Taming your waist with Corset Story

When the folks at Corset Story offered me the chance to review a corset for them I must admit I was reluctant to try, as from past experience their corsets haven't been quite curvy enough for me ad as gorgeous as some of the corsets are, I resigned them to the 'just won't fit me' category of websites I no longer visit.

It turns out they've been working on their range since I last browsed their site, now offering 'waist taming' corsets including gored hips and hip panels in a variety of shapes and patterns. Take a look here, some of them are really beautiful!

I chose the Black Satin Underbust with Hip Panels, priced currently at £59. My waist measures 25.5" currently and I usually wear a 20" in my other corsets from What Katie Did and Orchard Corset but I know Corset Story aren't as generous so I went for the 22". I think the 24" would have fitted quite well too, so please bear this in mine when you buy. It is also worth noting that this corset has waist tape, something not usually found in low-end of off the rack (OTR) corsets.

The awesome hip panels!

Waist tape, hip panels and suspender loops

Modesty panel

I wasn't expecting much for a relatively low cost OTR corset but when it arrived I was pleasantly surprised! Although it doesn't quite create the extreme level of 'hip shelf' I get in my What Katie Did Vamp underbust corset (£159.50), the hip panels mean that it actually fits my shape comfortably! 

As you can see from the back, the corset has a wide modesty panel which I failed to neatly line up and also featured suspender loops should you wish to add suspenders (also sold by Corset Story here). Fully laced, the edges are pretty much parallel, apparently the safest way to lace as it means the pressure is even throughout the corset. All the Waist Taming corsets are fully steel boned and come with tags that contain a sample of the spiral steel boning, which is one of those little touches I love!

For the above photos I teamed up my new Corset Story Waist Taming corset with some old high waisted black swim shorts and the Egoboost Multiway Bra by Gossard. I also had a bit of fun, creating a couple of Halloween looks with various items I found in my bedroom as you will see below!

If you're new to corseting and don't want to blow the bank or if you're a seasoned corset wearer looking for something new, check out the new range of Waist Taming and Instant Shape corsets by Corset Story.

Lovely Longline; Carmen by Curvy Kate

A longline bra is something I've coveted for quite some time and have been unable to find in my size (28GG/H depending on brand). Over a year ago, Curvy Kate saved the day yet again with their Carmen longline in sizes 28-38 D-J. 

Initially the Carmen set was released in a gorgeous Rose Mix colourway as seen here on FullerFigureFullerBust and has since been released in Black/Boysenberry (what kind of berry is that??) which I'll be reviewing in this post.

Photo by My Boudoir

I purchased my Carmen set from Brastop. It's currently on sale for just £11.95 for the bra, £5.95 for the thong in the Black/Boysenberry colour (correct at time of publishing). Unfortunately Brastop didn't have the matching suspender belt in stock but I'm hoping to find one elsewhere.

I ordered the Carmen longline in 28GG and 28H and as I often find with Curvy Kate, the 28H fitted the best. To be perfectly honest, there's not a huge difference between the two, but I generally like to err on the side of caution and go for the bigger cup. The band fits nice and snug so there are no worries in that department indicating that Curvy Kate are getting it right nowadays despite earlier teething problems with loose bands. The thong I bought in a 16 and 18 and found the 16 fitted best.

I've not yet worn the set for anything more than this shoot, so I can't comment on the comfort for extended wear. I've read a few reviews on the Carmen and most say that the band tends to roll up during wear, but that it doesn't really affect their positive ratings.

Initially I wasn't taken with either colourway in the Carmen, but unfortunately Curvy Kate haven't released Carmen in any new colours so not wanting to miss out on the only longline I know of in my size I bit the bullet and went for the Black/Boysenberry. I'd have preferred less pink, however the detail in the embroidery is beautiful.

My only criticisms are that I feel the bulkiness of the cups might be visible under clothing and that having so many hooks to fasten can be very awkward, particularly for those with mobility problems. Other than that, it's a gorgeous set and I hope Curvy Kate will release more colours in the future.

If you love this set, you can still find selected sizes on Brastop, Amazon, Ebay and at Figleaves, all of which are selling it at less than RRP! 

Hand over your money to Bras and Honey! A Freya Deco Rebel Review.

A little while ago I was contacted by online store Bras & Honey who asked if I'd like to review a lingerie set for them. I'd be mad to say no, so here we are!

Bras & Honey stock big cup brands like Freya, Curvy Kate, Elomi and Panache, not to mention a wide range of shapewear from the likes of Spanx, Maidenform and Miraclesuit.

After a quick browse through the site, I chose my staple favourite of a Freya Deco, however this isn't any Deco, this is the Deco Rebel, a much anticipated leopard print Deco! 

The Freya Deco bra is a smooth moulded t-shirt bra offering excellent shape, support and comfort. I wear a Deco every day, no word of a lie, so when Freya announced they were making a leopard print variant AKA the Deco Rebel I was overjoyed!

The Deco Rebel features a nude background in the same shade as their basic nude Deco, but with the addition of a wonderful coral and black heart-shaped leopard print. It has fully adjustable straps (with neon orange bows at the bottom!) and 2 rows of 2 hooks to fasten. The moulded cups and plunge front make it ideal to wear under pretty much anything, and if it's the pattern you're worried about, the Deco also comes in a whole plethora or different colours and patterns. I'm wearing a 28GG in my photos which is a good fit, but you might want to go down a band size and up a cup size if you prefer a firmer band.

The Deco Rebel Thong makes the perfect match for a wild look! It's edged in nude just like the bra and has a little neon orange bow to the centre. I have quite big hips for my size (UK 8) so I need a large in Freya bottoms.

I think it's safe to say that Freya have blown me away yet again with another wonderful Deco, and Bras & Honey have blown me away with their huge range of Freya Decos in stock right now, and some are on sale too! Take a look here.

The Deco Rebel Bra comes in sizes 28-30 DD-GG, 32-36 B-GG and 38 B-G and costs £34 currently. The Deco Rebel Thong is available in sizes XS-XL and costs £10.50. Both can be purchased from Bras & Honey right now! If you love leopard print then go ahead and treat yourself. 

One last thing, you've probably noticed my awesome 'Kitten' necklace I'm wearing in my pics. I had it custom made by Extreme Largeness. They do all kinds of cool and kitsch jewellery and accessories, check them out!

Bras & Honey are having a huge sale at the minute, so be quick and grab a bargain... It's almost pay day after all! 

Thanks for reading,

Le Curvy Kitten 

xxx

You Little Nipper! The Orchard Corset cs-301

A few weeks ago I was contacted by the absolute doll that is Jessica from PinUpPersuasion saying she'd been in touch with Orchard Corset and asked if they could send me a corset to review as a thank you for being her favourite lingerie blogger!

After some time of wallowing in utter flattery, I headed over to Orchard Corset's website to browse their selection. Since I'd already purchased the ever popular CS-426 underbust a few months back (which I'm yet to review) and own a number of overbusts, I opted for the mini underbust, the relatively new CS-301 in black cotton. I went for a 20", a size smaller than the recommended 22" for my 26" waist.

Photograph from Orchard Corset

Currently at $65 (£38) I consider the CS-301 a cheaper alternative to the What Katie Did Baby Corset at £129.50. Since I've not tried the WKD Baby, I can't do a comparison of the two, but I will say the only differences I can see are that the Baby is 7" long and curved at the bottom and the CS-301 is 8" long and is straight at the bottom.

The CS-301 is much easier to wear than longer corsets since it has a very short rise so you don't feel quite as restricted. It only has 3 fasteners too, meaning you can do a quick release should you feel uncomfortable or claustrophobic, which I sometimes feel a slight hint of when corseted. Yes, I know you're meant to unlace the corset first, but with the CS-301 I don't feel this is necessary.

I've owned a LOT of steel boned corsets over the years but never actually wear them so I'd consider myself a corset newbie. I wore my CS-301 on a hot summer's day with my navy polka dot dress from Pepperberry (no longer available) to a local vintage fair. Aside from some itching in the back panel, it was relatively comfortable and I managed to clock up a few hours wear including a large slice of lemon drizzle cake before I decided it had to go as I was too hot and itchy!

A few weeks later I decided to wear the corset to bed and for the following day, only this time with a cami underneath. It was remarkably comfortable and I only took it off to eat lunch. I'm far too lazy to get up early enough in the morning to lace a corset so wearing one in bed and for the following day would be the only way for me to waist train.

My only complaint about the CS-301 is because it's a short corset, when I sit down I have a 'muffin bottom' effect in my lower belly region. This wasn't such as issue since I was wearing a swing dress at the time, but it would mean I couldn't wear the corset with a fitted dress. Not unless I wasn't needing to sit down at least.

I'd recommend this corset to anyone, old or new to the world of corsetry as it is an easy starter corset, or for those waist training and wanting a break from a longer corset, this would be ideal. I'd love to waist train and may start wearing my CS-301 to start with, then move on to my CS-426 eventually.

Figure Hugging? Of Corset is!

It's no surprise that I love my curves, and anything to enhance them is a thumbs up in my book. The most extreme curve enhancer out there has to be the corset. Corsets have been around for several centuries, eventually spawning the bras that we know and love today, but still, they remain a staple in extreme shapewear.

It was back in 2005 when I first tried a corset, albeit a plastic boned one, offering little support but even so I was impressed with the way it flattered my curves. My collection grew and I found myself with 8-9 plastic boned corsets, dreaming of the day I could afford a 'proper' steel boned corset. As you can see from the photo, I still had to wear a bra to support the 'girls' or the corset would have collapsed.

Then one day I stumbled upon an online shop called corsets-uk, selling actually, proper steel boned corsets for a lot less than the £150+ was expecting to pay! I'm like a kid in a candy store when I find something new that I want, so I didn't stop at just one corset, I ended up with at least 10, all from Corsets-UK, but most of which don't fit nowadays sadly. With their fantastic Corset Of The Day (COTD) offers via their Facebook page you can often grab some real bargains. Most of mine I picked up for around the £30-£40 mark, like this awesome cherry patterned longline corset below.

My corset buying hit a lull until last year when I spotted this AMAZING Union Jack corset (£72 at the time of writing) just in time for the Queen's Jubilee and Olympic celebrations. I'm a sucker for Union Jacks since 1997 when Geri Halliwell stormed the Brits with that famous Union Jack dress. Despite measuring up as a 26" waist at the time, meaning I should have ordered a 22" corset, I chose a 24" for that bit of extra boob room. As much as I adore this corset, it just doesn't fit my curves as well as I'd like, particularly not now I've lost another inch from my waistline. I could cry! Still, look, it's not completely unwearable but it won't be cinching in my waist.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I tweeted a photo of me in said Union Jack corset to Corsets-UK. I was then contacted by one their lovely 'people' to ask if I'd like to review a corset of my choosing. As you can imagine, being a customer of theirs I was honoured and positively jumped at the chance! I'd recently drooled over FullerFigureFullerBust's review of Corsets-UK's Highly Curvaceous overbust corset, made for ladies such as Georgina and myself with more 'extreme' hourglass figures, meaning a difference of around 10" or more between waist and bust measurements.

Ideally I wanted a classic black overbust corset but unfortunately it was out of stock so I channelled my inner Jessica Rabbit and chose this red with black pleat trim overbust corset priced at £60 instead in a 20". I was so excited when it arrived that I tore open the packaging, laced myself into it and got snapping....at work! So for continuity and amusement I thought it would only be fair of me to use those very photos.

As you can see, the corset cinches me in perfectly and compared to the Union Jack you'll see there's extra room in the bust and hips, fitting me much better and in turn creating a cleaner silhouette. I just love the way it skims over my hips and actually FITS them, rather than creating a muffin...bottom (?) underneath like corsets without this amount of flaring normally would. Great stuff!

It's not THE perfect fit and I do have a few minor gripes with this corset. It doesn't quite push my boobs forward as much as I'd like, but I think that's more to do with my soft boobs rather than the corset. I'm almost certain this could be remedied by wearing either a strapless bra or maybe even some strategically placed 'chicken fillets'. The other issue is again probably down to my body rather than the corset, in that it feels slightly uncomfortable on my bottom ribs. As I said though, this is probably down to my body, since I'm only 5'2" and something that could only be fixed by having a bespoke corset made to my exact measurements. My last little gripe is that I'd have preferred it to have cord lacing rather than ribbon, but I can change that very easily of course.

I say with with a sinking heart and a sigh deep in my chest, but Corsets-UK have decided not to replenish stocks of their Highly Curvaceous range, so if they have your size in stock (4-5" smaller than your actual waist measurement) then BUY before they sell out! A little tip when shopping, you'll get more results by typing "GE" in the search box, but not all are the curvaceous type. You should be able to tell the difference very easily though.

Overall I'm delighted to have found a relatively problem free corset for my awkwardly short and curvy body!  Since I've never shopped elsewhere for my corsets, I can't compare to any other companies, but I'm more than happy with Corsets-UK so I've never felt the need to shop around. The corset has inspired me to finally buy that iconic red sequined floor length dress a la Jessica Rabbit as I promised myself I would two years ago! Here's a sneak peek until my dress gets here...

Are any of you corset wearers? If not, would you consider wearing one?

Primark's pretties for a more average bust

I wouldn't normally write about a shop or brand that doesn't fit me as I can't give an accurate review in terms of fit and comfort, but this week I was blown away by what my favourite high street store, Primark has to offer in their lingerie department. Here are my top picks;

This seasons loud and proud trend for neons isn't just limited to clothes, as Primark prove with this eye catching longline. This could be also worn as a crop top, again bang on trend. In sizes 32AA, 32-34A, 34-36B, C and D, and 34DD. The set costs just £8 so why not treat yourself to something fun?

                                         

Sticking with the neon trend, how about this moulded leopard trim longline bra in bright orange? Again, it comes with matching pants/thong/shorts and costs £5 in sizes 32AA, 32-34A, 32-36B, 34-36C-D.

                                         

If cute prints are more your thing, how about this geek print set in sizes 32AA, 32-32A, 32-36B, 34-36C-DD for only £4! I absolutely love this print, it's so fun! This pink plunge bra also features a racer back option, useful for summer. My only criticism about this bra is that it's made from a jersey fabric which tends to stick to clothes and flattens my breasts. Of course, this might not happen to everyone.

       

Aside from the fun prints and colours Primark also have a huge offering of stunning luxury styles made from faux silks and lace. Their stock appears to be of a decent enough quality, but without testing them, I can't confirm that they will last as well as more expensive specialist lingerie brands. 

        

There are LOADS of designs to choose from, and prices at around £7 for the bra and £3 for the briefs of shorts, here are a few of my favourites; 

                                               

                                      

Most of the above styles start at a 34A and go up to (but not inclusive) a 38DD, so as I said at the start, nothing will fit me, but if you're lucky enough to be of a high street bra size, then give them a try!

What do you think of Primark's lingerie range? Have you tried it for yourself?