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

Shaken but not stirred - The Freya Supernova 'Voodoo' bikini

On holiday, every girl dreams of emerging from the sea in true bond girl style, so when I spotted the glamorous Freya Supernova 'Voodoo' bikini on sale on Brastop, I had to snap it up! Freya's 'Supernova' collection builds on their previous 'Vodkatini' collection, which features the same bikini styles of an underwired cup bikini top and soft triangle non-wired top. Although only the underwired bikini top came in my 28FF size, I was intrigued to try the triangle bikini top in a 30F, as it was very different from the other bikini styles that I owned...

The Freya Supernova 'Voodoo' bikini is a striking raspberry pink colour, offset by sleek contrasting white and charcoal trimming. This eye-catching combination gives the bikini a feel of glamour and sophistication, whilst remaining quite classic looking. Both the bikini top and briefs are adorned with silvery charcoal buckles, which each feature the 'Freya' logo.

The buckle detailing on the Freya 'Supernova' immediately made me recall the gorgeous 'Bond girls': Ursula Andress and Halle Berry, who have set the big screens alight with hollywood glamour in their seductive buckle swimwear...

Not only is the Freya 'Supernova' bikini a feast for the eyes, but it is also ideal for bigger busts. The shape of the bikini is very curve-friendly and it gives great uplift and shape to your cleavage. The bikini briefs are also extremely flattering, giving good coverage and a smooth fit. The bikini is very comfortable to wear, due to its ultra-soft Riviera fabric and lightly padded non-underwire cups. Although I normally prefer underwired bikinis due to their firm support, the non-underwire 'Supernova' bikini top felt surprisingly secure. With its snap-clasp back, the 'Supernova' keeps your curves in place, so that although they may be shaken, they are definitely not stirred (if you will pardon the pun!)

My one plea to Freya would be that they extend the range of back sizes down to a 28 in the triangle style of the 'Supernova' bikini and in their other triangle styles, as the smallest back size available remains a 30. Although the 30F in the 'Supernova' is not a bad fit, it is a little bit big in the back and I feel that if there was a 28 back available, I would get the perfect fit. This would also mean that there would be less pressure on my neck from the halterneck ties at the top of the bikini, which are put under more strain if the back band is not quite tight enough.

Overall, I am delighted with the Freya Supernova 'Voodoo' bikini and it is clear that a lot of effort has been put into the style and fit. I am also impressed with the continued high quality of Freya's swimwear - the XtraLife lycra extends your bikini's lifespan through high chlorine resistance, meaning that you can 'wow' in your Freya bikinis time and time again! Although the 'Voodoo' model of the 'Supernova' bikini is running quite low in stock on Brastop, if you can't find your size, check out Bravissimo, Leia lingerie and Figleaves for some great alternative patterns, whilst keeping the same figure-flattering style and support of the Freya 'Supernova'!

Love,

Kitty xo