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

COMPETITION: 'Tis the season to wear Playful Promises...

   Recently, I was asked to review the stunning 'Margot' blush pink lingerie set by Playful Promises, which includes a beautiful mesh and eyelash lace soft cup bra and brief. My guest blog can be found here. 

   Thanks to Playful Promises, one lucky reader can WIN this set by entering my exclusive competition below. The winner will be able to select their sizes from S, M and L in both the bra and briefs.

All you have to do to win the 'Margot' set is...

1. Follow @kittylingerista and @playfulpromises on Twitter

2. 'Like' Undercover Lingerista and Playful Promises on Facebook
3. Comment the blog post below with your name and email

Terms and conditions

Competition open to UK applicants only. Competition closes on 18th December 2011 at 5:00 pm. Open to pre-existing Twitter and Facebook followers.Winner picked at random and prize sent on 19th December 2011. 

Good luck!

Love,

Kitty xo

'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

Welcome to the boux-doir - A 'Boux Avenue' review!

(Credit: www.walesonline.co.uk)

   With a background in property finance, investments in Ryman's stationery and a permanent seat on hit TV series, "Dragon's Den", it may come as no surprise that Theo Paphitis is estimated to have a net worth in excess of £170 million! (The Sunday Times, May 2011) Paphitis, however, is no ordinary 'dragon' and certainly knows a thing or two about ladies' undies!

  Perhaps one of the most interesting and lucrative of all of Paphitis' projects, is his contribution to the lingerie market. Having sold La Senza in 2006 for around £100 million, Paphitis embarked on a new mission to bring a new lingerie experience to the UK – one with a strong online presence, in addition to having 'luxe', french boutique-feel stores. The official 'Boux Avenue' site claims to be a brand that is “for everybody, no matter what your age, size or style”, and has clearly been engineered towards inclusivity, whilst being diverse enough to appeal to a wide range of clientele. Paphitis states:

  “Boux Avenue is about appealing to your moods – one day it may be sophisticated, another seductive. Boux Avenue will offer a fantastic lingerie and nightwear shopping experience for women who want to feel special.”

   With these prophetic words, it is no wonder that 'Boux Avenue' has garnered such attention right from its launch in early 2011. What I really wanted to know, however, was how 'Boux Avenue' measured up for a real life customer...

   I decided to go online to the 'Boux Avenue' site to investigate and I was met with a very well-developed web page (with easy to navigate sections) and a plethora of different products on offer; from lingerie to swimwear to nightwear to beauty products. Although 'Boux' does not stock 28 backs, I was impressed to see that the size range went from a 30A up to a 40G. After losing myself for an hour, captivated by the beautiful array of boudoir-inspired lacies and vintage-print babydolls, I decided to check out what was on sale. What better way to justify a lingerie purchase, than to snap up a pretty bargain?

   Whilst I was generally very impressed with the way that the bras were displayed on the 'Boux' site, I was slightly worried by the fitting guide, which resorted to the out-dated 'adding inches' method. For example, the model in their fitting video had a 69cm (27 inch) underbust and was advised to wear a 32 back. Similarly, in the pictures below, the models are said to be wearing a 34B and a 34DD, which would definitely be too big in the band for such small frames. Having around a 27 inch underbust myself, I know only too well that 34's and 32's are not supportive enough for my frame, let alone for the models in the photographs!

  That said, with no 28 backs available, I decided to chance a 30 back, in the hope that it might come up tight. I, therefore, purchased the 'Chloe Lace Plunge bra' in coral in a 30FF and the same bra in violet in a 30F and a 30FF, to try for size. There was a “3 for 2” offer on all sale items and free postage - 3 bras for £18 including postage – a cracking deal! I opted for a free gift wrap as well..because every girl loves a bit of luxury in her life!

   Although I opted for standard delivery, my parcel arrived within about a day or two of placing my order! Not only did I receive my purchases quickly, but on opening my parcel, I was met with a very glossy-looking box with 'Boux Avenue”' embossed on the front. Inside, was lace-print pink tissue paper wrapping, my three lace bras, a scattering of scented petals and a free lily, jasmine and elderflower scented hand cream sample! In terms of delivery and presentation, 'Boux' certainly scored 10/10!

  I really liked the colours of the 'Chloe' lace plunge bras. The coral and violet make for very girly and eye-catching tones - a welcome change from standard black, white and nude coloured everyday bras. The bras are very lightly padded in the DD+ style and the cups are overlaid with lace. The little bow in the centre of the bras and the lace scalloping also add some detail, stopping the bras from looking too 'basic'. I definitely drew a design parallel almost immediately to La Senza's 'Lullaby lace' bras that I used to wear. What I was desperate to know, above all, was the answer to the all important: "How does it fit?"

  I bought both a 30F and a 30FF in the lilac bra to compare the fit and was interested to find (similar again to La Senza), that 'Boux Avenue' bras come up a bit small in the cups. The 30FF was a slightly better fit than the 30F (which I would have assumed would be my size, given that I usually wear a 28FF!) One very marked difference as well, was the width of the straps on the 30F and 30FF bra. As you can see from the picture below, the straps are much wider on the 30FF and it is also a slightly more 'fuller cupped' bra style...

  Sadly, the 30 backs were too loose on me and even on the tightest hooks, the band was riding up. I was also a bit disappointed that the straps could not be tightened very much, leaving me feeling frustrated with the fit and lack of va va voom that I would normally associate with a plunge bra. Unfortunately, I have decided to return all three bras.

  To sum up, I would say that 'Boux Avenue' has quite a lot of similarities to highstreet giant, La Senza. 'Boux Avenue' is rather like a more 'boutique-y' rebranding of La Senza, driven towards a slightly wider age range with more varied lingerie preferences. In terms of improvement, I do think that 'Boux Avenue' could benefit from developing a more accurate fitting guide and  ensure that they provide consistent and standardised bra sizing. I am also hoping that 'Boux Avenue' will continue to update and expand their DD+ range to include their promised K cup! All in all, 'Boux Avenue' scores very highly in terms of its company ethic, user-friendly site, pretty designs, customer service and exceptional presentation!

  Despite not having much success on this occasion, I am keen to try out some 'Boux Avenue' nightwear and swimwear in future, to get a feel for some more of the 'Boux Avenue' range. There are a few things that I will definitely be buying though, and that is some of their beauty products. Both me and my mum loved the free sample of "White Chiffon" handcream so much, that I am going to purchase an array of their lotions and body butters! Boux-tiful!

Love,

Kitty xo