A Curvy Kitten's guide to life, love and lingerie!

Time for a New Look?

2012-02-23T13:31:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I went into New Look and saw a few dresses I liked the look of, so I thought I'd share them with you lovely lot! Before I start, my quiff got rained on, so I apologise for the messy hair!!

First up, this jersey wrap dress with belt, £17.99. I tried a size 8 in this, and although the body was fine, I found the sleeves a bit tight. Not too tight as it's made from a stretchy jersey fabric, but if you don't have twig arms, this might annoy you. It's a nice, versatile, staple piece for your wardrobe and could be dressed up or down easily with tights, leggings, heels, flats, whatever you fancy.

The next dress I tried is another wrap dress, this time with short sleeves and a cute ditsy print. I've searched and searched but I can't seem to find this one on their website I'm afraid, although I did find this one in a different pattern, £22.99. I accidentally picked up a size 6 in this one. It's not too bad a fit, but I think a little 'fashion tape' or a camisole wouldn't go amiss!

Lastly for New Look, and the reason I went in there is this gorgeous tartan skater dress, £22.99. I saw Emma Watson in an Alexander McQueen tartan puffball dress last year and fell in love with it, so I was glad to find a poor man's version!

The fabric is a good quality ponti, and the black and orange tartan is printed on. I love the cut of the dress, it's a very flattering fit and the skirt is pleated, unlike other dresses in the shops at the moment which I feel gives it a higher quality look. I must admit, I'm not keen on the colours chosen for the tartan, I think the orange cheapens it somewhat. I was doubtful that the size 8 would fit, but as you can see in the photo, it's perfect.

I didn't buy any of the dresses above but out of the three, I liked the tartan one the most. I will definately go back to New Look in the future as their clothes seem to fit my curves quite well. I'm off to search for that perfect tartan dress....

Thanks for reading!

Everything you need to know about Star In A Bra 2012 but were afraid to ask...

2012-02-21T15:57:00.000-08:00

'Twas the night before 'SIAB', when all through the house

ran a curvy girl giggling, in nowt but her pants.

Lingerie sets were thrown here and there,

in hope that Curvy Kate would choose her to show off their wares.

If you're reading this, it's likely you're thinking of entering Star In A Bra. Curvy Kate run their model search competition annually and this year entries open on February 23rd 2012. Yes, tomorrow!

It might seem quite a daunting task to pose for someone you don't know in just your skimpies, so I've written this to help you make your mind up whether or not you should enter. Last year I didn't know what I was letting myself in for. I entered on a whim after spying the link on Simply Yours. I had no idea I'd be chosen for the top 30 public vote, let alone make it into the top 10!

The Rules

Curvy Kate are looking for ladies with natural breasts in a D-K cup of any shape or size, aged 18 or above to flaunt their curves. The winner will be crowned 2012's Star In A Bra and will win, amongst other things, a year-long modelling contract with Curvy Kate!

That means that even if you have stretch marks, cellulite, tattoos, scars or in my case an extra nipple, and you know how to work your killer curves, YOU ARE Star In A Bra material! So....are you thinking of entering?

The Photos

Curvy Kate ask for five photos in total. Three must be body shots in lingerie or swimwear so they can see your beautiful body and the other two photos must be head shots with only yourself in the shot. Here are my top tips to get the best photos:

1. Choose sets that you love and that you KNOW you look amazing in! Your confidence will sparkle in your eyes.

2. Practice your poses in front of the mirror beforehand and take inspiration from lingerie brochures on line, such as Curvy Kate's 2012 collection!

3. Take numerous shots, even for just one pose. Sometimes cameras act strangely and might not focus or the light won't be quite right.

4. Use the timer function on your camera. If you don't have a tripod it doesn't matter, use a pile of books or DVDs. I always set up a mirror behind my camera so I can see what is it in the viewfinder too.

5. Try tilting your head a little, dropping your chin, lifting your shoulders a touch, moving your arms. Don't just stick to the same pose.

6. Make an effort with your hair, make-up and lighting. Show Curvy Kate you value the competition and yourself!

7. Smile and show your personality! Curvy Kate want to see that you're comfortable in your own skin and that you're having a ball posing in your undies! If you're not, then maybe Star In A Bra isn't for you.

Here's one of my original entry photos I submitted last year

The Highs
For me, entering Star In A Bra has made me happier and more confident about the way I look. It also enabled me to become friends with a fabulous group of busty ladies, including fellow top 10 beauties Georgina Horne, Astrid Lopez, Lizzie Haines, Emma Donaghy and Amanda Navin. We are all part of a wider on line community who help each other find bras and clothes to fit our curves. We're all different shapes and sizes, each have our own hang ups but we're all proud of what our mammas gave us!

I've since done a few unpaid modelling jobs for my local newspaper, The Sentinel, so although being in the competition hasn't given me any financial gain, I've enjoyed the shoots and seeing the results.

Even if you don't make it through to the top 30, you'll more than likely find it quite liberating and even just taking the photos will give your body confidence a real boost!

I'm so glad I entered and have no regrets about it. It was a wonderful experience and I've had a blast ever since! All the highs and lows are totally worth it because at the end of the day, you've had the balls to enter!

The Lows
It's worth knowing what kind of issues you might encounter if you get through to the top 30. I can only speak from personal experience and each girl had a different experience.

1. The biggest hurdle is breaking it to your friends, family, workmates and/or partner that you've been chosen to face a public vote wearing nothing but your undies! This can be difficult, especially if you didn't tell them you were entering. Don't be put off by this, I found that everyone was supportive and proud. Don't try to keep it a secret, you'll need all the votes and support you can get. I was lucky enough to have a work colleague who was in contact with the local paper because she dealt with our marketing, so she contacted them to get me some more publicity that way.

2. You WILL get lots of male attention, whether you like it or not, including sexually explicit messages! I know a few of the other girls blocked incoming messages to their facebook accounts, or set up a second profile. I still receive friend requests every few days from men who have seen me on line as a result of Star In A Bra.

3. You may get some negativity. Personally I had someone say I wasn't representing the competition well as I said I'd lost weight. The way I see it is that I lost weight because I personally felt I needed to, and made myself happier with my appearance. If I was still the same weight I would have been not so happy, and would never have even considered entering the competition. It's a personal thing. If you're happy with your own body then fantastic. I was in awe of the variety of shapes and sizes in the top 10, It was fabulous and inspiring! The other negativity I got was from one person who'd set up a fake Facebook accouint, seemingly to harrass me by sending me messages calling me fat. I blocked them. I can guarantee that you'll get a lot more positivity from being in the competition than negativity!

4. If you're lucky enough to find yourself t's hard work. It really is. I found it exhausting trying to put myself out there whilst working a full time job. On my lunch hour I'd go around shops, leaving posters with tear off strips with them, bits of paper with my name and where to vote scattered around in public loos, changing rooms, amongst other leaflets. Then when I got home from work, I'd spend hours finding suitable facebook groups to join and post my link on anything from Quagmire fans (giggidy!) to Jessica Rabbit fans and everything in between! You kind of feel like you're selling your soul to the devil but it's all neccessary to win votes. For the top 10 vote I created this 'campaign poster' too!

And Finally...
So I think that's everything you need to know about entering Star In A Bra 2012! Unfortunately there can only be one winner. Don't be disappointed wherever you end up in the competition. You've done something amazing just by entering! If there's anything else you'd like to know, just ask!

Submissions close on March 16th.

Good Luck Ladies!

The Triple Nipple Club

2012-02-15T13:02:00.001-08:00

This one's a bit of a silly post I know, but I read on wikipedia that 1 in every 50 women have supernumerary nipples. I am one of those weirdos! It's NOT a mole, it's a third nipple. I've checked numerous photos online and yep, it's a full-blown nubbin.

According to folklore, extra nipples meant you were a witch, the nipple being used to suckle Satan himself! I'd be okay with that if it were true. I'd love to be able to cast magic, although back in the dark ages, when women were sometimes tried for being witches, extra nipples were seen as 100% proof and subsequently would lead to certain death! Harsh!

So, you're now wondering where it is and what it looks like, right? Mine is situated below my left breast, typically along the 'milk line'. In fact, I found this diagram online and mine is exactly where the labelled one is;

If you look closely it's visible on all my photos. Here's a closer shot of it, enjoy!!

My nubbin has never bothered me. I know some people have them removed and even pierced! Radio presenter Jo Whiley had hers removed, while Lily Allen famously flashed hers on TV!

So do you have any extra bits? Of so, let me know!

The moral of the story is that NOBODY'S PERFECT!

'Real Women": you just can't win.

2012-02-13T03:17:00.003-08:00

I realise this topic has been blogged to death, but it’s been on my mind lately. For the past 10 years or so, there has been a notable movement to feature more ‘real women’ in the media. This all started off well, with Dove toiletries using women of all shapes, sizes and colours in their adverts. Apparently, these women are ‘real’. The definition of real is merely that it exists, so while some argue that this is a silly term to use, I’m of the other way of thinking, in that it’s possibly the shortest and most accurate description they could have used. By real, they mean someone you’d see in the street, your neighbour, the woman sat next to you on the bus, not an airbrushed professional model. I’m not suggesting the ‘real women’ aren’t photoshopped too, because they will be, but in a different manner, such as evening out skintone rather than taking off inches of an already slender body. It’s become a sad fact of life that we’ve grown to prefer the photoshopped image. So what do we prefer? Do 'real women' sell?

The Dove 'Real Women' campaign

Now, it seems the more and more we're seeing 'real' women, the more we're seeing bigger women. I completely agree with using plus size models; it gives us an idea how products will look on a more average figure (which is supposedly a UK 16) but, as pointed out by my boyfriend, plus sized models with a less than average figure are used. How many size 16 women do you see that have perfectly proportioned hips, bust and a enviably small waist, with long legs and toned arms? Not many, right? On a size 16 woman you'd see in the street, you're more likely to see an apple shape with bingo wings. In reality, would we really want to see the average shaped (and that's what it boils down to here-shape, not size) woman modelling?

Two average plus-sized women you'd see in the street

For every nice comment ("it's good to see someone like ME modelling") about a plus sized model, there are 10 nasty comments ("pig in knickers")....and in come the "curvy vs skinny" (Yaaaaawn) brigade. People, for whatever reason, feel the need to take sides and bash the opponent. I'm interested to know why. Is it jealousy? Do they believe themselves to be 'better' than the other party somehow? Why do they? Is it a health thing? An aesthetics thing? It always boils down to a matter of personal opinion, although why some people feel the need to express their opinions so brutally is beyond me. When I was in Star In A Bra last year I got a little abuse from someone who made it their job to repeatedly tell me I'm fat. Even Lizzie Haines, the stunning brunette who won the competition also came under fire from a few Daily Mail readers recently when she featured in an article about her winning the 'Plus Size Model of the Year' title from 100% people. I'm guessing these are the sort of people who have an average sized girlfriend/wife at home, yet feel the need to look online at pictures of airbrushed Victoria's Secret models, wishing they were theirs. Well, GET REAL, look what you have and learn to appreciate it, and don't abuse others for their success! I understand this will never happen and being in the spotlight will always leave you open to abuse, no matter what your size and shape :(

Typical 'Skinny Vs Curvy' propaganda

Does it sell?

I'm not bashing plus sized women, don't get me wrong, I'm just pointing out that in the grand scheme of things, the fashion industry can't win when it comes to models. Pepperberry infamously use increasingly smaller models and claim that when larger models were used, their sales figures dropped. Have we all become moulded into the belief that slimmer women look better? Women say they want 'real women' to model the clothes they might want to buy, yet when they do, sales drop? Really Pepperberry??

An old Pepperberry model, no longer used

One of Pepperberry's newer, slimmer models

Recently, Lucy Ann Moore won the competition for Ann Summers to seek out a new model. I walked past Ann Summers on Saturday morning and rather than featuring the model that the public had voted for, a thinner model was being used on the main advertising board, even though I KNOW Lucy was photographed in the very same outfit. And what's more, just take a look at their home page here. Where is Lucy? Is it all merely a publicity stunt? Who cares if they use the model afterwards, they've got people interested in their company by launching the competition and by getting people to vote and share. I care, as I'm sure many others do too. I think it's unfair on Lucy. I realise it's early days but even so...

Lucy Ann Moore

One company you WON'T see hiding their public's choice is Curvy Kate. Their Star In A Bra competition runs annually and last years' winner, Lizzie Haines has enjoyed a whole year of modelling and publicity. Obviously I'm slightly biased towards Curvy Kate, as I featured in the 2011 Star In A Bra top 10 myself. Curvy Kate are only too happy to parade their winner! Check out Lizzie's website, Do It Momma too, you'll see she's more than just a pretty face (and bangin' bod)!

Lizzie Haines

Time to wrap this up as I feel I'm rambling on waaaay too much!

My solution is indeed costly, but companies would find it would make their customers love them more, and thus increase sales. It is to simply use three models per product; one at the smallest end of their size range, not one so small that the clothes have to be pinned to fit-one in the ACTUAL smallest size they make, the next at the largest end of their range, and one in between. It could be argued that this method is costly both moneywise and timewise as the company would use three models, but they tend to use that amount of models anyway a lot of the time. Why not show size variation rather than colour variation (as in colouring, not a racial thing! You know, skintone, hair colour, etc.), as this is what tends to be used currently. I'm interested to know what you think? What would sell the product to you? Someone with the same skintone and hair colour or someone in the same size?

Please let me know your opinions :)

Any publicity is good publicity....Or is it?

2012-01-19T09:30:00.000-08:00

When I won Brastop's Model of the Month December competition, I immediately contacted my local paper, The Sentinel, to generate a bit of publicity for Brastop and the competition. I went to speak to a reporter, who asked a few questions, then met a photographer for lots of fun shots with my bag of bras I took with me, including Curvy Kate, Ewa Michalak and Freya. I'm hoping to get some of these photos to use here on my blog, so keep your eyes peeled.

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/Kelly-aims-star-bra-D-plus-lingerie-magazine/story-14446747-detail/story.html

Now....I have some issues to say the least with the article...Hmmm....32G? I haven't worn a 32G since before my diet, which was about 18 months ago! I told the reported that I was a 28GG and she looked shocked, so I went on to say that women are often scared of bigger cups and that they shouldn't be, because if they went for a proper fitting then they would probably BE in the cup sizes they're so scared of. It seems that the reporter didn't listen to me and added 4 inches to my band size *RAGE*, as so many fitters and online calculators do.

The other issue is that they mentioned I'd been buying Brastop's magazine for a year, which is also untrue. The Brastop magazine, which can be read online here, is free and sent out to customers. It hasn't been running for a year either! Also, the prizes listed in the article aren't 'runner-up prizes', they are prizes for winning the Model of the Month competition.

It's all so wrong...I wanted to set the record straight here, just so you know the truth!

Note to reporters: LISTEN TO YOUR SUBJECT!

More about me...

2012-01-13T16:18:00.000-08:00

So you've seen me in online in my smalls for almost a year now, time for you to learn a little more about me!

I hit the grand old age of 30 last August and I can't say I was looking forward to it. I'm frequently told I don't look my age but that still doesn't stop me being my age! It's bizarre turning a 'milestone' age. You start to question what you've done with your life, what you've achieved and what you haven't. Then you shrug your shoulders and get on with it!

I work as a diabetic retinopathy screener at Glyn Jones Opticians in Hanley, Stoke-On-Trent with my wonderful boyfriend Ian who's an optometrist and one of the directors there. I'm working towards getting my City and Guilds qualification in my job role, which doesn't sound much, but there's so much seemingly pointless work involved and it's essential for my role. My job involves checking what the patient can see on a test chart, instilling dilating drops and taking retinal photographs. I only wish I could tell my diabetic patients off for not looking after themselves, as sometimes they seem only too proud to tell me how they like to cheat on their diets and have a cream cake and sweets each week. It's so sad that they can't see the risks sometimes. I love my job and I'm lucky enough to work alongside my boyfriend so I get to see him every day :)

When I'm at home I like nothing more than sitting on the sofa with a dog by my side while I sew tiny dresses, shoes or crochet hats for my BJDs (Ball Jointed Dolls). Here are a few of my creations...

I realise it's quite an unusual hobby for a 30 year old but that's what this post is about; the me behind the bras. BJDs aren't toys in any sense of the word. They're collectors pieces and the price reflects that. The small dolls above cost around £160 each and are from Fairyland and Latidoll . The most expensive doll I have is my Minifee Miyu which cost £320 second hand. She's truly stunning though and you can see the workmanship quite clearly. Here she is;

My other passion is my dogs. I have three shih-tzus and adore them. I'm one of those freaks who refers to them as my babies! I just love them, what more can I say?

Unconditional <3

My favourite band is No Doubt and has been for a long long time. I adore Gwen Stefani and have a huge collection of her L.A.M.B handbags and Harajuku Lovers bits and bobs. My favourite TV shoes are American Dad (I love Roger!), Family Guy, Criminal Minds, Don't Tell The Bride and wildlife documentaries about sharks, snakes, spiders, whales and dolphins. As for movies, I love The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Studio Ghibli movies and Tim Burton animations. Oh, and Harry Potter of course. There's no better movie series I'm afraid. End.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings, you know a bit more about me now, I just hope I didn't bore you too much!

Another passion of mine graphic content

2012-01-13T16:02:00.000-08:00

If you're a friend of mine on Facebook, or follow me on twitter (@kel-kitty), you'll have noticed that from time to time I share stories about whaling and captive cetaceans.

In a word, it's wrong, but I won't ram it down your throats. Please just take a few minutes out and read this post.

My only word on this is to think twice and do your research before you visit Seaworld or any seaquariums that happen to keep cetaceans. It may be on your bucket list to swim with dolphins but please be aware of the reality of it all. The majority of the dolphins you see in Seaworld and similar come from places like the Japanese ~~slaughter~~ fishing village of Taiji in Japan. Pods of dolphins and false killer whales are herded into the bay and slaughtered brutally by teams of Japanese 'fishermen', who stab them in the spinal cord and bleed them as their family members watch helplessly, knowing their own fate. The dolphin meat is then sold and consumed in Japan, despite it having high levels of mercury. It is often served in children's school lunches without any regard to the chemical risks.

Don't forget, they are high functioning mammals just like us. Only the prettiest dolphins survive which are then are carted off to seaquariums worldwide for families to take their kids to.

If you can stomach it, please watch The Cove for an on-site view of Taiji's killing season from the point of view of a team of activists.

Sea Shepherds are an organisation that are fighting to protect our ocean's creatures. For further reading, just click.

Left; the sugar coated fantasy. Right; the harsh reality.

It's also worth saying at this point that if you're in the UK, there are a number of sites to see dolphins in the wild, notably Cardigan Bay in Wales, a popular spot for the everybody's favourite, the Bottlenose dolphin. Yes, off the British coast. You don't need to go to Seaworld and support the slaughter really, do you? For further information on the Cardigan Bay dolphins or to adopt one (I'm an adopter of Nic Nic), go to the Sea Watch Foundation. I you'd like to adopt a whale (I adopted SOD), see the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.

If you've taken the time out to read this post, then I'm eternally grateful to you, and if it's made you think twice about your dream of swimming with dolphins, better still.

2 more from Curvy Kate!

2012-01-12T16:06:00.000-08:00

Rich jewel colours, ruffles, bows, oodles of detailing...It can only mean one thing, another Curvy Kate Showgirl review!

I have to admit, every time I open my lingerie drawer, I let out a sigh at the sheer beauty of this first bra. It is truly beautiful! It is Curvy Kate's Thrill Me in Jade/Fuchsia. It's base colour is supposedly jade, but I'd call it more of a turquoise. It's trim is a bright, contrasting fuchsia, and works beautifully against the jade.

I was fortunate enough to receive this bra, along with all the bottoms; the thong, high-waisted brief and the shorts as a Christmas present from my lovely boyfriend. I prefer the shorts out of the three, as they have cheeky ruffles across the bottom and also have detachable suspenders. The high-waisted briefs are something I've not tried before, and although other women find them flattering, I feel they make me look bigger somehow. I love the thong as frills at the top of each leg, so cute!

For size reference, the bra is a 28H and the bottoms are all in a 14. As always with Thrill Me, back down, 2 cups up is my general rule, but this must only be used as a guide, as you may find they fit you differently. op to bottom, shorts, thong, high-waisted brief.

Again a Christmas present, this time Curvy Kate's Tease Me in Black/Almond. I LOVE Tease Me, it's so sexy AND supportive. The almond colour makes a nice change from the brighter colours from past seasons, and I must admit, I wasn't a fan initially, but seeing it in the flesh changed that. I just have the gorgeous shorts in this set, with ruffles on the back and detachable suspenders.

Again, in a size 28H and this time the shorts are a size 16.

There's nothing more I can say about these sets that I haven't already covered. I just think they are gorgeous!

Thanks for reading
<3

Dolores, Dolores, let down your hair....

2012-01-12T15:00:00.000-08:00

Just before Christmas I'm ashamed to say binged on Collectif dresses and tops. They were running a 40% off sale at the time, so that's how I justified it! The style in question is my favourite 'Dolores'. All prices featured in this post are correct at the time of publishing. For size reference everything here is a size 8.

The cut of the Dolores with it's ruched centre and sweetheart neckline means that you get a sensational cleavage and room for the girls too. The sleeves are puffed, giving the Dolores a distinctive gypsy style. The Dolores range features tops, flared dresses and tops made from stretch cotton to hug your curves in sizes 8-22, and come in a huge range of kitsch patterned and plain fabrics.

L-R: Dolores fitted Cherry Stem dress (with and without cardigan), £45

Dolores fitted Hibiscus dress, £45

Dolores fitted knot seagulls dress in blue, on sale at £25

Above is the Dolores doll dress in navy polka dot, £50. I wanted to show a few different looks with this one, as I think it's pretty versatile and can be worn for shopping on a summery day or for a big night out. In the third photo I'm wearing a fabulous red puffy Lola petticoat, £39, which adds volume, drama and a splash of colour as you move in this amazing dress.

Now for the tops!

The first photo is the Dolores feral leo top, £25. My god do I LOVE this top?! Again, it can be worn casually with jeans (mine are high-waisted and from Primark), or it could be dressed up with a pencil skirt for a sexy night out! The second photo shows the Dolores top in black, £25. Again, this could be dressed up or down and is a good staple for any wardrobe. I also got this in white for the same purpose.

Collectif is my favourite place to buy 50's style clothing. Their prices are reasonable, and their clothes are beautiful. I particularly like how they have a basic range of shapes, then simply change the fabrics they use each season, ensuring you'll always have your favourite shape to come back to. If you love 50's styling, you'll love Collectif!

Mwah! Thanks for reading lovelies! x

Finally I've won something!!

2012-01-06T04:22:00.001-08:00

So on my quest to be photographed professionally in my smalls I've been entering Brastop's 'Model of the Month' competition every month since it started back in July last year. Yes, you guessed it, I won December's title!

I can tell you I'm thrilled to bits and have already landed an interview with the local paper (again) to try and drum up support for some votes when the time comes. I'm sure the people at The Sentinel are sick to death of me now, since I was only in the paper a month ago for the third time last year! It's all unpaid so they can't really complain!

As part of the prize I'm to attend another professional photo shoot and make over at the end of the month, and I'll be put through to Brastop's overall Cover Girl competition, which is when I'll need your votes (pretty please, you lovely people <3)! Please do check out Brastop.com, it's the only online bra shop I'll go back to again and again! Nice plug there Kel... I'll leave you with one of my winning photos ;)

As always, thanks for reading! x

Brands In Focus: Curvy Kate!

2011-12-08T08:41:00.000-08:00

For the first of my occasional Brands In Focus series, I'm looking at the relatively new brand for the bigger bust; Curvy Kate!

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you'll know that I'm a big fan of this particular brand, which I only recently discovered this year by taking part in their Star In A Bra competition. More about that later.

Admittedly I only have 'real life' experience of two Curvy Kate styles, Thrill Me and Tease Me, but boy do I adore them!

Firstly, Thrill Me, a balcony bra with soft satin cups and oodles of detailing from Curvy Kate's Showgirl collection. Curvy Kate always seem to choose beautiful colours and contrasting trims. I have four Thrill Me's so far, a collection I'm hoping to add to. The uplift you get with this style is spectacular, often giving good cleavage too, although I don't tend to get this for some reason! The only problem I have with the Thrill Me bra is that the sizes aren't exactly spot on; back down, 2 cups up for me. I usually wear a 30G, and in the Thrill Me bra I wear a 28H. With the shorts, I tend to buy a 14 as the 16's are too large in the butt. The 16's are perfect on the waist though, so this is also a little niggle I have with the Thrill Me. The shorts have a sheer back, with ruffles at the top, trimmed with contrasting thread. I also LOVE the fact that they have suspenders attached. Anyway, on to the photos...Ahhhh, the ruffles, the colours, the bows, the lacy trim...LUSH!

Next, my other Curvy Kate favourite again from their Showgirl collection, Tease Me! Deliciously burlesque, this Balcony bra set is sure to wow whoever you're trying to impress. The Tease Me is available in a variety of colours, but only with a black overlay at the minute, something which will be thrown out of the window at Curvy Kate's HQ for their Spring/summer collection, with pretty spring inspired pastels. The basic structure of the cups is the same as the Thrill Me, thus gives the same shape. Again, Curvy Kate have paid a great amount of attention to detail, with bows, ribbons and ruffles. The shorts fit slightly differently in the Tease Me, which suits me down to the ground to be honest! The 16's are perfect on me, as with the thong. Again the shorts have attached suspenders and a sheer back with a row of ruffles, but no contrasting trim this time. I have to say, the Tease Me is a knockout set. I love it! Take a look...

So my love of Curvy Kate came earlier this year when I discovered they were running their annual Star In A Bra competition. Admittedly I didn't know a lot about the brand, just that their bras cost more than I liked to pay back then. I entered the competition on a whim, and incredibly got through to the top 10, which involved me travelling down to London for a photoshoot and leaving with a goodie bag! It all seems like a very unreal, distant memory, but I'm so glad I entered or I would never have discovered this fabulous brand, or made fabulous friends along the way. Since then I've been involved in a few photo shoots for my local newspaper, The Sentinel, and a local magazine, The North Staffordshire Magazine, and I hope they continue to consider me for any future features they may want to run. My next feature with them was shot last Thursday and will be in this week's Sentinel Magazine which comes with the Saturday Newspaper, so if you're from Staffordshire, look out for it!

Aside from the super sexy styles above, Curvy Kate also do a huge range of unpadded bras in cups D-K, backs 28-40. I was lucky enough at the Star In A Bra photoshoot to try out the Lottie, which hadn't yet been released at the time. The Lottie was the 2010 Create A Curvy Kate winner for De Montford University, another competition run by Curvy Kate. I LOVE how Curvy Kate involve their customers so much, it really helps me and others warm to the brand. Here's me in the Lottie, photographed by the fantastic Alison Webster. I'm sure you'll agree the colours and fit are stunning!

Ladies, if you're a D-K cup, you really should give Curvy Kate a try. Check the store locator to see where you can buy their fabulous lingerie. Go on, treat yourself ;)

Gorgeous by Debehams, a mini moan about size discrepancies...

2011-12-08T06:46:00.000-08:00

A quick one this time. I bobbed into Debenhams (again) to buy the Gossard Ooh La La set from my previous post and tried two bras from Debenhams own 'Gorgeous' range. Now in my last post, you'll remember that I found the backs too small, and the straps too long more often than not. Aside from the luxurious satin and lace bras, Gorgeous also produce a more everyday range. Now this is where things get complicated! See, the backs are very small and the cups also run around a size smaller too in my experience.

Below is the white floral balcony bra in a size 28G. The back was nice and snug but the cups far too small. As this is the biggest cup they do in a 28 band, my hopes of getting something in a shop were seemingly dwindling by the day....

....however, I also picked up this pink striped balcony bra in a 30GG to try, and it turned out that the back was pretty much the SAME as the 28 above!! Unfortunately the cups are a little on the small side, giving a slight 4-boob situation. I will try the 30H as soon as I can, but I think we have a success story here.

So, the moral of the story is; Don't just assume you're one size in all brands/shops/styles. ALWAYS try bras on as different brands/styles will fit differently. For example, I wear a 28H in Curvy Kate's Thrill/Tease Me, a 30G in 30G in some Gorgeous, and 32G in La Senza bikinis!

Happy Shopping! x

To every cloud there's a silver lining...

2011-12-01T11:54:00.000-08:00

Today I did another photo shoot for the local paper. This time it was all about bargain partywear. Not just any bargain partywear, but PRIMARK partywear! I had great fun posing with the mannequins in the entrance and ended up buying one of the dresses I wore, a leopard print skater dress for just £10. Apparently they couldn't give it to me, even though I was doing a piece basically advertising for them! If you're local to Staffordshire, I think it's going to be in the Sentinel Saturday Magazine in 2 weeks.

After my shoot I went on a typical bra hunting expedition in the very few shops Hanley has to offer. First up, as usual, Debenhams!

I was excited to find the Freya Taylor in my 'Deco size' of a 30G, which makes a change as they never usually stock Deco's or any variant in a 30G. I've heard the Taylor runs a little small in the cup and that's not incorrect! The back was tighter than a normal Deco too, which was perfect. The cups were small, but apparently they loosen up pretty quickly. I must admit, I fell in love with this when I first saw it online, but having seen it in person, I'm not so sure. I would have preferred Freya to have used a black velvet ribbon as opposed to brown. Other than that, the styling is gorgeous.

The next brand I tried was Gossard, purely because they are half price at the moment in Debenhams admittedly! Firstly we have the Beau bra. Pretty and a nice fit, although if you're a 28 back or above a G cup, you're sized out of this. I found I had to wear it on it's tightest hooks, which can only mean one thing; I need a refit. I also found my usual problem in that the straps were too long.

Next I tried the Ooh La La range; plunge bra and suspender belt. I was instantly drawn to the vintage styling of this range, but why Gossard decided to make the straps so thin is anyone's guess. I would like to say this set was perfect, but it wasn't. The cups weren't quite right, although I can't quite put my finger on what exactly is wrong. Maybe if it was a balcony bra it would be perfect. I love the structure of this set, lots of detail, and I love the mix of powermesh and stretch lace together. The suspender belt is a small, and sits high on the waist. It's so beautiful and I would have bought this if it had fitted. I'm sure you'll agree that it's a very striking set.

Now onto Debenhams' own brand for the fuller bust; Gorgeous. I was delighted to find this sexy longline bra in my size! For once, the purple straps weren't too long, but the cups were a little on the small side, giving me a bit of side boob, as shown in the second photo. I loved the ruffled edge and black on black polka dot fabric, and the longline style made a nice change from usual bras. Debenhams are known for being hit and miss with regards to back bands, and this one was nice and snug, ideal for me. It's a shame they stop at a G cup, I'd like to see this available in further cup sizes like other bras in the Gorgeous range.

Next up, This pretty green silk mix balcony bra. I love the gorgeous pintuck detail and lace edging on this, but again the straps were too long and the back slightly too large. Again, a fitting is in order, and again, this bra doesn't come in a 28 back.

This next one was a nice idea, an unusual snake/croc print, but the fit was not nice! Very much 'down and out'. Not recommended!

Next up, a limited edition for the festive season. Navy lace with a gold metallic thread, this is a very pretty choice, nice in the cup and in the back (if you're a 30 or larger), and a limited edition, so snap it up!

I promise there aren't too many more! This was perhaps the best of the Debenhams bunch, a memory foam (yes, you heard right!) steel blue t-shirt bra. Both comfortable and functional, and with the potiential for cleavage (with a little adjustment), this bra comes in a few different colours. Finally, a bra I'd recommend!

After my epic session in Debenhams, I toddled off to Marks and Spencer and was rather underwhelmed to only find 3 bras in my size, one of which I've reviewed in a previous blog. I was delighted to find this eye-catching black sequinned design in a 30G, although I'm also aware that a 30G can sometimes mean a 28F with the odd sizing in M&S. I wasn't far wrong...Check out my four boobs! I'd need at least a 30H in M&S sizes, something that is only a far distant dream. SORT YOUR SIZING SYSTEM!!

Now, to end, a pleasant surprise. A VERY pleasant surprise. A M&S bra that FITS! It's A 30G tight in the back, more like a 28. The cups are perfect too! Not to mention it's polka dot and red <3 The only reason I didn't buy this is because I already have lots of bras that I'm still to wear. If you're still sceptical about M&S bras I suggest you try this one. You may be surprised.

You may have noticed that I've not put any prices up this time. This is because there are so many offers and pre-christmas sales around at the moment, so you may find a bargain ;)

As always, thanks for reading x

Curvy Kate Thrills Me again....

2011-11-24T08:31:00.000-08:00

So after a very long wait, I was finally able to get my free Curvy Kate set for making it into the top 10 of their Star In A Bra competition earlier this year (see my past blogs for further reading). I chose, after much deliberation, the Thrill Me in Grape/Jade.

As soon as I opened the package and unwrapped the hot pink tissue paper Kimberly had wrapped it in, I was in love! It's rich jewel colours and pretty trims make you feel like you're getting a real treat!

As usual with Curvy Kate's showgirl range, you need to go down a back size and up 2-3 cup sizes, so I ordered a 28H, which is a perfect fit. The Thrill Me shorts are a firm favourite of mine. I adore the ruffles, trim and the suspenders. Sadly I'm not quite as happy with the fit. I feel the waistline could be an inch or so bigger, with sizing more consistent to the Tease Me. I ordered a size 14 because I know the 16 is too big on the butt, from previous encounters. I'll probably end up getting the thong too, the set is too hard to resist!

The Thrill Me is also available in Jade/Fuchsia, which is divine, and is on my Christmas list ;)

Both colours and more can be purchased here at lovebras.com

Thanks for reading!

K x

Bikini Bonanza! Time to wind down for a few weeks...

2011-10-31T17:06:00.000-07:00

So in a few days time I will be jetting off to the Maldives for 10 nights at the Iru Fushi resort!! Eeek!

In preparation, while everyone else is thinking about thick coats and scarves, I'm digging out the 10 bikinis I've collected over the summer. This what I'll be taking with me...

I'll start off with my favourite, the Kostium-w-Grochy-gora from Ewa Michalak. I was initially quite wary of ordering from a non-English speaking company (damn my terrible British attitude), but it turned out that the people at Polish company Ewa Michalak got it spot on, coming up with my 'usual' bra size of 30G. Be warned, they have a strange way of getting your measurements, involving you bending over and measuring around your hanging boobs, but it turns out the sizing was spot one, in this bikini at least. I have no idea how much this cost, but it was more than it does now, as it appears to be on offer at the moment. The bottoms I got in a 14 and a 16 to be safe. The 16's fit better, but the 14's aren't unwearable by no means. I adore this style, from the polka dots to the red ruffles, the structure of the cups and the amazing cleavage it gives, but my favourite thing it the back of the bottoms. SO cute!! Another useful design feature is the bra fastener, which is covered up by two lengths of fabric to tie. It has 3 rows of 2 hooks, just like a normal bra. I just LOVE this! Enough of my rambling, here are the photos:

Now for the mother of all big busted brands; Freya! I have 2 Freya bikinis packed, the purple Eclipse and the tattoo-ish print Ritual, both of which are old stock and may be difficult to find, hence no link! I searched for months for the ritual top in my size! So both are unpadded, nicely structured cups that feel supportive and trouble free, which is ideal if you're planning on doing anything more than lying on a sun lounger. The Eclipse has a cute heart detail on the strap and the waistband of the shorts, which is a nice bit of detailing on an otherwise plain bikini. As with most Freya bikinis, the bottoms come in various shapes, shorts, briefs, fold down briefs...Take your pick! The Ritual top is a 30G, bottoms a L, and the Eclipse is a 28GG (I think) and bottoms M. I'd recommend Freya bikinis whole heartedly. The only thing that lets them down a little for me is the patterns, but that's a personal thing. I do, however, LOVE the Ritual! Here we go, Ritual on the right, Eclipse on the left.

And here we come to a 'meh' bikini, by Lepel. I got this from an outlet and haven't seen it online, so it must be pretty old. It's completely the wrong size, but it was very cheap (£7 or something for the set) so I bought it and threw it straight on my 'to be altered' pile. This is a 32G. I don't really have much to say about this one, I just bought it because it was there! It's not great but buying the wrong size rarely works out!

Next up, my favourite for designs, La Senza. I have a love/hate relationship with La Senza in that they make bikinis up to a GG cup but they are seriously hard to find in a 30 back, yet there is an abundance of larger back & larger cup sizes. Logic would suggest they make more of the sizes that sell out the fastest, and less of the ones that end up sat in the sale; eventually ending up in outlet stores on sale for a few pounds. Literally. I was lucky enough to stumble across an outlet/uber discount La Senza store in Birmingham over the summer and picked up the bright pink checked bikini below, in a 30GG! It cost £5 and I managed to find a pair of tie side briefs in a size 12 on Ebay too! The fit on the 30GG is PERFECT, I cannot stress this enough. I really don't like how bright the pink is but I'm willing to waive that minor issue. The other 2 in the photo below are 32G's, 16 bottoms, and have both had to be altered to make the back bands fit better. The tops cost £22 at full price, and the bottoms around £15. Aside from the sizes, my only other issue is their use of halter necks. Why? I'm guessing my neck will be hurting after a few hours of wearing these. Meh, a good excuse for a massage from my other half I think ;) All in all, La Senza do make beautiful bikinis but one thing to remember is that you'll probably need to go up a cup size as their cups run small.

Finally, I was browsing in a local charity shop and came across a rack of bras that looked suspiciously large. On closer inspection, there were bikini tops in my size for £3.49 each! I quickly snapped them up and enlisted the help of fellow curvy girls online to help me identify which brands and styles they were and where to find the matching bottoms. It turned out they were from Bravissimo and made by Faubourg and Miss Mandalay. I luckily managed to find the matching bottoms in the sale, so the total cost for both bikinis came to around £25 . The Faubourg 'Pretty Young Things' bikini was very loose in the band and needed quit a lot of alteration, and the underwires come up quite high in the centre too, kind of cutting into my boobs so the fit isn't ideal for me. The Miss Mandalay Gingham bikini, although very cute, isn't great, and certainly not worth paying full price for. It is effectively a bikini with a gingham overlay that's not been fitted onto the bra/briefs as well as it could have been, creating an excess of fabric in certain parts. Still, for a charity shop find, I can't complain!

So that's it my lovelies! I'll see you all soon xxx

Follow me on Twitter @kel_kitty

Collectif FTW!

2011-09-28T17:20:00.000-07:00

On my last visit to London with my boyfriend in July I discovered a lovely little shop called Collectif situated a stone's throw away from the Covent Garden Travelodge. I'd always dreamt of dressing like a pin up girl and really showing off my curves, and Collectif certainly delivered!

I tried on a number of dresses in various styles and found the Dolores style fitted the best in the bust. The top I'm wearing in this first photo is the Dolores Top Knot Seagull, £25. I also got this in blue, both in a size 8. It fits really nicely and goes with jeans, shorts or skirts.

The next is a Rhonda Dress Fiesta in black satin, £30. Again a size 8, this fitted a size smaller than the Dolores, so I recommend you size up in this. It's a lassic 1940's style and is gorgeous but satin just isn't for me.

Next up, the super sexy Regina Feral Fatal Dress in Leo £50. The size 8 ftted like a glove, but sadly didn't provide quite enough room in the boob department. The neckline is beautiful and I'm so sad it didn't quite fit. This print would look fabulous with red shoes, belt and bag. I love it!

Here we have a Dolores Polka Polka Fitted Dress in Navy £45, size 8. When I got home and looked at these photos again, I instantly regretted not buying it! It fitted beautifully, hugging every curve as though it was made for me. I did manage to pick one up on Ebay in black/white a few weeks later and I've worn it twice since, with plenty of compliments too!

Up next is the Regina Doll Mini Polka Polka Flared Dress in blue, £55, Size 8. Like the Leopard print Regina fitted dress, this didn't quite fit my bosoms at the top! The waist was a little snug too, so I can't help wondering if a size 10 would have fitted. This is by far my favourite of all their flared dresses. I just love how the sleeves are trimmed with white, making it look as though the top part is a separate bolero. On my next trip to London, I'll definately be trying this again in a size 10, and probably buying it even if it means a trip to the dressmakers to get it altered.

So here's the one I bought from Collectif's Ebay shop for the bargain price of £10 due to it being a slight second. It's the Fitted Dolores Polka Dot in black/white and I adore it! Here I've teamed it up with a red belt from Primark, a red clutch bag from I have no idea where (I've had it ages!), and red and white shoes from Red Herring at Debenhams, which my boyfriend bought for me a few years ago. The Flower in my hair was from BHS.

My other purchase from Collectif was this amazing Jo Lucky Lady Cardigan, £30. I bought a Medium and it's so lusciously soft with some fantastic rockabilly embroidery detailing. Great to slip on to add that pin up touch to any outfit.

So the moral of the story is....SHOP WITH COLLECTIF!

Thanks for reading as always :)

A win for crappy fitting bras! The M&S fail...tut

2011-09-20T14:18:00.000-07:00

Just a quickie about Marks And Spencer's absolutely awful fitting bras. And I mean AWFUL. Firstly, there were 3 styles in my size, which 30G. Yes 3! So I tried them all...

This is a style I've battled with before, so I thought I'd try it again for the purpose of this blog. It's a very pretty padded plunge bra, withpeach polka dot lining inside the cups, and I really wanted it to work. The back band is fine, however, the cups are tiny, more like an F, giving me 4 boobs and even the dreaded side boob! Not good! However, if you're an F

cup, remember to size up and you might be on to a winner!

I love the vintage look of this bra, but again the cups are too small, particularly on my bigger boob, as you can see. The band again was nice and snug, so stick with your usual back size but size up by one cup I'd estimate.

My third and final fail! Supposedly this is a push up for enhanced cleavage. Um....

As usual for me, the straps are far too long, and are not fully adjustable, which in turn makes the cups appear much too big. The back band is also very loose, so if this is a style you're keen on, try a back size down.

While I was trying these on, there was a teenage girl being fitting in the next cubicle. She measured up as a 28" underbust, and the fitter recommended a 28 or 30 back, in a D cup which is fine, and then went on to say that they didn't have anything in stock in that, so perhaps she ought to try a 32 back. Anything to get a sale. If I wasn't pushed for time, I would have waited around and handed her my magazine from Brastop! Speaking of Brastop, my next blog will be all about my massive £140 order from them!

When I handed the bras back to the lady at the desk, I mentioned to her that the fit on each one was different and subsequently awful! She went on to tell me that the inconsistency is due to the bras coming from different manufacturers. Where is the quality control? Where are the product testers? Where's the LOGIC in this?!

TTFN, thanks for reading :)

Outlet Action!

2011-06-16T12:29:00.000-07:00

I went to Cheshire Oaks designer outlet just outside Chester a few weeks ago and here's how my day went:

First up, I went into the Karen Millen outlet and tried on 3 dresses and a trench coat, as seen in the follwing photo. It was a size 10, and a very heavy fabric. The wasist was too big as you can see, the sleeves too long

Karen Millen dress no.1:

Size 10, and beautifully designed and made. The issue here is pretty obvious: Hello bra!

Dress no.2:

Again in a size 10, Karen Millen really cater for curves! I'm convinced their mirrors distort you though. I look like ones of those controversial Pepperberry models! I LOVE this dress! It comes with a detachable necklace thingy too, which, as you can see in the picture, fastens like a halterneck.

Dress no.3:

This one's a size 8 and too small! I wouldn't be able to sit down in this! Still, it's a nice style; cowl neck and pencil skirt combo.

Onto the bras! The outlet store was full to the brim of Wonderbras and Shock Absorbers, not too many in my size, so here are the ones a found:

This was a struggle! I tried on 3 different sizes in this Shock Absorber. The 30G didn't have enough cup coverage, I think the one in the photo might be this size (see the sideboob?), the 30GG was too big on the back, and the 28H was again a little small in the cup and a little tight on the band. The benefit of this bra is that it just looks like a crop top, so you'd be able to go for a run/work out without a t-shirt. This is the best sports bra I've tried on so far.

This next one, another Shock Absorber in a 30G was truly horrific! Fembot alert! I hate the way the straps sit across the collarbone, and the way my boobs look like cones. AWFUL! It may work for smaller cup sizes though, and my boobs didn't move an inch.

Lastly, I tried this wonderbra, in a 30G. Band too stretchy and therefore unsupportive, cups too small and just...not right....And as usual, the straps are too long.

The moral of the story is: Take a trip to your local outlet village, it's always worth a rummage!

Thrill Me, Tease Me.....

2011-06-16T11:57:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the numerous blogs today, I have lots of photos from various trying on occasions I wanted to share!

This time, it's the turn of Curvy Kate, yet again! Following my stint in this years' Star In A Bra competition, I've become quite fond of the brand and their ruffly, luxurious, sexy designs, although I must admit, I've not ventured beyond the Showgirl range. I always buy from Brastop, as they offer a good range for good prices, and almost always have different offers on.

A quick point to add is that the sizes of the Thrill Me and Tease me bras are slightly off. I usually wear a 30G, but in both these styles I need a 28H. So it's down a back size, up one or even two cup sizes. My tip is to buy from a retailer with a no quibble returns policy, such as Brastop.

This, my darlings, is the Tease Me in Purple/Black. Size 28H, size 16 shorts. I LOVE it! I also have this in Emerald/Black. I've still not worn it during the day yet, but I've heard they are really comfortable. I love the fact it has bows, ruffles and suspender clips and goes right up to a J cup! Other women get an epic cleavage from this, sadly, I don't, but that's simply due to my breasts being bottom heavy. If you're a DD cup or above, then BUY THIS!

The next set featured is the Thrill Me in Ivory/Black. 28H/16. Again, ruffles and bows sold this for me, although I'm not entirely convinced the ruffles on the edge of the cups will sit well beneath clothes. I'm exchanging the shorts for a size 18 as they seem pretty snug and give me a bit of a muffin top, but the thong in a 16 is perfect and oh-so cute!

The third set I ordered was the Ella in black/multi, in 30G, size 16 shorts. I ordered this as I wanted to try an unpadded bra for a change, but I've since returned it, as I know I won't wear it! The fit was ok, perhaps a little smaller than comfortable in the cups, and the shorts were HUGE as you can probably tell! I'd recommend going down by one or two sizes in these. If you like unpadded bras, then the Ella offers excellent support and is very pretty, reminding me of bright fireworks exploding against a dark sky. Just lovely!

So there we have it, another Curvy Kate review done! Before I go, Take a look at the newly released brochure for Curvy Kate's Spring Summer 2012 range. You may see a familiar face on page 27 ;)

Fitting Faux Pas and Bikini Bloopers!

2011-06-16T11:01:00.000-07:00

There is a rather infamous battle of bra fitting that has constantly been raging for quite a few years now, so I thought I'd give it a quick mention, as it is linked to the bikini half of my blog. The old school method is to add 4-5 inches to the actualy underbust measurement, which I'm sure is where all this 'blah blah % of all women are wearing the wrong bra size' thing comes from. I've only recently (in the past 3 months maybe) discovered that instead of the 32G I was wearing, my 'real' size is 30G.

For my fitting I went to Bravissimo, who fit you by eye based on the bra you're wearing. To be honest, even I don't practise what I preach entirely, as my underbust measurement is pretty much 28", so I should really be trying 28 backs. The 30 backs I have seem nice and snug, so I'll stick with them for now. I'm aware that this may just be a manufacturer issue...

It was clear from my Star In A Bra entry photos (32G) that I was wearing the wrong size, even a MAN commented on this! Surely this is proof enough that the old method is wrong?! Here's a photo of me wearing a 32 back size.Not the best picture to demonstrate this, but you just about see that the bra sits away from my chest at the gore (the centre of the bra, between the cups). This means that all the support comes from the straps, causing pain, red marks and cutting in on the shoulder muscles.

So, according to some online calculators I come up as anything from a 32E to a 34E, and many sizes besides. With this in mind, I decided to try on a few bikinis from New Look's range by Kelly Brook.

Firstly, a very cute black and white gingham number in a 32E. I don't really need to say much about this, I think the photos say it all...The only plus side is that the cups are big enough. Stringy straps=ouch!

Next I tried a 34E swimsuit. Unflattering, badly fitting. I am NOT a 34! Maybe if I tied the 'bra strap' back instead of using the fastener....?

Lastly, I adore the fabric and ruffles on this last one, again a 34E. Cups on the large side, same with the back.

My biggest point to make with these bikinis is WHY do they have shoestring straps??? Fine for smaller cup sizes but I'm thinking cheesewire for heavier boobs....

Thanks for reading, as always x

Debenhams Disasters and Delights!

2011-06-16T09:47:00.000-07:00

As always, I ended up in Debenhams lingerie department last week. I noticed they have a few nice new bras in, so I gave them a whirl, leaving my boyfriend, yet again, aimlessly andering around the reast of the store. Bless.

Bra numero uno: Gorgeous Black Spot Balcony Bra, Currently in the 30% off offer at £17.60, usual price £22.

As always, I tried this in a 30G, and had no problems with the typically snug Debenhams band. The problem was in the straps, that are stretchy and too long. I know this can be rectified in a few minutes with a needle and thread, but it's still annoying, nonetheless. See how, in the second photo, the uplift of the breast is acheived by simply shortening the straps? his is something I have always had issues with sadly.

Second up, we have the Gorgeous (VERY fitting in this case) Ivory Ribbon Detail Balcony Bra £16 currently, usually £20.

Oh my....I LOVE the styling of this bra, contrasting colours and ribbons are my favourite! The fit is fine, again in a 30G. I'm quite tempted to buy this one, but yet again, the straps are too long! I want uplift, damnit!

Thirdly, I found this on the sale rack at just £7.20. It's a Wonderbra, and I think it's model name is 'Dream'. It's not on the Debenhams website, so check Ebay if you like it, or here.

This one is a typical balcony bra, with excellent uplift, a snug fitting band, and giving a pretty good forward projection which sits well under clothes. It gives a very flattering shape and makes you look slimmer too, whic is always a bonus! I'm sure if you have more top heavy boobs, you will get an epic cleavage too!

I purchased this one (manily due to the price) and it's nice as an everyday bra, although the underwires do sit quite far into the armpits. Ideal id you tend to get a lot of sideboob, but does tend to rub a little. Not enough to stop me seeking it out in white though!

Last up for this blog, The Gorgeous Black Sports Bra £17.60 at the moment, usually £22.

I wasn't expecting much from this, with it being an 'own brand' sports bra, but I must admit, it was pretty supportive! The ONLY issue I had was that the 'cups' (can I call the front area that??) were a bit small. They could have done with being a tad bigger, offering a bit more coverage under the arms to encase any sideboob. I tried this in my usual size of 30G.

If you're looking for a sports bra, certainly at least try this one on!

I know a lot of you busty girls out there avoid places like M&S and Debenhams, but I strongly suggest you don't entirely rule them out. Don't forget Debenhams also stock other big boob brands such as Freya, Fantasie and Panache!

Thanks for reading Gorgeous ;) x

Curvy Kate Tease Me

2011-05-29T17:17:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to post this one very quickly before I go to bed. Curvy Kate's Tease Me set in Black/Emerald. It's GORGEOUS!

Any girls thinking of buying this need to bear a few points in mind; Always size down with the band (I'm a 30G and had to buy a 28H in this and the Thrill Me), size up in the pants for a more flattering fit (I'm wearing a size 16 here, and I wear 10-12 jeans/trousers), and lastly try to resist the urge to leave the house wearing nothing but this set as you may be arrested for crimes of pure hotness!!

The only problem I found was it dug in my armpits a little, but I didn't wear it for long enough to establish whether or not it was just how I was sitting/standing to take the photos. I'm interested to see what it looks like underneath clothes too.

Anyway, enjoy the montage!

Mwah and goodnight! xxx

Bra hunting in Manchester!

2011-05-26T14:10:00.000-07:00

Right then beauts...Today I went to Manchester all on me tod so I could spend ages trying bras on. Firstly I need to point out/moan about the red marks I was experiencing with my Freya Carly (30G). I wasn't uncomfortable at all, maybe I was just dehydrated (classic me). Either way, I had red marks on my shoulders, at the gore, and rather amusingly, a perfect imprint around my side/back! Have a look...

On to the shops! First off, I tried Debenhams, who offer a good range of sizes from a 28 back, right up to a HH cup!

I love the ivory chiffon bow balcony bra from the Gorgeous range! 30G £24 I think it was...Great uplift, gives a nice, rounded shape. The back isn't very generous at all. If anything it's a little tight, but I'd still buy it in this size.

The navy satin and mesh balcony bra is again a 30G, £16.50 and this time, the back was a bit better, although the straps were WAY too long. I'd have to take a good few inches off them to make this one work. Nice everyday bra though...

And last up from Debenhams, the bright pink mesh and lace trim balcony bra, £16.50. I had this in navy a few years ago but it no longer fits, which is a shame, because I prefered that colour...Anyway, fits well, perhaps a little small on the back. Great thing about this one is that you get the briefs/thong free when you buy them in store, although I'm not sure the offer applies online.

Next up, Marks & Spencer. Frequently inconsistent in sizing, sometimes the backs run very small, but not when you want them to (see second bra!).

First up, the Limited Collection gingham check padded balcony bra, priced at £10 in the sale. It's not the best fit, could do with a bit more cup, but maybe that's just my boobs. I tried this in three sizes: 28G, 30F and 30G. True to size, I purchased the 30G (I sooo need my roots doing...). The only issue is, once again the straps are slightly too long. You can tell I love this one!

Next up, Spot Print Push-Up DD-G Plunge Bra, £16. Back sizes start in a 32, so I tried a 32G. The back was too big (admittedly I would have wrongly worn this size a few months back), but the cleavage was rather impressive!

Finally from M&S, the Limited Collection Vintage Style Spot Mesh Padded Bra (DD+ sizes not shown on the link), £12 in the sale. Fail! I tried a 30G and there was enough room to swing a cat in there!! M&S don't make a FF for some strange reason, so I guess I'd need a 30E, as this was so roomy! I wouldn't ordinarily try an unpadded bra but this caught my eye. It's very pretty and maybe I should have tried another size.

Last but not least (by a long shot!), every busty girls' Mecca; Bravissimo! The Manchester store is very small, located in the Quadrangle shopping mall, close to Selfridges and the Printworks. It has a very limited range of bra sets, swimwear and sleepwear, but doesn't stock any Pepperberry clothing.

First up, the Dotty Spot bra by Bravissimo, £29. I tried a 30G in this one, which was slightly too small in the cup, as you can see by the creasing. I found the structuring of this bra made my boobs kind of lumpy between the seams. I think this is just because my boobs aren't the firmest!

Next I was doing an experiment with the wonderful Freya Deco, £30. I have one of these in a 30G in nude, but I wanted to try a 28 back. The only 28 they had was a FF so I tried it anyway. What a disaster! How many boobs??! Having said that, the back was nice and snug, and I'm going to try and seek out a 28G to try.

The next photo is a Strapless Deco in a 28G. The back is a little too snug for my liking, but I expect that of a strapless. I'm thinking the 28G in the regular Deco *should* fit ok...

Since it's almost holiday time I decided to try the Pureda Panama plunge bikini, a Bravissimo exclusive. £32 for the top, £20 for the bikini brief. The back was a little too stretchy for my liking and when I bent over to put the briefs on, it pinged open! Dangerous! Always make sure the fastener is 'locked'! It's nice, but for the price, I think I could find something a bit more...sturdy? I know this wouldn't fare too well with a run on the beach without some serious bounce. It looks gorgeous though, so I'm a little torn...

Next, we have the Rita bra by Cleo, £25. Fits great, looks great, true to size. The only reason I didn't buy this is because I wasn't that taken by the pattern. Had it been leopard print with red lace, or polka dot, I would have been all over it!!

The following one I had every intention of buying today! The funky Karina by Cleo. At £31, it's a little steep compared to the previous Cleo bra I tried on. The one pictured is a 30G, which was a little bit too big on the cup, so I tried a 30FF, and this seemed better. The main reason I didn't buy it (apart from the price), was the shape it gave me udner my t-shirt. It gave me a kind of teardrop shape side-on, which I don't quite fancy. I prefer more uplifted, rounded boobs, like the Deco gives. I was also worried about falling out of the middle of this bra, as it is a plunge, and I don't usually have much success with these.

Lastly I spied a rack of Pepperberry clothing with a "What's your Pepperberry size?" above it, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. I 'measure up' as a 8SC, according to the Pepperberry size guide, but I thought I'd be better suited to a 8C. The assistant recommended I try the 8RC, which worked a treat. My criticisms with the Pintuck Shirt I tried are that the sleeves are too baggy, not to mention too long (probably to be expected as I'm only 5'2"), and the shoulders are a little too broad for my frame. I'd also say it's quite generous in the waist for an 8, especially given the models Pepperberry use are somewhat thinner than myself, but that's a whole different ball game....Otherwise, I might consider buying from the Pepperberry range.

So, that's all folks! I hope you've enjoyed my first review-type blog. I actually enjoyed writing it!

Muchos Luvos xxx

Boobalicious!

2011-04-22T12:56:00.000-07:00

So...The professional photoshoot....

Pictures speak louder than words, so they say...whoever 'they' are....

All in all, it was a great day, strange getting made up by someone else other than myself, getting my hair done how I wouldn't normally do it and standing in a room of at least 5 people eaing nothing but lingerie, being the centre of attention, but it's all in a days' work I guess ;)

Please vote for me, I'd really love to win this contract, it would literally change my life :)

I'll leave you with this little extra from the vaults! Me and T'other half before I went red :)

Love to Mr H xxx

And thanks for the votes ;)

Star In A Bra-dom!

2011-04-18T13:21:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I got lazy with blogging....

Two weeks ago I found out I was in the top 10 of Curvy Kate's Star In A Bra. Insane. Completely insane.

It was Tuesday 5th April and I was on my lunch break. I checked Facebook on my phone (I'd been checking that and my emails ALL MORNING!) and had finally come to the conclusion that I hadn't made it into the top 10 as I hadn't heard anything from Curvy Kate. I saw on their page that the top 10 had been announced and somebody (Liz Divall!) had written a congratulatory post on a group wall to a few other the other girls and ME....yes me!! I was in a state of disbelief, half not believing it. My boyfriend went and checked and it was true! Eek! My head was swimming, thinking about the impending photoshoot and what would be asked of us top 10 girlies, the new round of voting, trying to convince everyone who voted first time round to vote again....

It was also the same day as my story in the local paper, the Sentinel, was printed. I was rather aprehensive about having an interview and photoshoot to be perfectly honest. I'm not the most interesting person, I don't fit in well, don't drink, would rather stay at home and crochet, and I like dolls and Japanese animated movies! Still, the reporter and I chatted for a while and then I went over to the 'Roundhouse' for my shoot, which was made 100000x easier by the fantastic photographer, Clare Lewis, who I also went to college with incidentally! Here's the link anyway...

I will blog in a few days about the photoshoot experience as it will just make this blog far too lengthy, and we don't want that, do we?! I'll leave you with the newspaper article in paper form....

TTFN!

Cheryl Warner: Invest In Your Chest!

2011-03-24T06:06:00.000-07:00

Re: Cheyl Warner's fabulous new blog here:

I totally agree with the importance of a good fit! Too many times have I purchased what I thought was my size, only to find that after a few hours, I have overspill/digging in under the arms, loose band, etc…

Have you ever had a fitting experience that hasn’t gone in the following way:

1.The fitter asks which size you usually wear.
2. The fitter measures you
3. The fitter tells you “well, you’re coming up as a (e.g) 34DD but you’re obviously not”.
4. They bring in a variety of bras, one in the size you measured at, the rest in the size you usually wear!

I must admit, I’ve not found *too* much of an issue finding nice bras to fit over the past 5 years or so, but my issues are more concerning little niggly things, like the cups starting too close to the armpits, causing rubbing, the straps being far too long-let’s face it, if you’re a 28FF, you’re going to be of a petite build.
I read on a poster in a fitting room saying that this particular company fits their bras on at least 8 people before sending out to the production line. 8 is NOT enough! They need at least a few women in each SIZE before approving!

Rant over

Cheryl's other blog can also be found here

Top 30 Turmoils!

2011-03-22T17:16:00.000-07:00

So I'm still in shock about getting into Curvy Kate's top 30 for Star In A Bra!!

Today I've been in an OK mood about it. I've even given the owner of the company where I work a strip of paper with "VOTE KELLY PARKS ON www.starinabra.com" on it!, and had him voting then and there! He was quite interested in seeing me in my lingerie to say the least! I've also been asking people to vote for me (without trying to offend anyone in the process!).

I'm getting rather intimidated by the whole thing to be honest. As anyone who knows me will agree, I'm not the most extrovert woman around, and I'm fighting desperately with myself not to just stop campaigning and curl up in bed instead.

I have very few friends and not much confidence, so it's pretty hard for me to get votes, especially since people who see my pictures must think I absolutely ooze confidence and love myself! See? Who'd have thought I'm actually sat here alone, feeling quite vulnerable!

The above lingerie set was from La Senza, if anyone is wondering!

I've had a couple of compliments, but nothing like what the other girls are getting. I think I'd be better off not looking at Curvy Kate's Facebook wall! I do keep getting random men sending me messages, which is not out of the ordinary, I'm just getting more now!! I just link them to my voting page on Facebook and send them on their merry way!!

So if you're reading this, please vote for me on facebook and on www.starinabra.com

Last pic of the night before bed, a make-up free shot of me and my baby boy <3

LOVE TO ALL =o)

SO I'm a STAR IN A BRA top 30 girl!!

2011-03-20T12:51:00.000-07:00

I know nobody is following me (yet) but I thought I'd post this anyway!

I entered the 2011 Curvy Kate Star In A Bra competition and made it to the top 30!!

I NEED votes. If anyone is reading this, please go to http://www.starinabra.com/ and vote for me Kelly Parks 'Stokey star in a bra!'

Thank you muchlies
xxx

Please allow me to introduce myself....

2011-02-25T07:22:00.000-08:00

Well....Hello there!

If anyone is actually reading this, well done for finding one in many millions of utterly pointless and dull blogs. Before I start blogging like there's no tomorrow, I'll tell you a bit more about myself first.

I'm Kelly, 29 (oh god, almost 30) from Stoke-On-Trent. I work as an optical assistant and Diabetic Retinopathy screener at a large independant opticians practice. I live with my parents after a failed attempt to move out 3 years ago. I've been with my boyfriend for 3 years, and we work together.

My 'babies' you may hear me talk about are my three Shih-Tzu's. I like to make things, crochet, draw, sew, make jewellery, stuff like that, in my spare time. And I like dolls. Yeah, dolls. Very expensive ones, not like Barbie or anything...

I don't do going out and getting drunk, possibly because I don't drink and the 'going out' scene in Stoke annoys me....Don't ask me why I don't drink and don't try to lecture me on how great it is to be staggering around the streets, falling onto passing policemen wearing 4 inch heels before throwing up on their shoes...No, I won't get off my high horse!

I like to dye my hair. It's been many shades of red over the past 12 months, so I imagine I have a pretty hefty hair dye review type blog coming up...

Final point, I hate lol, loooooool, lololololol and any other variant.

Enjoy :)