Minibreak Style Tips: Barcelona

We’re full swing into Spring (allegedly) and here at PPHQ we are eagerly looking forward to throwing off our coats and gloves and donning our best Whistle & Wolf frocks for a bit of a frolic in the sunshine. I mean – it’s almost June, how far off can those elusive golden rays be?  A glance out of the window confirms that despite swapping our woolly tights for seamed stockings and chunky boots for strappy sandals, we’re no less likely to be caught in a deluge that’d give Glastonury '05 a run for its money.

As the drab grey skies stretch out over the city and bedraggled people bustle by holding umbrellas that seem to have a spooky ability to poke a woman of my height right in the eye, it may seem like that well-earned summer holiday one has been fantasising about is a far off dream.  

But never fear! I have come up with a simple yet effective solution to these mid-May mopes, which I am going to share with you all now. I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to figure it out. Are you ready? Brace yourself.

One word: MINIBREAK.

From Reykjavik to Rome, Palermo to Prague, there are plenty of chic European destinations suitable for a weekend away in which to flash your new Playful Promises bikini, make a splash in our swimwear or glam up in something  quirky and/or classy from our Whistle and Wolf clothing collection.

So here are some city style tips for one of my favourite places on earth - Barcelona!

I first visited Barcelona whilst travelling through Europe in my teens; it seized my heart instantly and hasn’t yet let go.  It’s a fun, playful, vibrant city that nonetheless has a grown-up side – there’s plenty of culture and history to be explored at your leisure, but when the evening hits, you’ll be spoilt for choice with fantastic seafood restaurants, great live music establishments, and bars serving traditional cava and Catalan tapas titbits to keep you going til the early hours. Wardrobe-wise you’ll want an all-rounder if you’re planning on hitting the city after dark, which is when it really comes to life – our classic red dress is versatile, timeless styling at its best, and paired with our tuxedo jacket you’ll look the part wherever your evening takes you.

The seafront has an urban feel to it but there is golden sand for those determined for beachtimes. If you’re feeling daring the Barcelonans think nothing of whipping off their kit for that all-over tan!  However, if you’re not feeling the let-it-all-hang-out vibe, our digital Hawaii bikini with its parrot and floral print reflects the bright and bold nature of this city (which is home to flocks of colourful parakeets!), and will allow you to get a headstart on your sun-kissed look way ahead of your pasty pals back home.

Send us a postcard, won’t you!

Baroque Opulence: Inspiration Behind AW13

I know, I know, it's only JUST getting sunny, and we are already looking ahead to Autumn!

But we have an excuse, trust me. Our AW13 collection is pretty sumptuous! Inspired by Russian opulence, this collection is full of strong, deep colours and elaborate prints (and even a bit of gold chain!).

I could even see the below set (Anastasia) working for Summer-time too!



View the full set of images of the AW13 collection on our facebook.

To get you in the mood for this opulent collection, here's a little bit of inspiration! These are the kind of images we looked at when designing the collection. 

 

Russian Doll, the Playful Promises AW13 collection is arriving in July and September.

Spring/Summer 2014 previews

It's that time of year when our swimwear and lingerie samples are being prepared, ready to shoot next year's lookbook!

We've already shot our AW13 collection (part of which will be arriving in late July), and now it's on to the colourful fun of Swim/Lingerie SS14. 

 

The above 4 images give you a sneaky look at some of our swimwear for next year - which print is your favourite?

And here's a little teaser of our SS14 lingerie collection! 

Keep an eye on our instagram (@playfulpromises) for more sneaky previews!

Lady Unmentionable: What to wear with Corsets

Hi
I bought one of your lovely corsets but I am bit stuck as to what to wear it with?
Thanks
Vicky

This is a question that somewhat relies on knowing in which situation you are planning to wear your corset! I, of course, never shy away from the underwear as outerwear trend, as you can see above. Although I do admit that knickers are somewhat not considered acceptable wear for certain events (god knows why).

Popping to a cocktail evening or popping macaroons into your mouth while lounging in your boudoir, corsets thrive in both environments, yet need a little difference in what else you should wear (or not wear....). 

As you can see, I favour an overbust corset, although you may have chosen a luscious waspie to cinch in that waist (I'll talk a bit about what to wear with one of those a little later. Overbusts do most of the hard work for you, giving you support in the bust as well as shaping an hourglass curve. Some ladies prefer to wear a bra underneath the corset, depending on the cut of the bust. 

The Bound Cupped Corset is the perfect little thing for a bit of a bedroom tease (for extra tease points, wear nipple pasties underneath the corset) and can be worn with a black suspender belt, black briefs or nothing at all ;)

As for something a tad more demure, overbust corsets can be worn as tops, teamed with pencil skirts (as the lovely Undercover Lingerista did here) or even black skinny jeans to ensure you bring a touch of glam to a more casual event. 

Waspies are a little trickier, but can also work well for both formal shindigs or playtime. 

Team your waspie with either a fully matching or contrasting set of lingerie (e.g. black waspie, red lingerie or black waspie, black lingerie) for a saucy night in. Or take a look at the way we've styled these lovely ladies above, using pencil skirts, shirts and kimono jackets to create a gorgeous look for the evening. 

You could even take a leaf out of The Only Way Is Essex's Maria Fowler's book and wear a statement bra or bralet with a waspie and black skinny jeans!

Are you perplexed by panties? Shocked by suspenders? Send through your lingerie-related gripes to me at knickersinatwist@playfulpromises.com!

The Burning Beat: Win a pair of cocktails

Over the next 3 weeks, we've teamed up with the debauched Saturday night cabaret event, The Burning Beat! 

Calling All Denizens of the Demi-Monde! 

THE BURNING BEAT is a new Saturday night cocktail of cabaret curiosities and bold, brassy bands, swaying to the rapturous rhythm of wild-eyed, tavern stomping gypsy carnival rock n' roll. 

A broken ballet of debauchery, performed every week across three floors of decadent decor, and set to an eclectic soundtrack of Electro-Swing, Balkan Beats & Vintage Jukebox Gems. 

All of which is brought to you by the night's hosts - distinguished DJ duo The Roustabouts, and David Harris of the infamous Boom Boom Club. 

From bygone eras to the furthest flung corners of the globe, THE BURNING BEAT goes on....

Over the next 3 weeks, we will be giving away 5 pairs of experimental cocktails, which can be redeemed at any Burning Beat event throughout April or May!

 

 Each week we will announce 2 winners (and 1 winner for the last week) from those that have entered at least one of the ways below!

1. Like The Burning Beat on facebook and comment on our facebook post letting us know!

2. Follow The Burning Beat on Twitter and tweet "I've entered the @playfulpromises comp to win cocktails at @Theburningbeat" with a link to this blog post.

3. Email anna@playfulpromises.com with the subject line "THE BURNING BEAT COMP"

 Each entry gives you one chance, so you have up to three chances! 

The first two winners will be announced on the 10th, the next two on the 17th, and the final on the 24th.