Christmas gift review: I Dream of Genie

When I first delved into Playful Promises Autumn Winter collection, Genie was the line I was most excited about. The delicate lace was what captured my imagination, the sweet bows and the opaque fabric giving glimpses of flesh was ideal.

 

I realised I had to wait a longing four and a half months before I could get my hands on these beauties as they weren't in store yet! Oh the broken heart I experienced!

In these four and a half months I tactically planned which Genie set I would get first. It would have been pure gluttony to have strolled into our boutique and demanded all three colours with both bra styles. No I had to be cunning and patient.

I decided the mauve Genie was my ultimate favourite, a stunning colour, perfect for the Autumn season. I would get the mauve brief and underwired bra first, and then gradually build up the collection, investing in the black Genie and then the nude.

Luck fell upon me; I was offered the mauve Genie underwired bra two months in advance of it being in store! It was just a sample, slightly washed out, but perfect. I wore this every day at the Playful Promises trade-shows. It was noticed by several buyers and perhaps even sealed the deal on some occasions.

Finally August was upon us and the Autumn Winter collection was imminent.

I skipped down to the Playful Promises boutique and the green eyed monster took over me an I purchased the Black and Nude Genie in the same transaction! I chose the black underwire bra and matching brief, and the nude triangle bra and matching brief.

Damn – I forgot the mauve brief!

 

The underwire genie bra is one of the most comfortable bra's I've ever worn. I can never feel it's there, it can almost be unnerving to stop and wonder whether in my haste each morning I actually bothered with the bra.

But it's there. The ruched  bra straps are actually very subtle under clothes and  offer a cheeky glimpse of what lies beneath.

The underwires fit perfectly, a really comfortable cup, that clearly I can't feel. I personally don't require much support, however after adjusting the straps I feel I am sturdily strapped in and that the bra provides as much support as a lacey bra can offer.

The brief is stunning. I love the gathered detail on the back, it's very subtle but really finishes the brief. The back is a comfortable satin and the front is the matching lace to the bra and soft-cup bra. The brief is cut a little risque, not quite Brazilian, however I feel the cut is flattering on my shape. The black and nude brief could be matched to so many more lingerie sets, classic pieces and must-haves in your lingerie drawer.

The triangle bra is perfect for bumming around the house. Very saucy, again this soft-cup bra is comfortable and fits like a glove and cheekily offers glimpses of what lies beneath.

This classic collection of lacy bras, soft-cup bras and briefs is ideal for anyone in need of a new bra and brief set. Comfortable and well-fitted this set will take you from day wear, sitting at your desk in the office, to official events giving you confidence in how you look all the way to after work dates – the cheeky inviting lace promising fun in the boudoir with your chosen mate.

The Colour Purple

As the leaves turn orange and brown, the sky turns to grey we seek a little colour in our autumn winter wardrobe. And we have just the colour for this sombre autumn which is looking to be upon us pretty soon according to British weather forecasters.

Moving away from the usual black and red lingerie colours, purple has invaded design boards and has become an important trend in the lingerie dye pots for the next few seasons. Various tones of purple have all been used to create unique colour-ways, from mauve to violet to lavender.

Deep purples in lingerie will still ooze seduction that a red or black ensemble may give out, but mauve has something a little more enticing and interesting that is still sexy but also wearable by day and night.

The colour purple denotes wealth and noblesse, a majestic and royal colour. It was a difficult pigment to achieve and therefore rarely used on everyday fabrics.  Today, as the dying process has been perfected, it is still a majestic and rich colour but is appealing to lingerie designers as it can be very feminine in the right shades and also flattering.

Deep purple lingerie is subtle and elegant and has brought a contemporary colour to traditional designs. Playful Promises have made full use of the purple design brief by including a mauve Genie set with triangle soft-cup bra, non-padded bra and brief with gathered detail on the back. This set works well on pale and tanned skin tones.

We have also included a mauve, peach and pink printed range. Etti has a beautiful floral print inspired by the latest colour trends and has the added satin fabric to add a real majestic opulence to the sets.  Emma, our designer, has framed the purple floral print with satin black straps and black mesh inserts. This has added a retro design element to the feminine cut pieces, but as a set they are highly contemporary designs that have proved very popular.

This season’s swimwear has seen a small injection of mauve bikinis and swimsuits, however it is next season’s autumn winter lingerie that will see the largest use of deep purple tones. This promises a lighter purple colour for spring summer 2012, the use of lilacs will again be vastly popular in lingerie. We have a little treat in store for next season’s swimwear but check out our Exotic Charmer bikini set or Swimsuit for a bold injection of purple in your swimwear this summer.