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

Supermodel Smalls - The By Caprice 'Audrey'

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Love,
Kitty xo