The Playful Holiday Guide: Swimwear Galore

Whether you’re planning a far-flung exotic getaway of a lifetime or strutting your stuff at a hip and happening music festival this year, the new luxe, sexy swimwear collections from Playful Promises and Wolf & Whistle has you covered.

Feeling the Caribbean Heat

Lucky enough to be jetting off on a tropical getaway this season? Look no further than our mustard floral bikini. The fresh, joyful colour could not be a better pairing for those sun-drenched beaches and palm-tree lined streets. Our exclusive in-house designed print and flattering high-waist brief will make your heart rejoice, whether you are a vintage vixen or a sun seeking beach bum. Pair with a stylish wide-brimmed hat, comfortable sandals and a sarong – or just show off the bikini set in all its glory – and hit the sun and the sea.

No tropical dream holiday is complete without the vintage floral print bikini – a dream for romantics and vintage-lovers alike. The soft pastel hues and the pretty bardot sleeve detail create the timeless glamour that will ensure you’re the star of the beach.

Attention all those curvaceous babes out there – our sub-brand Wolf & Whistle have expanded their stunning collection of swimwear to include curve/plus sizes! We are still not over the Hawaii vibes of their Peonie 3D Flower bikini set, available in sizes UK 8 to 26. With large, 3D flower embellishment, lush peach colour and flattering, high-waist briefs, this is the most dreamy set that will make you feel like the babeliest babe out there.

California or Bust

Feeling hot and bothered, and nothing but Californian sunshine will do? The promise of warmer weather has us dreaming of poolside cocktails in the warm sunset glow, and we can think of nothing better than to set this scene with our star bikini set – the Applique and Mesh set! With a wine colourway – the colour of the moment – and the most lush applique floral embellishment, nothing will turn heads faster than this sexy and playful little number. The cross-strap detail on the hips is just right for showing off some cheeky peeks of the skin. Pair this jaw-dropping set with your coolest shades and favourite pair of heels  - not forgetting your pool-side cocktail of choice!

Good girl gone bad? Our floral print & crochet bikini set will be the most risqué set to flaunt on the beach. With its exclusive, in-house floral print combined with crochet detail, this set is flirty fun, sporting a central cut-out in the middle of the high-neck bikini top.

Go for bond-girl pool vibes in the Wolf & Whistle Jett Metallic Gold bikini set in sizes 32-36B-F, 38-42C-42F and UK 8-26. The moulded, underwired cups ensure support and comfort, the high-waited briefs ensure a flattering cut, and the strappy, bondage-inspired details will have heads turning wherever you lay your beach towel.

A City Break

Have a more active, adventurous break planned that’s full of festivals, music and excitement? Looking for something stylish, fun, and easy to style with your holiday wardrobe? Our selection of black swimsuits and sets have you covered.

The black lattice swimsuit is perfect for pairing with a mini-skirt for a daytime outing, and is an equally stylish option when the nearest beach calls your name. The lace insert swimsuit is the perfect day to night transition piece, whether you are partying the day away at a festival in Madrid or dipping your toes in the lagoon off the coast of Lisbon.

Party like its 1989 in the fun and funky Goldie Black swimsuit with a removable chain – it is the perfectly flattering, versatile layering piece available in curve sizes UK 18 to 26 (along with other curve and core bikini options from UK 6/8-26). Draw attention to your décolletage with the plunging neckline – and who could ever resist the fun of pairing some sparkle with your swimwear!

So show off those curves, grab your favourite cocktail, and get ready to have fun in the sun!

Ageless Fashion

Last year we launched an ongoing Ageless Fashion campaign, challenging our society's obsession with youth by working with 2 models in their late 60's, Lina and Pam - check out the images and find out more here and here.

Continuing the campaign, we recently worked with the amazing Karen (50) on her first sultry lingerie shoot! 

Karen wears the Carlota Basque, Isadora Brief and Bettie Page Leopard Robe

We knew we just had to work with Karen after first spotting her amazing, fun style on instagram, and teamed up for a shoot at the beautiful Courtesan (we can also attest to their delicious food and cocktails!).

Karen told us:
I’m a 50 Year Old woman... very much in charge of my own style and identity! I’m very sad to say that as I get older I realise the emphasis on younger women in any part of the media related industry. My partner and I have been modelling for a short while, and generally he gets picked to star alongside a much younger woman. I think that it obviously sells... this older guy/young pretty thing ‘look’. But I think it’s a little sad... older woman look sexy... cool... stylish... in control... do we scare these men??!! 

Karen wears the Bettie Page Red Corsolette and Leopard Print Robe, and a hair flower by our friends at Bettie Page Hair

Karen wears the Candace Noir set, and hair flower by our friends at Bettie Page Hair

International Women's Day 2018

Women's rights and the push for equality is extremely important to us, as a female-run brand.

We often focus on feminist issues, in particular those that relate to fashion and media (we run an ongoing Ageless Fashion campaign highlighting the lack of representation of women over 40, we have talked about gender and identity inclusive of NB/trans/genderfluid people, we have discussed ethical fashion and how this supports women worldwide, we discussed the objectification of Bettie Page, and we have discussed the male gaze), so we decided to create some stats cards that you can share this International Women's Day to highlight issues and inequality.

It was only in 2009 when Ursula Burns became the first female African American CEO on the list. There have only ever been 64 women CEOs on the list; the first Fortune 500 list was published in 1955.

An analysis of 2017’s violent crime figures for England and Wales shows that one in five women have experienced sexual assault since the age of 16, however, this is just reported crimes – the #metoo movement showed just how common sexual assault and harassment is.

The majority of girls are cut before they turn 15 years old.

Women are not compensated for this work, and many economies don’t calculate it into the country’s GDP. It also takes time away from women that could be spent growing their careers.

Step Up Your Lounge Game

There is surely no feeling more decadent or luxurious than when lounging around in your most sumptuous and comfortable floaty goodness. Whether you are cosying up with a beau on a cold winter evening, or luxuriating in gorgeous spring morning sunshine while enjoying a book and a coffee, there is nothing that beats the opulence of truly decadent loungewear.

Are you a bed-head for whom comfort is always king? Our Smoking Suit PJs are perfect for the ultimate satin-clad cat nap and stylish bedtime routine. Joanie, from the ever-popular Gabi Fresh range, with its sexy lashings of floral lace at the sleeves, is perfection for the curvy loungewear fans.

Nothing is more opulent or swishy than the comfortable, yet oh so stylish, French knicker. With its flattering cut and ample satin fabric it is a classic style that has never gone out of fashion, and for good reason. It is a timeless lingerie drawer must-have, the elegance and comfort of which cannot be beaten. Pair it with our foxy Bettie Page Leopard print satin robe, and make like a sultry retro vixen of old.

The lush devore velvet of our Francois set has been a firm fan favourite – and there are only a few sizes left to snap up! Summoning images of lush long mornings cosied up with a cup of tea, or snug winter evenings by the fire, Francois and Reina are visions of loungewear opulence. We also love to see how our fans have been imaginatively styling both into their outerwear, with the gorgeous flowing satin of Reina doubling up as a sexy evening dress after the manner of old Hollywood glamour; and Francois robe being an easy option for a wrap top.

Looking for something a little more sheer and revealing but still want to stay comfortable? The tulle babydoll from our ever-coveted Bettie Page line fits the bill to a T. The frill-tastic briefs are both playful yet comfortable, and the sheer babydoll is the embodiment of relaxed, luxuriant yet subtly flirty seduction.

We are firm believers that more fabric doesn’t have to mean less sexy – as you can see from our selection of bodysuits, playsuits and teddies. While our lacy and strappy numbers such as Margarita, Maya and Alicia are sure to get you hot under the collar, the velvet lushness of Roxy or dazzling sparkle of Showtime bodysuits can easily be incorporated into spicy outerwear. Since the lingerie-as-outerwear trend is going nowhere fast, why not incorporate Roxy with a sexy pencil skirt, or rock Grace on a night out paired with some sharp tailoring and killer heels?

Over here at Playful Promises HQ we are completely unable to resist the temptation of swishy tassles, and adding the Nadia tassle harness would complete absolutely any look, boudoir or outerwear. Why not try pairing it over our lingerie skirt, throwing the lush sheer tulle robe over the top for some eye-catching swishiness. Comfort and decadence have never looked so good.

We Won A UK Lingerie Award!

To our long-standing fans as well as new customers, it may come as no surprise that Playful Promises has a long history dedicated to excellent customer service, proliferation of innovative, flirty and quirky designs, and commitment to inclusivity in all of its aspects. So it was with great honour and delight that we felt our work had been recognized when we took away the Small Business of the Year Award at the prestigious UK Lingerie Awards! It is one of the biggest events in the intimate apparel calendar with nominees being voted for by industry representatives, celebrating industry excellence.

Going from strength to strength in the last few years, we have been applauded for our inclusive size range, having expanded it over four times since 2015. Playful Promises was one of the first brands in the UK to offer open-cup bras in plus sizes, and one of the few independent brands to have continually expanded sizing. 

Recognizing a demand, we launched a US warehouse and website in late 2016, which has led to growth both via retail and wholesale. To cater to our ever-growing base of customers and fans, as well as selling online we are happy to say that we are also stocked in over 200 stores and boutiques worldwide.

We are passionate about diversity, and are extremely proud of our achievements that have set us apart from other brands. It is heartening to see that several of our notable campaigns have been met with a lot of positive responses and covered by a large number of media outlets.

In April 2017 we released our Ageless Fashion campaign, working with models in their late 60s to challenge society’s definition of beauty and sexuality. This was picked up by the press (and shortlisted for another UK Lingerie Award for Marketing Campaign), recognizing the need to represent beauty and sensuality in women of all ages, something that has thus far been sorely lacking in the industry.

Following the successful launch of our Curve collection in 2016, partnering with Gabi Fresh, a US influencer and plus size swimwear designer felt like a natural progression in 2017. This extended our size range of up to UK size 28 and bra sizes up to 44G and featured outré, trend-led styles. The collaborative plus size lingerie collection has been a sell-out success and was featured in major national and international press such as Glamour and InStyle, creating a huge media buzz.

Another campaign of significance was shooting our Bettie Page Lingerie brand on non-binary drag queen Violet Chachki, signifying our commitment to inclusiveness of all genders and sexualities. This was the first time a drag queen has fronted a lingerie campaign, something we consider to be quite a break-through in the industry. While ground-breaking, we were very pleased to find that the overwhelming response to the campaign has been a positive and encouraging one, with media outlets such as Vogue.It, Harpers Bazaar and Huffington post reporting extensively on it.

As a brand we are thrilled to be recognized for the work we have done in promoting inclusivity and our commitment to excellence in design.

We are therefore pleased to have been shortlisted for the Best Multichannel Retailer Under £25m Turnover Award at the upcoming Drapers Digital Awards 2018 which will be taking place in April. The awards form part of the wider Drapers Digital Festival which brings together more than 700 professionals to celebrate excellence in the ecommerce industry. We hope you are all wishing us luck!