Introducing Liliana and Betty by new brand Tutti Rouge!

I know I'm a bit late on the uptake here, but since I've only just managed to get myself into a Bravissimo store, I hope you'll forgive me!

Tutti Rouge launched just a few months ago after much hype on their facebook page and at trade shows with gorgeous designs like this:

Tutti's first release was the Liliana. At £26 (£14 for the shorts, £12 for the thong) it's in the lower price range of fuller bust bras, but has all the details and design you'd expect from an established brand. Liliana is a bright coral-pink padded bra with a mesh upper section to the cups. It's described as a balcony bra and has fully adjustable straps and is available in sizes 28-38D-J.

I love the little details that Tutti Rouge add to their bras, such as the little heart shaped adjusters and their brand name embossed into the back fastener. Both of these photos were taken from Tutti Rouge's facebook page.

As for the fit, sadly for me it's not as favourable as the aesthetics of the bra. I tried the Liliana in a 28GG but ideally needed a 28H. Aside from that, the design is quite similar to Curvy Kate bras such as the Princess, Lotte and Angel in that it's quite east/westy and lacks forward projection, which is fine if you like that sort of thing, but I'm not a fan. In the interest of balance, here are two positive reviews from Georgina at Fuller Figure Fuller Bust and Cheryl from Invest In Your Chest  Here's the bra on me;

The second release from Tutti Rouge was the Betty, £32 (shorts £16) a pretty floral padded half cup with oodles of lace trimming. Betty is available in sizes 28-38 DD-HH. Again, the bra features the heart shaped adjusters and embossed fastener at the back, and again, as much as it pains me to say it, but unfortunately for me it didn't work.

I tried the Betty in a 28H and it had a very flattening effect on me. The lack of fully adjustable straps also didn't do me any favours, resulting in no support or shape whatsoever and it also had an east/west effect on me. Again, in the interest of balance, here are two more reviews from The Style Rawr and The Lingerie Addict.

Will you be trying Tutti Rouge? Or have you already tried them, and what did you think?

Bravissimo's summer 2013 selection

My recent Manchester trip meant another visit to full bust specialists, Bravissimo to try some of their new summer stock. I was somewhat spoilt for choice as there were so many pretty colours and patterns everywhere I looked.

The bra I was most looking forward to trying was the Freya Deco in Flamingo print, £32. I ADORE the kitsch flamingo print and the moulded cup Deco is my go-to bra. I tried this in a 28GG, what I thought to be my 'true' size, but it was unfortunately too small in the cup by one cup size. The band was okay, not too tight and not too loose but a little more loose than a 'true' 28 band. I might need to buy this in a sister size as I love it so much! The Deco Flamingo is available in size 28 DD-GG, 30-36 D-GG and 3 D-G. Matching shorts and briefs are £12.

Next I tried the Cleo Maddie, £26. I chose this moulded bra to try as it looked like a good substitute for the Freya Deco. Again in a 28GG, and again too small in the cup. The band is nice and firm too, much more true to size than the Deco. I don't normally have any luck with Cleo bras, but this one impressed me enough to buy it in a 28H without even trying it on first! I got the matching shorts £14.50 in a size 14 which are exactly the same as a Freya Deco short in a Large. The fit is similar to the Smoothie bra by Curvy Kate in that it's not a mega cleavagey plunge like the Deco but more of a low centred balcony. It has a higher central gore, which means it encases my breasts better than a Deco, meaning no spillage towards the centre of the cups. I do wish I could find a happy medium. The only negative point I have to say on this bra is that the fully adjustable straps are quite thin. I've not worn it yet so I'll have to see how that pans out when I do.

Possibly the prettiest I tried was the Retro Bloom by Bravissimo, £32. The colour combination of yellow, blue, lilac, coral and red trim are perfect together. The bra is a lightly padded balcony with fully adjustable straps. I had no fitting issues with this in a 28H, and the shorts in a M (£16), but I didn't buy this as I was only really looking for a moulded everyday set. It's a really lovely set and I hope to see more like this from Bravissimo in the future. Pease excuse the red marks across my stomach where my tights has been sitting!

Another hotly anticipated set for me was the Hello Dolly set by Freya. £32 for the bra, £12 for the shorts. I LOVE the Russian doll print and folk-inspired trim in teal, red and mustard. This is a 28GG and I thought it seemed a bit large in the cups when I first put it on, but once I'd 'swept and scooped' I filled it out nicely. The shorts I tried were a Medium, but would have been better in a Large. It's a real shame this bra isn't padded, or better still, a Deco, as I don't wear unpadded bras, so again I chose not to buy this one. If you are a fan of unpadded bras and cute prints, then don't miss out on Hello Dolly! 

Again, excuse the red marks across my stomach!

I also tried on two bras from the newest fuller bust brand, Tutti Rouge, but I'll be writing a separate post on them shortly.

So what do you think of Bravissimo's summer picks?

My Tights Plight

You all know by now that I'm short and curvy, so it probably doesn't shock you to learn that I struggle to find tights that fit me properly. I have a drawer overflowing with tights from over the years, from tartan to polka dot, floral to plain, fishnet to heart print. Most of them I buy from everyones favourite high street store of cheapness, Primark, for the measly sum of £3.50 at the most. I love tights but I can rarely be bothered to find an outfit worthy of showcasing the more interesting ones to their full potential, not to mention the effort of wearing heels, which I always like to do with tights. When I do wear them though, I have disasters...

 Yes, on more than one occasion I've completely wrecked my tights with the size of my behind, ending up looking as though I'd been pawed at by a tiger. Embarrassing, no? 

I recently split my tights AGAIN, and was kindly sent four pairs by Pamela Mann, a hosiery company I've long admired for their on-trend fashion tights and classic staples. They said I could choose a few pairs, but not wanting to appear greedy, I chose two; black and white polka dot (£8.99) and small dogtooth print (£8.49), again in black and white. To my sheer joy (see what I did there?), a representative from Pamela Mann sent me a message to say she'd thrown in another two pairs, these sheer dotty tights in black and nude & black (£8.99 per pair). Pamela Mann tights are mostly 'one size' from 8-14 rather than Primark's sizing of s/m m/l so I was reluctant that they'd work for me. There are a number of styles that go right up to a size 32, so be sure to check them out if you are plus sized.

The lovely selection Pamela Mann sent to me

With the weather being so random of late, I've only just managed to try these tights out. We're currently having a warm spell, meaning I'm able to wear sheer tights rather than my usual trousers or thick, fleece-lined tights. Last week was a bit too hot for the polka dot and dogtooth tights, so I chose the sheer dotty ones instead, and managed to wear both pairs on consecutive days.

The first thing I noticed about the black pair was that they're a little long in the leg on me. I'm not sure if this is something to do with the black dye/fabric but the nude ones are perfect. What I really love about them is that they come up really high on my waist, helping guard against those dreaded lumps and bumps I normally get when wearing tights. I think this is down to the 'one size' rule, something I assumed would work against me. I haven't managed to snag the tights yet, which is quite a feat for me since I'm a little clumsy and certainly don't take as much care and time as I should whilst pulling my tights up, particularly first thing in the morning! I did catch my heel on my tights once and caught them with the corner of some sharp, plastic packaging in my Tesco carrier bag, but they miraculously didn't ladder.

The Sheer Dotty tights with my New Look wide fit shoes (no longer available)

The polka dot and dogtooth print tights are more 'dense' than the sheer tights so are better for those days when it's not quite so hot outside, or for me, high summer at work inside this freezing building! Again, they are a smidge too long for me but not so much to stop me buying more.

Here are my five top picks from Pamela Mann's range;

Black Flocked Tiger Tights £6.99 (Sizes 8-14)

Black Sheer Skull Tights £7.99 (Sizes 8-14)

Tartan Camel Thomson Tights £7.99 (Sizes 8-14)

Signature Love Seamed Tights £7.99 (Sizes 8-14)

Blue Hibiscus Printed Tights £8.49 (sizes 8-32)

All in all, I LOVE Pamela Mann tights. They really push the boat out with new designs and don't limit themselves to a few colours in quite a few designs; they make the ENTIRE RAINBOW!! Take a look for yourself!

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?

The Nautical Spot 'must-have' dress from Pepperberry

It was love at first sight. The polka dots, the cut, the contract piping. I had to have it! Pepperberry's Nautical Spot dress was everything I wanted, but at £59 (+£3.95 delivery) I was reluctant to jump in feet first, so I kept leaving it and leaving it until I needed some well deserved retail therapy. Believe me, when I say need, I really mean it. Isn't it cute?

I own Pepperberry clothes in both 8C and 8RC (see their size guide here) so I wasn't sure which size to order, but my mind was made up by the fact that they didn't have any 8RCs in stock! 

The 8C arrived a few days later and the jury was out on the fit. It wasn't spot on but was close. The bustline seemed to be pulling a little and the waistband was maybe an inch on the large side. I decided to try it again a few days later and make my mind up then. In the meantime I noticed the 8RC in stock, so I ordered it and received an email from Pepperberry saying they wouldn't charge for postage as it was apparent I was ordering for size comparison.Very kind! The 8RC was too big in both the bust and waist! Here are the two side by side. The 8RC isn't too flattering is it?

Since my battery was running low, I only had the chance to take a very quick photo of the dress in full. I added a white bow belt I bought from Ebay (as always, it was very cheap from a Chinese seller). It would make the ideal spring/summer dress and the neckline is not exceptionally low, making it ideal for work too. It's a style that will last season after season, especially if you're like me and will always wear vintage styles, regardless to whether they're in fashion or not.

Have you tried Pepperberry? What did you think?

Entice by Curvy Kate

Again, a bra from Curvy Kate's A/W12 season, but I thought I'd out this review up in case anyone is thinking of getting one now it's at a lower price on Brastop, currently £14.50 for the bra, £9.95 for the thong and £10.95 for the short.

When I first saw the initial shots of the Entice set, I loved it. It ticked all the boxes of what I look for in lingerie. It's sexy, padded and comes in a great size range; 28-30 D-J, 32 D-HH, 34 D-H, 36 D-GG, 38 D-G.  

While I was more than happy with the fit, it pains me to say that I was more than disappointed with the fabric. I was expecting a printed stretch satin, like that of the Thrill Me. Instead I got a kind of cheap polyester mix with the 'stripes' being a slightly bulky stitched-on trim. The shorts were mainly made up of a black stretch satin type fabric and weren't so bad. 

I'd read that the Entice is based on the same shape as the Fleurty, so I ordered it in a 28HH, and the shorts in a 16 as normal. As with the Fleurty, the fit was spot on, so bear in mind you should go up one or two cup sizes but stick with your usual band size. Order the shorts in your usual Curvy Kate size and you should have a set that fits. Hopefully! I was particularly fond of the straps on the Entice. They're not your usual boring bra straps but they are much wider at the point they're attached to the bra, tapering off to a wide strap for greater support. This is only a small difference but one that sets the design apart from all the other bras in my drawer. 

As much as I love how this set looks on, I found the fabric far too much of a reason not to keep it, so I've returned it. I'd love Curvy Kate to make this set in a stretch satin. Not only would it justify the (not discounted) price tag, hich in my opinion doesn't match the quality, it would also be much more wearable and less bulky under clothes.

The Entice is also available in Ivory/Gold which would make a beautiful bridal set. if you can live with the fabric. Here's the gorgeous Sophie Morgan modelling the set. Photo courtesy of Curvy Kate.

Ladies, would you rule out an otherwise perfect lingerie set due to fabric issues?

The 'I love you but you're totally unwearable' cartoon print dress from New Look

Yesterday I had half an hour to kill on my lunch break, so I thought I'd nip into New Look to have a look at their often lovely range of wide fit shoes. However, something caught my eye. Something so epic and crazy and completely unwearable that I felt compelled to try it on! The first thing I noticed about it is the amazing print, full of cartoons, doodles, photos...

I chose this eye catching number in a size 10 as it I could tell the size 8 would be too small. Off I toddled to the changing room. I slipped the dress on and soon realised that....um wow! Talk about a confidence boost. It looks like I was poured into it!

Unfortunately it's not the kind of dress you can wear a stitch of underwear with down to the sheer panels that run down the side of the dress. BUT, they add to the curvy effect so I couldn't see it working so well without them. 

The dress costs £24.99 by the brand Parisian and isn't available (yet?) on New Look's website. However, there's one without the sheer panels for just £16.99. 

As much as I love the way this dress looked and made me feel, I didn't buy it for numerous reasons. I need to wear a bra and I just couldn't in this. Also, it's way too racy and young for me!

What do you think? Would you wear it?