Christmas Gift Guide: Naughty or Nice?

Are you stumped for gifts this Christmas? Has the daunting task of finding the perfect something brought you out in a damp sweat?

Perhaps it's best to let us do all the sweating for you, while you sit back and enjoy these photos of the gorgeous Sophia St. Villier wearing a little something arriving in January. 

Our Naughty or Nice Christmas gift guide is here to assist you in your hunt for that special prezzie. Do vibrant reds and sultry blacks get you in the mood for being evil (a la Eartha Kitt)? Or is she a pastel Princess, sweet enough to eat? We have something for everyone, and for many items sizing is a doddle. We specialise in soft cup bras, a lifesaver for those that just cannot bear to ask a lady her size! 

1. Circus Pin Up Panties - Snake Charmer £15. These sizzling briefs are the perfect little stocking filler or Secret Santa gift, guaranteed to hypnotise onlookers with their rich colour. The Snake Charmers come with their own Circus tin, no need for fiddly wrapping paper! 

2. Red Satin Waspie £60. Wear under or over, with clothing or without. This sumptuous red corset is a must have for the Christmas party season. I've worn mine on multiple outings over clothes as an alternative to a thick belt - great for shaping your figure. 

3. Morgana Lace and Mesh Bra £27.50. EVERY woman needs a little black lacy number, and we adore Morgana for it's ability to suit both day and night, work and play! 

4. Victoria Garter Dress £37.50. A classic favourite, the Victoria garter dress covers all those lumps and bumps we all have, creating a sleek and sexy silhouette. Turn over and reveal a naughty surprise :P

5. Bordello Glitter Cabaret Shoes £70. Talk about va-va-voom... These shoes just beg to shine out at that otherwise dreary Christmas party. I would probably break my neck wearing these, but at least I would look great for the Ambulence men. 

6. Heart Noir Brief £19. I cannot explain how much I love these adorable briefs. A brand new addition from our SS12 collection, these have been inspired by Film Noir and are therefore a perfect gift for all those a little bit devilish. 

7. Pin-Up Girl - Call Me Cutie £15. Another sumptuous tin from our gifting range, ideal for the pin-up obsessed. I particularly love the red stitch detail on the front of the briefs, and the phrase "Call Me..." leaves no questions about it! 

1. Genie Lace Triangle Bra - Mauve £25. Whenever I see this bra I instantly imagine Maire Antoinette teaming it with voluminous bloomers for a good relax on the chaise longue. Perhaps not historically accurate but perfect for those with a sweet tooth.

2. Peach Detail Waspie £80. This is not just any underbust corset. This adorable number has been created with light pink satin contrasted against black lace, the perfect combination (as if you couldn't tell one of our favourite colour combos). 

3. Rose Peach Lace Brief £16. Cute and dainty doesn't have to mean unsexy, and Rose proves this point with it's delightful sheer lace. I've chosen this as one of the most comfy styles I've ever worn, so who says you have to suffer for fashion? 

4. Lyla Satin Playsuit - Pink £35. As a lover all all things playsuits/leotards/bodysuits (unless it's from the 70s!) I had to snap this up in Black when I first saw it and I must say, it has definitely kept the dreaded onesies away this winter!

5. Pin Up Couture Pink Heritage Shoes £55. Every lingerie lover knows it is important to match your lingerie to your shoes. It's unlikely you will find pink and houndstooth knickers so you will just have to make do with matching these to anything else on our Nice gift guide.

6. Margot Blush Pink Brief £15. Who says femme fatales must be all red lipstick and black pencil skirts? The Margot brief is a sure sign of a good girl gone just a little bit bad. I LOVE the delicate eyelash lace and sheer back. 

7. Blush Suspender Belt £25. Cannot get enough of this Blush suspender belt - I'd even team it with black (with a touch of pink detail) lingerie just to make it pop! A perfect gift for vintage fantatics and pin-up sweethearts. 

We'd love to hear what kind of gifts you are purchasing for your loved ones this year, and what gifts you would LOVE to receive (nudge nudge wink wink)!

Christmas gift review: Lady Unmentionable

A knicker in a tin, what a remarkable invention!

Lingerie is always a welcome gift from anyone. I truly believe that you can never have enough underwear, so whether a lover buys you a steamy set of lacy pieces or whether a friends treats you to a knicker in a tin, its just a win win situation.

Emma and the Playful Promises team make these rather delicious tins with a brief hidden inside. The tin itself has a very cute illustration and each brief is special with customized details like bows, lace and detailing.

I've been asked to review the Circus Pin-Up tins, but they really sell themselves. These tins are just great for the Christmas season, and for hen parties and even birthdays, and small treats for no reason. There doesn't have to be a reason to treat someone!

The Circus Tins are inspired by three typical circus performers. The hand-drawn illustration on the tin lid is delicately drawn to represent the; Ring Mistress, the Tiger Tamer and the Snake Charmer. Each circus act is wearing the brief that lays beneath.

What I really like about the tins, is that you can use the tin for other means than storing the brief. I've seen the Playful Promises girls propping up their computer screens with them! They need to be displayed, the tin is begging to be shown off as more than just a tin for a brief. The potential for the tin is limitless. Or you can simply store your beautiful brief in the tin in your knicker drawer!

The briefs themselves, are foxy pieces of cheek-wear. I'm not sure which one I prefer, it changes from day to day.

Tiger Tamer is a vivid pink, with just a simple bow on the front, it looks like any other brief. Turn around and a heart shape cut-out greets the observer with a pink lace centre revealing your buttock cheeks, this is a rather cheeky brief! This is very girly, and breezy, but I like the idea that it's a pant that can be worn every day, under any choice of clothes, it's subtle and only when undressed does it reveal it's cheeky secrets.

Snake Charmer is today's favourite. I like the rich purple colour of this brief, topped with a stripe of black its a dark and mysterious panty. I like the simplicity of the brief, the richness of the colour and the silky satin fabric exudes seduction and mystery. The two ribbon bows finishes off the pant and makes it that much more special. The tin illustration, of a snake charmer, is also my favourite. I like the envious green of the snake against the purple brief.

Finally Ring Mistress, a sleek all black number at first seems a little too common. On closer inspection this brief is all in the detail. The fine finish of the gathered seam on the back is very original. And the delicate lace trim at the top of the legs is subtle and beautiful making the panty more like a piece of delicate porcelain that needs protecting. The button detail on the front brings a little charm and cheek to such a graceful knicker.

At just £15 each, these briefs are a charming little gift, especially this Christmas. The receivers gets not only a playful and promising knicker but a tin, hand illustrated with more than just one purpose!

Promises team keep nudging me to also mention that these three tins are limited edition, so once they're gone, they're gone for good. Make sure you get hold of all three! Available in small, medium and large, something for every bottom.

Dear Lady Unmentionable...

Why do my boyfriends shy away from buying me lingerie?

I love lingerie, and I enjoy wearing lingerie for bedroom partners, however I have never received lingerie from any men in my life no matter how many hints I drop.

What can I do?

From

LackingLingerie, 24 from London

Dear LackingLingerie,

Thank you for a very worthwhile topic.

Why do blokes shy away from lingerie gifts, lingerie shops and lingerie shopping?

Although I myself regularly receive lingerie gifts from gentlemen, this is a question that pops up among friends.

In the past I have heard such excuses such as;

“I don’t want anyone I know to see me in the shop…”

“The boutique girls thought I was a pervert…”

“I don’t know your size, I’d just get it wrong and you’d hate me for it.”

However, these excuses are petty and these, in my mind, are simply men with their tails between their legs running away from responsibility.

So what if your friends or colleagues see you in a lingerie shop, clearly they are also in there doing the same thing. Surely a real man isn’t shy to admit he can confidently walk into a lingerie store and browse to buy something nice for a girl? And would this not prove to friends that he has a rather successful sex-life. I would be bragging about this to my macho male mates.

Lingerie boutique girls are happy to help any gentleman who is looking to purchase something whether as a gift for a girlfriend, something for themselves or even if it’s for other reasons… Lingerie shop girls have seen it all and there is nothing to be shy about buying lingerie for a girlfriend.

Remember that store assistants are trained to help with sizing and are likely to help you with sizing problems as well as picking out popular styles, matching accessories and even showing you how to wear pieces.

The sizing issue is most likely the best excuse. However, most stores have a 14-28 day exchange policy. So even if the guy doesn’t have a clue of your bra size he can purchase a size and he or you can exchange it later. Lingerie stores also offer plenty of treats and goodies that do not require the mathematical genius of a bra size expert. Briefs, triangle bras, nightwear and gifting pieces, no excuse, just pick one.

With the popularity of online shopping, men can shop for lingerie in the comfort and serenity of their own home. No one will see them, no one will know, and lets be honest they’ve probably browsed for similar if not more exciting things on the net in the past. Men are able to buy lingerie online, get it sent to them and make it look like they’ve walked into a store…again they have no excuse.

Playful Promises often team up with voucher deals such as Living Social. So if the man is really too shy or too dim to buy lingerie he can buy gift vouchers and still get away with it.

LackingLingerie, I would say that the men you date love your playmate aspect but aren’t man enough to be your playmate! If they can’t buy lingerie, what else will they shy away from in later years?

And men…get off your backsides! When you don’t know what to buy a girlfriend for a birthday, anniversary, valentines day or any non-special days –THINK LINGERIE.