Not causing a stink with Urkye's Skunks dress

I first fell in love with colour block illusion dresses when I saw Georgina of FullerFigureFullerBust and Caroline of CurvyWordy in this one by Scarlett & Jo for Evans, but since Evans specialise in sizes 14-32 I was sadly too small for this dress.

Caroline and Georgina; curves to die for!

Since I already own a LOT of dresses I didn't try to seek a similar dress out in my size, but when Polish fuller bust clothing specialists Urkye announced the arrival of their new 'Skunks' dress, I could feel my willpower weakening. I managed to hold out for a good few months until the dress started infiltrating amongst my curvy pals, and finally gave in! The Skunks dress is available in three colours; Sapphire, Grey and Magenta. 

If you're anything like me, you'll be slightly worried about ordering with non-English speaking companies, but sometimes you have to take the plunge or you'll miss out. on the Urkye website, you can set the language to English on the right hand side, making the process a whole lot easier.

Onto the next issue; sizing! Much like the British company Pepperberry and Polish company BiuBiu, Urkye use a system of dress sizes with varying boob sizes to ensure a neater, more tailored fit. So for example, if you fit into a 12 everywhere else, but need a 16 up top, then these are the companies you should consider shopping with. Each company has their own system, and Urkye's can be found here. I decided to size down in the body and up in the bust from a 36 o/oo I was measuring up at, to a 34 oo/ooo on the advice of ladies who'd already tried this dress.

Prices are listed in Polish Zlotych but don't be put off. Just use a currency converter such as xe.com. The cost for one Skunks dress comes out at £30, with postage a very reasonable £5.25.

A week or so later, the dress arrived. At first I didn't think it was going to fit as it seemed quite a struggle to get into it, failing arms, overheating, the lot! But when I pulled it down over my hips and straightened it out...WOW! I know I throw this phrase around a lot but this dress really does feel like it was made for me. The fit is absolutely spot on and I prefer a long sleeve over a three-quarter one because I tend to feel the cold easily. The length is perfect too, sitting just on the knee. I'm 5'2" for reference. I'm not wearing any shapewear with the dress in the following photos.

I was intending to wear this dress for work, but you know what? It's FAR too sexy for that! What do you think?

My shiny new Panache collection!

As mentioned in my previous post, I won some fabulous prizes from the gorgeous Georgina Horne of FullerFigureFullerBust. This post is about the massive 5 Panache sets I won! Yes, 5 sets, how generous!! I was astounded by the generosity of both Georgina and Heather Kipling of Panache. As you know, big bras aren't cheap, and I think myself very lucky! After a number of weeks of too-ing and fro-ing to get the right sizes, I finally have 5 lovely new sets in my drawer! Heather chose my sets from their current range, and although they're not all styles I'd normally choose, I'm very happy with the selection.

Firstly I'll mention that I was originally sent a lovely red 'Veronica' swimsuit that reminded me of the Kellogg's Special K adverts. Sadly, my rather large derriere didn't agree with the swimsuit idea. I always struggle with swimsuits because, as you will all know if you've been reading my posts and not just looking at the pictures (I know it happens-shame on you!), my bottom half is somewhat bigger than my top half, so the swimsuit sent to me in a 30G (Panache don't make 28 bands as yet in their swimwear) fitted better at the top than at the bottom, and rather than the usual '4-boob' effect us women often rock (get fitted girls!), I was getting a '4-buttock' effect instead! The lovely Heather replaced the swimsuit for a gorgeous bikini. More on that later.

First up for the bras, the much coveted Masquerade Rhea in black. I was sent a 28GG and it's perfect. The band is snug and has very little stretch, an issue I was already aware of, so if you're looking for comfort, the Rhea may not be right for you. However, if you're looking for luxury and gravity-defying boobs, then go out and get a Rhea! It's quite expensive to buy, at around £35, but the silky fabric and materials used lend themselves perfectly to the price tag. The Rhea is a padded balcony bra, so if you struggle to stay in plunges, this is a style that could work for you. I was sent matching shorts in a size 14, which fit beautifully. There's just something about Masquerade lingerie that makes you feel a million dollars! Definitely worth buying for that special night in ;)

Next we have the Panache Sports Bra. When I first saw this, I loved it but not being a sports fan, watching or taking part, I had no need to buy it. It's a very different style to the other sports bras out there, and very much lends itself to be worn as a work out top. It has a built in racer back clip, which can be useful if you want to hide your straps under racer back tops. If you're feeling (very) brave, the shorts (here in a size 14) are also suitable to be worn as outerwear too! I had a little bounce around my room in this and my boobs stay firmly in place, doing exactly what it says on the tin. It seems pretty high impact, and is more 'solid' than my Shock Absorber sports bra, which is unpadded and lacks the engineering that the Panache has. Don't get me wrong, it's a damn good sports bra, but the Panache one just pips it to the post. The Panache Sports Bra has the style that other sports bras lack, and would certainly be my go-to should I ever decide to get off my lazy arse and do some exercise!

Boasting on the tag 10 years of being Panache's best selling bra, the Tango has clearly been a favourite in a lot of women's lingerie drawers for a long time. I was sent the special edition 'Ocean' colour unpadded balconnet bra, which has a touch of diamante at the gore, offset perfectly by the turquoise of the bra.At first I tried this bra in a 28GG, which was too large in the cups, so it was replaced with a 28G, which could fit better if I'm being honest. The cup is fine at the front, but I have a bit of 'side-boob' where breast tissue is being pushed under my arms.  think the underwires need to be a little less u-shaped to combat this. Sadly I don't think I'll get much wear from this bra as I don't tend to wear unpadded bras, and with the fit being slightly out I fear it may be uncomfortable. Tango also comes in a plunge bra, so if you like the Tango balcony but don't get on with it, there's another option for you to try. Again, the briefs were perfect in a size 14, no complaints there!

The most troublesome of my 5 sets is the Alexa by Cleo, a colourful unpadded balconett. I tried 3 sizes; 28H, 28GG and 28G. The 28G fits best, but still not quite right. Like the Tango above, the wires are very u-shaped giving a touch of side boob, and the fabric above the seam on the front of the cup is slightly large, similar to the Cleo Juna I previously reviewed. The fit isn't perfect, but it's definitely wearable and not uncomfortable and boasts incredible uplift! The shorts are a size 14 and fit perfectly. My favourite thing about this set is the colours and pattern. Panache have really pushed the boat out with their Cleo range, aimed at the younger market of busty girls. I adore their choice of bright colours and styles. Take a look for yourself!

Last but not least, the Page halterneck bikini! I was delighted when I opened this parcel, I can tell you! I'm a little disappointed that Panache haven't extended their size range in their swimwear, but to be honest, I'm less picky about wearing the correct size when it comes to bikinis. I was sent a 30FF and it fits really well. The back is a tad loose, as expected, but it's not really an issue. The fold-down briefs are a 14, and again perfect. The reason I love this bikini so much is because it's nautical-looking and has a retro feel about it. It's so cute!

So there we have it, 5 gorgeous sets by Panache! Again, many thanks for Georgina from FullerFigureFullerBust and Heather from Panache for their generosity and help :)

Dabbling with BiuBiu; Vanity Fair and Green Ponti dress

Back in February I was delighted to receive and email from fellow busty blogger Georgina Horne from FullerFigureFullerBust saying I'd won some prizes in her amazing giveaway competition! One of my prizes was a dress from Polish company BiuBiu who specialise in clothes for women with a larger than average bust. My other prize was a very generous 5 sets from Panache, which I also blogged about here.

I was put in touch with Kinga, who runs the company and immediately felt at ease! She's absolutely lovely and helpful, considering she's giving away stock, free of charge! I chose the Green Ponti, a tulip dress with 3/4 sleeves and unusual collar. I wasn't sure which size to order, so she took my measurements and recommended a 36 BB/BBB. I also wanted to try one of her Vanity Fair shirts, so I ordered one in white in size 36BB. A week or so later, my parcel arrived, beautifully wrapped in pink crepe paper (I'm a sucker for wrapping!). I tried the Green Ponti first, which came up a bit too big. However, the fabric and design of the dress were amazing. More on that later with the correct size. I tried the Vanity Fair shirt and again it was too big. Kinga promptly offered a replacement and helped me with the correct size again. So off my parcel went to Poland...

Left: Green Ponti in 36BB/BBB and Vanity Fair in 36BB, both too big

Obviously the exchange took a while, going to and from Poland plus the processing time, but there was no rush, and I trusted it was all fine in Kinga's hands! A few weeks rolled on and I got my replacement. This time I ordered the Green Ponti in a 34B/BB as the 34BB/BBB was sold out, and the Vanity Fair in a 34BB.

The Green Ponti dress is beautiful, and thankfully a perfect fit! The colour is a deep forest green, the fabric a nice quality ponti and the design of the dress is gorgeous! It has a tulip bottom, which is friendly for both those with hips and those who'd like to create the illusion of having hips. The top half has 3/4 fitted sleeves and plenty of darts for shape, but my favourite feature is the unusual funnel collar with a deep, but not too deep plunge. On me it shows a teeny hint of cleavage, but not so much that it becomes a NSFW dress. When the weather has warmed up a bit, I'll be wearing this for work with some sheer patterned black tights, black heels and a black skinny belt. It could also be worn for a night out by adding different accessories, or dressed down with knee high boots, blazer and scarf for an autumn stroll in the park. It's really quite adaptable!

The Green Ponti dress in 34B/BB. Perfect!

The Vanity Fair shirt also fits beautifully! Again, it has plenty of seams and darts showing how much tailoring has gone into it. The neckline is a safe for work mid v-neck, and it has well-structured cuffs, which can be worn down or flipped back if, like me, you have short arms! My only criticisms of this shirt are that the sleeves are a bit too long for me, and the fabric. It's just that little bit too see-through. I usually wear a camisole underneath my shirts, so it's only really an issue if you don't (and wear brightly coloured bras!). The Vanity Fair makes a much cheaper alternative to the Pepperberry shirt I previously bought. I have to admit, I preferred the quality and fit of the Pepperberry, but I'm a sucker for a bargain, so if I wanted any more shirts, then I'm more likely to head to BiuBiu.

3 ways to wear Vanity Fair in a 34BB

BiuBiu are definitely worth a try if you have a bigger bust. Don't be afraid because they're a Polish company, Kinga really values her customers and her English is perfect. While it may take a little longer to receive your item and returns will be more costly, it STILL works out cheaper than Pepperberry's inflated prices. Do it!

Thanks to Georgina Horne of FullerFigureFullerBust for the fabulous competition prizes and to Kinga from BiuBiu for all her help :)

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

'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, 'The Hot Blonde One' 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!