The band includes built-in flexible boning below the center of each cup, under the arms, and near the center back, to help keep the band lying straight and flush against the ribcage without wrinkling or curling up. The straps are fully adjustable and are set fairly close together in the back, which ensures they don’t slip off the shoulders. The band closes with two columns of five rows of hooks and eyes.

The cups are four-part cups, with a vertical seam in the bottom of the cup, a horizontal seam bisecting the cup, and a side panel connected to the strap, for forward projection.  The bra features a slightly lower center gore, and while I wouldn’t say it’s a true plunge, it’s definitely a lower profile than Elomi’s full cup bras. The cups are trimmed with coordinating pink embroidered mesh, with a pink bow at the center gore, at each strap, and at the center front of the briefs.

So this print: when I saw it at last August’s Curve, I thought “well, it’s better than the terrible denim weirdness that was last year’s version”. It’s very sweet, very cheerful, and very pretty. I think the colors will be flattering on a range of skin tones, and it feels very bright and summery whenever I wear it.

However.

I have been waiting impatiently for the magical day when a non-padded G+ longline bra would be mine, and I may have let my hopes get too high. I’ve wanted a longline bra since the trend first picked up steam 3-4 years ago. Freya, Panache, Curvy Kate, and Parfait all make (or have made) lovely D+ longline bras with padded or molded cups (see Julia Lambert’s review of Parfait’s Danielle), but I strongly prefer unpadded bras. Claudette has since introduced a cute longline version of Dessous, but they don’t make my size. My dream version, if anyone cares to know, is a sheer mesh longline bra with boning in the band and matching sheer high-waist suspender briefs, maybe with contrast seaming or opaque piping, or a set that’s unabashedly retro in pale pink silk with matching tap pants, like one Miss Phryne Fisher might wear. In other words, I want something really, really sexy or special, without sacrificing the fit and comfort I get from nonpadded bras.

Megan, bless its darling little heart, is not really, really sexy or special. It’s cute as a damn button though, so I’ll allow it. I feel like longline bras in fuller cup sizes can sometimes read as a Whole Lotta Bra, which can be a turn-off to some customers, and designing a set to be a showpiece or a special occasion set (like Curvy Kate have done with the black version of Carmen for A/W 14) can help make the style extra enticing, instead of intimidating. This purple-and-pink ditsy floral print can read as simultaneously little girlish or as mumsy (not that there’s anything wrong with youth or motherhood!), but this is a market demographic that, when not  dominated by beige, black, and white, is a little over-saturated with girly and mumsy. I’d love to see some pieces that might appeal to a full-figure woman looking for more fashion-forward, directional lingerie.

Fit

I’ve enjoyed wearing Elomi over the last year because the brand’s style has gotten both cuter and more sophisticated. They offer lots of different shapes, and I’m freed from the tyranny of the molded/padded bra. That being said, Elomi isn’t a perfect match for my body, and Megan is no exception.

I tried on last summer’s longline “Roxy” style once at a lingerie boutique in Virginia, and based solely on memory, Megan’s band feels a bit looser and less constricting. It’s firmer towards the top and more forgiving towards the bottom, where some full-figure customers’ waistlines widen. In fact, I sometimes hook the bottom three hooks on the firmest column and the top two on the loosest, in order to get the band to hug my ribcage more firmly. I’m not complaining about a more relaxed band: one of the issues I wondered about when it comes to longline bras in full-figure sizes was how flexible the fit would be in terms of accommodating different shapes (as many of us carry our weight in different places), and I think Megan will be flattering on a range of body shapes.

The cups feel true-to-size for Elomi, although, as is often the case, they’re the primary source of fit shenanigans for me. The shape is designed for a body that’s different from mine: the wires feel wide, and the cups have more room in the sides and less room at the center front. Elomi bras are great for women who feel like they have a lot of breast tissue under their arms, like their breasts are wide-set, or like the underwires in other bras sit on the breast tissue and dig. My breasts are high on my chest wall with a lot of forward projection, so sometimes it feels like Elomi bras sort of pull my breasts out to the sides of my body. Megan fit fairly well when I bought it, with occasional digging in along the neckline where my breasts are fuller, but now that I’ve lost some weight I really notice the extra space at the sides and in the bottom of the cup.

For the briefs, I chose what I think of as my “Freya” size (one size down from what I wear in other brands), and I’m glad I did, as I found Megan’s briefs fit very comfortably in the smaller size.  My hips and rear are smaller in proportion to my bust, so if you have a curvier lower half you might be comfortable in your usual size.

Comfort

So, why did I buy a longline bra from a brand that isn’t the best shape for me, when the print and color didn’t really set my world on fire?

So help me, I just really wanted one. I really, really, REALLY wanted a longline bra. The deeper bands distribute the pressure of supporting heavy breasts more evenly without digging in at the top or bottom edges, plus they offer extra smoothing to your back and sides, and some souls more daring than I even wear them as crop tops or as midriff-baring base layers. I totally wear Megan around my apartment when I’m cooking (hi neighbors) or cleaning or just lounging with the cats, and it’s very handy for some sleeveless tops, because the straps are set closer together in the back. It’s not quite right for racerback styles, or for tops with wide-set straps, but I’ve definitely found a home for it in my wardrobe.

The briefs are a really comfortable cut for me: low enough that they don’t dig in to my waistline or hips, high enough that they don’t curl up and roll down under my belly. I love the way Elomi cuts their knickers, so two thumbs up from me!

Overall, and in spite of some shape incompatibility, I’m really pleased with this set. I hope Elomi keeps the longline style in their Spring/Summer collections– I’d love to see them experiment with some more unusual prints or styles. I think a solid colorblocked version, or one that featured sheer mesh or lace, could be a deeply dramatic, show-stopping piece. What do you think?

“Megan” Longline Bra is available in sizes 34-40 E-H (UK cup sizes, so approximately F-K in US cup sizes). Coordinating brief available in sizes M-4XL, and coordinating banded bra available in sizes 36-42 E-JJ, 44 E-G.

*****

Photography: Lydia Hudgens

Lingerie: Elomi Lingerie via A Sophisticated Pair (also currently on sale at Nordstrom); Earrings: Anthropologie (old); Ring: personal; Lips: Stila “Sonya”; Nails: Dior “Violet Graphique”

I’m really, really, REALLY excited to share an early preview of two styles from Angela Friedman’s Fall/Winter 2014 Muse collection: the high-waist “Adrienne” ruffle panties and the “Laurel” ruffle bikini panties.

Full disclosure right off the bat: I received these as a holiday present from Angela, because we’re buds and neighbors. She gave me two pairs of handmade silk underwear, and I gave her a jar of caramel sauce, because I’m the worst. So while this post is written in the spirit of embarrassed and overwhelmed gratitude, all opinions on the underwear itself are my own.

I’ve been excited for the Muse collection to launch ever since I saw it during February’s market season. The thoughtful details and touches I expect from Angela, like silk, French lace, impeccable lines, and sophisticated silhouettes are all there in abundance, and this new collection introduces a loose-limbed athleticism and some unusually angular, streamlined looks. While her exemplary corsets and beautiful, feminine details are absolutely present, there are also pieces in the collection that I can see appealing to customers who might not identify with frills or corsets or ruffles, like cropped camisoles, silk tap pants, and sleek, body-skimming chemises with elegant racerback details. Basically, just wait. It’s fantastic, and it’s coming soon.

Now, I tend to be of the “ALL THE RUFFLES FOR ME, please” mindset, and fortunately, the Muse collection does not disappoint in that department either. Like, seriously, these are the most Sweets-appropriate underpants in the world.  First up: the stunning high-waist “Adrienne” silk and mesh suspender knickers.

These stunning knickers feature a fabulous keyhole closure at the back of the waist and detachable suspenders for stockings. The center front panel is pure, luxurious silk, available in black, pink, or purple (Angela chose black silk for mine, so that they’d be versatile and go with everything), and the hips and rear are sheer black mesh, trimmed with two parallel rows of delicate dotted mesh ruffles. They feel light and luxurious on the body, and I love that the ruffles add a little bit of volume to my hips to balance the fullness of my bust.

I like wearing the Adrienne knickers under fuller skirts for a little added poof. Also, can we talk about how fabulous the sheer mesh back looks paired with sheer black stockings?

In keeping with the general fanciness of things, I styled these knickers with my luxurious Maison Lejaby bra from my trip to the Journelle Atelier, plus my personalized nylon stockings.

The second piece from the collection is the shorter and sassier “Laurel” bikini panty. Where the Adrienne knickers feel delightfully old-fashioned and grown-up, the “Laurel” knickers feel more contemporary and streamlined. With a silk center panel and sheer mesh hips and rear like the Adrienne knickers, Laurel features two rows of soft, full, floaty ruffles across the seat.

Presenting a sleek face from the front and a little bit of sass from behind, Laurel feels cheeky and playful. I paired mine with the cute open-backed Marcie babydoll from Cleo, the better to let the ruffles peek out and and say hi.

My knickers are slightly modified from the ready-to-wear versions. For one thing, they’re larger than Angela’s RTW sizes (she estimates that they’re somewhere in the XL-XXL range), and for another, Angela made some special adjustments just for me, after a fitting session at her studio. I’m tall, so even though I think of myself as short-waisted, sometimes bikini briefs literally aren’t deep enough to stay on my body (hi, Cleo! Your panties are so cute, and then they fall off me). So Angela adjusted the rise on both the high-waist briefs and the bikini knickers to sit more comfortably and proportionally on my body. The Adrienne knickers rise to my natural waist, just over my navel, and the Laurel knickers rise to a classic bikini cut, a few inches below my navel. This is one of the many, many reasons independent lingerie designers are so amazing: you can get a fit that is tailored to your unique body.

The Muse collection launches in late August, so be sure to keep an eye on Angela’s official site for updates. Interested in getting a custom fit like mine, or want to know more about the upcoming collection? Contact Angela for details!

*****

Photography: Lydia Hudgens

Look 1// Bra: Maison Lejaby, via Journelle; Knickers: Angela Friedman c/o; Stockings: Stockingirl customized RHT stockings; Earrings: Anthropologie (old); Ring: personal; Lips: Stila “Sonya”; Nails: Dior “Violet Graphique”

Look 2// Babydoll: Cleo by Panache; Knickers: Angela Friedman c/o; Earrings: Anthropologie (old); Ring: personal; Lips: Stila “Sonya”; Nails: Dior “Violet Graphique”

Hair and Makeup: Sweets

As a lot of y’all know by now, I LOVE going to cover the upcoming lingerie seasons at CurveNY. It’s both a fun time to connect with designers, teachers, writers, bloggers, retailers, and PR reps that I haven’t seen in a while (or have only previously met online), and it’s an incredible opportunity to take a look at movements in the market, get a sense of trends, hear from industry professionals about their experiences in retail and wholesale, get insight into different designers’ processes, and discover new and up-and-coming brands as they break into the industry. The Spring/Summer shows, which feature swimwear more heavily than the Fall/Winter shows, tend to feel a little more vibrant and bustling, and this year was no exception.

I once again had the pleasure of covering the full-bust brands with my good lingerie friend Miss Underpinnings, and we’ve partnered on this post to bring you our overview of what the Spring/Summer 2015 collections have in store. You can see our trend report for the Fall/Winter 2014 season here.

Note: Eveden (parent company of Elomi, Freya, Fantasie, Goddess, and Huit) wasn’t giving any press appointments, and when Cecily did manage to get an appointment some of the samples were MIA, so unfortunately our coverage of those popular brands is a little thin. I’ve tried to snap pics of my lookbooks where possible.

COLOR TRENDS

Yellow

Clockwise from top left: Panache Tango; Freya Deco Zest; Panache Andorra; Sunday Intimates Camille; Curvy Kate Dreamcatcher; Tutti Rouge Liliana; Cleo Swim Betty; Tutti Rouge Tallulah Sunshine

Without a doubt, yellow is the standout color of full-bust lingerie for Spring/Summer 2015. We saw it EVERYWHERE. Even if it wasn’t the most common color story we noticed, it’s such an unusual color that it makes its cheerful presence felt. Panache has brought out Tango and Andorra in bright, chipper lemon shades, Cleo offers a delightful yellow polka dot bikini, Sunday Intimates created a lovely yellow watercolor chiffon lingerie-and-robe collection, and Tutti Rouge went for a full blast of cheer with both Liliana and Tallulah Sunshine. A unanimous Miss Underpinnings/Sweet Nothings favorite was Curvy Kate’s new Lemon Fizz color for Dreamcatcher; it’s guaranteed to put you in a good mood! For more petite busts, check out Gossard’s pretty Romance bra and Huit’s lovely Melisande, back in beautiful Bouton D’Or.  The only yellow that didn’t charm us was Freya’s unfortunate zest/zebra colorway for Deco. While we’re sure this combination will have its fans, we are united in our loathing.

Mint/Pistachio/Pale Green/Ice Blue

Clockwise from top left: Fortnight Mira; Panache Rhapsody and Envy; Tutti Rouge Nicole; Freya Eden, Freya Starlet; Sunday Intimates Camille; Fortnight Ivy; Tutti Rouge Beatrice; Mimi Holliday Finch

While the whole season is rife with pretty, pale, feminine colors, I (Sweets) have a major soft spot for mint and other pale green/blue colors.  I don’t know where this love comes from, as I don’t wear these colors terribly well, yet here we are, with a season full of soft, fresh shades that I adored. I particularly admired Fortnight’s gorgeous Mira longline bra and slip in an amazing Celadon colorway, Freya’s brought out a beautiful sheer embroidered collection called Starlet in Peppermint that reminded us of former Fauve (RIP) styles, and I (Sweets again) fell head over heels for Mimi Holliday’s delightful Hummingbird range, with sheer dotted icy blue mesh and sweet pink trim.

Details from a few pieces in the Hummingbird collection from Mimi Holliday

Miss Underpinnings hates it. We’ve agreed to disagree. Some of the big brands have also brought out lighter shades for their most popular collections: Elomi’s Betty is in Pistachio, Fantasie’s Rebecca is in Sea Mist, and Panache’s new Rhapsody as well as firm favorite Envy come in a lovely crisp Mint.

Bright Pink/Coral

Clockwise from top left: Curvy Kate Daisie; Fantasie Susanna; Parfait Elena; Panache Porcelain Grace; Miss Mandalay Paige; Parfait Elena; Curvy Kate Madagascar; Mimi Holliday Flamingo; Cleo Marcie; Panache Jasmine; Fantasie Rebecca; Curvy Kate Princess; Claudette Paloma; Curvy Kate Soda Pop; Miss Mandalay Paris; Panache Fontaine

While not exactly new, you really can’t escape pink for Spring/Summer, especially in full-bust land. While there are certainly some pretty baby pinks out there, like Sunday Intimates’ beautiful Janine collection, featuring a lace bra and brief with coordinating sheer lace romper, Freya’s Icon in Milkshake or Rapture in Bubblegum, for the most part we saw some pretty loud, screamy pinks.

We’ve talked with each other a lot this week about how our tastes have evolved both as we get a little older and as we spend more time in the industry, and this color trend really gets a big shrug from both of us. Parfait introduces new style Elena in Raspberry that’s so dark and shiny and we found it a little cheesy. Fantasy brings out Susanna in Fuchsia, Rebecca in Honeysuckle and a totally wan Rosewood color for Ivana that’s particularly disappointing after the striking turquoise for F/W14. Mimi Holliday’s Flambeau collection in dark pink/coral also gets a “pass” from us, and we were equally unmoved by the new floral for Panache’s Jasmine and the Sherbet color for both Clara and Porcelain Grace. Panache also added pink or coral to the Sports bra and two Sculptresse styles (Flirtini and Pure Lace). Curvy Kate’s Cerise color for Daisie and Princess struck us as a little “Barbie”, but we both liked the coral Poppy Print for new style Madagascar. The exception to our general pink indifference? Claudette’s vibrant Strawberry Crush and Raspberryade colorways for Dessous and Paloma, both of which feel rich, zingy, and fun.

Periwinkle/Soft Blue

Clockwise from top left: Tutti Rouge Liliana; Angela Friedman bed jacket; Parfait Casey; Empreinte Paris; Sunday Intimates Janine; Claudette Dessous; Cleo Minnie; Claudette Paloma; Parfait Charlotte

Another of Sweets’ favorites! We’ve seen a lot of brands playing around with navy, royal blue, and cobalt in the past few seasons, and while I’ll happily wear blue lingerie any day of the week, these softer shades feel really fresh for Spring. We spotted them at Claudette (Dessous and Paloma in Periwinkle), in the stretch lace trim for Freya’s bold new Minx with a keyhole gore and cage back (more below), at Elomi in the new Chambray colorway for Caitlyn, and at Panache in a few styles: Cleo’s popular Minnie collection returns in an unpadded bra and a padded longline (WHY PADDED, AGAIN, moans Sweets), and we LOVED the gorgeous Deep Lilac color for Sculptresse’s new Liberty collection.

Sculptresse Liberty collection in Deep Lilac

Finally, Parfait has once again knocked it out of the park with new a new Icy Blue colorway for Charlotte (as well as their Casey collection).

Neon

Clockwise from top left: Freya Siren and Rapture; Mimi Holliday Flamingo; Freya Ignite and Parade longline; Cleo Maya; Mimi Holliday Citrus Swallowtail; Freya Firecracker; Mimi Holliday Parakeet; Freya Deco Vibe and Deco Zest

Neon is an ever-popular story in lingerie, particularly in full-bust land. Of the afore-mentioned Freya Deco in zest we shall speak no more, but Claudette? We’ll happily wear Dessous in Orange Soda, Gia Red, and Raspberryade, along with Fishnet in Gia Red/Peacoat, any day of the week. Miss Mandalay made her first appearance at CurveNY this season, and she delighted us: in addition to classics like Paris in Pink and Fuchsia, the fantastically cool and sexy halter bikinis are super striking in fluoro yellow and hot pinks and purples. Cleo’s Marcie returns as a new basic style (beige and black), but the fashion color gets an update with super-bright Magenta/Orange. Finally, you can’t talk about neons without talking about Mimi Holliday. As usual, the brand offers a huge new collection packed with new shapes and styles. While we particularly loved Toco Toucan and Parakeet, with their small hits of neon dots against black or white bases, other collections are less shy: some of the pretty Hummingbird pieces have neon pink lace trim, Cockatoo is a vibrant fluorescent pink, and Tree Nymph is a striking neon lime with soft, ballet pink ribbon trim.  This season sees three collections featuring oversized lip-shaped embroidery in bold neon: Kittiwake (orange/pink contrast), Flamingo (pink), and Citrus Swallowtail (lime green). While we liked some of the trims and one of the shapes (the Flamingo all-pink bodysuit), in general these styles left us cold, especially in the face of some of Mimi’s other beautiful, subtler collections.

Purple

Clockwise from top left: Curvy Kate Bardot; Panache Black Loire; Panache Fern; Curvy Kate Smoothie; Miss Mandalay Amelie; Fantasie Eclipse; Curvy Kate Jewel; Miss Mandalay Paris

Miss Underpinnings wouldn’t even talk to Sweets about this one, that’s how over it she is, so everyone buy her a drink as a reward for completing this particular photo collage. She earned it. We get it: purple is popular for a reason. It’s a livelier alternative to black, it works well with a variety of skin tones, and it’s a change of pace from the beige/black/white/red rut that a lot of brands get stuck in. Nevertheless, it was everywhere for Fall/Winter 2014, and it will be everywhere again for Spring/Summer 2015. Curvy Kate brings us Smoothie and Jewel in a princessy pale purple Topaz, with sheer K-cup babydoll Bardot featuring purple embroidery, and Panache introduces softer lilac shades for their popular Andorra and Fern styles. Masquerade cut the Loire style last season, but Panache Black brings it back in royal purple. Our beloved Miss Mandalay will unveil a vibrant ultra violet Amelie as well as a neon fuschia for Paris. Great news for purple lovers, but we’re feeling a little fatigue.

Blush

Evollove [style unknown]; Panache Olivia; Mimi Holliday Puffin; Fantasie Rebecca Mirage; Sunday Intimates Janine; Fantasie Elodie; Miss Mandalay Amelie; Panache Black Lucia; Mimi Holliday; Freya Deco Charm; Mimi Holliday Golden Helicon; Fortnight Ara

Our favorite color story by far, we saw an incredible number of collections in pale peach, ballet pink (more below), dusty rose, and blush tones, and we couldn’t get enough of them. This color is a lingerie classic that immediately calls to mind retro, classic pieces from the early part of the 20th century, it works beautifully with a range of styles, from bridal to boudoir to pin-up, and some skin tones can even wear the color as a neutral under white tops. We fell head over heels for Miss Mandalay’s new powder color for Amelie, saw it from Freya for both a new longline collection and a new style for Deco, and loved the blush color (and unusual stitching on the briefs) for Panache Black’s strapless Lucia style (Sweets would like to register her sorrow that the coordinating basque was, naturally, canceled).

Panache Black will also introduce their first-ever K-cup style with Eclipse, featuring pale pink cups and contrasting black ribbon trim. We also adored Mimi Holliday’s take on the color trend, particularly the adorable Puffin range with its beautiful floral-button-like embroidery, Lovebird with an elegant champagne and blush silk color scheme, and the lovely Golden Helicon collection with gold dots and pretty broderie trim. Curvy Kate is bringing out a simple, sheer, slightly lower priced new style called Florence in a soft dusty blush that we both loved, and Panache will introduce new style Olivia in apricot with matching high-waist knickers that our rep called “more mature/granny-style” that we called “adorable/beautiful/we want it”.

OTHER STORIES

White/Bridal

Clockwise from top left: Freya Rapture; Mimi Holliday Parakeet (neon dots) and Pelican (star lace); Freya Deco Darling; Miss Mandalay Layla; Parfait Elissa; Panache Floris; Claudette Paloma; Curvy Kate Firecracker; Tutti Rouge Liliana; Fantasie Mae; Mimi Holliday Skylark; Fantasie Allegra

I had to ask Miss Underpinnings to check me on this, but no, I wasn’t imagining it: we saw way, way more bridal collections this go-around than we’d seen in years past. I am the first person to yell “not all white lingerie is bridal!!”, but I have to admit, these styles will be really helpful for those of you who want special lingerie for a wedding. Expect to see a lovely range of shapes and styles from The Intimate Britney Spears (pictures were embargoed, unfortunately). Freya’s super-popular Deco is the foundation for a brand-new bridal range from Freya, including a strapless bra and Freya’s first-ever babydoll. Parfait gets in on the action with a flirty little babydoll and a frankly gorgeous sheer lace longline bra that I (Sweets) am itching to get my hands on. Tutti Rouge’s Liliana is available in both a lovely Creme shade with a sweet neutral bow and in a bright white-on-white that feels really fresh and pretty, as well as the lovely Beatrice in ivory satin. We loved Mimi Holliday’s white collections, particularly Pelican with its beautiful white star-patterned lace and Skylark with its beautiful heart-patterned mesh. We even found that a white background made us like Panache’s Floris style for the first season ever.

Ballet-Inspired Design Elements

clockwise from top left: Sunday Intimates Audrey; Panache Black Eclipse; Dollhouse Bettie petal crinoline; Angela Friedman Brigitte corset and Pascaline corset and tulle crinoline skirt; Parfait Leigh; Sunday Intimates Janine

As we mentioned above with the blush pink trend, we saw many, many brands that made reference to classic ballet design elements in their collections. Sunday Intimates’ whole SS15 collection looks like it walked straight out of a Degas painting, Angela Friedman’s collection is unabashedly girly with beautiful sheer white tutu/petticoats, and Dollhouse Bettie created a charmingly whimsical flower-petal style tutu.

Animal

clockwise from top left: Mimi Holliday Tiger Butterfly; Freya Minx; Miss Mandalay Leopard Ruffle; Sculptresse Chi Chi; Cleo Maya; Panache Black Odette; Gossard (style name unknown)

We are heavily divided on animal prints in general. Sweets abhors them in any shape or form (on HER, not on other people), while Cecily likes them as long as they are the colors nature intended (e.g., not purple). So we may not be the target audience for some of these, but nevertheless: they were there and they exist and here are pictures. Freya’s Minx has grown on us (well, at least on Sweets), on account of the periwinkle lace, keyhole at the center gore, and brand new cage-back construction (we heard glowing reviews from the full-bust women who’d tried it, although take note: the keyhole and cage back disappear in sizes over a G-cup). Miss Mandalay offers a sizzling take with the Leopard Ruffle bikini, Mimi puts their own spin on it with a sweet pastel Tiger Butterfly, Sculptresse brings out a cheetah/rose/black lace design for Chi Chi, Panache Black offers a wan animal print on their black molded Odette, and Cleo brings the color with a return of Maya. I was a little surprised to see that Panache had dropped leopard prints from the Jasmine line-up, and Parfait has no new animal print after last season– maybe we’re not the only ones with animal fatigue?

Full-Body Pieces

Clockwise from top left: Fortnight Vega; Claudette Dessous Tee; Sunday Intimates Janine; Dollhouse Bettie Naima bodysuit and Lingara bodysuit; Gossard basque (style name unknown); Angela Friedman Vivian slip

Last season saw the rise of the full-bust bodysuit, and this season it’s here to stay, and then some. Freya’s Ooh La La bodysuit is part of the continuity range, and while Panache is retiring the Envy bodysuit (it’s likely to be a Fall/Winter style, just not Spring/Summer), we saw plenty of brands branching out to try new shapes. Both Parfait and Freya offer beautiful white babydolls as part of expanded bridal offerings, Sunday Intimates created a beautiful collection of incredible soft all-lace rompers, and more and more brands are offering lounge pieces like camisoles, chemises, robes, and even tees (like Claudette) to complement their lingerie offerings. Mimi Holliday will offer a huge assortment of slips, bodysuits, robes, and even a sheer black full-length catsuit!

Bond Girl Swimwear

clockwise from top left: Freya Bondi; Cleo Betty; Curvy Kate Ocean Drive; Miss Mandalay Bardot; Curvy Kate Ocean Drive; Miss Mandalay Zambia and Los Angeles Fluoro Yellow

FINALLY, full bust women are getting a break from the omnipresent pinup swimwear stylings (or the truly boring tropical florals) with swimwear that’s bolder, more athletic, and sexy without being cutesy. Curvy Kate’s best swim collection was the striking color-blocked Ocean Drive, Miss Mandalay enters the American market with the sexy Los Angeles in black, magenta, and fluoro yellow, Panache offers a great mix-and-match striped collection (Anya Stripe), and Freya’s aptly named “Bondi” is one of the best full-bust swim collections we’ve seen in ages. Don’t get us wrong, we still love cute: Cleo’s yellow polka dot bikini, navy collection with white heart polka dots, and dramatic floral longline bikini earned full marks from us, but we are SO pleased that full-bust swim designers offering designs that are a little more grown-up and sophisticated.

What do you think of the season overall?  See any styles that make it to your wishlist? I’ll touch on some of my favorite pieces in more detail in future posts, but overall it felt like a very pretty, albeit maybe a little safe, Spring season.

[Note: I know that some text in the post is automatically showing up as a shopping link, and I know it's annoying (at least it is to me). It's a quirk of the new site, and hopefully I'll get it fixed soon!]

I’m trying very hard to save money for my trip to London (aka magical lingerie wonderland, or so I’ve been told) next month, but since the fabulous blue “Roxie” camisole set from full-bust fave Curvy Kate made an appearance on my list of favorite styles for Fall/Winter 2014, I knew it was only a matter of time before my willpower failed. [Note: I purchased this set under my real name with my own money. Curvy Kate is unaffiliated with this review, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.]

Appearance

Ooooh, this color. This color, y’all. It is so good. It is dreamy.

It was at this point in the afternoon that I realized I was basically mooning all the tourists behind me in Rockefeller Plaza.

Ahem. Roxie is a four-part padded plunge shape that closes (in my size, at least) with three rows of three columns of hooks-and-eyes. The attached skirt falls to the high hip, leading retailers to call it either a babydoll, a camisole, or a camidoll. The skirt is open in back, so you can put it on like you would a regular bra, without worrying about having to step into the skirt or pull it over your head. The shorter length allows the pretty matching lace-trimmed shorts to peek out.

The shorts and bra cups feature an unusual textured blue-on-white (“Night/Silver”) pattern that reminds me a little of herringbone and which evolves into a delicate, broderie/eyelet-like pattern along the neckline. The fully adjustable straps, floating mesh skirt, and lace trim (at the legline of the shorts and decorating the back of the skirt below the band) are all the same luscious cobalt blue. Both the camisole and the shorts feature flat white tuxedo bows at the center at the center gore and waist, respectively. The collection also includes a padded plunge bra (minus the skirt) and coordinating thong.

Roxie is an interesting combination of a few different cup styles: while the cups feature two vertical seams in the bottom of the cup with one curving diagonal seam running across the cup, each individual cup section is rigid, like you’d expect to see in a padded or molded bra cup. By stitching individual molded sections together, it allows for a cup that’s deeper (and available in larger sizes) than most molded cup bras. It’s an improvement over previous Curvy Kate molded plunge bras like Tempt Me, which I found to be extremely shallow as well as far too tall at the sides.

The matching shorts feature an all-mesh back with a single vertical seam, trimmed with lace at the back of the waist. The legline features blue stretch lace, and the front of the shorts features the same blue-on-white pattern as the bra cups.

Fit

Curvy Kate has done a really admirable job of painstakingly adjusting their fit from season to season in response to customer feedback, which means that, whereas I found AW13’s Portia quite loose in the band, AW14’s Roxie feels wonderfully firm and supportive when fastened on the loosest hooks. I also found the cups true to size, although since this is SUCH a plunging shape, I find that the center gore doesn’t (and can’t, really) tack as firmly as the gore of a balconette bra. Because the gore is so short (and the cups a little stiff and shallow), my boobs can’t quite settle in the bottom of the cup, so the top of the gore is standing loosely against my chest wall, while there’s clearly some extra/empty space in the bottom of the cup. This is a common fit issue with molded and padded bras, especially if your individual breast shape doesn’t match the mold perfectly.

I knew my size had been changing in the last few months, but I didn’t realize when I ordered Roxie just how soon it would change again. Between the time I ordered the set and the time we photographed it (less than a month), I went down a cup size. To some extent this is a good thing—I often prefer a more generous cup in padded bras. Furthermore, Roxie is shallower than Curvy Kate’s non-padded plunge bras, and since I usually need deep cups, the larger cup size works for me there. However, this bra is cut to give SERIOUS cleavage, and with a cup that’s slightly too big, I feel a little droopy, like my boobs are falling down in the cups. The cups are very open, and they gape a little at the top where I don’t quite have enough breast tissue to fill them out. So, my take: this bra runs true to size in both band and cup, though due to the nature of the shape and materials, you may find the cups a little shallow. I’d be interested to try this in my new size to see which fit issues might be corrected.

After my experience with the pretty pink Daisy Chain set earlier this year, and in light of my changing size, I ordered the matching shorts one size down, and they are a perfect fit! The legline features soft stretch lace, so it doesn’t dig in uncomfortably, and the waist rises to my personal sweet spot, below my navel but a little higher than a classic bikini. Love these shorts!

Comfort

I have a nit to pick, so I’ll get it out of the way first: the closure needs a little more fabric on either end. I’m explaining this badly, but when the band is stretched around my body there isn’t enough fabric at the ends to protect my skin from the metal hooks and eyes, and they start to dig into the center of my back and irritate after a while. An extra half-inch of fabric extending past the final column of hooks and eyes would solve this problem in an instant.

I find the wire placement, the strap tension, and most other technical components quite comfortable. I adore the overall look of the set. It’s in one of my favorite colors. The construction is solid, with no stray threads or other imperfections. But am I comfortable in it?

I’ll be honest: I’m not. I prefer unlined (not-padded/not-molded) bras, and I knew going in I was going to have to compromise on that front, but I hadn’t realized how VERY rigid and unforgiving the cups would be. I feel like I have to hold myself very still and perfectly upright to avoid falling out of the cups (which, in fairness, is an issue that a better size might help to correct). I was hoping I’d feel like lounging around or vamping it up in this set, but it’s hard to do that when you feel like you can’t relax, lest your boobs fall out.

More than that, though, I don’t feel like this style is very “me”. I thought it would be! It ticks so many boxes for me: great color, great attention to detail, and a flirty little skirt (I’m an inveterate twirler). When it comes down to it, though, I just don’t find super-cleavage-y bras very comfortable to wear, both in terms of the support they offer and in terms of the shape and silhouette I like. This is a really personal preference—I know that there are lots and lots of full-bust and full-figure women who do seek out dramatic lift, plunging necklines, and firm, rigid cups, and who look and feel wonderful in them. I personally feel self-conscious: I already attract attention because of my height and my stature, and I feel a bit weird with so. much. boob. being out and about at other people’s eye level.

I love so much about this set: the color is a dream, I get a kick out of the short, sassy skirt, and dang the shorts are comfy. If the bra part were a different shape, we’d be in business. Sadly, I’m probably going to try to find a new home for this one (if you’re interested in this one and want some more information about price/size, please feel free to email me (sweetnothingnyc[at]gmail[dot]com). Meanwhile, I’ll hold out for next Spring’s beautiful sheer Bardot babydoll.

Roxie is available in the following sizes:

Plunge Bra and Plunge Camisole: 28-30 D-J, 32 D-HH, 34 D-H, 36 D-GG, 38 D-G
Thong and Short: Sizes 8-20 (UK); 4-16 (US)

Curvy Kate is an English brand, so note that the cup sizes follow the UK size progression:
D, DD, E, F, FF, G, GG, H, HH, J.

Roxie in Night/Silver is available at Figleaves, Bare Necessities, and Forever Yours.

Photos: Lydia Hudgens.

Look what we can buy now, y’all.

Love Letters Babydoll and High-Waist Knickers by Dottie’s Delights. XS-2XL (with custom sizing available)

It is so cute and SO sheer and frilly and fun. The whole Sheer Show collection is PERFECT (be sure to check out all the amazing lookbook images), but this piece stole my heart when I saw it at the trade shows in February. It’s also available in black, which I’m sure is lovely and sexy and all, but I cannot resist this pale, barely-there, peachy pink. Also there’s a little pocket:

It’s a wee darling floofy little pocket that looks like a jellyfish. A friendly one (I am terrified of jellyfish).

This beautiful set (the babydoll + matching high-waisted knicker) proved so popular that Stephanie has made them available for pre-order today! The babydoll retails for $76 and the knickers for $48, and sizes run from XS-2XL (with custom sizing available upon request). This one’s on my Christmas list. Or possibly my if-I-have-any-money-left-after-my-trip-next-week list.

Oh Amelie, I’ve loved you so long.

Amelie is one of Miss Mandalay’s classic ranges (most of which I covered in this post), and it was one of the first really, really beautiful DD+ collections I ever saw, the day I discovered Bravissimo. I paired the phenomenal Paprika seasonal colorway with orange-and-chocolate cupcakes here, but I really lost my heart to the navy/black continuity colorway.  As much as I love bright colors and whimsical prints in some of my lingerie, it can sometimes be hard to find full-bust bras that are feminine and lacy with the same level of sophistication as their core-size counterparts. Amelie reminds me of styles from Myla and even Agent Provocateur, at a fraction of these luxury labels’ prices. When my size changed and Amelie showed up in the Journelle sale at the same time, I jumped at the chance to add it to my collection.

[Note: I purchased this set with my own money under my real name. Miss Mandalay is unaffiliated with this review.]

Appearance

Amelie is a non-padded seamed bra with a stretch lace upper cup and satin side slings. I LOVE this navy/black color combination– the sheer stretch lace looks so, so elegant with the gleaming, rich navy satin, and it feels more visually interesting and more sophisticated than the usual black + black. The bra closes with two rows of three columns of hooks and eyes and features unusually slim, fully adjustable straps. This is a full-bust bra that gives major shape and support with a surprisingly light, delicate feel.

The knickers feature the same sheer stretch lace across the front with a sheer stretch mesh back. The legline is trimmed with the same navy satin that makes up the side slings on the cup. Compared to most other full-bust brands’ knickers, hoo boy, these things are tiny. Not necessarily size-wise, but they are the skimpiest, lowest-cut knickers I’ve ever worn. I know some women dislike how full-coverage most full-bust brands’ knickers are, so these might be really welcome to you, but they definitely took some getting used to for me.

Fit

I. LOVE. THIS. BRA.

Ahem. Now that we have that out of the way, I found both band and cup to run fairly true to size. The band fastened firmly on the loosest set of hooks, and the cup volume feels right in line with other full-bust brands. The stretch lace at the top of the cup provides some flexibility for monthly size fluctuations, which is handy. One lovely thing to note is that the wires feel much, MUCH narrower in my size than Eveden’s or Panache’s, whose wires tend to get disproportionately wide in G+ sizes. I can usually fit 1-2 fingers between my breast and the spot where the underwire lies against my ribs, but in Amelie the wire lies right where my breast tissue begins. As a result, the fit feels really secure, and I don’t get the same red, sore spots under my arms where other underwires tend to dig in.

The bra gives me a shape I really like: very rounded, despite the single horizontal seam, thanks in part to the satin side slings, which really help pull breast tissue in from the sides of the body for an up-front, projected look.

I’m between brief sizes at the moment and took the slightly smaller size, because that’s what was available at Journelle. While they feel skimpy, as I mentioned above, they’re not actually too small, they’re just much lower-cut than I’m used to. My hips and rear are narrow in proportion to my bust, so your mileage may vary, but I found that I took the same size here that I do in the Eveden brands and Bravissimo.

Comfort

The bra is just so wonderful. I rarely have to adjust it throughout the day, although occasionally I notice that the bottom of the cups are ever-so-slightly shallow, so there’s the tiniest bit of extra space. I usually prefer three rows of hooks and eyes, which give me a band that lies smoother against my slightly squishy middle, but I don’t mind two rows here. While the whole set is very comfortable, and I’d happily wear it any day of the week, its unusual delicacy and elegant sophistication make it feel like a special occasion set.

As the knickers provide much less coverage than I’m used to, I was worried I’d find them uncomfortable, especially if the waistband rolled under my belly or dug into my hips. To my surprise and delight, I don’t mind the low rise at all! The stretch lace + stretch mesh combo means I can get a firm fit that still allows for a range of motion, and the satin cuff detailing along the legline feels both flirty and elegant.

Overall

I really can’t recommend this set highly enough. While the price is a little higher than some other full-bust brands, the gorgeous design and phenomenal fit make it worth every penny. In fact, the next set I’ve got my eye on is the lovely sheer Layla from Miss Mandalay, now available in black.  Furthermore, Miss Mandalay is an independent brand, and when I find an indie brand that not only makes beautifully crafted full-bust bras with great fit but ALSO gives me lingerie worthy of the Honourable Phryne Fisher? Yes, please take my money.

*****

Amelie in Navy/Black is still available at the Miss Mandalay website, and some gorgeous new colors debuted this month. Check out the great all-black version with a coordinating suspender belt, as well as the vibrant new Ultra Violet colorway, now available at Journelle! Next Spring we’ll see the launch of a new continuity color in pretty Petal, a blush pink version that I can’t wait to get my hands on.

Amelie is available in sizes 28-30 F-GG, 32-38 C-GG, with coordinating briefs and thongs in sizes XS-XL and suspenders in sizes S, M, L. Ultra Violet is also available up to an H cup in band sizes 28-36 (Miss Mandalay official site only). Miss Mandalay is a UK brand, so the cup size progression goes C, D, DD, E, F, FF, G, GG, H.

All photos by Lydia Hudgens.

Good grief, Figleaves has seriously been on FIRE lately. One of my favorite lingerie e-retailers, I continue to be impressed with both their buyers and their in-house designers. Not only are they stocking some of my absolute favorite brands’ best full-bust styles for this season (check out Cleo’s Jolie, Sculptresse’s Paradise, Fantasie’s Ivana, Freya’s Deco Vibe and Deco Darling, and Panache’s Clara), but from clothes to swimwear to activewear to boudoir lingerie, Figleaves has been turning out some really fantastic in-house designs for D-G (and in some cases D-H) cup sizes that should be making their competitors sit up and take notice.

While I admire lots of the new styles, like pretty new white colorway for Lucille from Lulu Tout (one of Figleaves’ in-house brands), I literally gasped aloud when I saw the show-stopping Illicite collection for B-G cup sizes.

Figleaves Boudoir Illicite Bra, Suspender, and Brief. Bra sizes 30-36 B-G, accessories in sizes 8-16 (UK).

Now look, I love me some comfy underwear. I have several pairs of gigantic cotton high-waist knickers in both beige and black, and I wear them with pride. If something’s too fiddly or wiggly or poke-y for me to get comfortable, it’s going to spend most of its life in the back of my drawer. But sometimes you might really want some show-stopping, completely impractical, make-you-feel-like-a-total-goddess lingerie, and oh boy does this collection deliver.

Strappy and bondage-inspired elements have been big in the lingerie world for the past few seasons (and show little sign of slowing down), but for the most part the full-bust world has continued with the same pin-up/heavy lace/whimsical pattern/polka-dot formula that’s served them well over the last decade. There are good reasons for this: despite increasing awareness of and demand for full-bust sizes, DD+ bras are still considered “niche” by many in the industry, and in a still-precarious retail environment, both brands and retailers are looking to produce and stock styles that are guaranteed to sell. Styles like Illicite, with minimal coverage, an extremely low-cut (and shallow-looking) cup, and straps that might prove a tricky fit, are a much riskier venture, and they won’t appeal to every customer.

Figleaves Boudoir Illicite Basque and Thong. Basque sizes 30-36 B-G, accessories in sizes 8-16 (UK). Normally I love the look of basques, but in this case, I think the intricacy and interest of all the overlapping straps in the bra/brief/suspender ensemble can’t be beat.

While I can’t imagine wanting to wear an ensemble like this every day, I’m really, really delighted that such a thing exists. I had a wonderful time in London browsing boutiques stocked with similarly adventurous styles, almost all of which were available in petite or core sizes only. As fun as they were to look at, after a while I got that uncomfortable feeling of being left out, like my size and my stature disqualified me from sharing in the fun. While I know the Illicite size range doesn’t cover a large portion of the range of full-bust sizes, it’s still really exciting to see a collection that delivers the same level of overtly sexy, fantastical lingerie for D+ customers.

Close-up detail of the brief and suspender.

Illicite is available exclusively at Figleaves in sizes 30-36 B-G (UK sizes, so the cup size progression is B, C, D, DD, E, F, FF, G).

What do you think of the collection? Is it something you’d like to try, or do you prefer to invest in styles that feel more basic? Would you like to see more full-bust offerings like this?

I went to London you guys!

One of my only touristy photos, taken while being guided ably around the city by Cheryl from Invest In Your Chest

Oh man, it was so great. I seriously loved it. I’d been looking forward to this trip for a long, long time. My last big vacation was 5 years go, I’d never traveled alone, I was turning 30, and London was at the top of my list of travel destinations. While there are lots of reasons, both cultural and personal, that I wanted to visit, let’s be real: I couldn’t wait to check out some of the amazing lingerie in the city. From my beloved Bravissimo to the Agent Provocateur flagship store, I was so excited to go exploring.

Did I take lots of pictures of what I saw? Reader, I did not. I was The Worst at taking pictures. Maybe if I’d been traveling with other people I would have been better about it, but there it is. I’ll share what I have, and then I’ll use my awe-inspiring words to try to paint a picture.  I split most of my shopping over two days, with lots of sight-seeing in between, so here’s a rundown of what I saw in parts:

Part I: I thought it would be really smart to go shopping the same day I landed in London after an overnight flight. It…wasn’t.

Harrods- Like most of Harrods, the lingerie selection is very, very luxe. There’s an in-store Agent Provocateur boutique, and I also spotted some beautiful styles from Myla, Princesse Tam-Tam, and the achingly gorgeous Jenny Packham. In the more moderately-priced section I saw some lovely styles from department store favorites like Chantelle, Fantasie, and Fauve (RIP), as well as a nice selection of styles from Maison Lejaby’s Elixir and Couture ranges (though most styles stopped at an E or F cup).

Selfridges- Hey look, Sweets remembered to take a picture!

Bathing beauties on this adorable bra by Princesse Tam-Tam (appropriately named Naïades)

While Selfridges stocks its fair share of fancy-pants, er, underpants, like Lejaby, Chantelle, Mimi Holliday, and Princesse Tam-Tam, I also saw a good selection of some of the more popular full-bust brands like Claudette, Freya, and Fantasie. Just for kicks I tried on some familiar styles like the strapless Freya Deco, the Mimi Holliday Bisou Bisou, and Claudette Dessous. The staff was helpful without being aggressive, and the fitting rooms were spacious and flatteringly lit. A very pleasant experience!

Debenhams- With much more accessible pricing than most of the other shops I visited and a large selection of D+ styles, I spent way more time in Debenhams than I’d anticipated. I was able to try on styles from Freya, Fantasie, Curvy Kate, Panache, and Cleo, and lovely as they were, I was most interested in trying on Debenhams’ in-house D+ brand, Gorgeous. Most styles are available up to a G-cup with an increasing number up to an H-cup or J-cup, and I saw a huge range of styles: from cotton t-shirt bras to elegant bridal sets to classic three-part seamed bras to sports bras and maternity bras. I even tried on a padded plunge bra that I actually liked! I almost bought a set, but I wasn’t crazy about the fabric used for the briefs– the lower price point is partially thanks to some lower-quality materials, and I eventually decided I’d rather save money in case something a little more special caught my eye. My only disappointment was the discovery that the sizing and fit were all over the map, varying from style to style and color to color, which will probably keep me from ordering online in the future. Nevertheless, if you’re in the UK, check it out! We definitely don’t have a department store in the States doing anything like this.

Bravissimo- “So Sweets, discovering Bravissimo literally changed your life. This blog would not exist if you had not stumbled across Bravissimo during some Google searches back in 2008. You wear their bras, you sing their praises. Did the shopping experience measure up?”

Um.

Look, y’all, I probably should not have gone in during my first day in London after 8 hours on an airplane and a series of arguments with multiple cash machines at the end of a long day of walking and walking and more walking. I had marked all of the lingerie shops I wanted to visit on various maps, but it wasn’t until I was on my way to Debenhams that I realized how close I was to Bravissimo’s Oxford Circus store. So I decided to dash in for a quick fitting before a dinner meeting.

Unfortunately the store is currently undergoing renovation, so I felt a little self-conscious about browsing all the styles from Pepperberry on display in the midst of the construction materials (which I’m now kicking myself for– I wish I’d tried on some of the shirts and blazers and coats). Instead I headed downstairs to the waiting area, passing some beautiful new Bravissimo styles on display, to make an appointment for a fitting. I never know quite how to explain how much I know about bra fitting, as it’s awkward to stand there and feign ignorance while a helpful fitter explains to me that the band is the most important part, it should be nice and firm, etc. etc., but in this case I decided to feign ignorance and get the full Bravissimo experience. The fitter (who was very lovely) asked me how old my bra was, and when she learned it was three weeks old, proceeded to tell me that the fit was all wrong. She then brought me bras one band size smaller than I was wearing and three full cup sizes bigger.

I’ll be honest, I felt totally bewildered in the moment. Logically, of course, she didn’t do anything wrong. For example, my band WAS a little loose, but A) I’ve been losing weight and B) I prefer a band that isn’t super snug anyway. My underbust currently measures an odd number in inches, and I tend to choose bands one number up rather than one number down (for more information on bra sizes, check out On Sizing). Similarly, my cup WAS a little small, because I’d bought this particular bra to see me through the next 5-10 pounds of weight loss. Furthermore, Bravissimo’s own brand bras tend to run loose in the band and small in the cup, so since she only fitted me in Bravissimo bras, it makes sense that the sizes she brought me were different than those I wear in, say, Panache or Freya.

But I was genuinely rattled to see the cup sizes she was bringing me to try on, and I admit my body image took a bit of hit that afternoon. It’s silly, of course: our bodies are more than the size on a garment tag, and applying a value judgment to one size over another isn’t really healthy or helpful. But I WANTED very much to wear size X, because there are so, so, SO many more options at size X. I’ve lost nearly 30 pounds since February, and I wanted to see that reflected dramatically in my bra sizes. I’ve been working so hard; I wanted to have more options available to me to show for it. In my disappointment I panicked, and instead of asking to try on some of the beautiful sets I’d passed on the way in, I opted for a plain black wire-free sports bra.

The next day, with some sleep under my belt and my internal clock in the right time zone, I was able to think back on my fitting with a little less knee-jerk self-criticism. Did the Bravissimo fitter do a good job? Absolutely! But if I’ve learned anything from my experiences fitting other women, it’s that what makes a good fit is very, very subjective. There are steps a fitter can take to solve issues of discomfort or style preference, but there is no hard-and-fast rule about who should wear what and how. The thing is, I just don’t wear my bras as tightly as my fitter suggested. I’ve tried in the past, and I can’t get comfortable. I’ve since heard that it’s a little bit of a cultural difference– UK fitters tend to fit more firmly, and Bravissimo tends to fit VERY firmly. While I liked the way the Bravissimo bra looked and felt, if I wore my bras that tight every day I’d feel self-conscious in my clothes and uncomfortable sitting at my desk for 8 hours/day. When I got back to New York and tried my bras on with a more critical eye, there were some that I had to admit it was time to say good-bye to, as the bands weren’t doing anything for me, but otherwise I was very happy with my lingerie wardrobe.

I’m really glad I had that experience though, because it was another reminder to me, when I’m fitting a client, that “sticker shock” when it comes to bra sizes can be very alarming or even upsetting for some people. We’re taught in popular culture that “Double-D Boobs” are gigantic or over-inflated, or that big boobs carry “meaning”– that they signify promiscuity or sloth or a lack of intelligence or whatever quality we’ve decided to enlist to shame women about their bodies. So when women hear “F-cup” or “HH-cup” or “K-cup”, and they’ve never encountered it before, it’s no wonder that they might leave a bra fitting feeling rattled or shocked.

Finally, it was also a good reminder to tell your fitter if you have strongly-held preferences, or if there are particular styles you really want to try. I wish, in retrospect, that I’d made it clearer that I preferred a looser band than the ones my fitter brought me, or that I was in the midst of some size changes, or that I really wanted to try some of the pretty lacy styles I passed on my way downstairs instead of basic black and white bras. A bra fitting can be a vulnerable situation for lots of people, so it’s totally okay if you feel self-conscious or uneasy, but let’s all commit to a combination of trying things outside of our comfort zones, while still listening to our feelings.

Intermission!

In which I spent a few days thinking and talking about lingerie without actually shopping for it.  I also saw palaces and horses and museums and bridges and a play, and everything was awesome. Oh and the British Library which is THE BEST and I could have spent DAYS in there and y’all should all go see the Gothic Imagination exhibition that’s on right now it’s fantastic.

Kiss Me Deadly’s “Day Corset”: an underbust corset that features a zipper and stretch panels in addition to lacing and non-stretch panels. You’ll still get some waist reduction, but it offers a little more flexibility, especially if you’re not used to a traditional boned corset.

I had a delicious lunch with Catherine of Kiss Me Deadly and tried on a sample of the new day corset, I saw a ballet at the Royal Opera House and had tea with Leanna of Harlow & Fox, and I met the lovely Cheryl from Invest in Your Chest and Georgina from Fuller Figure Fuller Bust, and we ate sushi that arrived via conveyor belt and it was my most favoritest thing. It was a fun couple of days, basically.

The lovely Leanna, designer and creator of Harlow & Fox

Part II:

In which I meet up with Leanna, again, and also with Angela Friedman, and we go shopping together!

Rigby & Peller- I knew that Rigby & Peller was “by appointment to her Majesty the Queen” and had been recommended by Caitlin Moran in How To Be A Woman, and for those reasons I had formed an impression of reputable French brands, excellent fit standards, and mid-to-high prices. If I’ll be honest, I anticipated stuffy and boring. Some of my expectations were met: this isn’t where you go to pick up a strappy cage bra or a hot pink babydoll, or where you go to hunt for a bargain, but instead it’s where you go to find Empreinte, Maison Lejaby, Simone Perele, and other classic European lingerie brands. The pieces are beautiful and elegant without being particularly flashy, as is the boutique. We received really helpful service from the store’s fitters, and I picked up this gorgeous Theodora bra from Lejaby in a lovely mermaid-y emerald green.

Wearing Theodora by Maison Lejaby in Rigby & Peller’s dressing rooms. Also wearing one of the gorgeous black silky robes they provide for you to wear while trying pieces on– such a lovely touch!

I really, really love the delicacy of the bra, which somehow manages to be sheer and light while still providing a deep, rounded shape. Check out the almost Art Nouveau look of the lace and embroidery– just stunning! The matching knickers weren’t in stock in my size, otherwise I might have caved and bought them too.

Petits Bisous- Petits Bisous is one of Harlow & Fox’s stockists, so naturally we wanted to stop in to see the shop. We were greeted with glasses of champagne and encouraged to browse to our hearts’ content.

A stunning bikini brief by Steph Aman, one of my new favorite designers, at Petits Bisous.

Where Rigby & Peller is sedate, Petits Bisous is gloriously decadent. I lost my heart to a few pairs of embellished Bebaroque stockings, and Angela tried on some beautiful sets from Chantal Thomass and Fleur of England. We marveled over Bordelle waspies and Lascivious garter belts and Jane Woolrich dressing gowns. While the stock is lush and gorgeous, of course, we all fell rapturously in love with the dressing rooms. I wanted to live in them forever.

In one of the dressing rooms at Petits Bisous, seated in my new favorite piece of furniture.

Agent Provocateur- While the boutique staff wasn’t quite as cheerful or welcoming as the assistants in the New York boutiques, it was a real treat to see the brand new A/W 2014 collections in person, both for Agent Provocateur’s main lines as well as the ultra-luxe Soiree collection (The Lingerie Addict has featured this season’s lookbook images). Before I left for my trip I was honestly starting to feel a little blase and burned-out about a lot of lingerie from “big name” brands and designers. It became really easy for me to scroll lazily through my social media feeds, letting every image blur into the next, without taking the time to really look at what was going on.

From Agent Provocateur’s A/W14 Soiree collection. That glittering trim encasing the underwire? Metallic stretch leather.

At the end of the day, pictures can only tell you so much about a garment. Really good lookbook images will tell you a story, or suggest a mood, or conjure a fantasy, but sometimes it can be hard to get a sense of what the piece will look like in real life. Had I seen the AP lookbook images before I saw the collection, I might have shrugged and said “eh, same old same old” and scrolled to the next thing. Instead I got to see the collection in person, and WOW– it made a huge difference. Stretch metallic leather, fine eyelash lace, deeply saturated colors, soft silk– I saw something that made me gasp everywhere I turned. I think we all know this, of course, but it was a good reminder: lingerie really isn’t just about looks. It’s nice when it’s pretty, sure, but part of what I love about it is that it can be a tactile, sensory experience. Seeing so much wonderful lingerie in person during my trip was a kick in the pants to me to get off my computer and go out and actually LOOK at the things I’m writing about. I’m really fortunate to live in a city with lots of shopping opportunities, and I’m looking forward to using some of my upcoming weekends to explore some of the NYC boutiques I’ve never visited before.

Carine Gilson- I featured some of Carine Gilson’s kimonos in the Lingerie For Lady Detectives post, but in case you need a refresher: silk, lace, and luxury. Carine Gilson isn’t often on my radar, in part because of the whole scrolling-to-the-next-shiny-thing-in-my-feed I mentioned above. On the one hand, Carine Gilson makes incredibly simple, classic lingerie: camisoles, chemises, kimonos, bras, and knickers, all in silk with lace applique. And then you walk into the light, airy boutique with its dramatic chandelier, and you look more closely at the lingerie and your brain explodes. (Did I take any pictures? OF COURSE I DIDN’T ARGH what was I thinking?)

This isn’t the best image, but here is a close-up of the detail on a past-season Carine Gilson set. That lace is cut out by hand by a talented seamstress, and then stitched onto the silk with the tiniest most perfect stitches imaginable. It’s kind of breathtaking.

Every piece of silk is cut out individually. Each piece of lace is cut out separately by hand and placed on the silk and meticulously stitched in place. The hems are impossibly tiny and look like they were stitched by fairies. Every single point of construction is carefully and flawlessly executed, and the garments look just as immaculate on the inside as they do on the outside. The lovely store manager kindly walked us through all of the collections on display, talked about how some clients like to wear pieces as outerwear, and pointed out design elements we might have overlooked in our open-eyed wonder.

The price tags are hefty: a pair of silk tap pants was £300, a floor-length silk kimono with full lace sleeves is over £1500. Yet when we went to a nearby luxury department store and compared what we’d seen at Carine Gilson with the £300 knickers for sale at the high street store, the contrast was startling. Even a well-known brand like La Perla suddenly looks a little cheaper, its factory origins a little more pronounced. I’ve truly never seen anything like these pieces in my life, and if for some reason I ever become ludicrously wealthy because full-bust lingerie blogging brings me fame and glory, I would purchase Carine Gilson lingerie in a heartbeat.

*****

I am so thankful to Leanna, Catherine, Katie, Ros, Cheryl, and Georgina for being so, so phenomenally lovely, friendly, and welcoming. There are parts of London I already miss, and there are so many sights and people and shops I still have yet to see (Playful Promises and What Katie Did and Tallulah and also, like, the interior of Buckingham Palace and whatnot). I am so, so happy I had the chance to take this trip, and I hope it’s sooner than 5 years before I’m able to come back.

Celebrity-designed (or endorsed) lingerie collections can be an opportunity to introduce new customers to the lingerie industry, so when I first heard that Britney Spears was launching her own label, I was intrigued. I was also apprehensive. Celebrity lingerie lines can ALSO be really hit or miss: they tend to attract a lot of press and attention disproportionate to the actual merit of the designs. Was this line going to offer “lingerie” in generic sizes S, M, and L that looked more like dance or clubwear? Would there be any D+ bra sizes? What would the quality be like? Was this going to be generic beige/black/red t-shirt bras, or would there be any standout designs? When I met with the brand rep back at Curve in August, I was pleasantly surprised.

On the one hand, the collection didn’t really feel like “Britney” to me: the designs (at least when it comes to the lingerie) are very classic, very vintage-inspired, and even (dare I say it) a little safe. On the other hand, it was apparent that a lot of thought and energy had gone into the collections (unlike the dire and dull Halle Berry/Scandale collaboration, which is admittedly at a lower price point, but still: eesh and yawn). Each color story features multiple shapes of bras and knickers, to accommodate different shapes and tastes, there are beautiful coordinating nightwear options, and lots of pieces feature little extra touches, like detachable suspenders or keyholes at the back of the waistline. Even better, pieces are available in band sizes from 30-42, and some bras are available up to a European J-cup (which roughly translates to a UK GG-cup). While this doesn’t cover the full range of sizes in the full-bust category, this is the only celebrity lingerie line I can think of with offerings for A-GG cups. With a great size range at a moderate price point ($40-55 for a bra, with a bridal kimono topping out at around $99), I thought this line could be a great point of entry for women who are new to fuller cup bras and aren’t ready to commit to paying $70-80/bra for one of the main UK brands.

When the collection launched on Bare Necessities, I knew there was only one style I wanted to try: the strappy black “Anemone” cage bra and matching brief. Full-bust women have clamored for strappy and cage elements for several seasons now, and I couldn’t wait to get to try the trend out for myself. Thanks, Britney!

Note: I purchased this set from Bare Necessities (since they seem to have the full size range in stock, unlike The Intimate Britney Spears’ official site) under my real name with my own money. The Intimate Britney Spears and Bare Necessities are unaffiliated with this review.

Appearance

Anemone features seamed cups that are lightly foam-lined in the bottom two sections, with an overlay of black geometric-patterned stretch lace that extends to form the upper cup. Slender black elastic strap elements extend from the center gore and center of the cup to connect to the strap with a silver hardware element. The slightly thicker-than-usual straps are partially adjustable (which I know can cause fit issues for some women, but which didn’t affect me), and the band fastens in back with two rows of three columns of hooks and eyes.

The coordinating low-rise bikini brief is sheer black mesh, featuring a lace panel at the center front and a small strap/hardware detail at the center back.

A little glimpse of the strappy detail at the back of the bikini brief. [Note: this suspender belt is not part of the set (it's by Fantasie)-- I added it for a little more coverage.]

Right off the bat I have to pick a few design nits: something about the proportions of this set feels really off to me. Maybe the design didn’t scale up well to the larger cup sizes, maybe the knickers are small because the designer wanted this set to be super revealing, but the set as a whole feels a little like a rough draft to me. The elastic strap elements on the bra seem too thin; a thicker strap would really up the wow factor and provide some balance to the solid black cup. Furthermore, with the thick shoulder straps, solid opaque cup, and rigid silver hardware, the bra has an interestingly industrial/retro look. A high-waist knicker, cage-back brief, or dressed up boy short would have complemented the bra so much better; this bikini brief, while lovely, feels too wispy, spare, and delicate for the more aggressive bra. I styled the set with my Fantasie Samantha garter belt in an attempt to add some additional heft and interest, and also to provide a little more coverage (see my notes on fit below). If Bare Necessities had stocked the hipster (available on The Intimate Britney Spears official site), I would have purchased that instead in a heartbeat.

Fit

I tend to use this lovely chart from Ali Cudby as my starting point whenever I’m trying a new brand. It’s not universally accurate, since every brand does their own thing (for example, Maison Lejaby runs quite full, so I find their (French) G-cups closer to UK G or GG cups, depending on band size), but it’s generally useful to get started with a new brand. I’m between two sizes in UK brands, so I tried the two corresponding European sizes. While the larger size was a close fit, I still found the cups to run a little shallow and small, especially since the band runs a little loose. While the stretch lace top cup is accommodating of fuller breast tissue, I feel like I can see a little pillowing over the padded part of the cup. Furthermore, I usually need a lot of depth near the center gore (which bras like the Jasmine and Envy styles from Panache and the Marcie style from Cleo offer), as my breasts are very full with a lot of projection. Anemone is very shallow near the center gore, which prevents it from sinking in between my breasts and sitting flush against my chest wall. Unfortunately one size larger wasn’t available, so I’m making do and hoping that my size might change again in the next month or two.

I was curious to see how the strappy elements would fit, and to my surprise they’re really quite nice! I worried there would be strange digging or squeezing, but nope: just a flirty, flattering frame. I’d love to wear this out one evening with the straps peeking out over my neckline.

I ordered the briefs in what seems to be my standard size, and WOW- they are low-rise. They are super, SUPER low-rise. I mentioned in my preview of Angela Friedman’s A/W 2014 knickers that I often find bikini briefs too low-cut on account of my height, and these are no exception. They’re comfy as far as they go, as they’re made of sheer stretch mesh, and they fit with no digging or pinching. But if the higher-rise hipster option had been available when I placed my order, I would have vastly preferred it.

Comfort

This will probably be more of a boudoir/special occasion set rather than an everyday set for me. I hadn’t realized there was padding in the cups before I ordered (because I didn’t read the description closely enough, so that’s my bad), and in general I strongly prefer unlined fabric cups. Moreover, because the shallowness of the cups and the looseness of the band prevent the wires from feeling really anchored and secure against my ribcage, this isn’t going to be a bra for all-day wear. I also feel like I’d spend the day worried about the briefs falling off, which is never fun.

Overall

I’m moderately pleased with The Intimate Britney Spears. The brand isn’t trying to be the next cute full-bust brand (like Tutti Rouge), or the next affordably sexy It brand (like L’Agent by Agent Provocateur), or the next basics-only brand; instead, it seems poised to offer pretty, approachable lingerie in core sizes, with a few collections open to the lower end of the full bust and full-figure spectrum. I could even see this becoming a real lifestyle brand for some women, since the slightly lower price point might open up the possibility of investing in coordinating bras, nightwear, and swimwear in one fell swoop. I personally hope there will be some adjustments to bring the fit in line with some competitor’s offerings, and I’d like to see an uptick in the sophistication and nuances of the designs, but considering how low my expectations were when I first heard about it, The Intimate Britney Spears is off to a good, if fairly safe and quiet, start.

Has anyone else placed an order yet? I’m really interested to hear what you think, and how you found the fit in your size range!

Anemone 3/4 Cage Bra ($49) is available in sizes 30-34 C-J, 36 C-I, 38 C-H, 40 C-G, 42 D-F.
Anemone Bikini Brief ($22) is available in sizes XXS-XXXL.
Coordinating hipster, non-padded bra, seamless pushup underwired bra, triangle bra, hipster thong, long nightgown, chemise, and bustier also available at The Intimate Britney Spears official site.

The Intimate Britney Spears uses European cup sizes, so the cup size progression goes like this: C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J.  If you’re used to UK cup sizes (from brands like Freya, Panache, or Curvy Kate), these sizes are roughly equivalent to C, D, DD, E, F, FF, G, GG.

Shoes: Vince Camuto (old)
Stockings: Victoria’s Secret (old)

Photography by Lydia Hudgens