What Katie Did: Rita and Kate

I’m a big fan of retro lingerie brand What Katie Did. Despite personally preferring a more modern bra shape, you can often find me swooning over items in their newsletter, on their website and in their friendly west London shop. They make wonderful vintage-style shapewear and utterly gorgeous corsets too, so I have a fair bit of WKD glamour in my wardrobe already. After trying on many of their bra styles and coming to the conclusion that they just weren’t right for me, it appears that Katie has now made a bra with me in mind! The gorgeous new Rita set doesn’t just come in my favourite colour, it was described in the newsletter as “perfect for those who want a vintage look combined with a modern shape.” Sounds (and looks) perfect to me!

The Rita set is inspired by iconic 40s starlet Rita Hayworth and is exclusive to What Katie Did, meaning you’ll only be able to find it on their website and in their London and Hollywood stores. It’s extremely limited edition too, with only a few of each size being manufactured. The Rita bra is the first What Katie Did bra to feature both underwiring and circle stitching, giving a natural shape that is perfect if you’re after a vintage look but not a cone shape. The matching deep retro knickers are made from red powermesh with a sheer organza tummy panel and a satin emblem to make them a little bit more modest. The matching 6 strap suspender belt is also made from non-stretch organza, meaning it’s lightly shaping and hugely flattering on a range of shapes and sizes. If you think that might be a bit unforgiving, don’t worry – it’s finished with a hint of powermesh at the back, for a perfect fit. On top of all this, the colour matches the red of What Katie Did previous collections (such as the Marlene and Jubilee), which means WKD fans can mix and match their lingerie.

Another new line that caught my eye was the Kate longline bra and panty girdle, which have just been added to the classic range. This totally new longline bra features the same 1950s style cups as on What Katie Did’s popular cone bra and has hook and eye fastenings down the front, making it easy to get in and out of. The firm control panty girdle also has a hook and eye fastening at the front, plus 4 detachable suspenders. The website says this panty girdle “is not for the faint hearted, it’s designed to be extremely tight, flattening your tummy and cinching your waist.” Sounds perfect for underneath a slinky skirt or form fitting dress. The two pieces are designed to overlap in the middle, to add definition to the waistline, but can be teamed with any black satin items from other WKD ranges. They suggest that the bra can also be worn as a daring top with a tight pencil skirt, and I rather like that idea. This could be my first venture into the realm of underwear as outerwear.

The Rita and Kate sets are available for pre-order now via the What Katie Did website.