Christmas gift review: Etti

Amy was taken on by the Playful Promises team as part of their internship scheme, where she designed our gorgeous Etti set! She is now in her 3rd year at Leeds College of Art studying BA (Hons) Printed Textiles and Surface Pattern Design, and she specialises in print design for fashion and lingerie. To keep up to date with this rising star, check out her blog and follow her on twitter @amyselina

The ‘thing’ about Playful Promises for me is that extra spark their lingerie gives to the wearer, the feeling of flirtation and instant sex appeal, which I feel is personally hard to come by. Playful Promises set themselves apart as they ‘mix quirky, directional design with all things playful and flirty’, they’re always sexy, always sassy and always confident.

I often see, hear or read that people are surprised that prints are engineered in house by designers rather than sourced and bought from elsewhere. Playful Promises prints are designed in house and this makes them extra special, giving me an extra special feeling when being asked to design the print for Etti so soon into my internship (a big step up from my own disillusioned expectations of tea girl rankings, and my internship outshone every one of those).

Having already seen the design drawn up for Etti, it made designing a print to fit the mould a little easier.  I knew the print for Etti needed to fit with the feel of the fabrics - a look of luxe. I wanted to revitalise beautiful retro aesthetics in a fun, fresh and flirty way, upholding Playful Promises trade mark characteristics. It was the quirkiness of my own creativeness that I wanted to put into Etti as well as keeping the magic and creating that spark.

The print itself consists of bold brush strokes with painterly qualities and a floral overprint. The colour palette given was on trend for the upcoming colour blocking season, and I wanted to give it a quirky twist. Explosions of apricot, magenta and purple against a dark background gave for a sexy and seductive print. I added depth and opacity to aspects of the design to create a luxurious layered print that would work perfectly with Etti’s already amazing aesthetics.

The initial design of Etti set an amazing background for emphasising the print. The contrasts of print against dark mesh and sheer panels along with glimpses of flesh really add to the over all feel of this set. The fit speaks for itself, the designs offer retro yet modern and sexy underwear, flattering all bust sizes and engineered for the shapes and curves of the women’s body. The fit and feel of Etti is pure perfection, hugging all the right places and accentuating just what is needed. My favourite piece out of Etti being the longline bra, the cage effect giving the right amount of flesh flirtation with a cheeky hint towards fetishism and ultimately, what we all want to feel when we wear beautiful underwear; sexy. These sets do exactly what Playful Promises describe, beg to be shown off. Etti encapsulates freedom, rebellion and vast sex appeal, where dynamic energy and provocation are key.

When I see Etti I see the excitement reflecting in the print that I felt when I first started the design, and I hope that when everyone slips into the set they feel that same excitement.

When Etti was delivered to my door, I un-wrapped the parcel, folded back the black tissue paper and there it was, that spark. Definitely keeping the all important promises, Etti is pleasure providing, perfectly playful and definitely magical.

Christmas gift review: One Thousand and One Nights

The Morgana line from Playful Promises Autumn Winter Damascan Dreams collection really does promise one thousand and one nights of boudoir play. A black lacey and racey retro collection, including; underwired bra, brief, thong, suspender belt and garter dress, which I strongly recommend.

Initially I didn't feel the line was as strong as Etti or Jasmine, however the quiet subtlety of the line soon made it's name within magazines, blogs and photo shoots. The Morgana garter dress was an incredibly popular piece to be called in by stylists, often queuing up to borrow it for their shoots.

It wasn't until I got my hands on the Morgana bra did I realise just how wondrous this line was to be. The bra is surprisingly comfortable, I can honestly say I've never had such a comfortable bra. With lace panelled cups and two inch thick elastic, the Morgana bra is a femme fatale bra like no other.

It has a very thin, almost transparent lining between the lacey exterior making it a soft bra to wear. But more than soft-to-touch comfort, the bra offers perfect sleek support which was surprising for such a lacy piece. In particular I like the shallow dip this bra offers, making it a uniquely shaped bra ideal under t-shirts, the LBD or for playful excursions.

The chunky ribbed elastic band, the signature of this line, is really what makes the collection. Such an original trim, comfortable and yet there is something quite racy about this oversized, two inch thick, elastic finish. The attention to detail is sumptuous, this elastic is finished with a small scalloped edge, therefore the elastic isn't cutting into the skin, rolling or other temperamental activity elastic can usually offer.

The brief, also finished with this chunky trim, features a rather saucy triangle cut-out on the back displaying glimpses of unmentionable regions. The lace fabric offers a racy glimpse and the mesh shows off further flesh, making this a real temptress of the night. And I have to say comfortable and sexy to wear, a match made in heaven (or by Playful Promises).

The garter skirt, or suspender belt, is very desirable. Just like the brief, the back of the garter skirt is as detailed as the front. The chunky elastic is crossed over on the back cropping the skirt high showing off your peachy cheeks, welcoming glimpses of your best assets. I really like the cut of this retro-inspired garter skirt. It includes adjustable straps for your stockings finished with a rubber tip to grip your nylons.

The jewel of the collection, steaming the mirror in your boudoir, is the Morgana garter dress. A real show stopper, the garter dress could almost be a little black dress. Perhaps a little risqué, it's definetly something to show off. The underwired bra offers support and comfort whilst the dress shapes your curves. Again a criss-cross cut-away effect with the chunky elastic offers promising glimpses of what lies beneath.

The garter dress is a real must-have for fun in the bedroom and ideal to be worn under dresses and more. But I strongly recommend the entire line for everyday-wear, boudoir shenanigans and shaping your curves.

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.