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!

Style: Festival Chic

Planning on going to a festival this year and want to look stylish even when you live in a tent and haven’t showered for days? Take a look at our festival chic style post to always look like a fashion princess!

Start with our Lucy Neon Coral Lace Longline Bra as a base to this statement look; the neon coral colour is suitable for both night and day.

The more accessories the better so hunt out bulky bracelets and bundle bangles together for a thick but fun looking wrist. Headpieces are an essential item to enhance the ultimate festival look. Feathers, beading, Aztec embroidery and bling, you name it! Team this combination together with a fringed jacket for the evening to continue into the night at the after party.

1. ASOS Boho Stone Cuff Bracelet £10.00

2. Office Cleopatra Mid Heel Casual Side Zip, Brown Leather £80 – £45

3. Topshop MOTO Folk Embroidered Hotpants £34

4. Topshop Rhinestone Tribal Headband £12.50

5. River Island Brown laser cut suede fringed cape £95.00

 If you can’t bare the thought of living without your electrical needs fear not you can rock the boho festival look regardless!

How will you wear your Lucy bra?

Festival Survival Guide

Love it or loathe it, festival season is upon us again.

Why do we do it to ourselves? Surely the sanitary horrors, the medieval standards of personal hygiene, the food poisoning/sunstroke/hypothermia (suspected) and the post-festival trench foot (confirmed) would teach any creature with the ability to learn and evolve that these are places to be avoided?

I don’t have the answers I’m afraid. What I do know, as someone who’s done more than her fair share of festivaling both as a performer and a partygoer, is that there are some basic rules to remember if you want to go to a festival and come back with your sanity (relatively) intact.

1. No matter how good the forecast, how many offerings you’ve made to the weather gods, no matter what the evidence of your senses tells you, NEVER, EVER ASSUME IT’LL BE SUNNY.  The mere inclusion of a bikini top in your backpack is enough to make the skies darken and clouds gather ominously. However the corresponding principle is also true; come prepared for the worst and you’ll end up lugging an unopened backpack full of baggy jumpers and spare blankets halfway across the country. Only one thing to do really; tempt fate with your finest Playful Promises bikini top.

2. Accept that at some point you’ll be served a grotesque parody of food for which you will shell out hyper-inflation levels of cash. Literally wheelbarrows full of notes. You can bring as many of your own healthy snacks as you want but your tent will seem an awfully long way away after a couple of ciders and a few rounds of Gangnam Style (you were dancing ironically of course, we believe you.)

3. Buy a watch that you don’t mind losing. Sounds weird right? But you’d be amazed at how the time can slip past you when you’re far away from your laptop and your phone has run out of battery, and your nice designer timepiece has been (sensibly) left at home for fear of it ending up lost somewhere in acres of churned mud. Besides, if you’re planning on catching any of the scheduled bands, it might be helpful to be at the stage they’re playing  ten minutes (to five hours, depending on how popular they are) before they’re supposed to come on.

4. Leave the onesie at home where it belongs. It may seem delightfully whimsical to dress in a baggy felt badger costume but I’ll wager you’ve never tried to use a public toilet in one. Undignified doesn’t start to cover it. Instead, keep it classy and cool in our new shorts and trapeze top combo.

5. Bring socks. Lots of them. And for the love of god, all the baby wipes you can carry.

6. This might go against all the dire warnings above, but be open to spontaneity.  Some of the best festival times you will have will be after you lose the booklet and find yourself embracing the carefree spirit of the event; discovering new music, embracing new experiences, and generally just cutting loose and enjoying yourself.  You’re there to have fun; now go find it!

Vintage Southbank 2011

 

It has been a rather busy (not to mention hot!) weekend for us at Playful Promises! While Emma was off gallivanting in New York at the Curve lingerie show, I headed down to the Southbank to check out the Vintage festival. Fun and frolics were aplenty in this celebration of all things 1920s to the 80s! Food, music, games and, most importantly, shopping were packed onto the riverside promenade, attracting a vast amount of families and vintage fanatics.  

The Vintage Village consisted of dozens of stalls packed full of authentic vintage and vintage inspired clothes, shoes, hats, bags, furniture and music! Ranging from big brands to avid collectors; drawing in customers of all ages. Food and drink had not been forgotten, with old-time popcorn vendors, traditional fish and chips, ice cream trucks and the stunning Art deco mobile cocktail lounge. There was even a hair and beauty salon dedicated to recreating era-specific styles for the festival-goers!

The gorgeous Stephanie Jay in our Vintage Stitch Overbust corset!

One of the big draws of the day (also, my favourite event!) was The Chap Olympiad, an eccentric sporting event for the well-groomed and waistcoated. Chaps and chapettes compete in a range of games designed to test their cad skills, such as sandwich tossing and butler baiting, with points added for devilish trickery and maintaining one's finesse. Audience-members are actively encouraged to join in, resulting in much merriment – I was almost dragged into sandwich tossing, but declined gracefully as I would not want to spoil my training for next year!

 

The contestants celebrate the end of a tiring battle of tug-o-moustache, in which the chapettes were victorious!