S, is for Silk and Sunday

After a hard week juggling work and family affairs, Sunday is the perfect day for only leaving the comfort of your house for a couple of hours. 

A cosy brunch, maybe with a Bloody Mary is really the only reason you need to go anywhere.. 

Sunday's are meant to be spend with your nearest and dearest, either snuggling or just hanging out. You may have gathered we don't do pyjama days at Tallulah (unless it's cold, and they're cashmere..) so here are a few outfit ideas from our brand new silk pieces from Vivis to get you inspired to dress up even when your dressing down. 

Itica Silk Chemise in Blue, Latte and Pink by Vivis | http://www.vivisintimo.it/index_ing.htm

Manou Silk Babydoll with Eyelash Lace by Vivis | http://www.vivisintimo.it/index_ing.htm

Manou Silk Babydoll with Eyelash Lace by Vivis | http://www.vivisintimo.it/index_ing.htm

Itica Silk Chemise with Lace Trim in Pink by Vivis | http://www.vivisintimo.it/index_ing.htm

The selection of shorter length chemise' and baby dolls and dreamy. All the colours are rich and gorgeous and they all have the most beautiful lace trims and necklines. 

Tallulah stocks Itica, the most perfect silk chemise, in Pink, Pearl Blue, Iced Latte and Ivory. Itica has cups in it's structure so fuller busts shouldn't get put off by the spaghetti straps because they work beautifully with or without a lot on top. 

My personal favourite from the short length options is definitely Manou which is detailed with the stunning black eyelash lace against divine coffee toned silk. Manou is a little shorter than the others, with roughly three inches of sheer black lace trimming the hem at the tops of your thighs, throwing on a little babydoll suddenly becomes gorgeously sexy. 

This is the Vivis I'd choose to spend a Sunday with the other half.. I'm sure they'll appreciate dressing up to dress down - And for you, very little effort is required as Manou does all the work. 

Monic Silk Longer Length Gown with Lace in Latte by Vivis | http://www.vivisintimo.it/index_ing.htm

Monic Silk Long Length Gown with Lace in Latte by Vivis | http://www.vivisintimo.it/index_ing.htm

Dorine Long Silk Slip in Nude and Pearl Blue by Vivis | http://www.vivisintimo.it/index_ing.htm

Dorine Long Silk Slip in Nude by Vivis | http://www.vivisintimo.it/index_ing.htm

Being a petite 5 foot 3 I always edged towards shorter lengths when shopping for myself as I always felt swamped in long length pieces. 

However, Dorine and Monic are two of my favourite collections from Vivis this season. 

As much as it's nice to have one of a kind silk pieces, I really appreciate when silk is luxurious whilst still being versatile. Dorine ticks these boxes; the delicate V-neck, spaghetti straps and the way the silk is cut to drape the body is sexy and practical for any time of day. These elements are brilliantly executed creating an elegant simplicity which also works wonderfully as foundation wear beneath longer length dresses or to layer under a long skirt to create the effect of a tucked camisole. 

Then there's Monic in a colour that can only be described as something along the lines of your favourite summers' iced coffee.. There's a lace trimmed gown and robe in this collection, it's always satisfying to wear a matching set.

There's something cinematic when wearing this duo for your Sunday in. I couldn't think of anything better than snuggling on the sofa with a film and a cuppa draped in nothing but luxurious silk in Monic's golden tones. Each piece is dreamy along but together the full length gown and robe are flattering, comfortable and incredibly beautiful. 

These pieces from Vivis are really made for the weekend.. maybe a different silk for each Sunday in the month? Why dress down when it's so easy to dress up? 

Talisman

We love a Talisman presence at Tallulah, we have one under the counter and now we have a beautiful set by the same name on the shop floor - perfect! 

Talisman is the first collection from Implicite, Simone Perele's sister company to grace Tallulah's silk hangers and we love it! 
Implicite as a whole is super sexy and has a slightly younger feel than Simone Perele classic collections, but we think Talisman is the collection you will want to to take you from day to night and keep your evenings busy! 

Talisman Plunge Full Cup and Knickers by Implicite | http://www.implicite.com/

We have two shapes; a plunge full cup and half cup in the bra, a thong and a knicker and the most amazing longline waspie. 
The plunge full cup is a fantastic shape, on a smaller bust it fits similarly to a triangle, underwired bra and on more fuller bust the cut works perfectly, similar to a three part, providing all the support you need. 
It's rare you come across a shape that's so versatile across a wide range of sizes but this a really a diamond in the rough. 

I'm obsessed with cut out details on the back of knickers and thongs and Talisman has made the excellent choice of including this in their design. It's just super sexy and flattering, having that low 'V' at the bottom of your back is dreamy! 

Talisman Half Cup Bra, Waspie and Thong by Implicite | http://www.implicite.com/

The Half cup is divine, I love the architectural satin lines that are emphasised by optimum mesh transparency! However, the satin inserts are perfect for giving you slightly more help than a the usual half cup and the effect under clothing is fabulous. It really gives your body the shaping you desire from your underwear, rather than leaving it all unto you. 

As for the waspie.. I mean, how sexy is that! I adore the longline cut and faux ribbon tie up the front. You don't actually have to do and undo this every time you want to get in or out - there's fastening that runs up the side (shh, it's a secret!) 
I enjoy wearing suspenders when it comes to my Autumn and Winter outfits - on a practical level tights tend to move around and become uncomfortable to quickly for my liking. With the line of this waspie coming up so high I would use it as shape wear as well as a practical suspender belt beneath my dresses.. How gorgeous it is, really is the best bonus. 




The contrasting fabrics are perfect as is the fact it goes up to a 36 back and F cup - we're sold on the lucky Talisman!

The Richest Hot Chocolate

It's always exciting when we receive new collections from Fleur of England; our favourite luxurious, British-heritage filled designer. 

It's time for Autumn/Winter '14 in the form of Hot Chocolate. When talking about her gorgeous collection Fleur Turner, Fleur of England's founder and creative director says,

"Taking inspiration from my Scottish roots and beautiful Georgian buildings that surround us in the stunning South West of England, Autumn Winter '14 tells the story of decadent days and seductive nights. Our unrivalled use of colour continues in the dusky hues of 'Heather', the extravagant peacock tones of out tartan 'Edinburgh', the dedication platinum grey of 'Heiress', vintage gold embroidery of 'Caviar' and the rich mouth-watering 'Hot Chocolate'." 

Hot Chocolate Lace Balcony Bra, Briefs and Suspender Belt by Fleur of England | http://www.fleurofengland.com/

And that's exactly what it is, mouth-watering. I love the richness of the unusual colour; the most stunning chocolate brown with a hint of aubergine creates liquid silk and beautiful lace with dreamy brown, red and purple tones. 

Hot Chocolate is perfect for the coming season; as the nights start to grow darker and days become shorter, why not spend your extra hours of darkness dressed in this fabulous lingerie set?! I can't think of a better way to spend my Autumn evenings. 

Hot Chocolate Boudoir Bra and Tie-Side Briefs by Fleur of England | http://www.fleurofengland.com/

Hot Chocolate - Back View | http://www.fleurofengland.com/

Hot Chocolate Lace Briefs by Fleur of England | http://www.fleurofengland.com/

Hot Chocolate Plunge Bra with Lace Briefs by Fleur of England | http://www.fleurofengland.com/

My favourite shape from the collection is definitely the Lace Balcony Bra. The liquid silk thats luxuriously soft against the skin against the delicate eyelash lace on the cups and knickers, is so sexy and sheer. 

Attaching some some black or nude stockings to the suspender belt would be dreamy to slip beneath all of your special dresses for the coming Christmas party season! 



Google kindly informed me it's officially the first day of Autumn today - it's time to crack open some hot chocolate or drape yourself in it; even better! 

Why Lingerie?

As a Tallulah girl I encounter many different types of women who wander into the boudoir. I meet clients that have been coming back to Tallulah for lingerie to celebrate milestones in their lives and little payday treats for years, to the clients who just rang the door bell for the very first time.. 

Every woman comes with a different story; the deep red fitting rooms are never a boring place to be. Spending time with this eclectic mix of women is my favourite perk of the job! It also is the part of the job that really opens my eyes to all the many reasons women are draw to fabulous lingerie.. 

This point of conversation is something I've developed a passion for. Having the pleasure of hearing so many points of view of the topic I wanted to address it with a take of my own: Why Lingerie? 

With all of the retail sectors for women it's a valid question - why not shoes, dresses, coats, handbags, accessories etc?? 

Everyone has their favourite pick me up, go too's and lingerie is most definitely mine. I love all of the other things too, but there's something about lingerie that is very separate to all the other fashion items women buy and proudly display. 

Firstly I should probably say that by no means am I ruling out that lingerie is sometimes for someone else; your husband, partner, lover or man you haven't met yet but are hoping to bump into on the tube at rush hour.. What I'm talking about is everyday lingerie, the lingerie you pull out of your underwear draw, slide into in front of the mirror and from that moment onwards provides you with a spring in your step for the rest of your day! 

Women have been wearing lingerie for centuries, as has it been linked to women and society for this period of time; corsets worn used where so extreme that the wearer could barely move, implying that women of wealth had no need to be moving around but were to stay at home like a possession.. 

Lingerie and society has certainly come along way, instead of being purely for the opposite sex it has become about 21st century notions of women's self-esteem and empowerment granted to her by herself not by a man. 

Touching on the subject of lingerie for someone else (only to help with my point), for me it heightens the other person's senses to possibility; the idea of possibility is often more exciting than sex itself. 

Wearing lingerie under your everyday attire is sexy and adventurous, even if your not planning to show anyone. Wearing your favourite set under your office attire or uniform you have to wear everyday is your personal touch, you don't have to flaunt it because it's for you and you only. You've created a game of possibility with yourself.. Told you you don't need a man.

I feel like the lingerie designers Tallulah loves market their collections in a way that is very fitting with today's society. Not only do they create sexy, gorgeous pieces but they design with everyday wear and movement in mind - the modern women isn't just "slipping into something more comfortable" for her man anymore, she's wearing these designers everyday with all mundane tasks included. 

Apart from all things I have talked about before, such as wearing the right shape, being daring with colours, pushing the boundaries of your t-shirt bra, improving your posture and shape of your body etc.. Wearing lingerie everyday has become sensual as well as sexual in my life. And as bold as it sounds, lingerie has changed a lot in my life... Really! It makes perfect sense, forget worrying about fitting into an idealistic social box, my size box at Tallulah is the only kind of box I need in my life.. When you feel beautiful and have an appreciation and fond relationship with your own body this empowerment and positivity trickles through other areas of your life. 

You may have experienced a 'good underwear day'? You decide to wear a matching set, or decide to take something you bought years ago but never had the excuse to wear for a test drive.. I'm confident in posing the question: How bloody fabulous was that day?! 

So why not have a good underwear day every day? You feel ready for anything and at ease with your body - you know nothing is going anywhere it shouldn't and your looking fabulous whilst your lingerie manages that situation for you! 

I know there are many feminist debates on sexy underwear and whether it's really empowering or not. But, all I can tell you is that it empowers ME. I don't need an audience or a man for my thigh highs and pearl thong, just me, myself and my underwear secrets are empowering enough to bring a twinkle to my eye and a spring to my step. That's what matters after all - we're allowed to be selfish every so often, I just choose to be selfish and empowered under my jeans everyday. 

It's can never be a bad thing in this day and age to find something that brings a little bit more love to women's self-esteem and self-image. I'm talking about a crazy fad, but some thing that can stick with you and evolve with you throughout your whole life. If lingerie helps me to love myself a little more, especially when I need it then whats the harm in that? And even if your not sold of the idea of feeling quietly sexy my Nan always used to remind me.. What if you get hit by a bus and you have to get your clothes cut off at that hospital; you'd want to be wearing good underwear! Not the most joyful thought, but if that's something she fears then lingerie is proven to be the solvent of many problems. 

You never know when that bus is going to come. 

LFW14 - Designers Edit

The trends seen on the catwalk and outside Somerset House definitely filtered down to the Designer Showrooms. The pieces have become more wearable, the extravagance that has been seen previously at Fashion Week didn't seem to play a huge part in SS15. Everything was far more Nike than Louboutin. 

The majority of the pieces could be slipped on straight off the rails and you'd look impeccably dressed as a pose to Lady Gaga.. Not that I don't love a little Lady Gaga in my outfits from time to time but SS15 ran true to the label 'Ready-To-Wear'.

There was two designers who really stood out to me, purely because their collections appealed to my personal taste, simple. 



The first was Jena.Theo, their rails stood out to me as soon as I walked into the showroom where they were displaying their SS15 collection. 
Jena.Theo is a collaboration between buyer and international retailer Jenny Holmes and freelance designer Dimitris Theocharidis. They state in their bio that their combination of British and Greece heritage is a constant source of inspiration. They also share a love for street style and an abstract approach to pattern cutting which is apparent in their work. 

It was the mixture of monochrome and metallics with hints of citrus colours that initially enticed me in and as I started to pull out different pieces from the rail it was the abstract silhouettes that made me fall in love with it.. 

I loved the beautiful structures combined with the use of luxury silks, jersey, leather and denim. There aren't any pieces in the collection that drape or cling to the body; the way they have incorporated voluminous bow details and boxy cuts make the pieces incredibly easy to wear as they can really hold their own without being to much for brunch! 

Here are my favourite pieces from the collection, it was a challenge to narrow it down as all thirty five pieces where exquisite.. 

                    

 

The next designer I wanted to share with you is British designer, Zoe Jordan. Her SS15 was shown at New York Fashion Week before making it's way to London but how glad I am that she made an appearance on the other side of the pond! 

She says that 'her girl' that she has in mind when designing is, "That kind of girl that knows her style and is not too easily influenced, and she really wants quality pieces she can wear season after season". 
This statement rings true through her creations. Much like Jena.Theo, Zoe Jordan nails the ready-to-wear piece with cuts that are non-fussy yet still luxurious. Their simplicity have a sports luxe vibe, when mixed with impeccable tailoring Zoe has arrived at something really unique and gorgeous. 
What adds the wow factor are the materials used that are inspired by cracked granite, atomised metals and other urban influenced prints.

My favourite elements where the cracked silver, metallic two piece, the chunky leather jackets that felt super heavy and luxurious and created the most beautiful silhouette and also the relaxed cut, boy style shorts. 
There wasn't a huge volume of pieces, the SS15 collection was some what refined; definitely in a positive way. What was presented feel really focused and the statement is clear - it's hard not to say I just loved them all.. which I did! 

                        

 

I urge you to check out these two amazing designers as their previous collections are just as beautiful and well worth a browse! 
You can find Jena.Theo at http://jenatheo.com and Zoe Jordan at http://www.zoe-jordan.com



Image Credits: 

Jena.Theo SS15 Look book http://jenatheo.com
Zoe Jordan SS15 Look book http://www.zoe-jordan.com/collections/spring-summer-2015/

LFW14 - Jewellery Edit

First things first, I apologise for not posting What Tallulah Did for the last two days - technical difficulties (mainly Sky internet connection..) have prevented me from doing so - but I'm happy to be back so I can bring you the LFW14 Jewellery Edit. 

The accessories section was the last part of the Designer Showrooms Open House Event that I went to visit and to be honest, it was by far my favourite! 
Lingerie, swimwear and ready-to-wear is always a challenge to present, the pieces NEVER look their best on the hangers no matter how hard you try; they're designed for the body and that's where they look best.. 

Even though jewellery is made for the body too, and some pieces are difficult to display, most pieces can be creatively draped with the results being stunning! It was this beautiful presentation of the jewellery section that drew me to walking through it, probably around three times. 

These two images where my favourite displays, it's easy to see why.. 
The huge necklaces draped around vases spanned up the wall so the top row was almost in line with the top of my head. 
And the beautiful, chunky, statement necklaces, bracelets and earrings displayed simply on black velvet stood out as they spanned across the length of an entire room! 

Both are definitely in the back of my mind as display inspiration at Tallulah.. 

Gorgeous Minimalist Rings and Bracelets by Phoebe Coleman |  http://phoebecoleman.com

I was drawn to this designers stand as soon as I walked into the accessories section and even visited it again before I left. 
These elegant, simple pieces are right up my street and consequently match my jewellery pieces that I wear everyday.. 

I particularly loved the collection with the tiny hearts, photographed above. I believe the collection is called Love Me Tender, however I urge you to check out more of Phoebe Coleman's work at http://phoebecoleman.com it really is beautiful! 
I can't wait until her SS15 collection is released online - its definitely one for the top of the Christmas list. 

Pieces by Noritamy | http://noritamy.com

And on the other end of the scale.. 
I'm so in love with this designer.. Noritamy probably isn't one for everyday wear. I don't know what you get up to day to day so maybe it's perfect, but I love it as special occasion pieces. 
I can image wearing one of her huge statement chokers with a really plain silk dress for an evening event or one of her cuffs with a rolled up shirt to dinner - perfect! 

Her gutsy, organic looking pieces are set with Swarovski crystals for that added sparkle which looks beautiful against the rough black texture of the rest of the piece.. 
There was another set that was almost identical to the one pictured above but was made from a material that was transparent; apart from the scratched up,'I just got pulled straight out of the ground', look it had going on.. I was convinced it was made of ice for a little while; how amazing!

I was lucky enough to have a brief conversation with the designer of the Tephra collection; she was wonderful and so engaged with her pieces which I always find endearing. 

I suggest you check out Noritamy online, she has some fabulous geometric, statement pieces from her AW14 collection to get your teeth into as you eagerly await SS15.. 

http://noritamy.com 


I hope this has got you all inspired with ideas for those oh so special jewellery gifts you would like to give (..and receive!) - More tomorrow from LFW14 Ready-To-Wear 

London Fashion Week - The Lingerie and Swimwear Edit

Yesterday evening I attended London Fashion Week (for the first time, yipee!) to represent Tallulah Lingerie at the Designer Showrooms Open House Event. The event took place in the early evening at the beautiful Somerset House. 

Having never attended Fashion Week before I arrived at Somerset House so excited and a little nervous as to what I was about to experience. 

As I neared the main entrance the pedestrians on the street slowly started to filter into what looked like a street style edit from ELLE Magazine.. The ratio of sunglass wearing, fashion week attendees to non-fashion weeking civilians grew rapidly and suddenly I was turning left through the arches of Somerset House, being handed free fashion publications and dodging blogger camera lenses as I got my bearings. 

Main court yard at Somerset House 

Somerset House 

Thames facing outside area and over-looking balcony from the Designers Showrooms

I had no idea where I was heading, so I just decided to walk towards the big, shiny box in the centre; slowly.. across cobbles.. in gigantic Jeffrey Campbell boots!! 
This big, shiny box happened to be the hub of Fashion Week at Somerset House. All the images you see from catwalk shows streamed all over the internet happen here! 
Surrounded by the historic drama of Somerset House and nine foot tall, digitalised supermodels walking towards you from screens on the side of the main catwalk premises it's all quite surreal. 

Beautiful Flowers at the main reception 

My pass to the Designers Showroom 

London Fashion Week - Little Black Book 

Without getting lost I found the Buyer's Desk where I was issued with my UK Buyer's pass and my 'Little Black Book'.

After a brief barcode check by security, I made my way into the showrooms for an hour or so of exploring.. I loved the dramatically dressed mannequins that lined the sides of the corridors linking each showroom to the next. 

I headed upstairs to hunt out the lingerie, swimwear and activewear section. It wasn't as extensive as I would have hoped I think there was definitely potential to have had more of it, however, here's what I saw.. 

A few designers look books and contact cards from the Designer Showrooms.

Sumarie was the first collection I came across. Sumarie is a Parisienne swimwear brand, they have a fashion range and continuous collection that were both displayed. The very lovely Liz talked me through the SS15 collection.. 

Champs Elysees Swimsuit in Black and Gold by Sumarie | http://www.sumarie.com/home.php

La Seine Swimsuit in Midnight by Sumarie | http://www.sumarie.com/home.php

Reine Bikini in Black and White Stripe by Sumarie | http://www.sumarie.com/home.php

I'm definitely obsessed with the La Seine Swimsuit - it was gorgeous in the midnight navy colour photographed above but my favourite was the version that had was a stunning champagne gold from waist upwards which unfortunately wasn't photographed for the look book. 
I was drawn to the La Seine because of the dreamy shape, it's low plunging neckline and high waist effect was perfect. The waist band is made out of a special quilted, cubed fabric exclusive to Sumarie which is a luxurious detail. 

I wasn't crazy about the luminous pink and was introduced into the fashion collection for this season; it didn't quite agree with my Tallulah eyes.. However, their other SS15 injection choice was a dash of black and gold which I loved. For example, the Champs Elysees Swimsuit above was fabulous!

The fringed, itsy-bitsy bikini's that stepped out in a variety of colours were fun, I'm not convinced our Tallulah girls would feel entirely comfortable with that much flesh on show.. But, for the petite client, the fringe would be on point for a festival abroad or a weekend away in Ibiza! 

It made me very excited that apart from the odd dash of luminous pink, Sumarie went with a lot of classic colour choices which I always champion. The navy's, champagnes, monochrome and reds really worked together especially on the pieces that were designed to be mixed and matched. 
I mean, even the bows on the bikini tops in the continuous collection are designed to be taken off and switched with different colours or stripes etc.. A very cool little designer feature! 

I would love to see a few Sumarie pieces at Tallulah Lingerie, we're always on the look out for some 'Wow' pieces to go along side our beautiful swimwear staples. 

Nichole De Carle London Look Book SS15 Cover 

SS15 Collections by Nichole De Carle | http://www.nicholedecarlelondon.com

I was super excited to see that Nichole De Carle was showing as I've love her collections, I really enjoy the brands idea of wearing pieces as outerwear. Seeing the lovely brand representative wearing a Nichole De Carle bra with harness details peaking out from her soft grey t-shirt was exactly how I envisioned the brand to be worn. 

I was shown through all the different ranges within the collection; it was all super edgy and cool, but the bespoke and top end of the collection was mind blowing. 
There was a particular contouring slip which was black and champagne gold that stood out to me. The material around the cups and on certain symmetrical sections along the front of the slip where textured with tiny, sparkling champagne coloured, caviar type detail. 
This new fabric is what Nichole De Carle decided to experiment within her bespoke pieces this session, however, there was mention that this material might make an appearance outside bespoke soon which would be so, so exciting as it's the most stunning fabric and texture. 

I loved the entire collection, Nichole De Carle really appeals to my personal taste and how I like to style underwear as outerwear - it's a unique look I'm a huge fan of! 
Some of it was a little 'much' for Tallulah's lacey and feminine show floor; for example, the Black Label Onyx, which would recognise immediately if you have seen Nichole's collection before. The label is still super feminine but in more of a rock and roll kind of way.. 

But there was one line called 'Soiree' which was described by Nichole as ultra feminine with striking shapes that compliment a woman's natural curves. I can see Soiree featuring next to designers such as Lascivious and Gossard in Tallulah - maybe a 'watch this space' situation.. 

A few piece by Fifi Chachnil Paris | http://fifichachnil.com/en/

Fifi Chachnil was the last lingerie collection I saw, it was so delightful to meet Fifi herself! It was very clear that her collection and brand are an extension of herself which is ultra feminine in a parisian and chic kind of way. 
The majority of the lingerie was either a candy floss pink or soft pale blue. The shapes were classic with triangular shaped full cups and half cup bras topped with Chantilly lace. Small bows were sprinkled across the pieces hanging from the rail as cute detailing and a few soft feather pom-poms poked out here and there as they hung from tie-side knickers. 

I enjoyed that Fifi also mixes ready-to-wear with her lingerie collections, a nice addition to her strong brand identity. There were soft cashmere's and sheer baby dolls hanging amongst the SS15 lingerie sets. Not only can you own the lingerie set but you can also own the little off the shoulder pussy bow shirt in the same colour and fabric!
Fifi herself was styled in this dreamy matching fashion, with a pale blue bra with double red stripes running across the cups and a matching shirt tucked into her high waisted polka dot pencil skirt. 

My favourite piece was definitely a pair of loose fitting shorties that they called 'bloomers'. Made entirely of sheer polka dot fabric available in a range of pinks and ivory and trimmed with lace they were adorable! 
Even though I'm a girly-girl from time to time and love a touch of pink my favourite colour element was a charcoal, lavender mixed colour. It was a rich looking purple that I couldn't get enough of! 

This was my lingerie edit for the Designer Showrooms Event, I'll be publishing a jewellery edit and ready-to-wear edit as the week goes by! Thank you to all the designers I met and thank you for showing me through all of your dreamy collections.