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Skinny Dip April 24, 2014

Show & Tell | Pink Satin, Orange Lace & Spring Blossoms.

The Spring of 2014 will be remembered as “The Season of All The Pink Lingerie” From hot pink to deep magenta, a bunch of my favourite companies have come out with some gorgeous lingerie pieces in yes, you guessed it – pink – for this season. Just recently, I reviewed the Yes Master Bra & Thong Set and the Charnos Cherub Bra – both of which are awesome. Now, I have another gorgeous set to add into the mix.

Meet the Bluebella “Millie” Satin and Lace Bra and “Millie” Shorts. When I found out the lovely people at Lovehoney were going to send me this bra & panty set to review, I was tickled pink – literally. Looking at the photos, I could tell right away that this lingerie pairing was right up my alley. The Millie Bra & Shorts have a sexy, retro inspired look that I love, plus it totally looks like the kind of set you could easily wear everyday. Also, after reviewing this camisole and shorts set, I’m a big fan of Bluebella products.

One of the first things I noticed when I received these two pieces, was how bright and richly vibrant they are in person. The product photos really don’t do them justice. Both the bra and the shorts are made of a “Skinny Dip”-ish bright pink satin material trimmed with orange lace. Some people may find the combination of orange and pink garish, however I really like it. It works. It’s bright & fun & kind of reminds me of a sunset.

Cut like a pair of cheeky boy-short panties, the Millie Shorts are made of ultra soft pink mesh material with a seamed, pink satin panel on the front. The front panel definitely gives them a unique look. When I first took the panties out their box, my ever-critical sister was in the room and remarked, “UGH! What is up with the stitching on the front?! It looks like a jock-strap!” Originally I thought these panties were really pretty, however as soon as she mentioned the word “jock-strap” that was all I could think of. JOCK STRAP. JOCK STRAP. JOCK STRAP.

I’m glad I got that out of my system though, because as it turns out, these panties totally rock. I was worried that because of the design, they’d give me a frontal wedgie. However, these are some of the most comfortable panties I have ever owned. I’m happy to report that there is zero wedgie action (in the front or back) and they don’t look anything like a male protective undergarment when on. Hooray! Here’s a close up of the panties.

I was equally as impressed with the Millie Satin and Lace Bra. It’s made of the same pink satin material as the panties and is trimmed with lovely orange lace. It’s very lightly padded and has an underwire.

Like the panties, the bra has some unique details that really sets it apart from the crowd. The v-patterned stitching on the cups of the bra give it a luxe, vintage-y feel that I totally love. Look at those perfect V’s on the cups! I swoon.

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Skinny Dip January 20, 2014

Show & Tell | Bettie Page Wild and Willing Wrist Cuffs

As we speak I’m currently recovering from a brutal cold/flu that I picked up in Vegas – my fourth trip there in 3 years! But, more on that later. Before I spill the details about my trip, I thought I’d take this opportunity to share with you guys some of the awesome products that have landed on my desk recently.

Not many people know this, but I’ve always been a Bettie Page fan. I’ve had a girl crush on her ever since I stumbled across some of her pin-up photos when I was 14 or 15. Although I was already a fan of famous blondes like Marilyn Monroe and Madonna, what drew me to Bettie was that she was a brunette – just like me. I also loved how in some photos she looked sexy and playful – almost like the girl next-door – whereas, in others she looked like a fierce, vixen. Naughty but nice, shy yet daring, it was Bettie Page’s intriguingly contradictory character that earned her the title of ‘The Queen of Pin Ups.” She’s since become synonymous with the 1950’s pin-up and fetish photo scene.

I didn’t really know that much about Bettie until I watched The Notorious Bettie Page – the 2005 bio-pic based on her life. I now have an even greater respect for Bettie Page. She had a really hard life, yet you’d never guess from looking at her photos. She was a strong and intelligent woman who did her own thing.

Needless to say, I was really excited when I found out that one of my favourite companies, Lovehoney, had launched a line of Bettie Page Pleasure Products. Really, really excited.

Created exclusively by Lovehoney, the range is the only collection of official sex toys and bondage accessories approved by the late Bettie Page’s estate. Bettie Page not only had a huge influence on the bondage scene, but she also brought an element of glamour to her sexuality that’s still appreciated today. Lovehoney has definitely captured Bettie’s retro-glam vibe in this gorgeous collection of 11 luxury erotic products. The collection includes bondage rope, handcuffs, satin restraints, a lead and collar set, a riding crop and leather bullwhip, spanking paddles, a blindfold, orgasm balm and two different vibrators.

My sex toy collection is quite extensive. So, when the lovely people over at Lovehoney asked me if I’d be interested in reviewing a piece from the Betty Page Pleasure Products collection, I decided to go for something completely outside of my usual comfort zone. Although bondage has never really been my thing, lately I’ve been craving a good set of handcuffs. I’ve never owned any and I figured they’d be a fun piece to add to my collection, just in case I might need them at some point :). Enter the Bettie Page “Wild and Willing” Faux Leather Wrist Cuffs.

Not me. However, I wish I everything else in this photo was mine - including the ability to do gorgeous retro make-up and hair.

Designed for “comfortable restraint”, these luxurious wrist cuffs are made of ultra soft padded, faux leather and lined with black velvet. They are finished with silver metal fittings and detachable chain.

You can adjust the cuff circumference between 5.7 – 9 inches to achieve a pinch-free fit in any position. Quick release clips extend from 2 fully rotatable D-rings to allow limited movement, while the metal chain links the cuffs and restricts your partner, offering no more than 7 inches between each wrist.

Although I haven’t had a chance to try these with a partner, I was pleasantly surprised by how comfortable these cuffs are. The silver buckles and structured design of the cuffs makes you feel restrained yet supported, while the soft velvet lining feels nice & soft against the skin.

From what I was able to tell, these cuffs are perfect for anyone who is looking to add some sexy restraint play into their bedroom activities, but doesn’t want to have to deal with the discomfort of chaffing during play. I imagine that with these “Wild and Willing” cuffs you could just lay back and enjoy the ride.

I know that it’s “what’s inside that counts”, but I can’t write this review without mentioning the gorgeous packaging of this line. It truly blew me away. My wrist cuffs arrived in a stunning, black velvet lined box featuring a bunch of Bettie’s famous pin-up photos. Included in the box was also a Bettie Page trading card and keychain charm. As someone who loves all things retro, sexy and vintage, I have to say I’m kind of in love with the effort that was put into designing such nice packaging. Usually I just recycle the packaging that my adult products come in, but I’ll definitely be keeping this box for storage.

So that you get an idea of what the cuffs look like on a real person, I took a few snap shots. Drumroll, please!

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Skinny Dip December 9, 2013

Shop My Closet | Blogger Fashion Week – Dec. 9th-15th

It’s no secret that I love clothes and all things fashion related, however for the New Year I’ve decided to minimize ever-growing collection of clothing & accessories. My life style on the West Coast is way different than it was when I lived in Toronto, so there are some things that I just don’t need anymore. More yoga leggings, yes. A bazillion cocktail dresses, not really.

Luckily, the website Trend Trunk has asked me to participate in the first ever Blogger Fashion Week taking place December 9th-15th. One Week. Over 70 different bloggers. A whole lotta fashion.

For those of you who aren’t familiar, Trend Trunk is a super fab website where you can cash in your closet by selling clothing & accessories that you don’t wear. Blogger Fashion Week is currently taking place online and throughout the week you’ll have the chance to shop the closets of 70 different bloggers…including me!

You can actually shop my closet any time, however Tuesday December 10th will be “my day” when I am featured on the site. I spent Saturday morning photographing and uploading some of my fashion finds for you guys. I’ve included some high-end designer items from Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, Marni, J. Brand & Edun, as well as some vintage pieces and goodies from my favourite stores like Aritzia, Joe Fresh, J. Crew and H & M. Feel free to be as nosy as you’d like & take a browse!

Unfortunately, Trend Trunk is currently only open to Canadians. However, if you see something you like in my closet, email me and we can work something out.

I’m so excited and honoured to be participating in Blogger Fashion Week and look forward to it becoming a yearly tradition!

(PS. My closet will remain online & I’ll be adding new pieces regularly, so stay tuned!)

Skinny Dip August 13, 2013

Channeling my Inner Ballerina + a Sweet Giveaway

When I put it out there on Social Media that I had started taking Barre Method classes, the nice people at Ballasox reached out to me and asked if I’d be interested in trying a pair of their famous ballet flats which are rumoured to be the perfect thing to slip on your feet after a Yoga, Barre or Pilates class.

Ballasox come in a whole bunch of different colours & patterns, and are known for their signature “folding” style and ultra comfy sock lining. Although I love the Zebra and Neon Yellow, I wanted a pair that went with everything so I chose the Nude ballet flats.

My Ballasox came in an elegant shoe box with a matching nude carrying case. The first thing I noticed was how much the shoes actually look like real ballet slippers – I love it!!

I was also really impressed with the quality of the shoes overall. My pair of Ballasox are made of genuine patent leather. They have a nice spongy rubber sole and a unique, silky, sock-like lining which adds to the overall comfort of the shoe.

Although I chose the correct size, I have really small, narrow, bony feet which makes the Ballsox look a tiny bit baggy on me. I don’t mind though, because the little bit of extra room allows me to wear these shoes with my orthotics, without them feeling too tight.

When I was finished wearing my Ballasox, I folded them in half and tucked them neatly into their carrying bag. Ta-da!

From running errands to running through an airport – like any good pair of flats, Ballasox are the kind of shoe you can wear anywhere. I wish I had known about Ballasox when I still worked in an office because they would have been the perfect thing to slip on and off for my commute to work. Because they are so compact, they’re perfect for travel or for stashing in your bag in case you find yourself in the compromising position of having to do a walk of shame – because, when it comes to walks of shame, flats = dignity.

Most importantly, these shoes are really, really comfortable (even without my orthotics inserted.) As someone who generally has a hard time finding flats (aside from athletic shoes) that don’t hurt their feet in some way, I was pleasantly surprised that my Ballasox did not cause my ballet ravaged feet any pain. Hooray!

Yesterday I wore my Ballasox to my early morning exercise class and was still wearing them when it was time for my afternoon break.

I like them so much, I’m thinking of picking up a second pair – maybe studded this time!

Want to win a pair of Ballasox?! Whether you already have a favourite pair with you or just wish you did, the Ballasox team wants to see where you would rock your Ballasox this summer.

To enter the contest, participants must do the following:

1. LIKE the Ballasox USA Facebook Page

2. Post a photo on FB wearing your Ballasox… or a photo of a time that you WISH you had them!

3. Hashtag the photo with #ballasoxtravels

4. SHARE the photo with your Facebook friends!

The contest will run until Friday, August 16th and winners will be picked based on creativity and number of likes!

Have fun! xox

Thank you Ballasox for sending me this lovely pair of your signature flats! I received the Ballasox free of charge in exchange for my honest review of the product.

Skinny Dip June 19, 2013

Show & Tell | Ruffles, Lace & Bedhead

As a lingerie addict who is trying to stick to a budget, I’m always on the lookout for affordable, cute lingerie that’s also nice quality. I was super excited when I stumbled across Blue Bella Lingerie – a lingerie line from the UK. Their pieces are gorgeous and sexy, without being over the top. Most of the pieces have that vintage inspired look that I love so much.

I was thrilled when the nice people at Lovehoney offered to send me one of their pieces to try out. The whole line is really pretty so it was hard to pick just one piece, however I eventually settled on this Anais Cami & Shorts Set. As someone who often blogs about things like oral sex simulators, this may seem like a really “safe” choice, however I’m really happy I chose this set. As I’ve mentioned before, I love sleeping in lacy, sexy things. Even if I’m sleeping alone, wearing something comfortable that’s also pretty makes me feel good. This is the kind of set that I could easily wear solo or with someone else.

The Anais Cami & Shorts Set is made of crinkled, light pink, sheer polyester trimmed in black lace. The camisole is lined with a silky soft non-crinkly fabric which makes the piece ultra-comfortable. The shorts are not lined, but instead feature two thin layers of the crinkle fabric which meet at the bottom to create the ruffle effect. The shorts are a “hipster” cut which means they sit comfortably below the belly button.

Although the shorts have a built in cotton gusset (which means you could wear them as panties if you wanted to), I still prefer to wear them with a pair of my favourite hipster or boy-shorts for sleeping. The shorts are quite sheer, so unless you live alone, with your partner or are trying to establish your reputation as the roommate/family member that’s always flashing everyone, you’ll probably want to pair them with some panties! For the purpose of this post, I wore a pair of black bathing suit bottoms underneath.

I really like this lingerie set. It’s fun, flirty and just slightly retro. Although it’s named “Anais” (I assume after the famous French writer?) this sleep set feels way less like 1930’s Paris, and more like a toned down version of something Barbara Streisand would have worn in The Owl and the Pussycat or the girls from Grease would have worn at one of their sleepovers.

In other words, it’s the kind of thing I imagine guys think we wear at sleepovers when really we’re rocking our flannel PJ’s.

To give you guys an idea of what the set looks like in person, I snapped a few photos last Sunday before heading out to meet my Dad for Father’s Day brunch. Since I rarely wear makeup and do my hair on the weekends, the theme of this DIY photo-shoot is “bed-head.”

Et, voila! Although I look a little depressed in this photo, I’m actually really excited about the forgiving cut of this camisole. I did a lot of eating and drinking in Vegas, and I’m still trying to get my abs back in shape. This top cleverly disguises any tummy insecurities you may have.

As you can tell from the photo below, this set was way more ruffly in person than it is in the product photo. The ruffles are fun, however if you are trying to draw attention away from your hips, they do create a lot of extra volume in that area. On the flip side, if you want to create more curves, this outfit will definitely do the trick.

Whenever I’d stay in hotels with my parents as a kid, my favourite thing was jumping up and down on the ultra-bouncy hotel beds. I’m pretty sure it drove my parents nuts. Sorry Mom.

Overall, I give this lingerie set by Blue Bella two Skinny Dip thumbs up. I love the gorgeous pink and black colour combo, I feel cute in it and it’s comfortable. The problem? Now I want to try everything Blue Bella makes. Ahhhh!

Thank you Lovehoney for this review and for fuelling the fire of my lingerie addiction 🙂

Lovehoney.com The Sexual Happiness People

*I received this garment free of charge in exchange for my honest review of the product. All opinions and awkward confessions about over eating in Vegas are my own because that’s how I roll.

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