Lingerie loves, loathes and take or leaves

What we’re loving

 Australia Vogue’s Cara Delevingne cover shoot. It features three of our favourite things right now: bold eyebrows, a crown and a black lace bra!  Fashion is all very regal at present, and we’re happy about it, from our Union Jack cushions to our jewel-embellished thongs, but the way Cara lets her sumptuous lace brassiere peek out from under her gem-encrusted gown is new to us and we’re thinking about how to implement it ourselves.

Lace always works when flashed, and perhaps the easiest way to tailor this look to daily life is to wear a black bra, or even sexier, bustier, under a nude blouse – perhaps not the right look for the office, but a perfect va va voom on a Friday night if you’re going out for drinks after work. And if you don’t have time to change, we reckon you can get away with this by popping a cute argyle tank top or a tailored black waistcoat over the blouse for working hours and then exposing your naughtier side when it’s cocktail hour!

What we’re loathing

The whole ‘hot mess’ phenomenon. It’s not big and it’s not clever. In the past few weeks it’s been applied to Miley Cyrus twerking onstage with a married man; this year’s Miss America contest in which the Indian-American winner, Nina Davuluri has been subjected to some racist abuse and our favourite star right now, Sandra Bullock, who walked a red carpet with a new mermaid hairstyle and wearing a really pretty abstract print Roland Mouret cocktail dress.

We thought Sandra looked stunning with her laid back, ready-to-surf locks and lovely short frock that shows her gorgeous legs, and her style is a little tousled and natural rather than air-brushed perfection, we think she totally rocks the girl-next-door look and that the criticism here was just entirely misplaced. More hot Ms than hot mess, in fact!

What we’re taking or leaving …

 

Okay, they are utterly gorgeous, and Tom Ford has been working towards this culminating boot for a couple of years, just look at these silver robot bondage boots, for example, but while we adored his New York Fashion Week black corset-style bondage boots with their elaborate lacing from ankle to thigh, and suitably sexy spike heels, we’re not totally, totally convinced.

Why?

Well because we think they’re too close to the real thing to achieve their aim. They look cute, and they mimic the effect of lace corsetry but so what? A pair of textured thigh highs or stockings would have the same effect and would offer a further dimension – that of being soft and warm to the touch, not to mention the delicious pleasure of deciding whether to remove them seductively or leave them on for the extra sensual pleasure …

You can’t be quite as comfortable in spike heels as you can in perfectly fitting hosiery. Also, at around £2,000 a pair, we think Tom’s boots are out of our league, but nice stockings are always within budget!

Sexy Scots, super short hair and 50 Shades of Grey

Victoria Beckham 2014 Collection

Remember we talked about crop hairstyles a few weeks ago? Well our tips for making this look work are here - and the reason we mention it again is that the New York Fashion Show was full of androgynous haircuts – our own Victoria Beckham used models with sleek crops to showcase her Spring 2014 designs which also featured square shapes, geometric prints and gorgeous asymmetric pleats and ruffles on mini-skirts and tunic dresses. We loved her deep-cut necklines and think our Bracli pearl halter top would work perfectly under them by ramping up the sensuality of the neckline whilst maintaining the drama of the plunging décolletage.

 

Win two seats at the Gala Dinner for the 2013 Scottish Fashion Awards by voting for your favourite sexy Scot!

 

Oh yes – not only do you get to help decide whether Andy Murray or Emeli Sandé, Thom Evans or Amy Macdonald is the biggest icon, but two lucky people who enter their votes will get to attend the banquet on 9 October at 8 Northumberland Avenue, London! It’s a fabulous event, with the chance to rub shoulders with some of Scotland’s best young fashion designers, as well as the hottest Scots, and the choice of icon this year is really thrilling – you can vote for:

1. Gemma Cairney
2. Thom Evans
3. Calvin Harris
4. Kirsty Hume
5. Andy Murray
6. James MacAvoy
7. Julianne Moore
8. Amy McDonald
9. Louise Linton
10.Karen Gillan
11.Gerard Butler
12.Nina Nesbitt
13.Emeli Sandé.

Simply visit www.scottishfashionawards.com and click on the Fashion Icon section to register your vote in the ballot and be in with a chance of enjoying the banquet.

And talking about sexy …from Anarchy to Grey

 

So, while we had quite a debate going on here at lingerie.co.uk about our hot pick for the role of Christian Grey, we’re happy with the casting decision that is going to reveal Charlie Hunnam to us again. Matt Bomer, Robert Pattinson and Ryan Gosling were all linked to the role, but Hunnam appears to have impressed the casting directors and those of us in the UK know why. Okay, it’s been a while since he stole the show in Queer as Folk but he absolutely sizzled back then as gay teen Nathan Maloney when he was only eighteen so we really can’t wait to see 33 year old Charlie in the BDSM role as the male lead in 50 Shades of Grey.

Charlie has described himself as ‘having spent a lifetime’ preparing for the role … now that sounds intriguing! And for those who haven’t read the book (is there anyone still on the planet who doesn’t have a copy?) and doesn’t know what all the fuss is about, we recommend buying a copy right now and educating yourself … not that you need to master the plot or anything, but it’s a great way to spice up the boudoir a little now that the evenings are drawing in …. Charlie’s co-star is the lucky Dakota Johnson, and if Charlie’s bod in Sons of Anarchy is anything to go by, she’s going to be a lucky lady indeed!

We wish we could …

…be at the Alice Temperley preview on October 18th!

She’s showcasing her summer 2014 collection to raise funds during a Prince’s Trust Fashion Dinner and to give you a clue, tickets for the dinner would set you back £150 a seat, but buyers are encouraged to buy a whole table (that’s £1,500 for ten diners). And of course a Temperley gown is going to start at around £650, in fact our favourite garment from the winter collection are the Sphinx knit dresses: flared and pencil, at £695 each.

… go back to school

It’s so cute to see all the littlies buying their stationery and uniforms, and so great, if you’re a Mum, to be looking forward to a little more time in the day to get things done! Back to school chic is also big in our lives right now, with crisp white shirts and knee socks featuring on our grown-up shopping lists as well as on our children’s! Satchels have been big fashion staples for the past few years, and we know that nothing makes for more fun than bringing touches of the boudoir into the daily grind. So if you want to thrill your lover on a chilly Monday morning, why not hint at pleasures ahead by donning some oh-so-demure stockings and packing your satchel as a subtle hint that there’s going to be some adult fun in the evening!

… dance with the stars

And we’re keen to see what this year’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ contestants can do with their strut. It should be a great year for gowns, with lingerie model Abbey Clancy and former Bond Girl Fiona Fullerton likely to go head-to-head in the ‘revealingly sexy’ category while Sophie Ellis Bexter and breakfast TV star Susanna Reid will probably battle it out for the ‘most sophisticated’ attire. Vanessa Feltz has already told reporters her strategy – sequins on her undies!

As for the men, we can’t wait to see gorgeous Ben Cohen on the floor! And Ben’s muscles aren’t the only reason we love him; his work to stamp out bullying with his Stand Up Foundation is heart-warming.

… rock a matte black manicure!

It looks great and it was runway mandatory at several shows last month, including Karen Walker and it teams wonderful with the chocolate and spice lipstick colours that are top tips for winter sensuality, but we haven’t got this look down perfectly yet. Matte black nails with shiny black patent tips are the best version of it we’ve seen, but we’re probably going to stick to our usual Rouge Noir Pulp Fiction look for this winter, after all, it’s been a classic vamp style since Clara Bow in the 1920s, so why change a winning formula?