The history of your M&S undies

Hi guys,
I'm always been a big fan of M&S undies (they're comfy, they wash well, they're available in a bigger cup size: what's not to like!) so you can imagine how delighted I was to read that they have raided their archive to create a new vintage underwear range.

To celebrate the Queens Jubilee year, the lingerie design team have taken inspiration from original 1950’s designs to transform them into more wearable pieces for a new collection launching at M&S. Consisting of four looks, the beautifully constructed collection uses silk, lace, luxurious satin and mesh combinations to emulate the glamour of the 1950s, including designs based on the original conical bra, corsetry and the big knicker shape. The collection was inspired by some research M&S had done on their rich underwear history...

Want to find out more about the history of M&S lingerie? The team have created a surprisingly interesting interactive graphic showing the history of lingerie from the 1920s through to the 1980s. I geek out about stuff like this, so I love reading snippets of information I haven't read before. Did you know, for example, that the first M&S bra launched in 1926 and was designed for use under flapper style dresses to flatten the chest?

If you don't want to geek out about bra facts, get excited about pretty pants instead. The collection is available in store and online in May. Form an orderly queue behind me, ladies!

Love Tor xx

M&S underwear: Like an old faithful friend

The Marks and Spencer sale started today, and within minutes, all of the underwear on the website was out of stock. This was two things: 1) Irritating because it meant I would have to pop to the store to pick up some cheap knickers and 2) A testiment to Marks and Spencers reputation as an underwear retailer that women would go so crazy so quickly to pick up some discounted goodies. Not that it's expensive in the first place: a bra and knicker set for around £20-25 is a bargain as far as i'm concerned!

If I can help it, I always wear Marks and Spencer underwear. It fits well, it washes well, it's good quality and it looks great. You can't really ask for more than that! It has a reputation for being a bit old fashioned (a lot of people use the phrase "granny bras") but I don't think that's true at all: some of it is pretty/sexy - it's just functional too! I went through a phase of wearing La Senza bras, but found they don't cut so well for a larger bust, and within a wash or two the wire was poking through and ready to pierce my chest. Not a good look!

So this morning I sprinted to the Oxford Street M&S, hoping that there would still me the pieces I had spotted on the website available in my size. There was still a mixed bag of sizes available but I couldn't get all five of the sets I wanted: I contented myself with these two from the sale, and a further two at full price. I had mentioned earlier in the week that I needed to buy new underwear anyway, so really this was a case of right place, right time:

There were about 8 stands of the size above containing "pretty" everyday, and slightly fancy underwear, and all but two of the bras had a large selection of sizes in the matching briefs or thongs. The bras started at £4, the briefs at £3. There was also a large stand at the other side of the lingerie section containing more practical underwear such as functional strapless bras and a massive selection of sports bras in all sizes starting at around £7.

Of course the Marks and Spencer sale has lots of other things going on: fashion, mens and childrenswear, and home wear too. But for me, it's all about the pants!

Love, Tor x

PS - If you're still waiting to get your sale fix then you'll be pleased to know that the Selfridges sale starts at 8am on Monday morning, both instore and online. Elbows sharpened ladies, and i'll race you to the shoes!

National bra fit week: Are you wearing the right bra?

Until yesterday, I hadn't thought that much about bras - they were the slightly irritating things that I put on underneath my dresses. Sometimes you want pretty ones, sometimes you want sexy ones, but most of the time you just want one you can't see under your clothes!

However yesterday, in honour of National Bra Fit Week (19th April - 9th May) I was invited to Debenhams to find out more about the structure of bras: how they're made, how the designs are chosen, and ultimately I was fitted by a wonderful professional who showed me how you can tell if your bra is fitting right or not.

It was a revelation! I didn't realise how many components a bra is made up of (more than twenty, and some much more!) and I didn't realise how wrong my bra size was: i've gone down two back sizes and up three cup sizes. To be honest, I had no idea how much thought went into making bras at all: the lead time for a collection is over 18 months and the mood boards that lead to the design creation are beautiful!

The gorgeous prints above are the patterns for the next drop of Floozie by FrostFrench, based on the theme of the "staycation" (Who knew my home town of Skegness would provide inspiration!). I wish they came in bigger cup sizes because i'm obsessed with the carousel pony pattern! I also saw an incredible Wonderbra strapless bra that is shaped like hands to lift you up: such a great idea and it looked really cool too: if anyone has this i'd love to know if it works or not!

Because next week is National bra fit week, and because 80% of women are wearing the wrong sized bras, i'm going to be tell everyone I know (including you guys!) to go down and get fitted: it makes such a difference! I have constant deep red marks on my shoulders from the weight of my boobs, but it turns out this is simply because my back size wasn't tight enough: your shoulders shouldn't be taking the weight of your breasts, it should be dispersed evenly around your back etc too: we all have little niggly bra issues, and most of them can be fixd by wearing the right size or shape! I know it can be really embarrassing getting fitted but it does make a difference: and you have to remember that the fitters see about a hundred pairs of boobs everyday - so they won't think there's anything special about yours!

I'm a convert: I think i'm going to spend most of my weekend underwear shopping!

Love, Tor xx

Fab Frocks reviews: Gok Wan shapewear

When Simply Yours got in touch and told me that they were releasing their Gok Wan shapewear in hot pink I knew I had to give it a try, because although I am a big fan of shapewear (you have to be when you have my lumpy hips and pot belly!!) the black and beige stuff spilling out of my drawers is the very opposite of attractive (a complete passion killer in fact!) The idea of hot pink shapewear appealed because you wouldn't be embarrassed if a hint of pink bra strap was revealed; in fact, it might add a little something to your outfit!!

My first thought when I opened the package was "scary!!" With it's double layered fabric and hooks and eyes everywhere, I had no idea how I was going to get it on without doing myself an injury (just putting them on my lap to inspect laddered my tights!) but once on, the hooks and eyes become almost invisible, and what you are left with is a sleek silohuette that is suprisingly sexy!

The thing that most impressed me about the two pieces I tried (the sassy slip and the curve controller) was the attention to detail. Both had a silk gok wan print trim to the bra cups and removable pads, so that you could control how much cleavage was on display. The double layered detail actually added to the control and the sassy slip was built from panels to further cinch in the hips and waist. Oh, and both came with removable multiway straps, and clear straps too.The sassy slip was by far the sexiest of the two pieces and also the most restrictive: although I could still breathe, I was very aware that I was wearing it.
Rest assured that unfortunately I look nothing like this sexy lady in this one-piece, but it certainly is this sexy!!

One aspect of the detailing I didnt like was the little bell between the cups: it looks and sounds like a cat bell, and people can hear you coming from yards away; not an attractive look! The bell was only secured with one stitch though, so it was very easy to remove. Unless the tinkly cat thing is for you: each to their own, as my mum always says!

Overall I was impressed by the look and feel of the shapewear (on the body, if not off!)

Good work SimplyYours, and good work Gok Wan!

Love, Tor xx

Going GaGa

Last week Lady GaGa said in the Independent: "Fashion is everything to me. Its just as important as the music." And whilst there are hundreds of artists spouting the same generic rubbish all the time, in this instance, I actually believe her!

I'm not normally one to follow music industry hype (I love music, but I know what I like!) but I am genuinely interested in Lady GaGa (apparently just Gaga to her friends) and her progress: with her metallic breastplate and crazy stage gyrating, how can you not compare her to the conical bra wearing uber performer that was Madonna in the 80s? The girl has the potential to become an icon.

Apologies for the stolen photo from Mr Paparazzi.com, and I still get goose bumps when I see madonna in that Jean Paul Gaultier set up!

Like Madonna, she obviously loves the "underwear as outerwear" trend, and she's quite the expert: she made the nude bra for her love game video herself!

However, it's not her underwear that interests me: Any outfit that leaves you at risk of arrest for over exposure is definitely not for me! No, what I am loving, nay, slightly obsessed with, are her stage costumes; they're elaborate, have real attitude and yet like most things you see on the catwalk, you can imagine a toned down version that would really work on you:

The feathered eyelashes GaGa is so fond of (i'm guessing, as she wears them all the time!) are by Shu Uemra. They also do lace ones, which are immediately on my wish list!

OK so its a bland outfit with a little too much leg and a Star Trek vibe until....wow! Check out those shoulder pads!!

I've looked everywhere, and i have no idea who made those wonderful spikey dresses: if you know tell me! I am however, in love with the idea of using your own hair as a hair ornament and tying it in a bow: if i've got time tonight, i'm going to give it a go!

Lady Gaga leaves London at the end of the week and this makes me a little bit sad: I love reading about her antics of the night before on my way home in thelondonpaper every day. And if, after seeing all the wonderful pictures you still need another reason to fall a little bit in love with Lady Gaga, then don't worry because I have one for you. I've got it all! Christian Siriano, winner of Project Runway season 4, is responsible for some of her outfits, including the massive black patent bow she wore on MTV. Which sadly I cant find a picture of, but still...

Isn't that fierce?!

Love Tor x

The pants of a glamour model.......

This afternoon I popped over to Asda to buy a packet of rocket (just more insight into my oh-so-glamourous life for you, dear reader) and naturally I just happened to have a glance at George. There sale is pretty much over now, and they already have alot of their new season stock instore. Which is nice. But today, believe it or not, i'm not going to write about clothes. Because today I wandered down a section of the george department i've never bothered with before: I looked at the underwear.

Now as a lady 'blessed' (or cursed depending on how you look at it) with an ample busom and a slender back, buying highstreet underwear is rarely something I get the chance to do: I buy alot of my underwear from specialist online stores and they invariably come in 3 designs: plain black, plain white, plain grey. Not what you;d call inspiring or sexy. But today I realised those clever folks at Geoge at Asda had a solution for ladies just like me: and that solution comes in the form of the infamous glamour model, Jordan (aka Katie Price)

Kate Price Basic bra, £12 (Copyrighted images stolen from Asda website, oops!)

Katie Price has a range of self-named, very reasonably priced underwear available at George which comes in sizes 32-38 D-G. And not only are the prices reasonable and the sizes ample enough, the designs are also that rarest of things for us larger bosomed ladies: very pretty.

Katie Price bra, £16. Katie Price shorts, £10

The fabric of the range is lovely, and feels really nice quality, the cut is genourous and the stitching on the fancier designs is beautiful. I left Asdas this afternoon with a packet of rocket, a bra, a basque, and 2 pairs of fancy shorts, all from the Katie Price range (except the rocket, which was asda's own brand)

Who'd have thought i'd be taking style advice from the most cliched glamour model of them all!?But Katie has got this range of lingerie spot on, and it really fills a gap in the market. I have to say, just this once: Mrs Andre, I salute you!