Review | The Sophie B ‘Underlying Secrets’ Bra & Panty

The Sophie B 'Underlying Secrets' Bra & Panty

When a bra says it has “Underlying Secrets” – I’m interested. This is how I ended up getting my hands on this super cute bra and panty set by Sophie. B. When I mentioned I was interested in investigating this lingerie set, the awesome people over at Lovehoney hooked me up and now I’m here to share my thoughts.

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Like a lot of the lingerie brands I review, this was my first experience trying anything from the Sophie. B range. So, I was both curious and not sure what to expect. This set comes in two pieces: the “Underlying Secrets” push up bra ($28.95) and the matching thong ($12.95) I thought the set looked really cute in the photos, so I was happy when it arrived and was just as cute in person.

The Sophie B underwear 'Underlying Secrets' Bra & PantyNow, let’s start by talking about the bra. The Underlying Secrets Push-Up bra is your standard underwire push-up bra. It’s made of black spandex with polka dot mesh and lace overlay, and trimmed in hot pink piping. I like that it’s feminine and girly without being  over the top. It looks cute on and definitely gives you boobs a nice lift. Read: this bra will give you cleavage. Lots and lots of cleavage.

However, I have some issues with the sizing: this bra is only available in four different sizes. Because they didn’t have my exact size, I ordered my “sister size” (36C) So, although it fit in the cups, the band was a bit too wide for me. Also, I found the straps a little on the thin side. I have heavy breasts so I prefer to have sturdier straps, so that I feel really supported.

I noticed that there was a bit of frayed lace on the seam that connects the straps to the bra. This isn’t a structural issue – the bra won’t spontaneously self-destruct while you’re wearing it. I trimmed the lace and stitched it down myself just so that it wouldn’t fray anymore. However, compared to the Blue Bella Millie Bra which is absolutely beautifully detailed and is at a similar price point, this seemed like a bit of an oversight.

sophie b 5There’s also a heck of a lot of padding. This could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your needs. Personally I don’t need this much padding. I’m already a 32DD, so wearing this bra kind of made me feel like I was walking around with two giant grapefruits strapped to my chest (I think this is the bra’s “underlying secret.”) However, I could see how this would be a great bra for someone who is looking to enhance their bust.

With that said, I did wear this bra out on Halloween underneath my Princess Caroline costume and can honestly say that it’s surprisingly comfortable (despite the size being slightly off.)

Lingerie review of The Sophie B underwear 'Underlying Secrets' Bra & PantyI have no complaints about the thong. The “Underlying Secrets” thong is great. It’s made of the same materials as the bra, is comfortable and washes well if you put it in a lingerie bag.

I like this lingerie set, however I’m not in love with it. If you can find your exact bra size, the Underlying Secrets Push-Up bra is a cute option for someone who is looking for a budget friendly padded push up-bra & thong set.

However, if you want to see what lingerie I am in love with, I would suggest checking out the BlueBella line (especially since there’s a bunch of stuff on sale right now!) The Blue Bella Millie Bra is still one of my favourite lingerie pieces I’ve reviewed in 2014. Another favourite is the Oh La La Cheri Black Lace Chemise (awesome quality, beautifully detailed, fits great) I’ve loved everything I’ve tried from Oh La La Cheri and they have some seriously sexy pieces!

Thanks again to Lovehoney for facilitating this review! I received these products free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion. All views are my own because that’s how I roll. PS. Make sure you check out Lovehoney’s Black Friday sale – there’s tons of good stuff!

Free delivery on all orders over $40

Review | Oh La La Cheri Black Lace Chemise

I’m so excited to share with you guys one of my new favourite pieces of lingerie! Everyone, meet the Black Lace Chemise by Oh la la Cheri. When the cool folks over at Lovehoney offered to send me this beauty to review I was super psyched. A lot of my sexy lingerie is super structured (think corsets and bustiers) so I was looking forward to trying a softer look. This gorgeous lace chemise definitely didn’t disappoint.

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Black Lace Chemise by Oh la la Cheri is made entirely of ultra soft, black stretch lace & mesh. Although it has a seam along the bust for definition, there is no underwire, padding or lining. It’s just soft black lace against your skin…and the effect is super sexy!

This chemise features adjustable straps that are trimmed with cute bow details, a delicate lace ruffle along the hem and comes with a black mesh thong.

photo-24Two words to describe this set: soft and comfortable.

I’m not sure where they found the lace to make this set, but I imagine it was spun by tiny faeries because it feels absolutely amazing to the touch. The material is super soft and delightfully stretchy, making for a very comfortable garment (I tried it on the other day and didn’t want to take it off!)

When it comes to affordable sexy lingerie brands, Oh La La Cheri is by far one of my favourites. I have several of their bra and panty sets which I really love. So, I’m not surprised that I love this set too.

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As I mentioned before, the set comes with a matching black thong. However, unlike previous thong fails, you can actually wear this one comfortably. It’s made of the same super soft stretchy material as the chemise, has sturdy but soft and stretchy straps and a cotton gusset.

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Polka Dots, Bikinis and Poolside Pin-Ups

In honour of the fact that they are now selling sexy swimwear, a few weeks ago the lovely people at Ohhh Canada sent me one of their bikinis to test out. As I’ve mentioned time and again, I have a long running love affair with all things retro when it comes to lingerie and swimwear. Therefore, when it came time to choose a swimsuit from Ohhh’s collection, the Flounce Retro High Waisted Polka Dot Bikini was a no brainer. I mean, look how adorable and deliciously retro it is!

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I don’t know about you guys, but I’m loving the return of retro swimwear styles because they tend to be really flattering on curves. The Flounce Retro High Waisted Polka Dot Bikini is no exception. This retro polka dot bikini is sure to make you feel like a 1950’s pin-up while at the pool or the beach.

This saucy bikini features a black and white polka sot print which is accented by a thick black waist band (very figure flattering!), black straps and faux peplum bottoms. The top has an underwire and ties at the neck & back to ensure a customizable fit. Made of 80% polyester and 20% spandex, this suit is fully lined and water safe.

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My first impression of this bikini is that the fabric is really nice. I’ve never purchased anything from this brand before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, I’m happy to report that the quality of the suit is really decent. The material is a good weight (not too thin) and nice & stretchy.

However, my only concern was the peplum detail. I think it looks cute on the model, however how would it translate to real life? Would it still look cute or would it look kind of ridiculous? The only thing to do was to take this bikini to the pool for some thorough testing!

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 A few Fridays ago I grabbed one of my friends here and headed down to one of my favourite poolside lounges for an after work drink and swim. She kindly volunteered to take these photos of me.

The verdict on the peplum bottoms: although they didn’t look ridiculous on me, I thought they were a bit much for fashion-challenged Sleepytown, so before going to the pool, I opted to tuck the ruffles in. The good news: you can easily tuck the peplum inside the legs of the suit and no one will be the wiser (my friend had no idea that the ruffles existed until I showed her!) If you get tired of the high waisted bottoms, I also discovered that you can fold over the black band for a more low-rise look. I don’t know if this was the designer’s intention, but these two additional options make the Flounce Retro High Waisted Polka Dot Bikini surprisingly versatile! (In the end though, I decided to stick with photographing the suit sans ruffle, with the high-waisted band in place, because that’s how I felt most comfortable.)

So, here you go – a couple of photos of me in a bathing suit on the internet. I even included a full body shot where I am doing what I like to call my “Joe the Intern pose.” Be kind my friends.

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After spending an afternoon at the pool in the Flounce Retro High Waisted Polka Dot Bikini with my friend & a couple of very reasonably priced, ice-cold Mojitos, I kind of fell in love with this bikini.

First of all, it’s very comfortable. I love how the thick black waistband just sucks everything in. After 3 weeks off from the gym, travelling, being sick & eating my grandma’s home cooking, it’s nice not to have to worry that my abs are looking less than rock hard.

Secondly, this bikini wears well in water. The straps stay secure and there is no awkward sagging. The bottoms also stay in place and don’t ride up (always a plus!) My only (minor) concern with this bikini is that I found the cup size just a tiny bit too small for me. While the size Small bottoms fit perfectly, I could have used a size up in the top. However, with that said I was still able to wear the top and feel good in it.

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How To Throw a Classy & Sexy Bachelorette Party

My best friend is getting married in 12 days (!!!!), so a few weeks ago I hosted her “Non-Bachelorette Party” with a couple of her close lady friends. This is my friend’s second marriage. The first time around we organized your typical bachelorette party complete with tiaras, embarrassing costumes and lots of phallic shaped items – including an exploding penis cake. Minus hiring a stripper, you could say we pulled out all the stops. If you’re curious, you can see some of the physical evidence here. It’s not pretty. We were young, wide eyed and had less qualms about drinking cocktails out of things shaped like dicks. After all, a party ain’t a party unless an erotic cake is squirting out white icing across the room, right?

As much as I’m always down for crowd-surfing an inflatable man doll and all things reminiscent of penises, I’m relieved that my friend wanted to do something completely different this time around. In fact, I had to convince her to have any kind of party whatsoever. After some cajoling, we agreed that  “a small, classy night out with a couple of ladies” might be nice. (FYI, I’m so glad that she agreed to some kind of shindig because she and her fiancee are wonderful people, and that deserves to be celebrated!)

So, I booked a table at North 48 – a stylish and cozy local restaurant that reminds me of my BFF and set about making the cute little goodie bags/boxes you see below. Originally the plan was to fill them with naughty adult items – condoms, lube samplers – all the fun things I have lying around in excess as a sex and relationship blogger. However, here’s the thing: although I know my friend’s other girlfriends, I don’t know them that well. Plus, there was going to be 1 or 2 new faces there and the last thing I wanted was their first impression of me to be, “Hey, I don’t know you very well, but please have some lube.” (I mean, it wouldn’t be the first time, but still..)

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Instead I opted to fill the goodie bags with nail-polishes that match the wedding colours and cute ring-pops. The funny thing –  I think people were more surprised that they weren’t filled with lube & other sassy items than if they were, ha! Oh well, you have to keep people guessing 😉

Either way, the goodie bags were a success, the night went well and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves! We had lots of delicious drinks and some insanely good gourmet chicken and waffles, curtesy of the chefs of North 48. As you can tell by our smiling faces, good times were had by all!

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What I learned from this experience:

Bachelorette parties can be totally cheesy, but they don’t have to be.  Also, planning a good bachelorette party in your 30’s feels totally different than when you’re in your 20’s. However, just because you’re older and wiser, it doesn’t mean that your night can’t be fun & sexy. 

Coincidentally, shortly after we celebrated my best friend’s “Non-Bachelorette Party” here on the West Coast, one of my favourite companies, Ohhh Canada, hosted their own exclusive “bachelorette” party in Toronto. The idea was to showcase what a bachelorette party SHOULD look like for a classic, sophisticated, stylish city girl. On the agenda for the night:

(If you’re not familiar with Ohhh Canada, they’ve been featured in NOW Magazine as PRIDE’s Store of the Week , Best of Toronto, ELLE Canada and numerous times on Skinny Dip (here & here & here & here to name a few!) I love that they are a female owned, sex positive company that is also 100% Canadian. I met the CEO Katrina McKay at a party a few years ago & the rest is history (BTW, Katrina totally rocks.))

I wasn’t able to attend the party in Toronto, so I sent my lovely friend Cristina from Shoe Tease (you may remember her from the photos she took of my shoe closet a few years ago) in my place to capture the evening. Below you’ll find some tips from Katrina on how to throw a sophisticated & sexy bachelorette party, as well as some photos from the night. I hope you enjoy!

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Warning: more lingerie, champagne, general sexiness ahead !

Lingerie Review | Retro High Waisted Knicker & Bra Set by Rene Rofe

When asked to describe my personal style, my best friend said without hesitation, “Bold!” It’s true – when it comes to what I put on my body, I don’t like to fade into the background. With that said, I love bright colours and eye-catching prints as much as I love basic black (I’m pretty sure my alter ego is a goth.) My main criteria for things I love is that they are bold in their simplicity – whether that’s a Pucci print mini-dress or classic black pencil skirt, is completely negotiable.

So, you may have noticed that my past few lingerie reviews have been very bright, pink and full of bells & whistles. I recognize that not everyone loves neon pink satin and lace as much as I do, so I thought it would be fun to mix it up and review something that’s a bit more subdued. Luckily the awesome people at Lovehoney offered to send me this gorgeous black lace retro-inspired bra and knicker set from Rene Rofe to try.

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The Retro High Waisted Knicker & Bra Set by Rene Rofe  is a sheer, black stretch lace sexy lingerie set that includes a soft cup bra and matching boys-cut bottoms with a cute hook and eye detail. The triangle bra features adjustable straps and a hook & eye closure at the back.

Although I’ve reviewed my fair share of lingerie, Rene Rofe was one of those brands that I was familiar with but had never tried. I’d read mixed reviews from other bloggers about the Rene Rofe line, so I was super curious to see if the actual lingerie held up to the sexiness of their product photos.

And voila! Here is what the Retro High Waisted Knicker & Bra Set by Rene Rofe looks like in person. As you can tell from the photo, there isn’t much to this set. It’s very sleek and minimal. I wasn’t sure what to expect fabric wise (would it be stiff? itchy? cheap feeling?), however I’m happy to report that the set is made of shockingly soft stretch lace. It’s a 90% nylon, 10% spandex blend that feels really great against the skin.

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One word to describe this set: comfortable.

The fit of the bra is similar to a string bikini top and features lace that is completely sheer. As a 32 DD, the size small in this set fit my bust, but it was definitely really revealing! Not in a bad way though. Although the bra doesn’t offer much support (I think one would be more apt to call this a “bralette” rather than a bra), it’s super comfortable and feels like you’re wearing almost nothing at all. Although I wouldn’t wear the bra under most clothes, this is a set that I could easily lounge around in or wear in the bedroom because it is so comfy.

Now, let’s get a close up of those panties! Like the bra, the panties feel great on and feature a really cute hook & eye detail. There’s also a cotton gusset which means you could easily wear these panties all day & night. I wore these under a dress for a night out with my friends & experienced no chafing, pulling or wedgie action. Hooray! Also, they just feel damn sexy.

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