Claudette Dessous Longline

It was around this time last year that i decided to treat myself to a Claudette Dessous set as a birthday present. My inability to obtain the colourway i really wanted lead me to end up working with Claudette and receiving said colourway as a sample to review. Unfortunately at the time i had been wrongly fitted into a 30C and the fit understandably wasn't perfect, with my shallow breasts being unable to fill out the fabric at the top of the cup. I had concluded that the shape of the Dessous just might not be fully compatible with shallow small busts and maybe it would be best to size down. It's not a comment i feel i can retract without trying the original Dessous style in my actual size but I was recently contacted by Claudette again and asked if i'd like to review one of their new Dessous styles, the longline. As you can see, it wasn't an opportunity i was going to turn down and hopefully my comments in this review will provide an accurate indication of fit for this particular Dessous style.

Claudette sent me their Hot Coral Polka Dot Dessous Longline in a 30B and the matching knickers in an XS.

I had no idea what colourway i was getting so this flouro pink and grey polka-dotted set was a pleasant surprise. I am my mother's daughter in that i adore polkadots, they are too adorable and so this set wins on that factor alone. I also love how the opacity of the set varies on several levels. The top of the cups is grey mesh that blends nicely with the rest of the cup, the back panels of both pieces are made from a slightly thicker pink mesh and there are two panels on the front of the knickers that are clear mesh. Overall it's a really interesting set and, as usual, it is beautifully constructed with any visible seams contributing to the overall design, rather than being an afterthought. And that huge satin bow, oh my love for it is indescribable. 

I consider myself to be a true 30B since it's a size that works for me through a lot of styles. Laid flat the band of this bra measures 24 inches and stretches up to 30 inches. My own underbust measures just under 27 inches and when worn on the loosest hooks, the band sits properly without riding up my back and feels firm but comfortable. I must say that the shape of the cups are the kind of thing i've never seen on a bra for a small bust. We often get 1/2 cups, so a full coverage cup like this is rare. But surprisingly, they fit, and well! My breasts fill out the entire cup, even my smaller one, and the fabric at the top of the cup sits flush against my chest. There's no gaping or wrinkling and the pointy, "I'm really just a nipple under here," shape that i usually get with non-moulded cups is no where to be seen. My bust has a nice, perky, rounded shape that looks good under clothes. I would definitely recommend the Dessous Longline as a bra suitable for small busts with a shallow shape. As for the longline, it's not the most visible feature, i would usually expect another inch or three on a bra to make it a longline. In my eyes i consider the best feature of a longline is to hide my bulbous ribcage and draw the eyes down to my waist, of which this does neither. But, and there is a very big but, with other longlines i always experience quite a deep ache in my ribcage and upper chest after wearing them for some time (does anyone else?) so i can definitely get on board with how comfortable this one is. I've been wearing it all day and there's been no ache. So long live the subtle longline.

I'm always wary of XS knickers as being a UK size 6-8, and from my experience with other brands, i would classify myself as in between sizes but these are a good fit. There's no digging in anywhere and there's enough give in the back to accommodate my arse comfortably.

I really am terribly impressed but i always am when it comes to Claudette. They continue to produce well constructed, comfortable basics in designs exciting enough to put them out there as something very special. There's fancy underwear, there's everyday underwear and then there's Claudette that takes the comfort and suitability of everyday underwear and adds a twist to make them attractive and pleasurable to wear. 

This set is currently only available to purchase at Journelle but is limited to average sizes only. Other Claudette sets can be purchased the UK, in limited sizes, from Asos and in the US, in most sizes, from Faire Frou Frou.

*This set was sent to me free of charge by Claudette. These opinions are all my own

Arabel

Arabel has been on my radar for a while now, in the past i've found their whimsical designs attractive if a tad too girly for me at times but i was pleasantly surprised to see that since i last checked in with them, Arabel seem to have matured as a brand and have expanded their ranges to include some terribly beautiful pieces, including a darling lace bra that claims to be suitable for petite ladies and comes in those often overlooked small band/small cup sizes. 

These Painted Lady knickers are available with a variety of different coloured butterfly embellishments but i was immediately drawn to the white on white version. Currently i'm going through a massive white lingerie phase and i just knew these would be perfect for me.

I go about life without using public toilets so i'm always desperate for a wee when i get into my apartment building and therefore i've developed the terribly unladylike habit of opening all my post on the toilet. So when i say i wee'ed myself in excitement when i saw these in the flesh for the first time, you know i'm being literal here. I had the immediate desire to buy a pair for my mother but then i saw the price (£60) and thought she probably wouldn't appreciate them enough for me to splurge.

I'm not a huge fan of 3D embellishments and surprisingly even less of butterflies. When i was a young child my bedroom was covered in them: butterfly paintings on the walls, butterfly magnets on the radiator, butterfly broaches on the curtains and bed canopy, butterflies everywhere, so to me they are an infantile symbol but guh, i love these knickers. I think this love has a lot to do with the fluidity throughout the design. The choice of Chiffon fabric with that vertical ruching and the flared hem coupled with the placement of the butterflies over one hip that are almost animated on their journey to the centre of the bum. Yup, it's a mature and exceptionally classy take on my childhood mascot. They're just so perfect for lazing around in my little monochrome world on a sunny weekend (or tuesday)

I was sent these knickers in a size 6-8 and the fit is spot on. As the bulk of the knickers is mostly free size, the only fit issue would be with the waistband, which you can see (can you see?) doesn't dig in and sits quite nicely. My only niggle is with the construction as, as the fabric is ruched around the waist elastic without any stitches to hold it in place, the elastic twists out of place in multiple points along the waistband and is a bugger to untwist and get to lie flat. But other than that the construction is really perfect and although the nature of this piece is to look delicate, i don't feel like it would be very easy to put a hole in the fabric or pull a butterfly off them 

(EDIT: I wore these for the first time the other day, having only gently handwashed them and left them to air dry before. I only wore them to bed and yet when i woke up in the morning a butterfly had completely fallen off and upon further inspection i realised that many more were hanging by their threads. So something to take into consideration before you purchase and i am quite disappointed that this has happened). 

They didn't come with any care advice but i hand washed them before i shot these photos and there were no disasters however i certainly wouldn't throw them in the washing machine with my everyday knickers. 

I'm overall incredibly impressed with the craftsmanship and the subtle beauty of these sweet little knickers and i'm definitely going to pop over to Arabel more often, and keep an eye on this little brands development. I can foresee a very happy love affair between me and them if this is the quality and style of lingerie they keep producing.

If you're interested in owning any Arabel for yourself and supporting an independent, UK brand then you can make that a reality here.

*This garment was sent to me free of charge for the purposes of a review. All opinions are my own

Karolina Laskowska

I do love Karolina Laskowska, both as a person and a designer. She embodies everything i admire in a person, being hardworking (Karolina is a student alongside running her own lingerie business) and exceedingly intelligent and thoughtful. Someone i feel i could have a great deal of scintillating conversation with, without even broaching the subject of lingerie (because sometimes we lingerie bloggers do deviate from thinking, and speaking, about lingerie 24/7). And naturally she embodies everything i admire in a designer too. I think i probably first discovered her harnesses through Toots early last year and i've kept up with her life and work ever since.

Karolina Laskowska lingerie has been featured on this blog once before, with her Fundraiser knickers (I would link to the post but i try not to re-live the photography on my early-ish reviews), which unfortunately met an untimely end in the paws of a pompom loving foster cat. So they live on in my lingerie drawer but alas never get worn and i've been biding my time before i could expand my collection to include pieces that didn't have big rips in them. Karolina got in touch and offered to send me a pair of her Ume high waisted knickers to review and i gleefully accepted. I was completely not expecting such a generous package to appear in my building foyer.

Before she sent out the package, Karolina had a little freak out that the Ume knickers she had left, in a size small, were going to be far too large for me. And i must admit, i had the exact same freakout when i saw them for the first time. But as usual, i completely underestimated the size of my hips and general lower body area and the fit is great. Karolina, however, generously included not one, not two, not even three, but four extra pieces from her collections "just in case." 

When i opened the package, i'd just got in from a long day at work dealing with an influx of rather unpleasant customers (they all seem to come out of the woodwork at the same time), so i was overwhelmed at the sheer generosity and it really lightened my mood. 

The Ume Knickers are made from vintage Kimono silk so vary from pair to pair but the fundamentals of the design make me weak at the knees. I love that the back is sheer mesh but most of all i love that the front and back panel connect via little pearlescent buttons down both sides, that can be undone. This, although very beautiful, is also absolutely practical and a very clever design feature as the kimono silk has no stretch and the sheer mesh has stretch in all directions. So to keep the high waisted shape and allow ease to put on or remove the knickers, there needs to be some way to increase the girth of the waistband. Now i hate the colour purple, like if Mimi Holliday were offering free Bisou Bisou sets and they were purple, i wouldn't partake and if Agent Provocateur offered to send me something and it was purple, i'd politely refuse. My dislike of the colour goes beyond a minor niggle in aesthetic taste, it is a deep rooted issue. So when i say it took me a good day to realise these knickers were purple then it means i must genuinely love them. It's not often i'm able to overlook such a major problem so y'know, kudos to Karolina for putting purple in my presence and not having me recoil in horror, but do the exact opposite. 

The Klara Garter is what my wardrobe has been missing. I've been searching for a leg garter that doesn't slip down my leg with the slightest movement, for quite some time. The fully adjustable nature of this one and the gold hardware (ohhh is there anything better than gold hardware? I think not) make it a winner in my eyes. Granted my thighs are the meatiest part of my body and my biggest problem area so whilst i might not feel comfortable wearing this garter whilst bare legged, i rarely go bare legged for confidence reasons anyway so i am looking forward to wearing this over my usual 40 denier tights and avoiding looking like my leg should be hanging in your local butcher shop.

The Lidia and Kordelia (not pictured) Harnesses are equally as lovely as the Klara Garter and all three are made out of high quality satin elastic and so there's no rubbing in uncomfortable places. Yet again they are adjustable, so can be worn as loose or as tight as you want and fasten in the back much like a bra with three rows of hooks. My plans for all white outfits featuring black harnesses just got a lot more exciting. 

The last piece gifted to me was a pair of Ume Pasties. Made from a similar vintage silk kimono fabric, these pasties are in my favourite light pink shade and adorned with such beautiful flowers. Unfortunately as i overexpose my photos so i don't have to spend forever editing my skin, they don't show up well in these and my attempts at taking better shots were thwarted by kittens freshly awoken from a nap (so more destructive than usual). I'm also terrible at getting pasties to stick which is mostly due to the shape of my chest, what with my nipples being a good 50% of my actual tit, but also because double sided sticky tape and i don't often get along together. Pasties on the whole, however, are not best suited to those who don't have their mass distributed evenly directly around the nipple because they just kind of hang on for dear life and don't have much to adhere to. I'm also, personally, not a fan of pasties because i feel they make me look completely flat chested, which ultimately makes me feel the opposite of sexy and alluring, but these are so pretty they were worth rescuing from the mouth of one of my little monsters and shall hopefully get some use if i ever manage to trick another man into my bedroom on the long term... 

There are only a few pieces of the Ume collection in select sizes left so if they or anything in this post has taken your fancy then you can purchase your own here.

*These pieces were sent to me free of charge for the purposes of a review. All opinions are most definitely my own and Karolina is definitely the most generous person i've ever come across.

p.s. I've started shooting my blog photos in portrait, rather than landscape, if you hadn't already noticed. I've been worried that the photos would be unpleasantly "in your face" but I actually think blog posts look better this way however i'd really value your thoughts, as a reader how are they for you? 

Hopeless Lingerie

I adore Hopeless Lingerie and i have done for what feels like very a long time. My lingerie arsenal is stuffed with frills, lace, colour and an all manner of embellishments. This is what i'm drawn to when i'm shopping for something new but my love of all things minimal and my desire to live in a minimal environment and champion a minimal wardrobe makes Hopeless' designs so appealing. Season after season they churn out a select few pieces that are classy, black and most importantly, manage to retain a completely unique feel. Anyone who is a repeat offender here at oflambsandlace knows i've been gushing over Hopeless on the regular since Day One so it probably comes as a surprise that it's taken me this long to actually own something of theirs. Honestly, i consider the prices for the pieces to be reasonable, if a little generous considering the work that goes into handmaking every piece and sourcing such high quality fabrics, but it's the international shipping and inevitable customs fees (thank you UK border agency for charging me two hours wage just for "handling") that has always put Hopeless just out of my price range and pushed them to the back of my mind (Sad to say my mind is often filled with big UK based companies such as Damaris and Agent Provocateur). 

Gabrielle the founder, designer and hand maker of Hopeless Lingerie contacted me and offered me a $100 gift voucher in January and i almost choked on the cake bar(s) i was stuffing my face with. Dreams do come true and all that trite. Naturally deciding what to purchase and how much of my own funds i could contribute took me hours but i eventually settled on two pieces that i felt would provide an inclusive example of all the garments available and that i would be very happy to own.

My tough deliberations brought the Eva Harness and Donna Knickers in an XS and XXS respectively, to my front door. For reference, the smallest part of my waist (which happens to fall on my ribcage believe it or not) is approximately 24 inches and my hips measure approximately 32 inches and both these garments fit perfectly.

I always knew i wanted to own a Hopeless harness and whilst there were some cheaper options, i was really drawn to the Eva and so that was my main splurge. Although there are only five horizontal straps, this harness is really reminiscent of the rib cage and appeals to my great love of skeletal anatomy. I have big plans for all white outfits featuring this gem once spring or summer make an appearance. The elastic Hopeless use is like no elastic i've ever come across before, and as someone who has been dragged from haberdashery to haberdashery as a child, i'd like to think that's saying something. Whilst it stretches like regular elastic, the finish on it is smooth and comfortable, with no stiff edges to dig in or chafe. All the straps, both the horizontal and neck, are fully adjustable up to a point (this point denoted by what size you chose to purchase) and so there's really very little chance of having any fit issues.

I wanted to try out a pair of knickers from Hopeless to complete this review but at the time of purchase (mid january) i was pretty much down to no jobs (i now work two) so it put some of the more adventurous knickers out of my budget and i opted for something simple. And yes, they are very simple but boy, do they put so many other knickers to shame. The "bamboo jersey" is definitely a fabric worthy of spending all day touching my arse and it's breathable which i consider to be one of the most important criteria for knickers. I'm also not sure what this witch craft is but, although being elasticated at the waist and legs, these knickers don't dig into any of my softer bits, at all. They just rest very comfortably against the body and it's pleasant to see that my muffin top seems to have retired from making an appearance. I would happily bin all my cheap everyday knickers and fill my lingerie drawer with Donnas because, whilst they may be plain, they're intelligently designed and have such a lovely shape that give me that nice ping of body confidence.

I always expected quality from Gabrielle and Hopeless Lingerie but i really am blown away. They produce a great selection of exciting harnesses and designs but the real hero of these are the slightly simpler pieces, the basics. Basics i can feel attractive in, even sexy, that are durable, breathable and practical (and black, lets not forget how much i love black).  

Something to keep in mind if you are thinking of placing an order (and i hope you are) is that all pieces are handmade by Gabrielle and her select few assistants so the wait time is a couple of months, especially since Hopeless Lingerie has become everyone's sweetheart and they must be constantly receiving orders. Personally, i don't have a problem waiting that time for something i know is going to be of good quality but plan ahead if you're making a purchase and need it by a certain time, you will be bottom of the queue once your order is placed. 

 If my gushy, excitable review has swayed you and you're planning on giving your arse and other body parts a treat then you can do so at the Hopeless Lingerie webstore. 

But remember, non AUS residents, budget for customs fees so you don't get caught short.

*100AUD credit was given towards my purchase of these garments for the purpose of a review. All opinions are my own.