Skinny Dip

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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Lingerie Review | The Charnos Cherub Bra from Ohhh Canada

One of the things I wasn’t expecting when I entered my 30’s was how much my body would change. I’ve always had a fairly large chest for my frame, however over the past two years or so my boobs have gone from a C cup to a DD. Maybe that’s TMI, but it’s the truth. I didn’t have surgery and I haven’t had any children, so I attribute most of the increase to weight gain, lifting more weights at the gym and well, my body just changing. I’m trying my best to embrace this change. The downside is that a lot of my favourite bras no longer fit. Needless to say, I was super excited and grateful when the lovely Katrina from Ohhh Canada sent me this gorgeous bra from Charnos to try (thank you!!)

This stunning specimen of magenta lace is part of the Cherub Bra and Briefs set by designer UK lingerie company Charnos. The bra and panty set are designed and manufactured in Europe. The Cherub Bra is lightly padded with an underwire for extra oomph and features delicate see-through lace details along the top and straps. The overall look of the bra is sultry and classic…and the colour, oh the colour! When I posted the photo below on Instagram a bunch of you freaked out over the gorgeousness of this bra – and rightfully so!

I know what you guys are probably thinking: “Hey, Simone. Didn’t you just review another pink bra a few weeks ago?!” Yes, yes I did. However, this one is different – I swear. Unlike the Yes Master Bra which is more of a boudoir piece (to be worn in the bedroom), the Cherub Bra is an ultra-supportive everyday bra that just happens to also be ridiculously sexy.

Although I love the Yes Master bra, this is by far a much sturdier and supportive bra. The quality is really awesome. I love the nice, thick straps with a gorgeous lace detailing along the edges.

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Show & Tell | Lingerie That Will Make You Say “Yes Master!”

I spend an inordinate amount of time online looking at beautiful lingerie. The fact that I have a Pinterest board called “Lacey, Racy and Gorgeous” is proof of this. There’s something about nice lingerie – in particular lingerie with a vintage, retro vibe – that I find really beautiful. Although I’m a general admirer of all things lacy and gorgeous, ever so often I’ll see a lingerie piece that makes me go, “OMG, I MUST HAVE THAT ON MY BODY!”

This was my exact reaction when I first laid eyes on the gorgeous La Luna Bra & Thong set by Yes Master while browsing one of my favourite websites, Ohhh Canada. I’m not sure if it’s the 1950’s pin-up meets bondage styling of the set or the fact that it matches my blog (After all, one should always match one’s underwear to one’s blog. Just kidding. Unless you’re me.) but I have been smitten with this set ever since. Because the people at  Ohhh Canada really are wonderful, they kindly offered to send me my very own set to try. (Thank you!!) One word to describe this bra and panty set now that I have it in my hands: luxurious. The La Luna Bra & Thong set by Yes Master is made of ultra soft bright pink stretch silk with black mesh trim & straps. Although silk is one of my favourite fabrics for clothing, I’ve never actually owned any silk lingerie…but let me just say, it’s a real treat. The texture is amazing, the colour is incredibly vivid and it just feels super amazing against the skin- I love it!

One of the reasons this set looks so unique is because it is made by edgy, fashion forward (& cheekily named) UK lingerie label, Yes Master. Described as a “cult” designer lingerie label, Yes Master was conceived in 2005 by Igor Pacemski, a chemist turned designer. When it comes to creating head-turning, vintage-inspired lingerie with and edgy, modern twist, clearly Pacemski knows how to combine the right elements. From wild colours, feathers, to this collection Ziggy Stardust lingerie (that I can’t help but think my pal Apocalypstick would love…), Yes Master seems particularly adept at making lingerie that’s the perfect mix of sexy and downtown cool. Previous collections have been described as “Silver Screen and Rock’n’Roll Dreams” which I think sums up their aesthetic perfectly.

To give you an idea, here are a few other looks from Yes Master – one of which is a previous version of the La Luna set in a blue colour scheme. (And yes, I added a heart to disguise a nip slip in an attempt to keep this vaguely work-friendly.)

When it comes to my gorgeous neon La Luna set, both the bra and the underwear are made really beautifully. As you can see, the bra features really cool retro-inspired seam detailing on the cups with a black mesh overlay. The straps are comfortably thick and are also trimmed in black velvet.

The thong features an asymmetrical mesh insert pattern which makes it really unique. And, unlike some of the thongs I’ve reviewed in the past, this thong is super comfy and the kind of piece you could easily wear everyday. Yay!

Here’s another close-up of the gorgeous seam detailing on the bra. I love the intricate and unique design of this set.

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Need a Last Minute V-Day Gift? Send a Pantygram

Happy Valentine’s Week! As much as I have a habit of writing snarky Valentine’s Day blog posts from year to year, I actually love Valentine’s Day in all it’s pink & red puffy heart glory. Yes, behind my semi-jaded sex blogger facade lies a hopeless romantic. However, my attempts at getting other people in the mood for Valentine’s Day sometimes fall flat – for example, last year when I made Fitness Guy a plate of heart shaped chocolate strawberries, which ended up looking more like lumpy, brown gobs. File this under, “When making stuff you find on Pinterest goes wrong.”

In general I think women are pretty good at hinting at their partners what they’d like for Valentine’s Day – whether that’s flowers, jewelry or just a quiet night in. However, guys aren’t as easy to read and are often completely neutral when it comes to the holiday. Hence, the reason some of us end up in awkward situations like what I described above. Although, I’d argue that if someone is legitimately into you, they will appreciate your questionable confectionary skills – even if the end result looks like turds on a stick. With that said, I’m sure there are many women out there wondering “what do you get a dude for Valentine’s day?”

Enter Send a Pantygram, a company designed with this dilemma in mind. Their answer? Red panties. Yes, you read correctly.  Send your partner underwear. Women’s underwear.

Send a Pantygram is a service that allows you to send your partner a pair of lacy, red panties. Your partner then receives the item in a discreet package with a note attached that directs them to a web page where they enter the verification code and gain access to a private, sometimes suggestive message from his loved one.

So, why panties? Debbie Augustine, founder of SendAPantygram.com, started her company because she was inspired by a pair of panties she mailed to a boyfriend 20 years ago. When Augustine ran into the guy years later, he was still raving about the experience, so she decided to turn her concept into a business.

Since Send a Pantygram has launched, Women have sent panties all over the world to boyfriends, fiancés and husbands stationed in Iraq, traveling on business to Bermuda, France, Greece, Germany, Japan, Puerto Rico, Romania, London, China, Korea and more. The cost of a Pantygram is $24.95 + shipping.

According to Neil Chethik, author of VoiceMale—What Husbands Really Think About Their Marriages, Their Wives, Sex, Housework and Commitment (Simon & Shuster), what men really want for Valentine’s Day isn’t  “another tie or gadget. They would like their partners to initiate romance. They like it when their wives actually think about sex, and even plan it.” I think this sentiment applies to both genders.

In other words, we all want to feel sexy and loved. The Pantygram is designed as  a symbol of the continuing physical attraction you have towards your partner. According to Send a Pantygram, feedback has been very positive and men absolutely love receiving them (however, I’m sure there are female same sex couples who might enjoy this service too.)

Although I’ve never sent my underwear to anyone, I’m a huge proponent of red lingerie and like the idea of a small sexy gesture that lets your partner know they’re desired. In other words, it makes your partner feel like Tom freaking Jones, legendary recipient of women’s panties… or whatever the sexy, modern rockstar equivalent is.

To get a male opinion I asked Joe the Intern to share his thoughts.

Thanks for your feedback Joe!

If you’d like to brighten someone’s week with a pair of lacy, racy red panties, Send a Pantygram is offering $5 off for all Skinny Dip readers if you use the code save5now at checkout. 

What do you guys think? Would you enjoy/use this service?

*This post was brought to you by my friends at Send a Pantygram. All opinions are mine because that’s how I roll. You can connect with Send a Pantygram on Twitter and Facebook.