Posts in category "garter belt"

Lingerie school: the corset and basque project

Design by Karolina Laskowska: backstage at the catwalk show

As usual, the end of term at lingerie school (ak.a. the Contour Fashion course at De Montfort University) saw every student in a state of panic – deadlines were starting to loom from all angles and stress was mounting!  Our final assignment was the corset & basque project – a rather self-explanatory project that required us to design, pattern cut and sew a corset and basque, with an extra bit of pressure – our class also had to organise and present a fashion show with our final designs! As unfortunate as it was that you all missed the catwalk, I thought I’d make up for it as best as I could by sharing some of my classmates’ and my own designs and explaining our inspirations behind them. Enjoy!

Karolina Laskowska

On the catwalk, photo by Andy Espin

Sketchbook work

Experimental photography

Idea sketches

Textile development – appliqué and flossing

Illustrations of final designs

Using the colour black is my comfort zone when it comes to design, so I really wanted to push myself and embrace colours in this project. I began by looking at flowers; orchids with their tropical hues, the process of decay in cut flowers and finally the surreal colours within Jiang Zhi’s photographic series ‘Love Letters’, where beautiful flower arrangements are doused in methylated spirits and set alight, surrounding them in an intensely beautiful blue flame.  I was also greatly influenced by my Summer internship with Sparklewren corsetry – I’m still in awe of Jenni’s beautiful use of lace appliqué and had been dying to use the technique on some of my own work. My final designs ended up far more colourful than I could have ever anticipated – and I’m very pleased to say I’m incredibly happy with the final garments and how they looked on the catwalk!

Charlotte Spence

Final corset on the catwalk

Sketchbook and textile development

Sketchbook development

Sketchbook development

Final design illustrations

Corset details

Charlotte Spence’s designs were originally inspired by Summer Lupins, pastel shades and the blending of colours.  The main fabric for her corset was a hand dyed brocade that incorporated hand dyed pleats. She wanted to use ribboning as an embellishment, which led to her studying hand carved candles and opening the pleats into organic shapes to create interesting lines on her corset.  The corset’s shape originated from a 1885 sports corset pattern, with the eyelets supposedly ‘aerating’ the body.

Emily Roberts

Final corset on the catwalk

Final basque on the catwalk

Initial inspiration

Sketchbook development

Sketchbook development

Emily was inspired by a trip to Barcelona and its amazing architecture, particularly Gaudi’s work and traditional Spanish buildings.  She focused on metalwork and recreated the aesthetic by using lace with embellishment.

Samantha Thorburn

Final garment on the catwalk

Sketchbook development

Design development

Design development

Final garment details

Samantha’s designs were inspired by the characters Odette and Odile from Swan Lake, after seeing the Birmingham Royal Ballet perform the ballet. She also went to see the collection of historical ballet costumes at the Royal Opera house and was particularly taken with the embroidered details on the costumes, as well as the stories and personalities of the characters.  Her catwalk basque represented the character of Odette.

Akaibi Vine

Final garments backstage

Catwalk back views

Sketchbook development

Textile development

Design development

Final designs

Final garment details

Akaibi’s initial inspiration came from a visit to photographer Tim Walker’s ‘Storyteller’ exhibition and the the Disney inspired Christmas window displays at British department store Harrods. She wanted to create a modern twist on fairytales – not just the characters and stories but the backdrops, costumes and atmosphere created when modern artists turn their hand to these classic tales. She explored the idea of using a whitework (a type of embroidery), being more inspired by textures and finishes than colours or prints. For her final garments she laminated various fabrics and worked onto them with beading and ribbon work. The longline basque and corset worn with a skirt are both nods to the gowns of the Disney princesses with a modern finish.

As manic and crazy as the catwalk day, we just about managed to all survive! We all managed to pull together to create a fantastic show that somehow made all of the tears and stress worth it. I’m incredibly proud of what our class managed to achieve and it’s set a very high standard for the rest of the year’s work!

Readers: What do you think of our final designs? Have you ever had your own catwalk experiences?

Karolina

Karolina

Student at De Montfort University's world-renowned Contour Fashion course. Makes many knickers in her spare time.

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Lingerie School, Year 2: Jellyfish Lingerie!

It’s my second year of lingerie studies and my first term is soon coming to a close… Along with a rush of deadlines!  Consequently, the past few days have been a flurry of lingerie activity in order to get my first design project ready to hand in.  Even though it’s still missing the finishing touches, I thought you’d all like to see how my first lingerie project of the year has turned out.

Initial sketchbook work: photography and exploring shapes and colours

Our project brief gave us relatively free rein – requiring a bra, knicker and suspender belt with relevant technical accompaniments.  I chose the starting point of jellyfish and sea life, having always been fascinated by the shapes and colours – flowing, light and delicate.  There are so many ways that these qualities can be transferred to lingerie.

Photographs of ink in water

Print ideas – the centre design ended up being used in my final garments

As well as exploring these qualities through drawing, I had a go at photographing some ink in water to try and capture the amazing shapes and colours.  I loved some of the photos so much that I even had a go at designing some repeat prints with them.

Looking at garment details. L-R – La Perla, La Fille d’O, Fleur of England

I began to look the lingerie world for inspiration.  I was feeling particularly inspired by designs that mixed sheer and opaque fabrics.  I also noticed that quite a few of my favourite designs utilised straight lines – a technique that’s particularly difficult to get right when pattern cutting lingerie, especially in a manner that looks good on the human body.  La Perla’s AW12/13 collection has used these particularly effectively.  I also love the crispness and use of panelling in La Fille Do’s designs and the use of graphic black with sheer tulle by Fleur of England.

Design ideas and scribbles

I began to have a go at sketching my own designs. Unfortunately, drawing is not my strong point – my design ideas are nearly all scribbles that probably don’t make sense to anyone but me!  Nevertheless I had a very strong vision of what I wanted for my final designs. I wanted immaculate attention to detail and perfect finishing – minute and perfectly sewn pin stitches on each seam, purely elegant garments.  I also began experimenting with creating partial bras and cups to get a clearer vision of my designs.

Final fabrics – silk satin, silk habotai, silk chiffon and stretch mesh.

Illustration of my final designs

Everything came together in my head when I finally went fabric shopping.  I found the perfect silk chiffon – ombre reds, purples and blues that exactly echoed my sketchbook starting points. I knew exactly what I wanted my garments to be.

Illustration board of my ‘collection’ – luckily I only have to make one set!

In the final week before the deadline I’ve finalised my designs and am still in the process of actually finishing my garments; unfortunately I don’t have any of the fantastic industrial sewing machines in my own house and have to wait for studio time to use them! Nevertheless, you can get an idea of what my final designs will be, even if they are just pinned together.

Garments in progress: pinned together bra (hence still looking lumpy and shapeless!) and my final skirted suspender belt

So in the next few days I will be panicking about finishing technical packs and drawings (incredibly boring but a necessity for any garment to go into production!), market research and photoshoots.  You will just have to watch this space for the final outcome!

Readers: Do you think I’ve been successful in following my initial ideas through to literal garments?   What are your favourite parts of the project?

Karolina

Karolina

Student at De Montfort University's world-renowned Contour Fashion course. Makes many knickers in her spare time.

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Lingerie Addict Video: How to Buy a Garter Belt

Kiss Me Deadly "Candy Box" Garter Belt (as seen in the video)

There’s a new video up on The Lingerie Addict YouTube Channel, and it’s all about garter belts (or suspender belts for my UK readers). With Mad Men, Dita von Teese, and, of course, the on-going popularity of Bettie Page, there’s more interest in garter belts now than ever before.

But not all garter belts are created equal so how can you know the difference between a good one and a not-so-good one? Just use the 4 tips from our latest video as your guide:

No time to watch the video? Here are the key takeaways for what to look for:

  1. A wide front panel
  2. Metal garter grips and adjusters
  3. Six garter straps
  4. Hook and eye closure in the back with at least 3 hooks and eyes

I hope you enjoy the video and that, if you’re new to garter belts, it helps you shop for one. Ready to buy a garter belt right now? My recommended vendors are Kiss Me Deadly, What Katie Did, and Secrets in Lace (especially the Rago line). And if you have any garter belt advice of your own to share, I’d love to read it in the comments.

Treacle

Treacle

Lingerie Blogger. Sugar Junkie. Sci-Fi Geek.

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The Curvy Kate Spring Collection Review!

By: Holly

Image via Curvy Kate

Samples for this review were provided by BareNecessities.com, the UK Curvy Kate team, and the US Curvy Kate team. All opinions are my own.

I’ve always been a fan of Curvy Kate’s Star in A Bra Model Competition, but I hadn’t tried their bras until recently. Most of this was due to proximity, or lack thereof. If you’re a full busted woman, bra shopping can be hell.

After a large period of shipping bras that didn’t fit back and forth to Poland, the UK, and lands beyond I was a little sick of international shipping. This is one of the reasons I’m really excited that BareNecessities.com has picked up Curvy Kate! No international shipping, no waiting two weeks to a month for my bras to show up, and no problems returning them if they don’t fit.

I was lucky enough to be able to put together a review of lots of the new offerings, most of which are already up on Bare Necessities. I tried to go for a mix of basics, but had to give into my need for more brightly colored bras in the end. Before I get started on the individual bras, here are some general observations about Curvy Kate lingerie and how it fits.

1) The bras are well constructed, and built to last. I had one for about two weeks when I had no others that fit, and it held up during every day wear and washing beautifully. Curvy Kate’s designs are also trendy and young, which is great if you’re tired of feeling like you’re wearing your grandmother’s bra that comes up to your neck.

2) The sizing within the line is a little idiosyncratic, but it’s worth figuring out what works for you to be able to wear this line. If you’re US based, you’ll now be able to return things easily, so this shouldn’t be as big a deal as it once was.

3) Panties run almost a size smaller than many brands, so size up for comfort and muffin-top avoidance.

Image via Curvy Kate

The Portia:
This bra was a lifesaver for me. I changed sizes fairly recently and this was the first bra I found that fit me perfectly in my new 32J size. I loved it so much that I wore it every day for two weeks until I found some more options that fitted perfectly. If you’re new to Curvy Kate, the Portia in white or black is a great place to start.

Image via Curvy Kate

The Lottie:
The Lottie bra comes in white and black as continuity colors, but I couldn’t resist the clashing lavender and coral colorway. This was the set I was most nervous about, as I felt like it had the potential to make me look like a giant Easter egg. I was relieved to discover that the lavender and coral colors are actually really flattering, at least on my pale skin. Pictures don’t really do it justice. This bra doesn’t give you as rounded or as uplifted a shape as some of the others, but it’s incredibly comfortable and very supportive. The boy shorts that go with it are cute and practical, and the sheer panel in the back gives them more sex appeal without sacrificing coverage.

Image via Curvy Kate

The Angel:
The Angel set this year comes in a Bluebell color way, which has white trimming and pink bows. This is one of the few sets that has two styles of underwear that go with it, as well as a matching suspender belt. I love this set, but it was one of the trickiest in terms of sizing. If I hadn’t had help from the lovely Cheryl and the UK Curvy Kate team, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have figured it out. I ended up with the bra in 32JJ, so size up a cup if you’re planning on buying it. I went up a size in the panties, but the suspender belt worked in my regular size.

The suspender belt surprised me by pulling me in like light shape wear, which was a delightful discovery. I love both the thong and the boy shorts, although I’m obviously likely to wear them for different occasions. The bra fit just as well as the others, although it did take more wiggling and strap adjusting to get it to that point.

Image via Curvy Kate

The Romance:
The Curvy Kate Romance bra is the most vintage looking of all their offerings this season, and I love the purple swirl design that they’ve used. This bra also fit well in a 32J, and was very easy to mix and match with things in my lingerie drawer. The fit and feel was very similar to the Portia.

I’m looking forward to the rest of the line coming out in the US so I can pick up some newer silhouettes like the Daily Boost! Until then, I’ll happily wear my current collection on a regular basis.

Image via Curvy Kate

If you’re interested in learning more about Curvy Kate, their offerings, or the US version of Star In A Bra, BareNecessities.com has lots of information. Even more details can be found on the Curvy Kate site. I’d love to see tons of entries for Star In A Bra this year, so start taking your pictures! The modeling competition begins in the US on April 5th.

Holly

Holly

The Full Figured Chest provides creative and elegant copywriting for the high end lingerie industry.

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Ask the Addict: Where Can I Buy a Good Garter Belt?

Prefer video instead? Check out our video on The Lingerie Addict YouTube Channel – “How to Buy a Garter Belt.”

Kiss Me Deadly 'Van Doren'

Today’s Ask the Addict question comes from Lemons to Lemons, who writes:

Where can I buy a good garter belt?

That’s a great question, especially since garter belts are not only in fashion again but surprisingly hard to find in the average lingerie boutique (or department store, for that matter). If you’re new to the world of garter belts, take look at this article – How to Buy a Garter Belt.

The cliff notes version is that a good garter belt has at least six garter straps, metal adjusters and metal garter clips, and several rows of hook-and-eye closures at the back (much like a bra). A good quality quarter belt is also fairly wide (about the width of your hand at it’s fullest point) and made of reasonably durable materials like satin, powernet, or even cotton.

What Katie Did 'Maitresse'

What Katie Did 'Harlow'

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The vast majority of the garter belts I own and wear come from two brands: What Katie Did and Kiss Me Deadly. If you’re new to the world of garter belts (I remember when I was shopping for my first one…it can be a little intimidating!), I highly recommend What Katie Did’s Maitresse (black) or Harlow (peach) Garter Belt or Kiss Me Deadly’s basic 6 Strap Van Doren Suspender Belt. And if you’re searching for stockings, StockingsHQ has one of the best selections online and impeccable customer service. Hope this helps!

Got a question for The Lingerie Addict? Send it to treacle@thelingerieaddict.com and it may appear here on the blog!

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My Love Affair with the Suspender Belt

By Pippa

I remember the precise moment that I fell in love with suspender belts, and I remember the exactly one in particular that started my obsession. About 3 years ago, as a walked home from uni, every day I’d walk past a big department store and never pay it much attention, but one particularly wet and rainy day, I noticed this stunning set from Lejaby in the window, and my lingerie collection has since grown bigger and better due to the discovery of suspender belts.

Lejaby

Lejaby
This immediately became my very favourite thing in the world, and to this day remains one of my all time favourites. It’s because of the suspender belt (which, strictly speaking is a waspie with suspender straps) that this outfit caught my eye and was such as object of my desire for so long.

(You may also like: How to Buy a Garter Belt)

Lepel

Lepel
Buying yourself a set of lingerie with a suspender belt is comparable to a man buying a 3 piece suit, not something you wear every day, often a little more than you were hoping to spend, something to be treasured and looked after, and something usually reserved for special occasions. There’s something wonderfully empowering about a matching suspender belt which I have no doubt you’ll understand as soon as you put one on (if you haven’t already).  A good fit is essential, too tight and it’ll dig in, too loose and it won’t do the job of holding up stockings- useless!

(You may also like: My Favorite Garter Belt)

Every lingerie addict needs a fair few suspender belts in their lingerie collection, whether they’re shape wear/body sculpting, sheer lace, frilly, strappy elastic, high waisted/deep, low rise/narrow, retro, 4-strap, 6-strap, 8-strap…there is a style for everyone!

But even then, there are brilliantly innovative brands around which are creating whole new categories for themselves, here are some of the weirder and (most definitely) wonderful suspender belts available today.

(You may also like: Photo Friday: Garter Straps)

Hopeless Lingerie

Hopeless Lingerie – So cute and feminine!

Obey My Demand

Obey My Demand – New up-and-coming high-end luxury label, Obey My Demand, have created this beautiful silk and studded leather waspie/ suspender. Have a look at more of the collection here; www.obeymydemand.co.uk and watch this space!

(You may also like: The Rago Review – A Classic Corselette)

Bordelle

Bordelle – Not one to ever follow the rules, Bordelle’s webbed suspender is completely unique, multiple adjustable straps mean one can achieve the perfect fit, whatever your body type – perhaps not one for the faint hearted.

(You may also like: My Review of a Good, Everyday Garter Belt)

Lascivious

Lascivious – This fringe suspender from Lascivious with a halter neck is cute, flirty and a bit of fun.

(You may also like: Designer Interviews: Katie Halford of What Katie Did)

La Lilouche

La Lilouche – If suspender belts aren’t for you just yet, then why not go for some knickers with detachable straps, such as these glitzy high-waisted knickers from La Lilouche- utterly divine and you can choose whether to use the straps or not as the mood suits.

I’d love to hear what you all love about suspenders, please share your comments below! xxx

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The Look for Less: Bordelle vs. Frederick’s of Hollywood

On the left side, we’ve got Bordelle’s webbed suspender belt from their one of their very first collections back in 2009. Originally retailing at £89 (approximately $142), this is one of the pieces that put the UK brand on the luxury lingerie map.

On the right side, we have Frederick’s of Hollywood’s Runway Burlesque Chemise, an unabashed remake which retails at a somewhat more budget-friendly $38 (and offers a matching bra & g-string if you want to complete the look).

What do you think, fellow addicts?  Is this strappy, bondage-inspired garter belt a purchase…or pass?

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