Lace and Haze

Tag: Lingerie

  • Lingerie Christmas gift guide 2018

    Lingerie Christmas gift guide 2018

    If you are like me you’re surprised that Christmas is just around the corner. Whether you are buying something for your best friend, your lover or even your secret santa these are the items that will go down a treat.

    Accessible

    Not everyone is made of money but these lingerie related items will leave a lasting impression.

    Lovehoney holiday calendar

    A lingerie advent calendar is the perfect gift if you are looking for something a little bit fun. Open them all at once or enjoy the experience of opening one every night and trying out the fun things inside. It is a one size fits all scenario but it comes in a core size calendar and a curve. If lingerie isn’t your thing (what are you doing here???) there is also a toy calendar for the more adventurous.

    In intimate detail

    If the person you are buying for is anything like myself , they love lingerie and anything to do with it. What better gift than the gift of knowledge in the form of a book all about lingerie!

    Slip silk eye mask

    For the person who has everything. Even if they already have an eye mask, they’ll thank you for getting them this one. It’s made from 100% silk and the inside padding is also silk. Trust me when I say that this is an everyday (night) luxury that everyone needs.

    The Nylon Swish stocking bags

    These little bags are the perfect stocking filler. Storage solutions for your stocking lover have never looked so good.

    Mid range

    These are gifts that pack a punch. Wearable lingerie that we never knew we needed.

    Dottie’s Delights Sheer Robe

    A sheer robe is the perfect present to give, sizing is realitively easy and it’s something that you wouldn’t normally buy yourself. It’s not a need but definitely a want. Make sure you text from the ready to shop section.

    Saint rule rhapsody set

    With a cut so vintage it’s modern, this set is a show stopper and extremely wearable.

    Fleur of England Antoinette set

    Nothing beats a 3 piece set. With a combination of silk and lace, it’s truly a luxurious treat.

    Gift cards

    I’m going to say this once, it’s ok to buy someone a gift card. Whatever the amount it doesn’t matter just make sure it’s a company that they will like. A few of my personal favourites are babylikestopony, porteavie, Playful Promises and Trashy Diva lingerie.

    Luxury

    For the person who has everything but could always do with something a little extra.

    Harlow and Fox Evelyn velvet robe

    You may miss Christmas with this made to order robe but I’m sure the recipient won’t mind when this turns up a week or two late. Silk and viscose velvet, lined in a heavy silk, your special someone will feel like royalty is this sumptuous robe.

    Bordelle adjustable Angela dress

    They may be adjustable now but they still only come in small medium and large. It’s one of the most iconic styles in lingerie history and if your giftee is a bordelle or luxury lingerie fan, this is sure to delight on Christmas night.

    Rosamosario long robe

    Go big or go home with this robe fit for a princess. Made in Milan by in house artisans, each piece is made for the individual. Allow two weeks for these masterpieces to make their way under the Christmas tree.

    Nervous about buying someone lingerie? Follow these tips to make sure everyone will be happy Christmas morning.

    1. Check their size by looking at some of their most worn and loved bras.

    2. What is their style? If they wear all black probably stick to that colour…

    3. Check the returns policy of the brand/store/website before purchasing.

    4. If you are still unsure about the sizing a good thing to do is book an appointment with a lingerie boutique they like and make a day of it together.

    Happy shopping and merry Christmas!

  • 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

  • Ellesmere Mint Julep Review

    Ellesmere Mint Julep Review

    This is a brand I have reviewed before so I’m going to say up front that I love this brand and I bought this set with my own money.

    I’ve previously reviewed a bodysuit by Ellesmere that they sent me for the purpose of a review which you can read here. Ever since then I’ve wanted to try one of their full sets. Now I’ve worn and washed it a few times I’m going to share my thoughts!

    So I ordered the mint Julep set in size 30F bra, medium brief and size small in the suspenders that come with detachable leg harnesses. There is also a bralette and high waisted brief available in this range. I ordered the brief according to my measurements on the size chart and they fit perfectly. I couldn’t find a size chart for the suspenders so it was a bit of a guess. Luckily everything did fit but if you are unsure you can enquire on the website and receive fit advice. The first thing I noticed when unwrapping the package, was how light everything felt. The lace and mesh seem very delicate but wearable. When I tried them on they felt as light on the body as the did when unwrapping them.

    All the products are made in an Atelier in Montreal. I was really impressed with the quality of sewing and how well finished the product was. The one thing that I felt let it down was the elastics used on the leg harness. Perhaps they are just too small for me, but I felt they dug in to my leg, that the elastic wasn’t soft enough. The same elastic is used for the bra straps but I didn’t have a problem with that. I’m hoping that in time the elastic may soften on the leg harness. I’m realistically going to be wearing the 4 strap suspender with stockings attached more often then the harness so this isn’t really a problem for me but something to consider.

    My bra size is constantly fluctuating but I find this bra can accommodate it because of the shape and materials. The top of the cup is quite open and not super firm so its good if your cup size fluctuates but not if you are naturally top heavy. If I had the option I would have ordered this in a 28 band but unfortunately for us smaller back girls, ellesmere starts at a 30. I still think the band comes up big for a 30 but it is wearable.

    I usually avoid briefs like this, but I was pleasantly surprised how comfortable they were. I was also surprised to find that they don’t give horrendous VPL, mostly because of the mesh back. One good thing about a bikini brief paired with a suspender is that it is visually appealing. You don’t lose the detail of the suspender by covering it up with a high waisted underwear which is something I’m guilty of doing a lot.

    Overall I love this set, its one of my favourites to wear as its so comfortable and light I forget I’m wearing it. It’s perfect for summer. I’m really looking forward to purchasing my next set from Ellesmere.

  • Ethical Lingerie and our Responsibility as Consumers

    Ethical Lingerie and our Responsibility as Consumers

    Ethical is a word that is thrown around a lot these days. But what constitutes as ethical in fashion? Its widely expected that brands using these terms are transparent, committed to sustainable manufacturing and materials, ensure safe working conditions and are invested in shorter supply chains. But are brands are using the terms ethical and sustainable just to sell their products? The technical term for this is greenwashing. You may have purchased products thinking they were ethical and sustainable but when you look closer (as they know only a handful will) you’ll find questionable practices and materials in use. In other instances, you might find nothing at all as the supply chains are so complex even the company doesn’t know itself. Even bamboo, seen as an ethical alternative to traditional cotton, isn’t always as good as it seems.

    So the question is why do brands market themselves as ethical when they’re really not? Its all down to marketing strategies and unfortunately, its been going on for decades. The concept of owning ethical and sustainable clothing is much more appealing to consumers. We would like to think that we are spending our money wisely, not damaging the planet or other people in the process. But due to the greenwashing that is widely spread across all industries it makes it a lot harder to find brands that you want to support, ones that are actually doing the right thing. You would think that the companies shouting the loudest about their sustainability without the integrity behind it would be called out fairly quickly with social media as it is. But more and more often we just accept it as it is presented to us without thinking too much about it. The money spent on advertising to us that the company is ethical could have actually been spent by implementing ethical practices.

    So how can you tell if a brand is ethical and sustainable? One of the easiest ways to work out if a brand is worth buying from is to check their website. The more information they provide in the About Me section, generally the better they are. The less information they have the more I think they have something to hide. Another way to judge how sustainable a brand is, is by looking at what materials they work with. Most brands doing ethical lingerie work with peace silk, bamboo, organic cotton, recycled fabrics and dead stock fabrics. Is one better than the others? Not really, they all have problems attached to them in some stage of their life in becoming your underwear. A phrase to look out for is ‘slow fashion’. If a brand is committed to ethical practices they will most likely not follow fashion seasons and churn out the collections just for the sake of having new products all the time. There are also different accreditation and certificates which can be confusing. Some of the most common ones you will come across are Certified organic, OEKO-TEX 100, GOTS, Fair Trade and ISO.

    Does ethical mean the same thing to everyone? Not all ethical brands are created equal. There’s always room for improvement and not everyone is on the same path. There is no one brand that is doing everything perfectly but I think its unfair to expect it straight away. I always say doing something is better than nothing.

    There are a few brands stand out well above the pack in terms or sustainability but are their products any good? Ive taken it upon myself to try out a few products from different brands, here are the results.

    Less The Label

    This is only a very new company out of Australia. They specialise in cotton basics. The products are designed in Australia but are made in Indonesia. As it is only a very small new company there isn’t much information available on their website. All their products are made from 92% cotton 8% spandex. They have branded themselves as sustainable and ethically created, yet I don’t see any evidence of that but they do regular visits to the manufacturer and are invested in the slow fashion movement. I purchased the full brief in a size small in olive. While I love the colour of these, I find them uncomfortable. The tensions on the seams is too tight and when I tried them on for the first time I heard a lot of threads snap. The gusset on these undies is also very small, only 6cms long. These would be great for period undies as they are super firm.

    Le Buns

    This is an independent company based in Australia that was founded in 2016. Their products are made in Indonesia. I purchased two items from them, they are both made from 90% organic cotton and 10% spandex. Their fabrics are Fair trade certified grown in India and GOTS certified organic cotton. I purchased two pairs of knickers in size 8 and I definitely have a new favourite in the white Taylor high cut brief. My favourite part of this design is the extremely wide waist band. It’s so comfortable to wear. The gusset on the Taylor is about 3cms wider than on the Elle briefs which makes it more comfortable for me to wear. I find both these styles great under high waisted jeans.

    Nico Underwear

    Nico was established in 2012 in Australia. Their products are made in Australia, India and their socks made in Bangladesh. The material they use for all their underwear is a modal and elastin blend. The modal fibres have come from Lenzing Modal which is based in Austria. I purchased the high waisted briefs in black size medium. The pair I purchased was made in India. I was able to try a bralette on when they had a pop up store. They are made from the same fabric as the underwear so I found them very unsupportive but would be good for loungewear. For the briefs I would size down in this fabric as it has a lot of stretch. The briefs are perfect for under lounge wear or sleepwear.

    HARA The Label

    Hara the label officially launched in November 2016. The products are all made from raw bamboo that has been sourced from certified organic growers. All products are made in Indonesia. The final products are OEKO-TEX 100 certified meaning their is no harmful chemical residue in the fabric. I purchased the Leo high cut bra in a Large and the Eva g-string in a Small. The bra has two layers of bamboo fabric which makes it more supportive. It has no fastenings but because of the fabric it is easy to pull on over your head. The thong is simple and very comfortable and fits true to size. The fabric feels amazing against the skin and its a pleasure to wear. Perfect to wear under anything.

    Still looking for more ethical lingerie brands? Why not check out the brands listed below.

    Amaella Lingerie

    Studio Pia

    Lara Intimates

    The End Lingerie

    ColieCo Lingerie

    We are HAH

    La Fille d”O

    Our job as consumers is to research the products we buy, but its hard because of lack of transparency and the imbedded secrecy of the fashion industry. Not only that but some companies lack the knowledge due to complex supply chains. The best way to find the information you want is simply to ask. Also I suggest downloading the Good on You app which has a lot of great information and a consistent rating system for brands.

  • Fifi Chachnil Bonjour Paris review

    Fifi Chachnil Bonjour Paris review

    I know you’ve heard me talk about my Wishlist constantly and how many brands and sets I’ve wanted to try. Fifi Chachnil has been more of a dream, an unrealistic one at that. When I think of lingerie, of French, feminine lingerie, I think of Fifi. If I could only visit one boutique in the world, I would chose to visit Fifi. Not that I’ve been. I’ve been scouring eBay looking for something, anything in my size, just so I could try the quality and style without having to invest so much. With no such luck over the course of 2 years I finally decided to bite the bullet and order form the website.

    After analysing the size chart for weeks I decided to order the Parisienne bra in a 80E and the high waisted brief in a 38. It took me awhile to work out French sizes, never having ordered anything online and only having tried on brands in person like Chantal Thomass. I would also like to point out this is one of the few times I have paid full price for lingerie. I try to be savvy with my shopping as I spend way too much. I make use of any sign up discounts or promo codes available. I rarely wait till things are marked down as if I want something, I’m not very good at waiting. I would never buy say a Hedi Klum set full price, but when it comes to independent designers I feel more comfortable paying the full price as I know the money is going directly to the people involved and back into the business. Why am I telling you this? Well when I pay full price for luxury lingerie I expect more and that is reflected in my review.

    I’m big on presentation and packaging and this initial first contact with my new lingerie really affects my overall opinion on the products. My Fifi arrived in the cutest packaging ever!!! It’s like a mini shopping bag/box. The items were wrapped individually in tissues paper and padded out to protect them during shipping. Unwrapping it was my dream come true, it was the best unboxing experience I’ve had so far. The items themselves were so light and delicate it really was like I was unwrapping a precious jewel.

    I was initially scared to try the items on. I wanted them so badly to fit and suit me. I tried them on after a few days and I absolutely loved them and I still do. The knickers felt slightly tight when pulling them up over my thigh bones but when they rested on my waist, it felt like they were on the bigger side. That might be something to think about if you have a large waist to hip ratio. Luckily this style comes with a few different types of briefs so you can pick the style that will best suit you. The briefs are unlined except for the gusset which is lined in silk. I feel like the underwear should be fully lined to help maintain the strength of the silk as I’ve said before they do feel extremely delicate and I wouldn’t wear them under anything to form fitting for fear of damaging them.

    The bra band is the biggest 32 band I’ve ever worn. If you wear a 28 or 30 like I normally do, I would suggest getting a custom size as I’m not sure I trust anyone to alter the bra when it feels so delicate. It’s wearable when the band is bigger but the cups have some wrinkles as they are not pulled taut. The back of the bra is made up of a soft mesh, not silk like I was expecting. Usually at this price point you would see the band being made out of the same material as the main parts of the bra so I was slightly surprised by this. If the underwear also had silk front and mesh back I would find it appropriate to carry that design through all the garments but having one and not the other is slightly confusing. The mesh used is very soft and feels great against the skin but it isn’t power mesh so the support is minimal. The straps on the other hand are perfectly wide for this retro style and nice and plush. Considering I don’t have much support from the band, the straps feel very comfortable all day and never dig in. The wires feel a bit more flexible than I’m used to, but again they don’t dig into my armpits even though this bra isn’t a perfect fit.

    It is very much a full cup bra yet this set feels very far from granny even when its paired with the high waisted knickers. The set evokes a sense of femininity and a carefree spirit. It is both young and old, practical and impractical. The full cup bra and high waisted knickers seem like a style for an older, practical woman. yet the lightness of the silk and the vibrancy of colours leans towards a younger less practical one. In my opinion, it could be a set for anyone, it blends the lines between markets.

    The colour of this set is something I was slightly surprised by. The advertised colour as of a softer pink and calmer blue. In actual fact it is the most vibrant pastel pink and a turquoise blue. I do not mind the colour, but it does look very different from what I thought I was getting. If you are quite particular about colour I would suggest getting in contact via the website to confirm, as I viewed this set on many different devices before purchasing and all of the computer screens did not match the colour I received.

    I do love my Fifi set and I think I would purchase from them again but I do not think I’m willing to pay full price again when some design details are not quite up to my standards. I hope my husband never reads this because this set cost $465 AUD. That’s about $150 more than I would pay if I was to purchase a two piece set again. It’s not great value per wear but I do have something beautiful to admire every morning as its in my pride of place in the top drawer of lingerie. For now…

  • Sukki by Tutti Rouge review

    Sukki by Tutti Rouge review

    The sukki bra has been high on my lust list since its release. This bra seemed to be the perfect addition to my lingerie wardrobe. It’s named after a mega babe. Winning. It features removable strappy detail so your bra can be work and date night appropriate. Winning. It also comes in a wide variety of sizes for the fuller bust market that I happen to fit into. Winning all round.

    It seemed to be a bra made in lingerie heaven so when a deal appeared before Black Friday that included a free brief and free delivery I couldn’t say no! I ordered the bra in a 28F and it cost around $60 AUD.

    It arrived quite fast considering the time of year. I was a bit disappointed with the overall packaging but at this price point you get what you pay for. I’ve seen a lot of babes totally rocking this bra but I’m sad to say this is not the bra for me. I’ve worn this bra 3 times before writing this review, hoping that I would change my mind over time. Sometimes a bra can relax and mould to your body after a couple of wears, but unfortunately that hasn’t been the case for this bra.

    The bra itself is a beautiful 3 part cut and sew Moulded balconette. The style is a little bit vintage with a nod to the strappy trend so apparent in the lingerie industry for the last few years. I love the idea of removable straps but unfortunately I don’t think its been executed that well. The straps are one length and are not adjustable. The loop where you can add the extra straps is also frayed so I can never get the hook all the way through to stay in place. Something that I do love about this bra is the heart shaped sliders! It’s a very cute detail but I also love how easy it is to adjust them. I like to adjust my bra straps when I’m already wearing the bra, so by having them placed at the front it makes it so much easy to do so.

    When it came to trying on this style and wearing it, I found it was a very odd fit. I’m not sure if I’m wearing the right size or if this is just totally to wrong shape for me but I have never experienced a worse fitting bra than this one. The cup is too shallow at the base of the bra, I have a fingers space of room between the wire and my breast root. I’ve readjusted myself until the cows came home but to no improvement. I checked the product photos on the Tutti Rouge website and it seems their model has the same issue leading me to believe that it is an overall product fit issue rather than an individual fit issue. The cup is quite deep in the centre and also quite open at the top. This is great if you are FOT but for me its a nightmare. Apart from that the gore tacked well and the wires felt like a suitable width for me.

    After wearing this bra to work one day I swore to myself I would never wear it again. This has been the most painful bra I have ever worn. When I first tried it on the wires felt ok. By lunch time that day I wanted to rip it off and burn it. Unfortunately I can’t go braless at work and my bank account told me no shopping, not even in an emergency. The problem was the side boning and the wires under my arm pit. It felt like they were both about to poke through their casing and stab me in the ribs. I finally understood that feeling of relief at the end of the day when you take off your bra and slip into something a little more comfortable. I had a close look at the bra and found no major issue apart for the wires and boning being slightly too short for their casing. I wore this bra two more times on shorter work days with the same result of terrible discomfort. The only time I’ve worn this bra and it felt ok was when I was sitting at home for a couple of hours and not moving around much. I really wanted this bra to work for me but it wasn’t to be.

    What about the free brief I hear you ask? Well unfortunately for me this offer was a complete fail. How the offer was advertised was “ free brief with any purchase”. To me this sounded like it was the matching brief to whatever you were buying. And I know a few other people read it that way. I guess this is a case of be specific about your offer to avoid customer disappointment. So I now have a useless purple brief and useless bra. They have learnt from their mistake and the offer after it specified if it was matching or not.

    I know this sounds like I’m hating on tutti rouge. As I customer I am disappointed in a few aspects of the experience. Would I shop with them again? Probably not. I feel you can get better value for your money elsewhere. If you are fuller bust and can’t find a good strappy bra, I suggest wearing any bra you love and adding a harness over the top.