Lace and Haze

Tag: inclusive

  • Lovehoney lingerie

    Lovehoney lingerie

    I don’t usually review cheaper lingerie. Maybe that’s me being a snob. I just don’t buy cheaper lingerie anymore. But when lovehoney approached me last year I was curious. Curious about the brand and about the quality. I will review them like I would any of my luxury purchases in the way of price vs what you get.

    So these products were sent to me free of charge but all opinions are my own as always.

    So Lovehoney is a brand I wouldn’t normally purchase from. Yes that’s me being a snob as well as I’m probably in a different place in my lingerie journey. It’s e-commerce site is functional and does the job, but it doesn’t have the cohesiveness and cleanness that I’ve come to expect. I totally understand why this is, it’s not a luxury brand so presentation isn’t as important.

    The packaging it comes in is just a plastic slip, again I expected this as it’s in a very accessible price range. As far as size ranges go it’s a pretty standard Small, Medium and large. They also have some plus size lingerie and that is available in 1x to 4x. The price range starts from around $10 up to $110 for a more detailed style.

    One thing to note is that they have e-commerce sites for Australia, America and Europe. The shipping within Australia is so fast! It’s the quickest I’ve ever come across so that really impressed me. I received the Parisienne set in wine size medium and the midnight soirée suspender body which is one size fits all scenario.

    I wasn’t sure at all how these sizes would work on me. The Parisienne set I thought the bra back would be huge but the cups workable and I thought the suspender knickers would fall down almost instantly I attached stockings. I was super surprised to find out that suspender knickers stayed up perfectly well with actual stockings, no need for stay ups.

    The bra is far too small in the cup and big in the back. I’d definitely say that the bra isn’t fuller cup friendly but it’s workable as a bedroom only piece as it was intended. All of lovehoney products are for bedroom use, I think all the lingerie is crotchless except for a few of the guest brands. This isn’t to say you can only wear it in the bedroom but for me I’d have to layer both the top and bottoms as not to expose myself during the day. The products are mostly made up of stretch lace which is super comfortable to wear as well as easier to fit to a range of body shapes and sizes.

    The all in one suspender body I love and everyone else must as well as it’s now sold out. It’s pretty much fully adjustable and the cups actually fit me!!!! I’m guessing that if you are an A or B cup in the smaller size range that this style won’t work all that well for you.

    I found this range to be the most visually interesting out of all the options. It’s actually pretty comfortable to wear as well. This style I have worn out and about and it’s held up quite well. I don’t think it would hold up to regular everyday wear but it performed well as an occasion piece. One thing that was irritating was the neck piece, particularly around the closure. The stitching was quite messy and therefore rough and it did cause a bit of discomfort throughout the day. It is detachable I discovered at the end of the day so next I might just wear the collar attached for photos.

    Every strap is adjustable.

    Overall I’m impressed with the quality at the price point. There sizing went as well as expected, it’s definitely for the core size customers. I do quite enjoy having separate lingerie for the bedroom I think they cater for it very well. Sturdy enough to wear all day but not overly expensive so as to not mind when it’s ripped off at night.

  • Lara Intimates Clio review

    Lara Intimates Clio review

    Lara Intimates take two!

    So you may have realised that I’ve purchased and reviewed products from this brand before. My first experience from them was good, but didn’t quite meet my extremely high expectations. This time the company has sent me a few products to try out and review and here are my honest as always opinions.

    I was sent both the classic briefs and hipster briefs in my regular size 10 and the Clio bralette in a 28G all in the limited edition green. The briefs retail for £20 and the bra for £55.

    So to put it simply, I flat out love these products. I’ve been wearing them constantly since they arrived and I’m very glad they sent me two briefs because I like to wear matching sets and there is no chance I’m doing my hand washing everyday. (You can machine wash these in a laundry bag)

    The hipster briefs.

    So why do I love them? The briefs are so soft against the skin and just a pleasure to wear. I don’t have a bad word to say about them. There isn’t a lot of difference between the two brief styles apart from the classic brief has slightly more butt coverage and a very slightly wider gussset.

    The classic brief.

    The bralette is pretty much perfect. The sizing on this is more accurate than the previous Ava style I tried. I find this design is better suited to my size. The straps are padded if you are above a DD+ and if you are a G or above there is an internal sling to help with support and projection. My breast are pretty front and centre so I get a little bit of wrinkling around the sling section as I don’t have much tissue there. And at the front there is very slight spillage. This isn’t a problem for me at all but it just gives you an idea of the cup shape and coverage if you are a similar size and positioning as myself. Also important to note that Lara has its own sizing system so make sure you use it before ordering!!!! It’s very straight forward and easy to use and it’s been the best online one I’ve come across.

    All Lara intimates are made to order to minimise wastage. They do keep a few items in stock in their most popular sizes and colours. The maximum wait time for these made to order intimates is around 6 weeks.

    I’ve been wearing this set so much that I’m going to order the same bra in black with all 4 bottom options because I’m seriously obsessed!!!!! I can’t wait to see what colours, styles and sizes that they will bring out next, I’ll be eagerly waiting and wearing my current Lara sets to death.

    Elly x

  • Lara Intimates, The Ava review.

    Lara Intimates, The Ava review.

    Lara has long been on my Wishlist of lingerie brands to try. Sadly for me and all my bigger busted babes, up until the end of last year they were only catering to the small back and core sized market. Luckily for me this brand took a chance and expanded their size range quite extensively so I was able to finally purchase something after browsing for a year.

    I purchased the Ava bra in the limited edition lilac in a 28G and the high waisted briefs in a small. I was tossing up between two styles for my first purchase from Lara. The other option I was seriously looking at was the wren bra.

    The main thing that first drew me to this brand is the fact that it is an ethical and sustainable brand. All products are made by a small team in their studio in London. The fabrics which they use are all dead stock fabrics that otherwise would go to landfills. They generally are only made to order with a few key items in stock and ready to ship. It may take longer for your order to arrive when it’s made just for you but this avoids having the issue of over stocking. When you see big clearances in fashion, it’s because they had to make enough to fill the shop floor, knowing most of it will go to clearance, then the outlets and if it never sells it gets incinerated or sent to landfill. Pretty wasteful way of producing right?

    I’m getting distracted here but the reason I love this business model apart from the obvious is that it makes us more considered consumers. You plan ahead, you save up and you avoid that instant gratification. If you really want it you can wait for it.

    So I’ve waited a long time for this set! It actually didn’t take long to make and be sent from London to Sydney, it was under 6 weeks. So here are my thoughts.

    For a brand that is only fairly new, my first impression of the quality was fantastic. Everything was very neat and tidy. I was surprised how light the mesh was. It literally felt like I wasn’t holding anything. The fabric against the skin was even better, like wearing nothing at all. The briefs are a dream to wear, I don’t have a bad word to say about them. The bralette I’m slightly disappointed in but I’ll tell you in full detail why.

    First of all I should have ordered a 28H. Lara intimates uses its own sizing system so it’s very important that you check your measurements and their sizing system before you order. It’s very easy to use and is one of the best online sizing calculators I’ve used. Technically I measure for a 28G in Lara but I think this style in particular came up small in the height of the cups for me as well as slightly in the cup width. I don’t find this style particular supportive even though the band fits well. It’s better than some bralettes I’ve tried but because the mesh is so soft it doesn’t have the uplift and support I would like. It’s great for lounging but after a full day of work and walking around I could tell it wasn’t going to be replacing my regular bras. One other slight issue I had was with the depth of the cups. There is no division or uplift. I’m sad to say I’ve had better luck with an off the rack bralette in a regular medium.

    It’s not a bad bralette, it’s just not what I was expecting. I would like to see more depth in the cup area, but as I’m not technically trained in lingerie pattern making I’m not even sure if that’s possible. Again if you are using dead stock fabric you don’t have as much choice with what materials you work with. The mesh is beautifully soft to wear but it lacks the support of a more ridged mesh.

    If I was to purchase again I’d definitely go for a different style. I think the straps are too narrow if you have a bigger bust to be truly comfortable. One plus side of the straps is that you can wear them normally or as a racer back. I know a lot of fuller busted babes look for thinner straps in bras so they can wear them easier with clothes. If you are one of those people, this is the bralette for you!

    I look forward to seeing how Lara intimates progresses. They have a lot of positive feed back from customers and I’d love nothing more than to see this brand do well.

  • Boycotting Victoria’s Secret? Here’s where you need to shop instead.

    Boycotting Victoria’s Secret? Here’s where you need to shop instead.

    Victoria Secret what can I say? It used to be a lingerie powerhouse, but now it rotting from the inside out. Their ideas that only slender, white, young women are the only acceptable type of women has rubbed many lingerie enthusiasts up the wrong way. Why put your hard earned money into a company that does not value you? If you live in the USA, I know that Victoria’s Secret stores are convinient but there are a few brands that are doing it better and they are just a click away.

    Now pretty much everyone does diversity better than Victoria Secret. If you like big brands, your best bet would be to shop with aerie. If you perhaps want to expand you lingerie horizons, go check out some of these brands.

    Bluebella (London, UK)

    Strength and modernity, redefining sensuality

    Bluebella is a fashion forward accessible lingerie brand out of the UK. Their campaign ‘Be strong, be beautiful’ featured professional athletes and made headlines around the world. Unfortunately there is not a lot of diversity going on in their product shots on their website but hopefully that is something that will change. Their size range is larger than Victoria’s Secret. They start from a 30b-36dd in their core range and 30dd-38G in their fuller bust range. In terms of transitioning from Victoria’s Secret, this would be the easiest brand to do so. They are at a similar price point and so similarish styles. You could get a 3 piece set for around $100 AUD.

    La fille d’O (Belgium)

    Supports your body whilst empowering your attitude

    They use everyday women, they don’t edit photos and have a strong focus on ethical production. They don’t do traditional bra sizing, instead they have 7 sizes that can cover a broad range because of the adjustable design. They are priced a lot higher compared to Victoria’s Secret but the quality is incomparable. They are focused on slow fashion only releasing one collection a year. A set would cost you €250 and upwards.

    JBC Lingerie (Melbourne, AUS)

    Size does not dictate sex appeal

    This is the brand with some of the most inclusive campaign imagery I’ve ever seen in an aspect of fashion, let alone lingerie. Not only that it has an amazing size range for such a realitvely new company. Their size range is 6a-20h but everything is made to order so if you outside their range or need a slight adjustment, it is all possible. They are surprisingly affordable considering everything is made just for you, a 3 piece set would cost you around $180 AUD.

    Playful Promises (London, UK)

    Flirty and a little bit dirty

    Playful Promises is a powerhouse in the lingerie industry. They have 3 size ranges; fuller bust, core and curve. It’s been a leader in size inclusiveness as well as age and gender. I’d say generally they imagery is more alternative and so is their product in comparison to VS. To make it even easier to shop, they have a British website, an American website and they have just launched an Australian website so shipping anywhere in the world is relatively quick and easy. A 3 piece set would cost you $200 AUD.

    Uye Surana (New York, USA)

    Lingerie as beautiful as it is comfortable

    This brand creates Beautiful lingerie made in New York. They offer a wide range of styles, but they specialise in supportive bralettes. They use a diverse cast of models and don’t overly edit them. They have one if the largest size ranges starting from a 28A to a 42H and they do custom sizing! Their vibe is much more forest wood nymph rather than Victoria’s Secret blonde bombshell. A set would set you back $150 USD.

    Scantily by Curvy kate (UK)

    The new sexy

    Curvy kate is specifically targeted at the curvy fuller bust market. Scantily is it’s sexier sister. They have used a diverse cast of models for multiple campaigns beautiful women’s of varying race, ability and in different stages of gender fluidity. They are all about the supportive wired bra that makes you feel sexy for yourself or as they put it , Decadent design, sumptuous charm and uncensored spirit. Their bras starts from a 28D and go up to a 40K and with a few styles up to a 44G. A 3 piece set will cost you £130.

    Lonely Lingerie (NZ)

    For women who wear lingerie as a love letter to themselves

    Physically as far away as you can get, but this brand still manages to make waves around the world. It’s simple, understated and practical. It was one of the first companies to use older models, and their product shots on the website have a strong focus of well fitting and easy lingerie. Lonely girls project is all about showing women around the world wearing Lonely lingerie in their own way. Their designs are very consistent, you know what you are getting with Lonely. Their size range isn’t as big, I would call it an extended core range. The do band sizes 8-16 and cup sizes A-G but not all the sizes within those brackets. A bra and brief will set you back roughly $170 AUD.

    All of these brands are quite different from Victoria’s Secret in terms of lingerie style. But do you really want to be wearing a bombshell bra? A bra that is trying to get you to conform to their narrow standards of beauty by creating globular breasts. Embrace the bulge, the sag, the wobble and the scars. They aren’t going anywhere. Choose to shop with brands that respect every type of woman and from brands that realise we buy and wear lingerie for ourselves and not for the male gaze.

    Happy Buycotting!

    Elly x