And on the legs, the completely practical girl wears …. nothing. I do actually know a couple of completely practical girls. If I was one of them, well I would not be blogging about lingerie though, so here we are.

Last week I reviewed summer ready tights from Girardi, gorgeous and comfy for all but the steamiest days. And I love them, truly I do. As light and pretty as they are though, well, they still are pantyhose style tights. And if you think about it, when you have pantyhose on, you are in effect, wearing two pairs of panties. This, of course, can only add a little more heat when what we want is a little less. You see, while our average body temperature may be 37°C/98.6°F, some of our body parts will always be a little above average. And not in a good way you know. Whatever can be done to shed layers in the warm season should be done.

So when the temperature go high and threaten to stay up, stay-ups are the perfect response. Easy breezy through the seat and crotch, no fussing with waistbands, stay ups beat the heat. Stay-ups don’t require a garter belt. And stay-ups can be, lets’ face it, a sexy surprise too. Everybody wins.

The nice people at Hosieree.com provided me with a sample of their house brand for review, the Desire 7D Stay Up. 7D is very much at the weightless end of the spectrum, gossamer thin, barely there. a veil for the legs. Compared to the recently reviewed 8D’s from Girardi, the Desire’s have just a slightly more polished surface, a little slicker hand feel. Put in make-up terms, where the Girardi’s are powder, the Desire’s are liquid foundation. They confer a natural matte finish, subtle complexion enhancing coverage. They beam just a fraction more proudly and come across just a little dressier, a little more catwalk. Where the Girardi’s will take you through a hot day, the Desire’s will get you through a big night.

If you are tall and long legged, I promise you, these are stay ups you will love. I am tall, have a 31” inseam and live in fear of stay up failure. No fail here. The relatively high Elastine content (20%!) provides abundant stretch from toe-tip to thigh-high. They yielded easily to my height and this is a very real worry for me anytime I wear stay ups. One less worry in the day absolutely contributes to keeping your cool, and feeling that way too.

The other worry area on any pair of stay ups is the stocking top. There is a very fine line between comfort and confidence. Too loose and you can spend the day fussing and fidgeting just trying to maintain altitude. Too tight and they will stay put and you will wish they didn’t. The Desires, for me threaded the needle perfectly. The 3 ½” elastic lace top is crowned with 2 very well fastened silicon gripper strips. The lace top is pretty, matches the stocking leg, and being lacy, breath and are quite comfy, expanding evenly around thigh top.

The silicon gripper strips is just a supporting actor here while the elastic lace stocking top is really doing most of the heavy lifting. This contributes to a superb feeling of comfort. Moreover, and quite magically to me, the silicon strips simply do not leave the temporary thigh top tattoo at the end of the day. Just a whisper, and gone in minutes.  I am happy to report that I still felt desirable after peeling my Desires off at the end of a long, comfy day.

That was just one day though. The biggest concern you would and should have about super lightweight hosiery is durability. Any time you are considering opening your purse to the tune of $20, you want to hope that you are at the start of a lasting relationship. I gave my new stay ups a few full days of wear, countless outfit changes, in and out of dozens of pairs of shoes, and a couple of laundering too just to see how these stay ups would hold up. I am quite happy to report that they have performed beautifully. They remain very true in shape, maintaining a gorgeous, fully boarded leg shape. They look great and show no blemishes or snags at all. I feel as though they really want to be worn and very much feared that such a lightweight sheer would have a shortish life.

Lovingly made in Italy, the private label Desire’s are new personal favorites of mine and are exclusive to Hosieree.com. Well worth a click or two. Wonderful selections of ultra light pantyhose and summer ready stay ups from brands you are sure to already love, or should get busy knowing better. Happy shopping. Keep cool.

So, what’s a pale thing to do?

Well, you could do like I do, and make sure that your hosiery checks a couple of boxes on the W List:

Weight: Look for low Denier values. Denier is the unit of measure of fineness of fibers. Most of the dressier sheers we wear are in the 15-20d range. Tights under 10d are where you want to go, and are generally known as Ultra-sheer. Drop me a line if you really want to understand the crazy math. Honestly, it will drive you to drink. I am already there.

Wicking: This is the ability of a fabric or fiber to carry moisture (ya know … sweat) away from the skin. Fabrics that do not wick well give you that clammy, prickly, itchy feeling where you really, literally want to climb out of your own skin. That feeling, O by the way, shows on your face and is proven to cut promising dates short.

We live in an age of Microfiber miracles though. Microfibers are actual Nano-technology that works. Won’t go too deep into the tech stuff here other than to say that Microfibers contain microscopic air pockets that absorb and transport the hot stuff. Sometimes microfibers will be woven in a 3D manner. Even more cool goodness.

Now, with weight and wicking understood, grab your wallet, walk calmly on the shady side of the street, and come shopping with me at Hosieree.com.

While Hosieree.com is a new shopping venue for me, they have been at this business for a good long time now. They grew out of a well established wholesale business and have been selling directly to consumers here, there and everywhere online since 2005. The brand assortment is eye-popping, and especially deep in the amazing universe of Italian hosiery. I see a great assortment of personal favorites including Orublu, Pompea and Trasparenze and too many more to name. All the usual suspects too from Spain, France, Switzerland and the UK, and a handful of cheeky, fresh new upstarts I am looking forward to knowing more about.

Hosieree.com founder Yekaterina is a self-described girly-girl who believes that hosiery is the key accessory. Like me, she loves the challenge of looking fresh, new and unique every day. She shared a couple of her favorite summer picks with Guilty Pleasures for review, and honestly, I love her advice. I hope you will too.

First up, from Girardi, the Top 8 Denier Ultra Sheer Microfiber pantyhose. At 8D, they are whisper light, barely noticeable, pretty much what you would expect from a comfort perspective. I was concerned about fit before gliding into them. You see, at 8% Elastine (Spandex or Lycra by other names) I was anticipating that the Girardi’s might not hold shape over the course of a long hot day, or might not rebound from laundering. You see, this sort of stretchy stuff does provide strength, durability and helps tights cling and fit beautifully and more is generally a good thing. So I was a little concerned that Girardi traded too much strength away for the cool, and that they might be too frail for a day in my truly klutzy life.

Oh, was I wrong. As light as they are, after 3 full days wear and 2 washes, they show superb memory and resilience. Not at all finicky when pulling them on or peeling them off, which really represents about 80% of our opportunity for ladders and blow-outs. In between take-off and landing, the run-resistant weave pattern really does cling and maintain an unmarred appearance. No pilling, catches or flaws. They look and feel new still. I can tell they will last well.

Other nice news include flat seams all around, super-clean sandal toe finish, and above all, softness in the fabric. Great feel to the leg and to the touch. And as for looks, yumm. These 8’s rate a 10. They confer the lightest coat of cosmetic dust, matte invisibility on the legs. The lighter Naturale shade perfectly suited my complexion. If you look a little healthier then me, go to the sultry Thaiti. And if you live in an even warmer place, you might try the 5D Girardi Summer Light Sheers pictured above. 5D is the limit friends. Anything lighter and a breeze or a sneeze would make them fall off and fly away.

I am quite well impressed with this brand. When I put the Girardi 8’s against my typical gold standard summer weight sheers ( Wolford Luxe 9 Tights) they match up in every important category. They win on comfy-cool and cost just a third less. This is a superb value. I am sure to wear Girardi again (and again) especially when the temperatures are in the 90’s.

How about leg fashion for when things get even hotter? I’ll be back with another great solution from Hosieree.com (that you can’t find anywhere else). Stay cool in the meantime.

A Short History:

La Perla lingerie was created by Ada Masotti in her Bolognese kitchen in the 1950s.

Yes, this story is true, and it sums correctly the beginning of the international and multi-million dollar lingerie brand that La Perla represents today. Ada Masotti was a woman with passion for lingerie who dared to dream. Her first fine lingerie pieces (mostly corsets) were created in her kitchen. She sold them personally from door to door, and people loved her work. Her success determined her and her partner to create their own workshop and expand their own lingerie line, but a name was needed. According to La Perla website, the brand name was inspired by the jewel-lined case with red velvet in which the first products were delivered.

La Perla history abounds in innovative, luxurious  and glamorous lingerie collections.  Browse through these images to track some of the important moments in the development of the most loved Italian lingerie brand.

Photos Source: La Perla Website

La Perla Lingerie:

1. Jean Paul Gaultier, Collection Créateur lines

In 2010, La Perla and the designer Jean Paul Gaultier launched the first ‘Collection Créateur’ line together, the Feuillage collection. Gaultier’s daring and visionary spirit combined with La Perla’s sophisticated techniques for creating motifs in silk braid on tulle were an explosive junction. This collaboration continues and since 2010 they  have launched together new collections. My favorite still remains the Feuillage collection (photo below).

2. Lace Lingerie

La Perla is renowned for the special leavers lace, a complex hand made fabric that stopped to be produced at the beginning of the 1900s because the process was complex and costly. Today, there are special machines that can reproduce this lace’s quality. La Perla continues its tradition and features the special English/French leavers lace for all its beautiful lace collections.

From La Perla Belle De Jour 2012 Collection

From La Perla Blow Up 2012 Collection

From La Perla Via Delle Rose 2012 Collection

3. Bridal Lingerie

I have always been impressed by the delicacy and the luxury of the bridal collections signed by La Perla.  The finest lace and the special “soutache” embroideries are enough to make an impression.

I must make a short parenthesis before going forward. The ‘soutache’ is a narrow flat decorative braid that is attached by hand onto fabric in a design form. You may have noticed this type of decorative details on La Perla best sellers, like on Belle De Jour 2012  bra (photo below).

From La Perla Belle De Jour 2012 Collection

4. Swimwear

When it comes to swimwear, La Perla designers have always trusted the Italian glamour and flavor for inspiration, and they have always been successful because of this choice. Think colorful prints and absolutely sumptuous designs, pieces that will make you look  effortlessly chic just by putting them on.

5. Pure Silk Lingerie

My favorite silk lingerie is (still) La Perla Maison, a perfect nightwear set that combines the finest lace with the finest silk. A match made in heaven. La Perla often uses the finest silk for the nightwear pieces, slips, camisoles, culottes, babydolls, pajamas, or  robes. They are pretty expensive, but if you grab them during the sales period or from their Outlet, you get to wear one of the finest lingerie pieces there are.

6. Basics Lingerie

La Perla basics lingerie collection is different from the other lines presented so far because it offers the less expensive pieces. It features comfortable bras, panties, bodysuits and hosiery, usually available in one color (black, white, nude or pink), meant to provide the pleasure you seek for in your lingerie on a daily basis.

7. Shapewear

La Perla Shape Coutoure pieces are not the most famous, but are still worth mentioning in this post because they are created especially to enhance and elevate the figure with a special Lycra fabric, gilded with tulle inserts in a pattern of transparencies, raw hems and refined openwork finishes.

Where you can buy La Perla:

La Perla is an international brand. Their website has e-stores for Europe, USA and the rest of the world. They often feature special lingerie sales, and we’re the first to share them with you on our Facebook and Pinterest pages.

Request for comments:

What’s your favorite lingerie from La Perla?

What other Italian lingerie brand do you like?

Ann Summers Swimwear 2012 collection doesn’t feature too many styles, but those available are fun. Expect gold foil finishes, push-up cups, ruffle details, lace up detailing, animal prints, sexy cuts and you won’t be disappointed.

When it comes to lingerie, Ann Summers signature is instant boob jobs miracle bras that enhance and curve the ‘twins’. The 2012 swimwear collection features two variations of this style. The animal print swimsuit (on the left) sells at £28.00 (the bra) and £14.00 (the brief). If you like golden rhinestones, you will for sure enjoy this version. If you’re a fan of classic colors, like myself, take a loot at the black set that sells at the same price. For cleavage control, the pads are removable.

If you’re not afraid of tanning with stripes, then you can think of adding a monokini style swimsuit to your summer collection. The special detail about this style is, according to Ann Summers, the microbead technology incorporated in the cups fabrics that offers a boost of two cup sizes. For me, it’s the sexy cuts.

Ann Summers Swimwear 2012 collection has 2 options for fans of the classic style. First is the Monaco Swimsuit (£38.00), flattering and confidence inspiring. The second option is the Sorento top, a vintage cut with funny pink ruffles on the finishes and lace up detailing. (Unfortunately, the brief available in their offer is different from the version from the above photo).

If you’re wearing a larger cup size, take a look at the moulded bikini tops from the Miami or the Rio sets. Especially the Rio style is available right up to a G-cup.

Ann Summers is a UK based brand, but they can ship their products worldwide. If you like anything from their collection, distance is not a problem anymore.

Request for comments:

What is your favorite Ann Summers swimwear 2012 style?

Is your lingerie style more Marilyn Monroe or Natalie Portman?

Ladies of the world, read on to discover your movie lingerie style.

Image: Juliana Dacoregio

Moulin Rouge

The Moulin Rouge lady spends a significant amount of her money on underwear. She goes for burlesque style and loves the bold sex-appeal of Parisian glamour. Basically, she flaunts what she’s got!

Her corsets and basques become outerwear on her wild nights out, and she spends as much time shopping for underwear as she does for her glamorous shoes and hosiery.

What’s in your lingerie drawer? Silk corsets, lace, velvet, stockings, basques, garters and fishnets

Moulin Rouge colours: Black, red, deep purple, scarlet, hot pink and plenty of sparkle!

Bridget Jones’ Diary

The Bridget Jones girl has two lingerie extremes.

She owns a raunchy set of stockings and suspenders for when she really wants to impress her man. But, when it comes to wearing ball gowns and going to business do’s, she prefers to hold it all in with some heavy-duty shape wear.
Sexy and curvaceous, the Bridget Jones girl can be naughty or nice, depending on the occasion!

What’s in your lingerie drawer? Comfy pants, lycra shapewear, and the one set of stockings and suspenders for those sexy special occasions.

Bridget Jones’ Diary Colours: White, cream, peach and black. OOo! And was that a flash of red??

Image: Jezebel

Some Like It Hot

Ladies with vintage taste and classic style fit into this category. They go for silky, sexy numbers that could easily have featured in any of the classic 50’s movies. Non-believers in padded bras and enhancement, these girls love what they’ve got and accentuate their assets to the max.

What’s in your lingerie drawer? Babydoll nighties, sheer fabrics, vintage stocking and suspender sets, chemises, silk underwear and embroidered lace.

Some Like It Hot Colours: Black, virginal white and rose pink.

Image: Tiffany Terry

GI Jane

These no-nonsense ladies are too busy working on their gorgeous bodies to give lingerie too much thought. They choose practical underwear for support and comfort so that they can get on with their busy, active lives. Gorgeous bums mean that thongs aren’t a problem either, and when GI Jane girls are out on the town, this is their underwear of choice.

This lady pays more attention to choosing flattering swimwear and jogging tops than lingerie, but has a tasteful selection of more expensive items for when she’s dressed to impress.

What’s in your lingerie drawer? Cotton T-shirt bras and matching pants, sports bras, thongs, girl boxers and a few pairs of lacy boy-shorts. And at the back of the drawer? A couple of tasteful sets that show off your well-toned body.

GI Jane colours: Grey, blue, white, black, yellow and green

Garden State

This indie classic proved to girls all over the world that there aint nothin’ wrong with a bit of mismatched underwear! Granted, Natalie Portman would look good in a potato sack, but she looks extra good in her quirky mismatched undies.

Garden State girls look cute and sexy in their lovely pants and mismatched sets. They love patterned cotton briefs and don’t bother buying expensive sexy lingerie. They’re not into frilly and would rather have a pair of pants with their favourite animal printed on them than wear something uncomfortable for the sake of looking sexy.

Their indie boys love their style, but don’t complain when the occasional bit of black lace is whipped out!

What’s in your lingerie drawer? Novelty pants, cute prints, bows, buttons, girl-boxers, cotton sets and pyjamas.

Garden State’s colours: Rainbow! Anything goes

Which movie lingerie style best describes you? Or are you in a different class entirely?

A smooth combination between a demi and a balconette, the Indulgence Bra features a 3-panel cup to provide natural shape and comfort, without any bulky pads. The thick satin and lace give the bra a textured look, and make it appropriate under any type of fabric. The simple design means that this bra will look neat and smooth under all your dresses or blouses.

With Julianna Rae bras, the pleasure of wearing silk lingerie must not be disturbed by uncomfortable wires. The fit is extremely important. That is why the underwire size in the Indulgence bra depends on the bra size, same as the back wings size and the straps size. The straps are widely set apart, so you can feel comfortable to wear it with wide-necked and scoop neck tops.

Julianna Rae is one of the ecoconscious designers, and she is famous for selecting her fabrics carefully. Taking care of the beautiful Indulgence silk bra is easy, but remember that it’s hand washable and you should avoid wringing it. The silk is delicate, but if you take care of it the right way, this is a bra you can wear for hundreds of times.

Incredibly comfortable and figure-flattering, the  Julianna Rae Indulgence bra  is the way to go if you want to look your best in a luxurious silk bra. Choose it in wisteria, ink charcoal, pearl, pearl ink or ink color. All are equally elegant and beautiful.

Request for comments:

What is your favorite piece from Julianna Rae?

What other silk lingerie brands do you like?

Entry 101: Amber (@roomofmyown)

Entry 140: Ferriz (@xferriza2)

Entry 93: Lauren Guilbeau 

You will receive an email with the next details. Congratulations! You’ve just won one of the most beautiful silk lingerie there is on the market. 

Thank you to all of you for entering the contest. We’re happy to have you as our readers and fans. 

–

Yes, you’re reading correctly. Today we’re launching a giveaway that will make 3 of you extremely happy. We’re even happier we have the opportunity to bring such delicate luxuries to your lingerie drawer.

Before indulging in this giveaway, allow me to make a short recap about Brulee Lingerie and our experience with this luxury lingerie brand at Guilty-Pleasures.org. Brulee is a New York City based luxury lingerie and loungewear brand, specialized in creating handcraft lingerie from the finest silk, chiffon, cotton and jersey. We were introduced to Kristian Giambi and her amazing work in 2010. We needed only a few minutes to be seduced by her craftsmanship and become a fan forever.

Starting 2010, we’ve featured all the Brulee collections. If you want to discover Brulee through our eyes, I recommend reading the latest posts on the SS12 bridal range, bras and briefs sets and the slips and teddies collection.

And now, about the giveaway!

From all their beautiful ranges, Brulee offers to 3 winners one delicate Stella Teddy each. The Stella Teddy is a $174 silk marvel with open back in v-shape, embellished with crustal buttons and featuring adjustable straps. It comes in sizes from XS to L, in 5 different colors*.

*The colors be offered based on the brand’s current inventory levels and the winner’s sizes.

This is how you can enter the contest, but be sure to leave a comment with what you did.

Mandatory entry is to Follow Brulee on Facebook.

You can win extra entries (up to 4!), if you do (or already have done) the following:

1. Follow @BruleeLingerie on Twitter (1 entry)

2. (Already) like Guilty Pleasures on Facebook (1 entry)

3 . (Already) Subscribe to our feed by email (1 entry)

4. (Already) Follow us on Pinterest (1 entry)

The giveaway is open to US residents only.

The contest ends on May 20, midnight PDT. The winners will be announced on this page on May 21. Good luck!

Giveaway Media Partners:

CashNet Sweepstakes

Contestgirl

Sweepstakes Universe!

Sweepstakes

http://bloggiveawaydirectory.com

http://www.contesthound.com

When I say lingerie magnetic, I mean literally magnetic. Forget about the classic hooks for bras. The Lingerie Dement Collections feature magnets to secure panties and bras, under any clothes you decide to wear. According to the website, they stay in place when you need them, and open up easily when you want them.

Who is behind Lingerie Dement?

That would be the French stylist Laetitia Schlumberger, corset maker (slash) dress maker (slash) fashion stylist (slash) teacher at dutch fashion academies (slash) designer genius. She started her own company in 2004, and launched this lingerie line in 2006. Smart girl.

Do you want to know about fabrics?

For the 2012 and 2011 collections, the designer used a mixed of luxury fabrics, from French lace to stretch satin, stretch tulle, stretch crepe, and stretch jacquard. Most of the sets are adorned with cute bows on the side of the panties and in front of the bra, to camouflage the “magnetism” of the lingerie delicately.

What sizes do they have in stock?

Petite figures will be extremely happy to hear that Lingerie Dement was created for small-cups, up to D cup, and most of their collections feature varied colorful and delicate lingerie to satisfy their cravings. The rest of us can be tempted by delicate culottes, or tantalizing swimsuits that are available in Medium and Large sizes too.

Where do they sell Lingerie Dement and how much does it cost?

Don’t be surprised to find Lingerie Dement in US (at GREGORY’S boutiques), in France (try http://www.jollia.fr) and in UK (at SELFRIDGES). You can also purchase the entire collection at Lingerie Dement E-Shop.

At their e-shop, a full bra and brief set costs around $220 (175€), briefs are sold at $100 (75€) a piece, and a swimsuit at $185 (140€).

Do you want to try something fun?

Then you should go to this page and play around with the 2012 Swimsuit collection and different glasses styles.

Request for comment:

What do you think of Lingerie Dement?

Would you trust magnetic lingerie?

Not only For these reasons, mothers deserve to be celebrated as “queens” every day of their life, but especially on Mother’s Day.  You can offer your mother a day at a SPA, a simple ‘I love you, mom!!’, a flowers bouquet, a dinner at her favorite restaurant, or something beautiful for herself. She will appreciate everything you do for her because mothers love unconditionally.

If you need some help to choose a feminine and cozy gift for your mothers this year, you may find some inspiration from my favorite lingerie related treats.

Bra & Brief Sets

A woman’s breasts go through a series of transformations during and after pregnancy and that’s why most mothers need supportive bras. A supportive bra can be also pretty, not just comfortable. On my favorite supportive bras list is Prima Donna, which, although a little more expensive, it’s worth the money. You can also buy beautiful sets from Elomi, or HOT Milk  and Cake Lingerie (for new moms). My top resource for gift bras is Linda’s Online and HerRoom. 

Elomi Caitlyn ($55 Bra & $28 Brief )            HOT Milk Maternity 

Prima Donna Madison ($110 Bra & $49 Brief)

Offer Available At cakelingerie.com & Stockists

If you are not sure what bra size your mother needs, look through the next suggestions.

You may also find useful: Mother’s Day Lingerie Gift Guide. 10 Ideas You Should Not Miss

Chemises

A sleek, relaxed-fitting chemise can make a woman’s sleep sweet. This is a theory I’ve tested on my own, and it works every time. You can buy anything with microfiber, cotton, stretch and satin. For shopping places, I recommend Freshpair, Bare Necessities and Figleaves. They have beautiful chemises in stock, and some at a very good price (see my selections below).

Vanity Fair ($24)      Carole Hochman ($78)     HOT Milk ($70)

Robes & Kimonos

My favorite loungewear is the kimono. It feels so good to drink my morning coffee  while wearing my beautiful Natori robe. Or to read a favorite book on the couch on Sunday afternoons. In my mind, robes and kimonos are synonyms with relaxation and femininity, and a mother needs that too. Go with smooth and cool fabric, like jersey or satin. Natori kimonos are expensive, but they make a beautiful and special gift. Josie Natori has a few attractive wraps in stock, and at a good price. See also the Blush Lingerie silk kimonos that feature elegant sheer lace, designs specially created for Mother’s Day.

Josie Natori ($50)                    Love & Dream ($139)

Natori ($275)                                        Blush Lingerie ($88)

Colourful PJs

Mothers tend to wake up very early and go to bed late at late, because they always have some work to do. While cute PJs with butterflies, flowers or dogs are fun, a mother needs a more elegant style to inspire her for lazy Sundays or late Saturday mornings. You can find beautiful pajamas for you mom at HerRoom or Josie Natori, and at a very good price.

Natori Indochine ($78)   Josie Natori Magnolia ($88)       Natori Away ($160)

This year, Mother’s Day will be celebrated on May 13. I and my sister are plannig to buy my mom the Natori Magnolia pajama, and take her out on a special theater & dinner night. What are your plans for Mother’s Day?

One advantage of Social Media is that it brings together people with similar interests from all over the world. We like that and that’s why we’ve created a Pinterest account, a Tumblr blog and a Google + page, additional to the Twitter and Facebook accounts we’ve had since we started the blog.

Even if it’s not just a little time consuming to be on all these social media accounts, we like it because we meet daily with amazing people that “tell” beautiful lingerie stories and we want to share them with our fans and readers.

If you enjoy spending time on these social networks, we’d love to connect with you. Drop us a comment with your accounts.