'notnaked' and the Masquerade 'Anise'

   As you can guess, being a lingerie-a-holic is not always an easy job. There are so many bras that I fall in love with, that lingerie discount sites are now my 'holy grail'! My recent find is the website, notnaked, which I blogged about briefly in an earlier post...  

   Run by dedicated duo, Simon and Michele, notnaked was created with a view to providing quality brands at discounted prices. Notnaked buys directly from UK manufacturers to ensure great value, meaning that you won't have to think twice about snapping up that pretty bra set! 

   I was delighted to find a wide range of well-loved names on notnaked's website, such as Wonderbra, Triumph, Lepel, Charnos, Sloggi, Panache, Curvy Kate, Royce, Berlei, Gossard and Playtex. Most exciting of all, is that notnaked offer sizes from a 28 band up to a 46 band and cup sizes from AA-KK. It is even possible to order in your size if it is not available!

   The notnaked site is very easy to use and well organised into categories, so that you can pick the lingerie that best suits your shape and requirements. Notnaked also have the option to browse by your favourite bra or brief style or choose from different lingerie styles (such as basques, bridal wear and shapewear). There are also categories for nightwear and swimwear...or you can simply shop by your favourite brand. From balcony to push up, post-surgery, nursing, strapless, sport or soft cup, notnaked has you covered! 

   A great advantage with notnaked, is that they sell both new stock and old season products. I am often frustrated when products that I love sell out in my size before I have time to snap them up, so it is great to find old favourites that I want to repurchase and styles that I have missed out on! 

   One of the bra sets that I have been after for a long time, is the Masquerade (by Panache) 'Anise' set. I was thrilled to find my size on notnaked at £18.95 for the bra and £9.95 for the matching thong. Reduced from an RRP of £33 and £14, notnaked's price is a steal!

   Notnaked sent me the 'Anise' bra in a 28FF and a size 10 thong, which both arrived just a day later. Notnaked continue to impress me with their speedy postage - a real plus if you need something quickly! Additionally, my goodies came nicely wrapped up like a present...perfect for Christmas, or for a cheeky gift to yourself!

   The Masquerade 'Anise' bra is a stunning, lightly padded underwired balconette that oozes vintage glamour. With its eye-catching coral hue, the 'Anise' is transformed into a modern classic that stands out from the crowd. The moulded cups are almost flesh-tone, making the floral-patterned coral eyelash lace overlay 'pop' - a really interesting take on the nude and lace trend that has been all over the catwalks recently!

   The stand-out feature of this bra is undoubtedly the sexy triangle cut-out at the centre of the cups. It gives a little peek of skin, whilst enhancing the bra's boudoir appeal. The 'Anise' also features contrasting satin along the back panel and bra straps, which adds a high-end, sophisticated touch. I love the intricate flower and bow motif at the centre of the cups, which boasts a tiny pearl bead too - just gorgeous!

   I found my usual 28FF size in the 'Anise' to be a great fit in the cups, but surprisingly tight at the back. I ended up exchanging the 28FF for a 30F, to give me a little extra room to breathe! The underband elastic and straps feel quite rigid compared to some of my other Panache bras, but the tight back band is great news for those that are sub or towards the smaller end of a 28 inch back! 

   Thanks to its moulded cup style, the 'Anise' gives fantastic uplift and shape to your bust, giving you a real 'Marie-Antoinette' cleavage. True to Panache as a whole, the Masquerade 'Anise' delivers no less than fabulous support, which is so important for ladies with a larger bust.

   The matching thong is also beautifully detailed, with its luxurious coral satin and lace panel. The eyelash lace makes this thong look delicate, but oh so sexy...

  Back detailing:

   In terms of fit, I felt that the thong was slightly towards the generous side and I probably could have got away with an 8. It is worth noting that the lace is quite sheer and with only a thin layer of pale mesh underneath, this thong leaves little to the imagination. This is great for those that are partial to saucy smalls, but not for those that prefer more coverage! 

Like the 'Anise' bra, the matching thong also has a pretty bow and pearl detail:

  All in all, the 'Anise' would make a perfect Christmas present for the glamour puss that loves a bit of elegance and luxury in her life. Seductive bras for the larger bust are hard to come by, but the Masquerade 'Anise' delivers sumptuous fabrics and exquisite detailing in abundance. The bright coral colour sets the 'Anise' apart from other bras on the market and would look great against a range of skin tones (even on a very pale lady, such as myself!). What's more, for £28.90, you can get a whole lingerie set, with money left over to go towards your Xmas turkey!!

   Thanks to notnaked's super-quick delivery (a real testament to their brilliant customer service), you can be sure to get your goodies in ample time. It is worth snapping things up quick though, as items don't stay around for long! With new stock added weekly, there is always something that I have got my eye on at notnaked and with Christmas approaching, I might have to start dropping some not-so-subtle hints...! 

Love,

Kitty xo

Simply curves - A virtual tour of 'Simply Yours'

  As a self-confessed DD+ lingerista and shopaholic, it is always exciting to find a company that stocks brands that I love and covet. I had previously heard a lot about Simply Yours (particularly in relation to the Gok Wan range), but I didn't realise quite how much Simply Yours spoils us for choice with their lingerie range! Simply Yours not only have their own products, but also stock the amazing; Freya, Curvy Kate, Fantasie, Panache, Pour Moi, Masquerade, Wonderbra, Gossard and Miss Mandalay - to name but a few of their curve-friendly lingerie brands!

  Simply Yours sell lingerie, swimwear, nightwear, shapewear and clothes, making it a real haven of shopping delights ready to tempt you! The best thing about Simply Yours, though, is their sizing range - with band sizes 30-50 and cup sizes A-JJ, so many ladies can benefit from the fantastic array of products on offer. Simply Yours also boast a small selection of 28 backs and some styles even go up to a super curvy, L, cup!

  With so many large sized bras from Simply Yours to choose from, I could not wait to investigate what styles were suitable for busty girls, such as myself...



  I was very impressed with the Simply Yours website - it is extremely visually exciting, with its girly colours and photo-story layout, complete with thought bubbles. The categories (Bras, Knickers, Lingerie, Shapewear etc) are carefully organised into headings with drop-down menus, making browsing much easier and more efficient.

  Within the bra section, it is also possible to select what type of bra you are looking for (balconette, full coverage, longline, moulded, multiway, strapless, nursing, soft cup etc), select your bra size and even specify which brand to search within.

  With online shopping's growing popularity, it is a dream to be able to go online to a store like Simply Yours, make an order and receive your products a few days later..but what if you don't know your size? Luckily, Simply Yours don't leave you on your own to make wild guesses!

  You can check out the Simply Yours 'Bra measuring guide' here. The measuring guide is an interactive fitting experience, where the Simply Yours fitter, Sarah, takes you step by step through the stages of discovering your correct bra size. I loved Sarah's informal yet friendly tone, as she gives the listener the virtual advice of a real life bra fitter, but in the comfort of your own house! The listener is informed as to the signs of a badly fitting bra (semi-circular ride up, breast tissue not encased properly in the cups etc) and is offered suggestions as to how to correct them with a well-fitting bra. Most importantly, Simply Yours highlights in this video, the importance of ordering and trying on different sizes, as bras can vary across (and within) brands and your bra size can fluctuate depending on your weight. 

  Another aspect of the Simply Yours fitting guide that I really liked, were the videos showing models with different body types. As a 28FF (small back size and larger cup size), the video of slim but curvy, Kiki, gave me some helpful hints as to what bras are available for me on Simply Yours and could suit my figure:

  The only thing that I was not so keen on, was the use of the 'back band measuring table', which follows an antiquated measuring model of adding inches. I have investigated a lot of fitting techniques and have found that the most accurate way to find your band size is by measuring directly under your bust. I measure 27 inches under my bust and find that the best fit for me is a 28 band. I have many bras from brands stocked on Simply Yours, such as Freya, Panache, Cleo and Curvy Kate, which I all own in a 28 band. The one exception is my Wonderbra strapless, which is fairly snug in a 30 band. In my experience, 32 bands have always been too loose. With this in mind, bra measuring has no 'magic formula', so the best place to start is by measuring under your bust and trying the band sizes around that measurement.

(Simply Yours measuring table)

  I was, all in all, impressed by the effort that has gone into the Simply Yours measuring guide - with interactive videos, fitting problem advice, bra care tips, a lingerie glossary and a bra style guide, there are many reasons as to why Simply Yours is ahead of other brands in making women aware of the pitfalls related to bra fitting, as well as the benefits in persevering in getting a bra that fits correctly.

  Simply Yours make the bra buying experience easier for customers by having a flexible payment scheme, so that you can buy on credit or purchase items straight away. With a free returns system, it also means that you can purchase a range of sizes to try, with no worry about extra costs for returning items...now, there really is no excuse for keeping a bra that doesn't fit perfectly!

   To conclude, I am very impressed with my first tour of Simply Yours and am hoping that time will also see an expansion of their 28 backed bra selection. Simply Yours have a great range of products to suit a variety of tastes and they succeed in providing some top quality brands geared specifically towards girls with curves. I am also thrilled to see Simply Yours using gorgeous, curvy models: Erika Elfwencrona and Laura Catterall to model their products. There is nothing better than seeing models with real curves and a bust, looking fabulous in stunning underwear!

  Finally, here is a selection of Simply Yours 'lust-haves' that I am desperate to get my mitts on! Let me know what your favourite pieces are - they may even get a review...

Love,

Kitty xo