Pretty much everyone who knows me is now aware that, a few years ago, I did an MA part-time alongside my job and my Master's dissertation was on technology and the bra in the twentieth century. Since then, I have been looking for ways to share this research as I love talking about the things... Continue Reading →
Lift & Separate: The Underpinnings Museum explores the bra
I'm very pleased to announce that the exhibition I have curated for The Underpinnings Museum is now live on the site! Lift & Separate: Technology & the Bra features over 30 beautiful and fascinating historic objects, exploring some of the many innovations in pattern cutting, padding, wiring, fabric and fibre technology that were behind the... Continue Reading →
Ageless Fashion by Playful Promises
As a woman in her early 40s with a love of gorgeous underwear, I'm used to having to do a spot of brain gymnastics in order to imagine myself wearing a lot of the lingerie that catches my eye, because it's almost always shown on the firm bodies of young slender models. When I saw... Continue Reading →
Style with Ethics: Lara Intimates
Regular readers will know how much I love lingerie and also ethical/sustainable approaches to fashion, so you'll imagine my joy when I found out about a new brand launching soon with a focus on sustainability. Set up by Faith Leeves and Cindy Liberman, two final year BA Fashion Contour students at London College of Fashion... Continue Reading →
Review: Kiss Me Deadly Dietrich Longline Bra
I do love a good longline bra. Or, at least, I did before a good one became really hard to come by. All I want is one that reaches to my waist so that it can be pretty much worn as a top, and ideally with detachable straps so it will give more uplift than... Continue Reading →
Farewell to Agent Provocateur?
News of the sale of Agent Provocateur to Mike Ashley, the founder and chief executive of Sports Direct, hit the headlines this week and I realised this was probably, finally, the end. When I started my MA back in 2012, I wrote my first essay on the 21st century Agent Provocateur woman (turning it into... Continue Reading →
Bettie Page Lingerie, by Playful Promises
Lingerie lovers may have noticed that those hard-working folk at Playful Promises have been even more productive than usual over the last year. Seeing as they're always busy, this is pretty impressive work! As well as coming up with designs for their main line and curve ranges, plus their mini-brand Peek & Beau, they also... Continue Reading →
Underpinnings of Inspiration
I'm the first to admit that I've been a bit quiet on the underwear blogging front so far this year. It's not that I haven't been doing lots of underwear-related things though - far from it! - I just haven't had time to write about them yet. Following The Underpinnings Museum's successful Kickstarter campaign, a... Continue Reading →
Review: Undressed at the V&A
Back in April, I was lucky enough to be invited to the private view of Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear at the Victoria and Albert Museum. It's been open for a while, but you still have plenty of time to catch the exhibition as it's on until 12th March 2017. This post comes with... Continue Reading →
Fabulous Fashion Fabrics: Nylon
Yes, you read that right... nylon. You might not realise, because it's often now referred to as polyamide on clothing labels, but it's actually still used in womenswear these days as nylon is a tough and rather fascinating fibre that's suitable for all manner of uses. Including fashion. Nylon was introduced by Du Pont in... Continue Reading →