Playful Promises Blog

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The Playful Promises Blog covering all things knicker-related! Bras, girdles, corsets, panties, knickers, gstrings, thongs, longline bra, bra sizes, la bra, suspender belts, garter, dresses, clothing, boutique, stockings, seamed stockings and more!

Sizzling swimwear: How to stay on trend this Summer

If you really think about it, Summer is just around the corner. No really, we are already in January, we got the hardest part over with and now we just have to gradually peel off our layers and cardigans for the next few months. Magazine’s have already started telling you what to cut out in order to get that “Beach Body” (we like you just as you are, thank you very much) and new swimwear is all the rage.

So what kind of prints and colours will you find gracing the shelves this summer?

Swimwear often mirrors current trends in fashion and lingerie, so it’s no wonder that bikini waists are high and prints are inspired by retro classics to coincide with the vintage trend. Embracing curves is one major theme of retro inspired swimwear; details such as cinched waists and fuller cupped tops are being mixed with modern pieces.

Ruffles, too, have found themselves adorning bikinis across the catwalks in another body-shaping trend. Frills and ruffles can add volume where you may be slightly lacking, perfect for balancing out the figure and sticking two fingers up to that diet book.

It’s all about getting you in the mood for a laze around on the beach or by the pool, so bright colours are a constant never-changing trend in swimwear. Designers cannot be as experimental with swimwear as they can lingerie or clothing; therefore the unique detail is often in the print!

And boy, are prints looking bold thanks to digital printing. The wonders of technology are allowing designers to update their printing methods, giving more freedom of detail and colour.

If there is one thing that causes swimwear to sell like hotcakes, it’s the promise of warm sands and tropical climates, so it’s no wonder that designers are channelling this straight into their prints. Sumptuous colours, exotic plants and parrots are everywhere, and we just love it. Our Digital Print Hummingbird bikini rides this trend without being cliché, using bright blues, purples, oranges and greens to inject that exotic look.

Walking hand-in-hand (preferably in the shade of palm trees) with the tropical trend are bold prints, inspired by various cultures and their traditional techniques, particularly those of tribal Africa and Native America. Digital printing is again a catalyst for this trend, but we also see designers using more traditional methods such as embroidery and crochet. We, too, were inspired by far-off lands for our Future Tribal Embroidery bikini, which contrasts a black bandeau bra and side-tie briefs with neon-bright ethnic embroidery.

The New Years Eve Outfit Dilemma

CONGRATULATIONS! You survived Christmas, and it seems we did too, which is the perfect reason to celebrate. Well done. 

But wait. Theres more. The celebration of the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012, also known as New Years Eve! Before we start complaining about the onslaught of the Olympics, it's one last excuse for a worldwide party, and thousands of women (and, I assume, men) are already starting to panic about what they could possibly wear. 

There is always the old faithful, but you wore that last year.. and the year before. Perhaps this is an excuse for a new old faithful, or something new and eye-catching because 2012 will be GREAT and you will definitely be keeping all those New Year Resolutions! 

So, why not consider something a little bit different this year? Something none of your friends will be wearing AND you will be bang on the underwear as outerwear trend (bare with me here..). 

Here is one idea: We styled our luscious black silk shirt and satin pencil skirt with one of our underbust waspies for a classy, yet eye-catching outfit.

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Not only does the waspie and the curve of the pencil skirt create that classic hourglass figure, but this could be dressed up or down as much as you like! 

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Wear this outfit with black stockings, bright red shoes (either small retro heels like our Pin Up Couture shoes, or if you are feeling really naughty, these fierce Bordello shoes!) and a statement chunky ring or necklace

The Underwear as Outerwear trend has been going strong since 2010, seen on celebs and fashionistas worldwide. This article over on The Lingerie Addict explains the do's and don'ts of this look and when it is done right, it looks amazing.

For example, here is The Only Way is Essex's Maria Fowler rocking some of our lingerie at the amazing The Box nightclub!

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Teaming a longline bra with a black waspie and skinny jeans looks stylish and gives a little bit more to a casual look.

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Overbust corsets look stunning if you happen to have lost your shirt - whoops! Team with a black pencil skirt for a vintage tease. 

Christmas gift review: Frilly Knickers

 

 

Stylist, fashion PR and Clo Clo’s Closet editor, Chloe Pierre reviews our frilly briefs!

 


Firm friend & insanely loyal fan of The Playful Promises Boutique, I had the pleasure to review the gorgeous Frilly Knickers range, which is temptingly affordable at a simple price of £10 a pair.

 

Initially I was skeptical of the Frilly Knickers set as I am a self-proclaimed ‘big panties’ kind of girl, who is usually averse in the luck of wearing frilly lingerie and feeling seductive in them, but honestly, these knickers didn’t even allow a hint of that dreaded feeling to flash back.

 

The knickers were extremely agreeable on, had a great amount of elasticity, which allowed enough space to fit my voluptuous rear without any strangulation of the waist or thighs and being so close to my intimates did not give one inch of irritation or leave me feeling uncomfortable.

 

With the heavy adorned frilling going right around the brief and the beautiful oversized bows at each side made my ample hips look very tantalizing if my boyfriend and I, say so ourselves.

 

With him being a French knickers junkie, per say, he made me model each one, whilst eventually deciding on the Magenta pair, identifying them as ‘keepers’.

 

Now be under no illusion that this type of underwear is produced to work underneath jeans or your tight LBD as for obvious reasons, the detailing will either show through most fabrics under jeans, is free for movement and will ultimately damage the experience of wearing such a luxurious product. My best bet is to either wear under a very loose garment or keep for a special occasion within the boudoir. 

 

This is definitely something every woman should have on their Christmas Wish List and pairs up as a great gift solution and stocking filler too.

 

I will definitely purchase at least two pairs for each my gorgeous and varied framed, girlfriends in the constructive colours that I instantly fell in love with, Black & Peach.

 

Three words that sum up the frilly knickers in my opinion are practical (wink), undoubtedly rapturousand exquisitely opulent.