A toast to the Masquerade 'Capella' bra

   Last November, I was delighted to get the opportunity to attend the Panache Spring/Summer 2012 press day held at the Sanctum Hotel. As a lover of sumptuous lingerie and beautiful patterns, it comes as no surprise that 'Masquerade' by Panache had me head over heels at first sight and the press day only served to confirm this!

  I viewed the Spring/Summer 2012 collections of Panache Superbra, Cleo, Panache Swimwear and Masquerade and although all of the ranges had pieces that I loved, it was Masquerade that stood out by a mile!

   Discovering the Masquerade range was akin to entering an Aladdin's cave of lingerie and the pieces had strong influences from Arabian antiquities and Persian exoticism - something reflected both in the patterns used and the rich fabric choices.

  

   With my taste for luxury, it was only to be expected that the Masquerade 'Capella' caught my eye, with its soft champagne satin sheen and exquisite contrasting black lace print! Since the Press day, I knew that the 'Capella' had to be mine, so when New Year came around and I saw this beauty discounted at Debenhams, I snapped this bra up quicker than you could say "2012"! 

(The 'Capella' bra comes in sizes 28-38 back and cup sizes D-G, whilst the short and thong come in sizes 8-18.) 

   The 'Capella' is a stunning underwired and moulded bra that is crossed between a balconette and plunge bra, with a 'sweetheart' shaped neckline. It is an extremely stylish and sophisticated bra and its champagne colour would suit a range of complexions, whilst appealing to a diverse age range. The rich satin and lace combination makes this bra very luxurious and opulent looking, without the extortionate designer price tag. 

   The 'Capella' features all over satin in a breathtaking champagne gold colour. The rich satin cups are set off by a delicately embossed intricate black floral lace pattern, which adds to the decadent vintage feel of this bra. To top it off, the 'Capella' boasts quite narrow satin wrapped straps and a pretty little black lace bow which adorns the centre of the bra.

(Close up showing the lace print detail, with the champagne satin peeking through from underneath)

   The 'Capella' is very cleverly designed, with its soft satin fabric and unusual printed lace cups, which give the bra a smooth finish. As a result, the 'Capella' remains fairly seamless under tight clothing, which is quite rare for such a pretty and ornate bra! 

   I was very impressed with the fit of the 'Capella' and my usual 28FF size was spot on. The back band felt snug and supportive (characteristic of Masquerade by Panache bras) and the shape it gave me was uplifted, rounded and with a nice cleavage to boot! My one criticism of the 'Capella' is that the straps are only partially adjustable, meaning that the strap 'lifespan' of this bra is greatly reduced.

   I was amazed at just how comfortable the 'Capella' was and I could happily wear it as an everyday bra, without feeling any digging in or discomfort at the end of a day at work. When it comes to comfortable everyday bras, I am usually a Freya 'Deco' girl, but the 'Capella' and its moulded cups, supportive fit and beautiful design would definitely encourage me to wear this bra everyday, as well as for 'special occasions'.

   At £39, the 'Capella' is not cheap, but it is very good value for money given its rich, quality fabrics and fantastic support. What's more, if you're tight for cash, you can snap up the 'Capella' for £27.30 on Figleaves at the moment. The 'Capella' also comes with the choice of an elegant satin and lace print short or thong (depending on your preference!) 

   The 'Capella' has quickly become one of my 'go to' bras of the moment and I love how silky soft the satin of this bra feels against my skin. This bra definitely makes me want to crack out the champagne and propose a toast..

"To Masquerade's 'Capella', for delivering comfort, support and style in equal measure!"

Love,

Kitty xo

Taylor-ed to perfection - The Freya 'Taylor' bra reviewed!

  As you some of you may remember from one of my first ever blog posts, the Freya 'Deco' is a bra that I hold very close to heart. Not only was it the first bra that I ever bought after being refitted as my 'true' size, but it is also a bra that I have continued to purchase again and again in different shades and prints (you can see my earlier review of the 'Deco' here). 

  The 'Deco' comes in back sizes 28-38 and in cup sizes B-GG and has proved a real best-seller right from its launch. The 'Deco' is a bra that gives great cleavage, whilst being soft and comfortable enough to wear on an everyday basis. It is no wonder that as soon as I glimpsed a preview of the Freya 'Taylor' back in April of this year, I knew that I had to own it! 

  Thanks to Freya Lingerie, I was given the opportunity to review the eagerly awaited 'Taylor' Deco, after being fitted by a Freya expert. I went to my local Freya stockist and the lovely Unnis fit me into a 28FF. I had previously been wearing a 28F in the Deco and felt that I needed to size up in the cups, so I was very excited for my 28FF Freya 'Taylor' to arrive in the post!

  As you can see from the photo, the 'Taylor' builds on Freya's classic black Deco moulded bra, but has been updated with diagonal stripes, lace and velvet detailing and bronze and copper notes. The 'Taylor' is spot on-trend with its semi-sheer black mesh overlay, which gives flashes of the nude moulded cup beneath. The nude colour coming through the mesh really ramps up the bra's sex appeal, without actually revealing anything! 

  The diagonal stripes on the cups give the bra a more 'structured' look, drawing the eye towards the cleavage - meaning that all eyes are on you! The 'Taylor' is also complimented by a strip of bronze velvet ribbon that runs along the cups, adding a luxurious feel to the bra. The straps and centre of the bra boast copper and black satin and lace bows and the top of the cups feature black lace - subtle detailing which lends to the bra's glamorous finish. 

  To compliment the 'Taylor' bra, a matching thong (£12.50), high waisted brief (£16) or short (£12.50) is available. I went for the shorts, as it is a style of underwear that I find very comfortable to wear, as well as being sexy. Like the bra, the 'Taylor' shorts are predominantly black, with two diagonal strips of bronze velvet, black lace trims and a pretty copper and black bow at the centre. I love the panels of striped mesh at the hips, which show off a bit of 'peek-a-boo' skin underneath! (See detail below)

  In terms of fit, the 'Taylor' set was a great success. The bra band sits nice and snug in a 28 and the cups fit perfectly in a FF. The lightly padded cups give a beautifully rounded and uplifted shape and the plunge style gives a cleavage that is truly knock-out! I am also thrilled that the 'Taylor' has such exquisite detailing, whilst remaining seamless. The shorts are also very comfortable to wear and give very good coverage on the bottom. The 'Taylor' shorts are, on the whole, fairly seamless, showing through faintly under only the tightest of my bodycon dresses.

  It is not often that you come across a lingerie set that both oozes elegance and is also practical and comfortable enough to be worn everyday, but the 'Taylor' certainly delivers! What's more, at £33 for the plunge bra and £12.50 for the shorts, it is a bra set that is affordable, well-fitting and very good quality. With its unrivalled support and shape, I think that I have truly found my match in the 'Taylor'. It is definitely my favourite bra set of the moment and something that I would highly recommend to any larger busted lady...

Top marks, Freya!

Love, 

Kitty xo

*The Freya 'Taylor' also comes in a strapless multiway style - A review of the Freya 'Deco' Strapless will be coming soon!