Wednesday 29 July 2015

Taming your waist with Corset Story

When the folks at Corset Story offered me the chance to review a corset for them I must admit I was reluctant to try, as from past experience their corsets haven't been quite curvy enough for me ad as gorgeous as some of the corsets are, I resigned them to the 'just won't fit me' category of websites I no longer visit.

It turns out they've been working on their range since I last browsed their site, now offering 'waist taming' corsets including gored hips and hip panels in a variety of shapes and patterns. Take a look here, some of them are really beautiful!

I chose the Black Satin Underbust with Hip Panels, priced currently at £59. My waist measures 25.5" currently and I usually wear a 20" in my other corsets from What Katie Did and Orchard Corset but I know Corset Story aren't as generous so I went for the 22". I think the 24" would have fitted quite well too, so please bear this in mine when you buy. It is also worth noting that this corset has waist tape, something not usually found in low-end of off the rack (OTR) corsets.

The awesome hip panels!

Waist tape, hip panels and suspender loops

Modesty panel

I wasn't expecting much for a relatively low cost OTR corset but when it arrived I was pleasantly surprised! Although it doesn't quite create the extreme level of 'hip shelf' I get in my What Katie Did Vamp underbust corset (£159.50), the hip panels mean that it actually fits my shape comfortably! 



As you can see from the back, the corset has a wide modesty panel which I failed to neatly line up and also featured suspender loops should you wish to add suspenders (also sold by Corset Story here). Fully laced, the edges are pretty much parallel, apparently the safest way to lace as it means the pressure is even throughout the corset. All the Waist Taming corsets are fully steel boned and come with tags that contain a sample of the spiral steel boning, which is one of those little touches I love!





For the above photos I teamed up my new Corset Story Waist Taming corset with some old high waisted black swim shorts and the Egoboost Multiway Bra by Gossard. I also had a bit of fun, creating a couple of Halloween looks with various items I found in my bedroom as you will see below!



If you're new to corseting and don't want to blow the bank or if you're a seasoned corset wearer looking for something new, check out the new range of Waist Taming and Instant Shape corsets by Corset Story.


Wednesday 22 July 2015

Happy Birthday Curvy Kate!

This week I received a lovely treat from the team at Curvy Kate; a lingerie cookie set to celebrate their 6th birthday!

Its thanks to Curvy Kate that I started my blog. Back in 2011 I was a finalist in their Star In A Bra competition to find a new face and body for the brand for the following year. As you may or may not know, I didn't win, but my new found confidence led me to create this blog. I never thought I'd end up online in my undies but here we are!

The Star In A Bra 2011 Top Ten

One of my Star In A Bra professional shots


Not sure why they said I was a 32G...?

So thank you Curvy Kate for running modelling competitions that use your average 'Jo Public', for providing us busty girls with beautiful lingerie and for including 28 bands!

Happy Birthday!
XXX


Lovely Longline; Carmen by Curvy Kate

A longline bra is something I've coveted for quite some time and have been unable to find in my size (28GG/H depending on brand). Over a year ago, Curvy Kate saved the day yet again with their Carmen longline in sizes 28-38 D-J. 
Initially the Carmen set was released in a gorgeous Rose Mix colourway as seen here on FullerFigureFullerBust and has since been released in Black/Boysenberry (what kind of berry is that??) which I'll be reviewing in this post.

Photo by My Boudoir

I purchased my Carmen set from Brastop. It's currently on sale for just £11.95 for the bra, £5.95 for the thong in the Black/Boysenberry colour (correct at time of publishing). Unfortunately Brastop didn't have the matching suspender belt in stock but I'm hoping to find one elsewhere.


I ordered the Carmen longline in 28GG and 28H and as I often find with Curvy Kate, the 28H fitted the best. To be perfectly honest, there's not a huge difference between the two, but I generally like to err on the side of caution and go for the bigger cup. The band fits nice and snug so there are no worries in that department indicating that Curvy Kate are getting it right nowadays despite earlier teething problems with loose bands. The thong I bought in a 16 and 18 and found the 16 fitted best.


I've not yet worn the set for anything more than this shoot, so I can't comment on the comfort for extended wear. I've read a few reviews on the Carmen and most say that the band tends to roll up during wear, but that it doesn't really affect their positive ratings.



Initially I wasn't taken with either colourway in the Carmen, but unfortunately Curvy Kate haven't released Carmen in any new colours so not wanting to miss out on the only longline I know of in my size I bit the bullet and went for the Black/Boysenberry. I'd have preferred less pink, however the detail in the embroidery is beautiful.

My only criticisms are that I feel the bulkiness of the cups might be visible under clothing and that having so many hooks to fasten can be very awkward, particularly for those with mobility problems. Other than that, it's a gorgeous set and I hope Curvy Kate will release more colours in the future.

If you love this set, you can still find selected sizes on Brastop, Amazon, Ebay and at Figleaves, all of which are selling it at less than RRP!