Ode to an eyelash

When Kiss Me Deadly posted this gorgeous photo of Jess in their Gio Peach Stockings and Van Doren Suspender belt, we noticed a few people lusting after our bra and brief that KMD borrowed for this shoot! The black lace and peach mesh makes a perfect match with their stockings and suspender belt, and has previous only been available in our London boutiques.

Until now.

Last week we shot our AW12 lookbook and, as I seem to have the knack of shooting very quickly, we decided to get some shots of eyelash on our model Hannah. 

Eyelash has a similar colour palette to Margot, fitting in perfectly with the rest of our SS12 collection (which will be available in January), which is inspired by Film Noir and vintage glamour. 

The eyelash brief is certainly a little bit naughty.... The light peach colour feigns innocence, while the sheer mesh behind begs for a closer look (however not revealing enough to put Jess off from posing in the middle of the street with a Pussy Wagon...).

Personally, I'm not a girly girl, but the Eyelash set has just enough quirkiness for me to fall in love with it. I'm definitely going to be combining it with a black suspender belt and black Cervin stockings! 

Christmas gift review: Margot

My name is Kitty and I am a self-professed lingerie addict. I created my blog, Undercover Lingerista, as a way of exploring the many lingerie and swimwear brands on the market - from long established names to individual designers. One of my key focuses is discovering brands that offer that extra ‘je-ne-sais quoi’ and promote the beauty of femininity in all its forms. I strongly believe that the ideal underwear set should empower the wearer and make her feel truly special.

To find out more, visit: www.undercoverlingerista.blogspot.com

I am very much a fan of vintage and pin-up inspired lingerie, so when I came across the delights of Playful Promises, I knew that I had found something special. With everything from corsets, to swimwear, to clothes, to nipple pasties, Playful Promises offers sumptuous and seductive treats a-plenty, to bring out the temptress in you!

With Christmas fast approaching, what better way to treat a special lady, than to buy her a luxuriously elegant set of lingerie? 

One of my favourite Playful Promises sets is the stunning ‘Margot’ in blush pink. Inspired by the femme fatales of Film Noir, this soft cup bra and brief are the ultimate in classic 40’s glamour and are sure to seduce anyone lucky enough to catch a glimpse! 

The ‘Margot’ is a classic set with a twist, playing beautifully on the timeless lace trend, whilst adding a touch of the risqué, with its daring cut and sheer nude mesh. The colour palette of peach-nude and dramatic black adds to the ‘Margot’s sophisticated appeal.

Made predominantly from semi-sheer mesh, the ‘Margot’ bra gives a hint of flesh, whilst the plunging ‘V’ cut draws emphasis to your assets. This triangle bra is soft to the touch and comfortable to wear, thanks to its elastic non-wired under band, practical hook and eye fastening and fully adjustable straps.

The peachy mesh of the ‘Margot’ is complimented by an overlay of black eyelash lace, which boasts beautiful floral detailing. Delicate zig-zag stitching along the edges and girly bow motif adornments add to this set’s vintage charm, making the ‘Margot’ ooze glamour!

The ‘Margot’ briefs are extremely flattering and very cheeky...in more than one way! The ‘pièce de résistance’ is definitely the sheer back, which gives a tantalising flash of your derrière!

Playful Promises makes life a lot easier for gift-buyers, who only need to pick between three sizes (S, M and L) in both the bra and briefs! At just £20 for the bra and £15 for the knickers, the ‘Margot’ set is great value, as well as looking and feeling luxurious.

To transform yourself into the ultimate Hollywood starlet, complete the look by teaming the ‘Margot’ with the ‘Cervin blush and black nylon seamed stockings’ (£15), ‘Black enamel rose hair grips’ (£6) and ‘Pin Up Couture Noir Starlet shoes’ (£45):

The ‘Margot’ is a fabulous bedroom set that would be perfect for elegant ladies who have a mischievous streak! For a Christmas that promises to be extra special, let your show-stopping Playful Promises lingerie do the talking!

Fancy winning a set of the super sultry Margot? Head over to Kitty's blog to enter into a prize draw to help fill your knicker drawers! 

Christmas gift review: Pencil Skirts

Morgana knows a thing or two about clothing, corsets and lingerie; she has, after all, modelled for top brands such as Kiss Me Deadly, Fairygothmother, Puimond and Maya Hansen to name but a few. Although you may recognise her stunning self portraits, she is also an established photographer, web designer and beauty blogger!

Every woman needs in their wardrobe at least one decent black pencil skirt, and Playful Promises has just come out with 2 wonderful choices - get glamorous in the office or out on the town!

Show off your seamed stockings with the double back split cotton pencil skirt, a beautiful everyday must! Team it with your favorite fitted cardi or one of their new collection chiffon blouses for the complete 40's look.

And if you really want to shine, why not try the satin pencil skirt with satin covered buttons on the side? I was brought this skirt to shoot one of the new Kiss Me Deadly corsets and I *had* to keep it as it felt so wonderful! It’s also high waisted and very flattering! Everyone were asking us about it!

As a bonus, if you book a makeover shoot with me (www.iberianblackarts.com), Playful Promises will give you 15% off your purchases from their site with our exclusive discount code!

Christmas Gift Guide: Naughty or Nice?

Are you stumped for gifts this Christmas? Has the daunting task of finding the perfect something brought you out in a damp sweat?

Perhaps it's best to let us do all the sweating for you, while you sit back and enjoy these photos of the gorgeous Sophia St. Villier wearing a little something arriving in January. 

Our Naughty or Nice Christmas gift guide is here to assist you in your hunt for that special prezzie. Do vibrant reds and sultry blacks get you in the mood for being evil (a la Eartha Kitt)? Or is she a pastel Princess, sweet enough to eat? We have something for everyone, and for many items sizing is a doddle. We specialise in soft cup bras, a lifesaver for those that just cannot bear to ask a lady her size! 

1. Circus Pin Up Panties - Snake Charmer £15. These sizzling briefs are the perfect little stocking filler or Secret Santa gift, guaranteed to hypnotise onlookers with their rich colour. The Snake Charmers come with their own Circus tin, no need for fiddly wrapping paper! 

2. Red Satin Waspie £60. Wear under or over, with clothing or without. This sumptuous red corset is a must have for the Christmas party season. I've worn mine on multiple outings over clothes as an alternative to a thick belt - great for shaping your figure. 

3. Morgana Lace and Mesh Bra £27.50. EVERY woman needs a little black lacy number, and we adore Morgana for it's ability to suit both day and night, work and play! 

4. Victoria Garter Dress £37.50. A classic favourite, the Victoria garter dress covers all those lumps and bumps we all have, creating a sleek and sexy silhouette. Turn over and reveal a naughty surprise :P

5. Bordello Glitter Cabaret Shoes £70. Talk about va-va-voom... These shoes just beg to shine out at that otherwise dreary Christmas party. I would probably break my neck wearing these, but at least I would look great for the Ambulence men. 

6. Heart Noir Brief £19. I cannot explain how much I love these adorable briefs. A brand new addition from our SS12 collection, these have been inspired by Film Noir and are therefore a perfect gift for all those a little bit devilish. 

7. Pin-Up Girl - Call Me Cutie £15. Another sumptuous tin from our gifting range, ideal for the pin-up obsessed. I particularly love the red stitch detail on the front of the briefs, and the phrase "Call Me..." leaves no questions about it! 

1. Genie Lace Triangle Bra - Mauve £25. Whenever I see this bra I instantly imagine Maire Antoinette teaming it with voluminous bloomers for a good relax on the chaise longue. Perhaps not historically accurate but perfect for those with a sweet tooth.

2. Peach Detail Waspie £80. This is not just any underbust corset. This adorable number has been created with light pink satin contrasted against black lace, the perfect combination (as if you couldn't tell one of our favourite colour combos). 

3. Rose Peach Lace Brief £16. Cute and dainty doesn't have to mean unsexy, and Rose proves this point with it's delightful sheer lace. I've chosen this as one of the most comfy styles I've ever worn, so who says you have to suffer for fashion? 

4. Lyla Satin Playsuit - Pink £35. As a lover all all things playsuits/leotards/bodysuits (unless it's from the 70s!) I had to snap this up in Black when I first saw it and I must say, it has definitely kept the dreaded onesies away this winter!

5. Pin Up Couture Pink Heritage Shoes £55. Every lingerie lover knows it is important to match your lingerie to your shoes. It's unlikely you will find pink and houndstooth knickers so you will just have to make do with matching these to anything else on our Nice gift guide.

6. Margot Blush Pink Brief £15. Who says femme fatales must be all red lipstick and black pencil skirts? The Margot brief is a sure sign of a good girl gone just a little bit bad. I LOVE the delicate eyelash lace and sheer back. 

7. Blush Suspender Belt £25. Cannot get enough of this Blush suspender belt - I'd even team it with black (with a touch of pink detail) lingerie just to make it pop! A perfect gift for vintage fantatics and pin-up sweethearts. 

We'd love to hear what kind of gifts you are purchasing for your loved ones this year, and what gifts you would LOVE to receive (nudge nudge wink wink)!

Vintage party hair with Yogi: Part 2

My name is Natalie Shirlaw, I've been hairdressing for around 20 years and have worked in some of London’s top salons. I'm currently working as a session hairstylist, which means I specialise in TV, film, grooming for premieres, photoshoots etc. I'm currently the “face” of  Yogi hair products and I do the hair show on QVC for them too. I've just been booked for the Sony premiere “The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo” in December too so I'm very excited about that! My website is www.shirlawstyle.com if you would like to read more about me.

Im really excited to bring some Christmas party looks for you through Playful Promises. I hope you enjoy them and find my step by step easy to achieve! I have enlisted the help of my client Sinead who is modelling for me; we met when I did her gorgeous vintage themed wedding in the summer in Whitstable and also my friend and fantastic photographer Samantha Jones who does beautiful wedding pictures – take a look at her website!

Check out our first tutorial here!

LOOK 2: Nightclub

WHAT YOU NEED                                                    

Yogi Hair Wand  

A bristle brush

Pincomb

Widetooth comb

Grips

Wide grips

Step 1

I've done this look for you so you can be a bit different from your friends! I've been looking at girls on the tube etc and everyone is now able to do the side buns and ponytails that are in fashion, so I thought I’d give you something more adventurous to try! And again it’s a lot easier than it looks!

Again the first thing any hairdresser will tell you if you want to put hair up you need lots of texture in your hair, as it's much easier to mould into shapes.  Sometimes it's easier if you try this on the 2^nd day after washing as your hair will have some natural texture in it.

I used my Yogi fat barrel wand to create more lovely texture.

Step 2

Back comb the whole head by taking sections around the head and using that stroking backcomb method previous described here.  You will be looking a bit scary when you’re done!

Step 3

Take a section from ear to ear so you have your hair in 2 sections, 1 in the front and 1 in the back. Brush the back section over to one side and pin as shown.  Then fold the rest of the hair back into itself to create a cone shape and pin to the head with the wider hair pins.  If this is too difficult you can just clip it with a long butterfly clip. 

Step 4

Place the padding on the top of the head and secure with grips.  Then take random sections and pin everything upward onto the padding. When you have something to pad your hair with it makes pinning so much easier as it gives it something to grip onto. Twist bits of hair round and pin until you get this lovely shape!

Good luck with styling and I hope you all look uber glam for your Christmas parties!