Posts from November, 2010

What’s the 1 Thing You Want to Tell the Lingerie Industry?

No matter your size, shape, or skin color…everyone has at least one beef with the lingerie industry.  A week or so ago, I asked my Facebook and Twitter followers about the one thing they’d like to tell the lingerie industry and got some really insightful comments back.  I know a lot of industry people read this blog, and I sincerely hope you take some of these remarks to heart when designing or choosing your next collections.  After all, every woman deserves the gift of beautiful lingerie.

Fellow Lingerie Addicts: What’s one thing you want to tell the lingerie industry? Make your voice heard in the comments.

There is no such thing as “one size fits all.” ~Treacle

Not all large breasts are surgically implanted. Not all women with large breasts are “plus size”. While enhanced breasts are very lightweight, natural breasts are heavy and not perfectly shaped, and therefore need some actual support. Conclusion: large cup bras with smaller bands that give support and comfort should not be something I have to spend months searching for. We exist. ~Brandy


Us bigger breasted woman deserve cute bras too! Not just plain Jane ones! ~Carrie

Bring back lacy slips!!! Proper ones..not the satin nightie styles! ~Kimberly

As a male who has worked retail before, including one of the major lingerie retailers, I would say to educate women about fit as well as size. Suppliers need to offer a broader range of sizes to fit all women instead of the accepted and limited range of sizes to cater to what some see as the ideal. A happier wife, girlfriend, mother, niece, etc would make for a happier world. ~Robert


Thigh highs don’t work with garterbelts if you’re wearing them all day. It makes no sense at all that everyone is putting out garterbelts but stockings are so hard to find. Also the UK is not the only place where women are bigger than a DDD. I want pretty sexy and maybe even retro in a 38J and I don’t want wires so high that they cut me. I also want nude for black women. I could go on forever. ~Martina

Just because you have a DD bustline & hips doesn’t mean you have XXL waistline. It’s impossible to find anything other than a corset that doesn’t require alterations to fit an hourglass. Not everyone is either shaped like a board or ok with wearing shapeless lingerie. ~Bee


I would love to see more small sizes with cups sizes C or D.  I’m a thin girl who has trouble finding items that are not too big. Just because I’m thin doesn’t mean I don’t not have boobs. ~Michelle

Small framed girls *need* 26 and 24 band sizes! If we are finally learning 30-28 bands are perfectly normal, why shouldn’t many girls need even smaller bands? ~Brittany


This one isn’t for me, but for my 36A sisters- make a bra that works for broad backs and smaller cups please!! ~Susannah


Not every corset or baby-doll outfit needs to be paired with a thong. Some ladies, wife included, don’t like them. The industry loses money from lost sales. ~Ken

I’m no pixie, but I hate having to buy large-cupe bras that feel like I’m wearing some kind of harness! Give me something cute and sexy but sturdy enough to support a very full bust! ~Ashlie


US companies need to be more creative more often. VS is more like Hanes than VS of 10 years ago. ~@socalman

How about that bra sizes don’t end at DD. As the husband of a lovely M cup woman, I want choices. ~@JPMarkle31337 

Pretty & supportive/corrective/comfortable etc. CAN be combined & look sexy! ~@IzzyBeau140

Triple-wrap underwires! ~@PS_Lingerie 

Big girls like me love pretty things too. ~@MissAmberClark 

Bras.  WTF?  Can we please establish an actual standard for standard sizing? ~@ampersandwich 

Use more jewels! ~@LilyofOpulence 

Nominate Chantal Thomass for Woman of the Year. ;) ~@ParisPink3 

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Black Friday Special: Save 50% on Lingerie Therapy or a Lingerie Business Strategy Session!

In celebration of all the things I’m thankful for, I’m running a special Black Friday sale on Lingerie Therapy and Lingerie Business Strategy Session.

Lingerie Therapy is your shortcut to having a lingerie drawer full of only the things you love.  In our one-on-session, we’ll talk about the things that are working, the things that aren’t, and, most importantly what you want from your lingerie wardrobe.  Especially if you’re new to the world of lingerie, a Lingerie Therapy consult is perfect for getting you started on the right track.

Lingerie Business Strategy Sessions are something I offer for lingerie retailers, designers, and brands.  I know a lot of people from the industry read my blog, and a Business Strategy Session is a great way to learn some of the tips and tricks I’ve used to get such amazing readers and fans.  We can talk about your social media, your webstore interface, or even ways to increase sales during the holiday season.  I’m really passionate about helping small brands, and I’d love to help yours.

The 50% off sale is only until the end of November, so don’t delay!  And thank you, as always, for being a friend of The Addict.

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Independent Fashion Bloggers: Links a La Mode–11/25/10

Thanks to Ann of Holier Than Now for including my article on 5 Things Every Woman Should Know About Her Lingerie in this week’s Links a la Mode. I’m so glad you liked it! As required, I’m also listing the other lovely posts from this week’s chosen bloggers. If you enjoy fashion, please visit their blogs too!

links a la mode

Giving Thanks

Edited by: Holier than Now
It’s Thanksgiving here in the U.S. and many of us are looking forward to the Black Friday sales – oh wait, I mean spending time with our families and friends! But it’s wonderful (and kind of weird) that so many of the people that influence and support us on a daily basis won’t be gathered around our table; they’ll be hanging around our web address, retweeting our (sometimes) witty comments, liking our latest post on Facebook, etc. Whether or not you celebrate turkey day, as a blogger it’s hard not to be full of gratitude for the resources we share on a regular basis. This week, Tickle Me Chic helps ban the blogging blues, Previously Owned does your holiday gift shopping for you, and Make the World a Prettier Place sums up the reason so many of us are grateful just to be alive (hello? fashion!) with a visual history.

Links à la Mode: November 25th

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Happy Thanksgiving!

I’m thankful for having amazing readers who take time out of their very busy schedules to come visit my little lingerie blog.  I don’t say it often enough, but I really appreciate you.  You make my life that much better.

I hope you and yours are having a very happy holiday.  Please be safe out there on the roads (don’t drink and drive…seriously), and I’ll be back with more lingerie goodness next week.

In the meantime, why not get a headstart on your holiday lingerie shopping by checking out the Black Friday Sales & Specials sidebar?  I’ll be updating it all weekend with the latest lingerie deals and steals.

Talk again soon!

~Trea

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Kate Middleton’s Boudoir: Honeymoon Lingerie Recommendations

As I’m sure you know already, Kate Middleton and Prince William were recently engaged.  With the wedding date set for April 29, 2011, there’s not much time to prepare.  Hearts are all aflutter in England with talk of who will design Kate’s wedding dress, but I’m much more interested in something else…

Who’s going to design Kate Middleton, the future Queen Katherine’s, lingerie?

I hope you can understand as fellow lingerie addicts why this question is so important.  Unlike a wedding gown or a pair of shoes or a hat, lingerie something we women wear every single day.  Lingerie not only sets the foundation for everything that goes on top of it, it can completely ruin your day if you’ve made the wrong choice (bunched-up knickers, anyone?).

Rigby & Peller is Queen Elizabeth’s corsetiere, and a few people are recommending that this esteemed British house of design should handle Kate’s trousseau as well.  I disagree.  Kate is a modern beauty with modern style, and, as such, she deserves modern lingerie.

Agent Provocateur is another name on the tip of everyone’s tongue, and understandably so.  Like Victoria’s Secret in the U.S., AP has made it’s name synonymous with luxury lingerie in the U.K.  But I don’t think they’re unique enough for the enviable task of outfitting a future Queen of England in her intimates.  Agent Provocateur is nice, it’s true…but they just don’t have that special something.

The ideal lingerie designer for Kate Middleton will have 3 qualities:

1) They’ll be British-born and bred (this is obvious, but it also narrows our choices a bit).
2) They’ll use only the choicest fabrics and the most couture sewing techniques.
3) They must be able to balance tradition and modernity.

With that in mind here are my 3 top picks:

Sian Hoffman is the corsetry world’s best kept secret.  Most people have never heard of her, yet she’s producing some of the most gorgeous bespoke creations I have ever laid eyes on.  Many of her designs are carried at FairyGothMother and she’s been recently spotted at Coco de Mer as well.

I chose this piece for Kate’s bridal trosseau because she may very well need a corset on her wedding day, and this is the perfect combination of fit and function. My two fave details are the buskless front and powermesh sides; those features make this corset eminently wearable with modern-day clothing.

Founded in 2001, Damaris is credited with turning the London lingerie world on to luxury fabrics and daring designs again.  Her corset back knickers sparked a revolution, and her very first collections were carried in high prestige stores like Harrod’s, Harvey Nichols, and Liberty of London.  She’s also a staple designer in most luxury lingerie boutiques.

I chose this piece because I love how it blends modern and vintage. Chantilly lace is such a classic lingerie fabric, and just the look of it (much less the feel) screams luxury.  Using chantilly lace on a modern silhouette like a bodysuit represents the perfect hybrid of old and new.

Though she’s been working in the fashion industry for over 6 years, Florrie Mitton only recently begun promoting her own label, and I’m sure the lingerie world is glad she did.  Florrie Mitton fulfills a unique niche in that her speciality is bridal garters.  All of her couture garters are handmade in the U.K., and she uses only the finest silks, laces, and trimmings.

All of her garters are gorgeous, but I chose this one for the special horseshoe charm beneath the bow.  Any marriage takes a lot of work, but I imagine one under as much public scrutiny as Kate’s and Prince William’s will require much more.  And I, along with the rest of the world, want to wish them the very best success in making that happen.

What do you think of my choices? Did I leave any U.K. designers off the list that you feel should be included? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

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The Lingerie That Got Away…3 Pieces I Should’ve Purchased

One of the questions I’m asked most frequently by readers is “What lingerie do you most regret not buying?”  There’s usually at least one thing every season, but the three pieces I’m sharing with you today are my personal “white whales.”  Believe me when I say that if I could do things differently…I would.

Do you have any lingerie regrets?  What do you think about the selections I posted below?  I’d love to hear what you have to say in the comments.

Dita von Teese for Frederick’s of Hollywood Lace Bustier (2007)
 Andres Sarda “Christmas Bow” Bra & Panty (2008)
Cameo Intimates Retro Polka Dot Bullet Bra & Garter Panty (2010)
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Designer Interviews: Laurie Shapiro of Toad Lillie


You know, I’ve never thought it was fair that the only lingerie designers most of us hear about are the ones with the big PR campaigns and massive marketing budgets.  There is so much amazing stuff happening in lingerie right now, and I think it’s super-important that we’re exposed to as much as of it as possible.

That’s why I’m pleased to continue my brand new monthly feature–Designer Interviews.  For this month, I’m talking with Laurie Shapiro, the lingerie maven behind Toad Lillie.

P.S. Lingerie Addict readers can also save 20% off Toad Lillie with the code ‘lingerieaddict.’ Happy shopping!

1) I have to ask this because I’m sure it’s on everyone’s mind…what is a Toad Lillie? And why that particular name for your lingerie line?

A Toad Lily is a lovely woodland shade flower that resembles an orchid. It is one of those things that most people don’t know of, but once discovered it is remembered forever for it’s uniqueness. I also love the oxymoronic quality of the name; a bit of irreverence and cheekiness which is reflected in my lingerie as well.

2) I have a confession…I’ve been a follower of Toad Lillie since the very beginning on Etsy, and I’ve noticed a definite change in aesthetic between those first collections and your current ones. What’s your inspiration now?  Was there anything that prompted the change?

Well in the beginning I was playing around primarily with pasties. I’m a fan of burlesque and wanted to make pasties that were more glamorous and accessible for the boudoir. It was a natural progression then to garter belts and panties. I still aim for a bit of theatricality in my pieces. I am a huge fan of vintage couture gowns, primarily from the 1930s – 1950s, and I enjoy coupling couture dressmaking techniques with the frivolity of lingerie.

3) How long have you been designing lingerie? What did you do before that? Any formal training?

I’m a self-taught seamstress and have only been designing lingerie for about a year. While I have always had an interest in costume design, I chose to study fine art with an emphasis on figurative sculpture and fiber.  My final thesis actually had a bit of a fetish element (stylized “cages” for the head utilizing birdcage veiling, gold wire and crocheted hair). Seems I’ve always been fascinated by the theatrical and eroticized.

4) What kind of woman is a Toad Lillie woman?

The Toad Lillie woman is confident, cheeky, and playful.

5) What sets Toad Lillie apart from all the other luxury lingerie lines out there?

Toad Lillie is all about the big “ta-da!” in the bedroom. My pieces are meant to flaunt, strut, and certainly inspire a romp. Again it’s all about feeling empowered and having FUN! Toad Lillie lingerie is truly bespoke, being made individually by hand, and including couture construction techniques including french seams, narrow rolled hems, silk gussets, and silk lined bras. The newest holiday/winter items also feature an array of hand painted and beaded pieces as well.

6) Why do you believe my readers should buy from handmade lingerie labels?

People aren’t mass produced, so why buy mass produced products? I am thrilled to be part of a growing community of handmade lingerie labels! We offer innovation in design and technique that rivals European brands that sell at a much higher price point. Also, handmade labels such as Toad Lillie can provide a level of customization that is unique in the market.  Nothing makes me happier than creating one of a kind pieces for my clients! Lastly, when supporting handmade you are supporting the artist directly and will receive not only a piece to treasure for years but also the kind of customer service to treasure the experience as well.

7) And most importantly, where can we buy your stuff?

I am launching a new website in early November (www.toadlillie.com) to complement my existing Etsy presence. I am so excited for this new chapter as I will be sharing collection photographs, press, and stockists.

Want to see more photos from Toad Lillie’s brand new collection? Then visit my friends at Frou Frou Fashionista!

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