Love Claudette Peony/Pink Lemonade Dessous

If you read my last post on Love Claudette then you'll be aware of my plight for this set, i have been whining about it for some time. So when a member of the Love Claudette team, Robin, contacted me and casually asked if i wanted a set they had left over, well, i almost had a coronary. It always takes me by surprise when anyone, let alone the actual company i'm reviewing, actually reads all of what i write I just expect people to have tl;dr moments because i'm not the most eloquent blogger. Robin and I emailed back and forth, after some serious email technical difficulties, and I honestly cannot praise the Claudette team enough for how wonderful they are. At no point in my life, have i ever experienced a customer service team this nice or generous. I'm blown away just by how much Love Claudette care for and look after their customers. 

What can i say about this set except it's everything i've ever wanted and dreamed of. Constructed just as beautifully as my other set and in such gorgeous, and weirdly complimentary, colours (pink and neon lime green, praise the lingerie gods!). I received the bra in a 30C so the mesh at the top of the bra creates a little fold because it has nothing to lie flush against but it's really not bothering me in the slightest and i don't even notice it anymore. I requested the thong in a small and i'm very pleased with the fit, when it comes to thongs i like 'em a little on the large size as it saves my muffin tops from some nasty digging in. There's something so cosy and comfy and delicate about this set, it's a thing of beauty. I reckon the Dessous sets are the class A drugs of the lingerie world. I now own two and i'm thoroughly hooked!

Unfortunately for a lot of people who missed it, this set is now sold out and probably nion impossible to get a hold of, but Love Claudette are soon to be releasing a whole new season of Dessous sets. Which is something i'm looking forward to!

*This set was provided to me, by the Love Claudette team, free of charge. All opinions are definitely my own.

What Lamb's Wearing Wednesday

I love this top so much that i actually own two in white and one in black. So i've been wearing pretty simple variations of this outfit for a week or so now. It's cool enough for the spurts of hot weather and humidity but also easy to layer for when it does get a little chillier. 

As the white versions of this top are slightly sheer, i've been matching the colour of my bra to the colour of my skirts as closely as possible. Since i prefer the moulded cups look under a top like this, the only bra that worked (i seem to only own navy bralettes) with my blue colour scheme was this Floozie by Frost French bra in a sky blue. 

Running with this colour scheme throughout, in the presence of mind that colour continuity is unbelievably uplifting, i picked out some navy blue Topshop knickers, full bum to avoid any embarrassing windy situations.

Also how good is it that this whole outfit, lingerie included, only cost me £25? I do love a good bargain.

Altering Bra Fit

 

 One of the most important pieces of knowledge i've gained as a small bust blogger, who previously knew sod all about bras, is that not all bras are compatible with all breast shapes. And breasts come in a lot of varying shapes.

As someone with a very small bust, and a sense of depleted confidence to match, it never occurred to me that there were issues associated with breast shape because i was so pre-occupied with the issue of size. Any problems i encountered with bra fit were put down to size, I believed that my bust was just too small to sit properly in certain bras. 

I have small, bottom heavy, wide set breasts. This is a statement of buzz words intended to give an idea of the distribution of breast tissue about my chest; the geometry of my bust. I may be smart in a numerical logical sense but upon first introduction to these kinds of words i had no inclination to why they held such importance to other lingerie and bra fit bloggers. Of course, in true physicist fashion, this verbal mapping of my breasts gained some kind of significance through real life applications. Now i've gained more of a clue about the kind of body i own i can put these words into practice. Those little Topshop bralettes that just don't quite contain my breasts, despite being the right size, are not made for someone with a wide set chest. Balcony style bras, the never ending struggle with gaping at the top of the cups, are often not shallow enough for a bottom heavy chest. The shape and distribution of breast tissue really does dictate the kinds of bras that will fit comfortably. I'm of the opinion that to accept your body for how it is you first have to understand it in an objective sense. So by understanding the shape of my breasts relative to how and where they sit on my chest, as well as their size, i can now apply this knowledge into accepting the way they are (and that also means having some sense when it comes to clothing them).

 Something always worth considering when faced with a new bra that does not fit is if and how you can make it work for you. Simple alterations that require basic sewing skills and no more than a pin, needle and appropriately coloured thread can make all the difference. The bra pictured is a recent purchase of mine and a whole cup size smaller than my usual size. I wrongly assumed that by purchasing a smaller size i could ensure a comfortable fit. When trying on this bra it was obvious i'd always suffer from severe gaping at the top of the cups, particularly on my smaller breast. The cups were far too close set and i just didn't have the breast tissue in the right places to fill it out. By considering the shape of my breasts vs the shape of the bra and sewing a little dart into the cups, where they meet the centre gore, i was able to flatten the rising curve of the cups and alter the fit. This bra now fits and sits flush against my chest. A few other examples of alterations would be shortening or lengthening the band size, adding darts to decrease the depth of cups or darts to make the cups suitable for close set breasts.

Tips For Summer

 Summer is a season i'll never get used to. Every year i'm caught completely unawares by the sudden need to wear no clothes and shave my bits and slather myself in factor 50. It's a wonder my pale butt actually manages to survive the week or so of heat we get in the UK, since i'm always, usually, so unprepared. This year i've already experienced two  proper summers, thanks to a lovely foray to Majorca and Tenerife, and now i've got a battle plan to get me through to the days where i can put my woolies and 50 dernier nylons back on! So here's a couple of steps of my plan, just in case they come in handy to anyone else who considers summer a bit of a battle field.

How To Securely Fasten Bikini Strings
I'm not talking about tying a basic knot, most people over the age of 10 are aware of how to do that one. I've always been paranoid about string bikinis, even with a double knot they're so easy to undo or loosen. I've probably seen too many cliche teen movies with the immature male sexually harassing (in guise of a joke) a female by removing her bikini top. So i thought i'd share the Sheet Bend knot i use to make these scenarios impossible. This knot is boy proof, grabby baby proof and wear proof so string bikini wearers should worry no more.
(Please ignore the glare right where the focus of the reader should be in the demonstration photos. This was not intentional and my camera is a bit of a shit for including it in every photo even though i have a UV filter over my lens.)

1. Create a loop with one of the strings and thread the other under and through it. 

Keep hold of the loop.

2. Thread the lose string behind the loop, so it is now hanging down your back.
This will make another loop. 
3. Thread the loose string through the new loop. When doing this behind your back i've found it's easiest to keep hold of this loop it's being created (in step 2), like shown in the demonstation photo, so you can easily pull the loose string through it.

4. Take hold of all four protruding strings and pull tight to form the knot.

I like to tie a bow on top for aesthetic reasons but the strings can also be left loose. I also use this knot on any back straps or side ties on bikini bottoms too. 
This knot is a tad tricky and if it's constructed wrong can be flimsy so mastering it will take a bit of practice. And then once you've mastered it you'll have to master how to do it behind your back as well. It's important you don't tie this impossibly tight because you'll want to be able to pull the neck straps over your head as undoing the knot requires being able to see it. Unless you've got crazy hand brain coordination (which i do not, i can't even tie a plait behind my back).

Staying Hydrated
So this has cropped up all over Pinterest recently but it's something i've been doing for years, and it's only just hit me that other people haven't even considered it. I'm talking about infused water. I never seem to drink water in large quantities, it's just not interesting enough to keep my attention and i often end up dehydrated. Putting some kind of flavour in water works a dream for getting me to enjoy drinking it and thus i end up drinking more. The "recipes" on Pinterest are all a bit: stick this in your expensive mason jars and leave for a day, etc. but they don't really address what kind of flavours you can achieve and i do things a little differently.

If you want infused water immediately opt for citrus fruits, cucumber or passion fruit. These are really strong flavours and all they need is to be placed into water to begin infusing. Citrus fruits are an overwhelming flavour so if you intend to add other ingredients in the hopes of making a mix of flavours it's best to be sparing with the amount you add.
Soft fruits such as strawberries, nectarines, peaches, apricots will need to be pulped (or blended) before adding to your water. These kinds of fruits won't infuse in their whole or sliced form.
Herbs, when added straight to cold water, will provide a very subtle flavour and will be overwhelmed by any other flavours unless they are added in large quantities. Crushing the leaves and buds in your hands before will help a little. If you want the flavour to be any richer you'll need to add them to boiling water and then allow it to cool. Sweet and savoury herbs, such as mint, spearmint, thyme and lavender are my particular favourites. If you have herb plants don't worry about stripping the leaves, this actually encourages the plant to grow a new larger, healthier crop (I should know, my poor mint plants take a battering every summer and yet they're happy and alive).

This kind of post is completely new to oflambsandlace so i'd really appreciate any kind of feedback and if this is popular or anyone would like, i have a few other tips that i can share.

A Little PSA: Motel Rocks Hillary Bodysuit

My nipples are about 1cm away from ruining this photo

Now i wasn't planning on reviewing this item, i just wanted to quietly add it to my collection. But i feel like i should say something.

Motel Rocks is a decent company, they make affordable clothes and have a good relationship with lots of fashion bloggers (including one of my favourites) so i'm in no way making a general statement about the quality of the products they sell. Just the Hillary bodysuits. There are currently 5 "Hillary" bodysuits on the Motel Rocks website, being sold for £25 each and i've noticed that they've brought out different versions every season since the start of 2012, at least.

So the wisdom i'd like to impart is: Just don't buy one. Certainly not for full price and i'd even think twice if, like me, you find one for much cheaper on ebay. No matter how pretty the neckline or the print, no matter how gosh darn flattering it is on the body, it's not worth parting the cash for an item of clothing that does not actually clothe you. These bodysuits do not stay up. Not for a second. Every other photo i took wearing this was indecent. Every time i moved, even slightly, my nipples came out to pose. It won't stay up on a small bust, i can't imagine it would stay up on a fuller bust either.

What about a strapless bra underneath? Nope! Aside from the lovely, but impractical cut of the neckline making a strapless bra show, the bodysuit won't stretch over a bra and therefore won't stay up.

Tit Tape? Nope! This baby is double lined so no matter how much you tape yourself up the cups won't sit flat and the paranoia sets in as gravity works against you.

Attach straps? Yeah okay, but y'might as well buy a bodysuit with straps in the first place.

I've lusted after this particular Hillary bodysuit since 2012, ever since i virtually paired it with my high waisted denim shorts (which have since broken, don't buy from American Apparel either), and there were times when i genuinely considered paying full price when i certainly couldn't afford it. 

I try not to post fully negative reviews on this blog, or at least i always try to end on a positive note but i'd hate for someone else to be this disappointed.

Love Claudette Dessous Set

This set was an indulgent birthday present to myself. But it's only been in my possession for a short while (through fault of my own, having it shipped to my family home and staying in the City for extra long). After discovering that all UK stockists of Love Claudette only stock a very limited range of sizes, i turned to the American store Faire Frou Frou. The Pink Lemonade Dessous set had taken my fancy, and invaded my dreams, but after ordering Faire Frou Frou discovered that Claudette no longer had any bras in a 30C left so i switched my order to the Camo set.

The package arrived pretty swiftly, (and beautifully wrapped) and after paying some hefty customs charges (thanks UK border agency) it sat waiting for me to come home, for a good month or so.

Firstly, i'm going to tackle fit. I ordered a size 30C and a Small in the bikini knickers. The knickers fit wonderfully. They're not too tight anywhere and are generally quite accurate in size. The bra fits with regards to band size and the gore sitting flat, however as smaller chests tend to be bottom heavy there's extra fabric at the top of the cups which is empty. I anticipated this, knowing the shape and size of my own chest wouldn't fill out a bra in this style but i'm still pleased to have this set in my arsenal, and it certainly hasn't stopped me wearing it, or feeling very confident in it. I expect the next Dessous bra i buy, will be a 30B (and now i'm wondering if a 30B is available in the pink lemonade set), as the smaller cup might fit a little better. If your chest tends towards the smaller size of things, and tends to be bottom heavy, you might experience the same issue so it's something to consider if you're thinking about making a purchase. 

As far as the construction goes, i was actually taken aback when i opened the package. These pieces are very beautifully finished with contrasting neon trim and appendages. The colours are rich, the fabric soft and slightly sheer (i expect the camo print makes this set a little more opaque than others).

These are a world away from my usual, overly girly choice in lingerie but a little variation is definitely a good thing!

If you'd like to add a Dessous set to your collection then limited sizes (32 A-D usually) are available in UK stores such as ASOS and Urban Outfitters.
Or a full range of sizes (subject to availability as this was a very popular collection) is available from Faire Frou Frou.

What Lamb's Wearing Wednesday

I can't stand it when i edit three photos in exactly the same way and they all come out looking wildly different due to lighting. 

All my clothes are in transit, er well spread out over multiple bags and boxes, and i genuinely can't remember where i've put most things so the first thing i come across usually makes up my outfit for that day.

This dress, albeit lined, is totally and utterly see through, and very tight, so a light coloured Topshop thong is a necessity. Unfortunately this one has ruffles, so it's not ideal, but it was the best i could find right now.

I don't, and never have, owned a decent strapless bra so this Matalan bikini top, which i've raved about before, is one of my wardrobe staples. I wear it so often that the underwire is now poking out and i'm actually considering buying a few more before they go out of season.

An overly plain, and frankly quite chilly, outfit like this needs a few layers on top so my vintage leather jacket and some insulting socks finish the whole thing off, and quite nicely.