Icing on the Cake: Lingerie Accessories ~ Part 5: Necklaces

Sometimes the most striking lingerie accessory is delicately worn around the neck. A necklace can bring out a woman's curves, neckline, and collar bone. Jewelry is an extra touch on a woman that enhances an outfit, lingerie, attitude, or mood. And who is to say that you have to wear clothing at all with your necklace? The pieces below are certainly striking enough to stand alone!

In honor of traveling through London, I'm highlighting a couple pieces that are found in shops around here.


Hook my Heart & trace chain necklace (image to the left) is by Shaun Leane. According to the IDEX Magazine article on Leane, he was the British "Jewellery Designer of the Year" in 2004 and 2005. He has collaborated "...with Alexander McQueen and Givenchy; and display(ed) in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London's Natural History Museum and New York's Metropolitan Museum."

For the full article on Leane, click on the IDEX Magazine Article.

While I love traveling and enjoy the local sites, my heart remains in the states. In honor of the states I'm bringing you special pieces found at one of my favorite boutiques, Faire Frou Frou.




















These fabulous necklaces are by Safia and Faire Frou Frou has new Spring and Summer pieces in the store. Alison is right when she says that you'll be "swooning over the new necklaces," that mostly have gold detailing and "...feature semi-precious stones such as turquoise, white jade, moonstone, white onyx and coral."

Click on SAFIA ~ New Necklaces for Spring for Madamoiselle Frou Frou's complete post.

The last time I was in Faire Frou Frou, I fawned over Safia's pieces. These necklaces may look gorgeous in photos, but nothing quite compares with how striking they are in person!

There is also Alexis Bittar who was born in Brooklyn, worked closely with Patricia Fields on the jewelry for Sex in the City in 2002 and has stores in SoHo. His elegant and stunning Lucite Pave Pendant Necklace (image to the right) can be purchased at Harrods in London for the Sex & The City movie premiere on May 30th.

Like lingerie, sometimes the best accessories are barely there at all! Take look at the necklaces above or go through pieces in your jewelry box. Above all, have fun and Celebrate Your Inner Eve!

Confessions from the L.A. Textile Show

Greetings from London!

Recently, I posted on The Lingerie Post about my experience at the L.A. Textile Show. Feel free to read about it below.

I confess, it was my virgin trip to the Los Angeles Textile Show. What an experience! I went through over a hundred booths seeking those “it” pieces of fabric that I had designed my Spring ‘09 Eve’s Apples lingerie line around.

I can’t deny it, I adored the French lace. If French lace is a sin, then I don’t want redemption. Unfortunately, with the U.S. economy being so fragile and my greatest attempt at staying away from the higher end pieces, my lovely lace was still priced at over $90 per meter…Time to reconsider my line.

After three days of silk, satin, and lace, two Project Runway alumni sightings and one caffine infused drink every hour, I focused on looking for inspiration pieces. Fortunately, that is just what I found. Time and sleep solved the sensory overload from last week and a few pieces have stuck with me that inspired an entirely new line.

The big hit of the show was all of the new eco-fabrics in bamboo, hemp, and recycled materials. (The image above is hemp silk)...

For my full post at The Lingerie Post, please click on Confessions from the L.A. Textile Show.

Have a smashing day and always Celebrate Your Inner Eve, my dear Lingeristas!

Win a Bra(g) for Mother's Day

Compliments of The Lingerie Post!

Our friends over at The Lingerie Post have done it again by having another stellar contest, and this time you can win a Bra(g) and panty pack (Bra(g)'s new travel bag for panties). Krista posted that all you have to do is go on TLP's forum site and post about your "worst ruined bra story. Two winners will be chosen by Bra(g) inventor Jane Webb."

Your shame-ridden, life-altering bra mishap could now turn into something positive! I'm traveling through London right now, using my Bra(g), and I LOVE it!

If you win, let us know your story and we'll post it here on Eve's Apples. Contest ends April 30th.

Best of luck in the contest!

Travel Panties: The Thong

In an effort to discover the best panty for travel, I'm trying out several styles and fabrics to "road test" them on my trip overseas. For starters, here is one of my all time favorite panties. Introducing, the microfiber laser cut thong. Lets see how it did on the one-way trip from Los Angeles to London.

Score: Out of 5 Apples (5 being the best and 0 the worst), the microfiber laser cut thong receives...


Comfort: Very comfortable

Fabric: Great. Soft next to the skin. Easy to wash at night and will air dry by morning. A perfect fabric to use during travel

Fit: The fit is good for the first two to three hours. After three hours, they hiked up so high I had to send out a search party

Versatility: The style and fabric are brilliant for traveling and can also be worn to a fancy evening out. I love that there aren't any panty lines with this style

Ability to Stay Put: Horrid. Even with wearing a larger size panty than my usual (to ward off dental floss) it ended up being more like a close encounter of the intimate kind. And not in a good way.

It could be due to the lack of elastic around the legs that this panty likes to migrate and stay put. Only more testing can tell for certain

Travel Tip: Carry a second pair of panties in your carry-on luggage tucked away in a lingerie bag (a ziplock bag will also do). The next morning you can change and put the dirty pair in your ziplock bag. Since you've already made it past security, you won't have to worry about someone rifling through your dirty laundry

My dear Lingeristas, don't worry about me. You know that I've brought about 50 pairs of panties, and I have even more boutiques play in while I'm here. I'm certain I'll find the best pair of traveling panties or close to it.

Eve Goes to London

For the next couple of weeks, it'll be "Cheerio" and "Bonjour mon petit chou," as I go to London and Paris.

After one deliciously crazy week at the Los Angeles Textile Show, I'm heading off for cities that are famous for sumptuous lingerie and exquisite lace. I'll be popping by boutiques and uncovering boudoir treasures. All the while, I'll be giving you the exciting details of my lingerie and lace adventures.

Inspired by my favorite quote, "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing," I'll be chatting about new and exciting lingerie details, discoveries, and insights that will help you Celebrate Your Inner Eve.

More to come later, my dear Lingeristas.

Poll Results: Matching Panties ~ You...

Mix Panties & Bras to Match!

In our Eve's Apples Poll, 64% of our Lingeristas said that they like to mix it up when it comes to matching their bras and panties.

The final results are as follows:

• 64% ~ Mix Panties & Bras to Match
• 20% ~ Only Wear Matching Panties
• 16% ~ Can't be Bothered with Matching Panties
• 0% ~ Panties...Who Wears Panties?

In honor of our readers who like to mix and match, here's a little inside secret. The last three boutiques that I've visited have all said that Hanky Panky makes the best thongs to mix and match with your expensive bra and panty sets.

What makes Hanky Panky so special? Their comfortable, affordable thongs come in a rainbow of colors to go with any of your bras. These knickers are definitely "Priceless Panties" for savvy women.

Try some Hanky Panky panties to spice up your lingerie, extend the life of your expensive sets and Celebrate Your Inner Eve!

Shout Test: Strapless Bras Stay Up

It's wedding season and what is a bride to do about keeping her breasts in check while wearing a strapless dress?

No matter how large or small your cup size, keeping your breasts covered and supported is a paramount concern when going strapless.

Heaven forbid, you're like me at my Junior Prom! It was a lifetime ago, and I still shudder thinking back on it. I innocently reached up in front of a hot senior. My strapless dress and bra stayed in one place as my breasts broke free. Chances are that at a wedding the only hot senior you'll be flashing is your Great Uncle Henry.

You want to feel comfortable and confident, having everyone remember how beautiful you looked, not have guests refer to the wedding as "Free Gilly."

For all of you strapless dress lovers, there is help!

Many thanks to our friend Mandolina at The Lingerie Post for initially telling us about Entiise Lingerie's "Shout-Tested" videos on Felina bras and bustiers. For Mandolina's complete post, please click on Felina Strapless Bra and Bustier Shout-tested.







Whether you wear a Felina bra or not, this is a great test to do while you're in the dressing room trying on strapless bras and bustiers. Once you're confident that your girls will stay in place, you can spend your wedding and other formal occasions Celebrating Your Inner Eve!

Killer Panties

Woman almost dies from an allergic reaction to her Granny Panties

Just when you thought it was safe to wear panties to work...

Kim Walker, 37, a nurse at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, went into severe anaphylactic shock from her new Granny Panties. After her throat closed, she was given a shot of adrenalin that may have saved her life. Her allergic reaction to the fabric is considered similar to a peanut allergy.

Honestly, this is not a scene out of "Bridget Jones' Diary." It may be a bit sensational, but there is a lesson to be learned. Read the lingerie label.

Many times people forget that our skin is the biggest organ on our bodies. If you have an allergy to something and it's put next to your skin, chances are you will have an adverse reaction.

Thank you to Blog Leaves for letting us know about this post. Click on These Knickers are Killing Me for the complete article.

If you have sensitive skin, you may want to consider material made of organic cotton, natural fibers or talk with a boutique about recommended material for your skin. There are also several lingerie companies popping up that are using eco-friendly materials and Greenleaves is the eco online option for Figleaves.com. You may have to pay a bit more, but it'll be less expensive than a hospital visit and a shot of adrenalin.

If you're having an allergic reaction to your lingerie, immediately

1. Take them off
2. Take an anti-histamine
3. If that doesn't work, get to a hospital or call 911

If you're having an allergic reaction to granny panties,

1. Do the above steps
2. Burn the panties
3. Ban Granny Panties forever and only wear panties that make you feel like a saucy minx

As far as I'm concerned, the material was a catalyst that freed poor Kim Walker from a life of scary Granny Panties. But you know me. I'm on a mission to rid the world of uncomfortable, hideous, World War II inspired panties and have every woman Celebrate Her Inner Eve!

My dear Lingeristas, that is why I say, "Down with Granny Panties!"

Boutique of the Month ~ Figleaves.com

Online Doesn't Get Any Better!


Spring is blooming and wedding season will soon follow. Therefore, I wanted to bring Eve's Apples Lingeristas a store where a bride, her mother, family and bridesmaids could all easily shop for their bras regardless of their size differences or where they live.

What was the personal reason I made Figleaves.com, an online store, the Boutique of the Month?

Recently, I made a purchase with Figleaves and was so pleased with the results, that I thought, "Why not let my favorite Lingeristas know about this treasure?" Keep in mind, nothing can replace the visual and emotional experience of visiting a boutique in person. However, Figleaves offers an easy, high-quality shopping experience to savvy Internet customers.

Figleaves.com is strictly an online store housed in London, England. They carry over 200 brands and know that women come in all shapes and sizes. That is why they sell bras from an AA cup to a J cup.

Here are several more reasons you'll be absolutely delighted in trying out Figleaves:

1. Easy to use website
2. Detailed ways to search for your bras. I especially love that I can search for bras according to my specific size
3. A wide selection of bras and sizes (from 28AA up to 40J & 56FF)
4. Great delivery. I ordered two bras with standard shipping and the package arrived in four days
5. A variety of price points, ranging from high to low
6. Eco-friendly lingerie in the Greenleaves section
7. In their Fitting Room, you can find out all sorts of interesting information, including what a properly fitted bra should look like on your body
8. They have a fabulous blog called Blog Leaves that is sassy in tone and fun to read

A word to the wise...

...if you're an AA-A cup, you can find bra selections in the side bar or in the main menu under Shop By Department. They also have petite sizes, but you'll need to search in Shop By Brand and the stock of each brand to find some.

What would be the icing on the cake? Hhhm, adding a bridal registry or wish list. Ladies, what do you think?

In any case, pop by figleaves.com for an easy shopping experience. Try Blog Leaves if you want to put a smile on your face. And remember to "Celebrate Your Inner Eve" while you're in lingerie nirvana.

Icing on the Cake: Lingerie Accessories ~ Part 4: Fans

The Quintessential Lingerie Accessory

There are so many words to describe the feathered fan. It's seductive, sensual, playful, and expressive. In truth, it's all of that and more.

Fans have been around for centuries, and with Dita von Tesse leading the revival of burlesque, having a fan in your boudoir has never been more fun! (Click on ivillage's link to Dita von Tesse for the complete post.) There are multiple options with a fan, from doing a stripe tease, to fan dancing, to using a blindfold and caressing your lucky love. The soft, delicate feathers can only enhance an already intimate situation, making it more erotic.

Fans come in a variety of sizes, colors, and feathers. Alison Rubke, co-owner of Faire Frou Frou, says that the fans fly out of her store. Some of the more exquisite and one-of-a-kind fans can sell for a couple hundred to thousands of dollars. You can also pick up a quality, luxurious fan for under $100. Believe it or not, I've even seen them priced as low as $20. Although, remember that the large price difference varies based upon the quality and size of the fan as well as type of feathers used.

For those of you wanting more versatility out of your fan, you can take them out of the bedroom too. Smaller fans, known as "pocket fans," are recommended for this. At a black tie or formal event, the addition of a fan will add a luxurious, extravagant look to your overall attire. With wedding season and summer coming, feathered pocket fans are perfect for outside of the boudoir.

Whether you're into a big production, dressing up an outfit or simply enhancing your bedroom play, feathered fans are an enjoyable way to "Celebrate Your Inner Eve!"

Save or Spend on Bras?

Is a good bra worth a high price?

With everyone feeling the crunch in these challenging economic times, it's hard to know what is worth purchasing. In order to make your money go farther, the question remains whether or not it's wise to spend money on a well made bra or save it for another essential wardrobe item.

In the article, "Spend or Save? A Guide to Buying Wardrobe Essentials" from RealSimple.com, they say...

Save or Spend on a Bra? Spend!

Experts Say: 'Bras are a good investment item because they can affect your overall look, says Tim Gunn, chair of the department of fashion design at Parsons The New School for Design and a mentor on Bravo's Project Runway. Focus on the fit. 'A great bra can make a 5- to 10-pound difference in your appearance," says Amanda Sanders, a New York-based image consultant. "The bigger your bust, the more important the fit is. If you have a smaller chest, a quality bra can make the most of what you have.'"

To read the complete article by RealSimple.com, click on Spend or Save? A Guide to Buying Wardrobe Essentials.

For those wanting to purchase a high quality bra where there is a variety of brand and size selection (sizes 28AA to 56 FF), click on figleaves.com. Be sure to look at their up to 50% off Easter Sale. Who knows, maybe you'll find some priceless panties at a reasonable price to go with your new bra.

Have a great weekend and be sure to Celebrate Your Inner Eve!

Online Game ~ Agent Provocateur

A Peep in Paris

Agent Provocateur has a new, fun online game where you're the "Peep in Paris." Through the binoculars, you gaze through various apartment windows when they open. Click on the series of open windows and you'll progress to the next level. Hit the "z" key to give her a little spank and you'll earn bonus points.

You never know what you'll find or what people are doing behind those windows....It's provocative, mysterious, and risqué--just how Agent Provocateur would want it!

Click on a Peep in Paris to play the game.

The Virtues of a Bra that Fits

Majority of U.S. Women Wearing Wrong Bra Size

We've all been there. There's the bra strap that perpetually falls down, the strapless bra that migrates to your mid-section, and even the Grand Canyon shoulder crevasse caused from straps. It all comes down to finding a bra that fits.

A bra that fits well is a priceless piece of lingerie!

The Virtues...

1. It's comfortable
2. Makes you feel confident
3. Keeps you free from pesky underwire digging into your skin
4. Makes your breasts look like assets instead of a liability
5. Enhances what you have instead of accentuating what you don't when the cup size is too big
6. It keeps your ample girls from spilling out the top on too small cup sizes
7. Keeps your cleavage in the front, where it belongs, instead of on your back (the ghastly back cleavage) caused by too BIG band sizes. (Go down a size and wear it lower on your back, it will eliminate back cleavage)
8. Supports your breasts and fights off the dreaded gravitational pull
9. Straps stay put instead of slipping down the sides of your arms, leaving your breasts with lop-sided support
10. Keeps your straps in place. (If they're falling down then your bra band is probably riding up and you need to go down a band size)
11. Creates better support for your back
12. Enhances your curves in ways that you never thought possible
13. It's a mood altering experience
14. Your confidence in how you feel and look is an instant aphrodisiac to your spouse, boyfriend or lover

There's an art to finding a good bra that makes you feel comfortable, assured, and luxurious all day. Before you can find that perfect bra, you have to know your bra size. You'd think it was a national phenomenon when Oprah showed a segment on how to find your bra size and it was announced that "85% of women in America are wearing the wrong bra size."

What's a woman to do? Get measured!

Go to a local boutique, that's one of the special services provide at these select stores. To find one near you, do a search online. Some of my favorite boutiques are:

• Faire Frou Frou
• A Tropical Affair
• La Petite Coquette
• Miss Lala's Boudoir

If you don't have a boutique near by, you can also check out the following department stores where you can get measured:

• Neiman Marcus
• Nordstom
• Barneys

The other option is for you to measure your own size. It's a simple and easy two component process. To measure yourself, click on our Eve's Apples article, Sizing Your Girls Up: How to Find Your Bra Size.

Now that you know your size and the virtues of a bra that fits, go Celebrate Your Inner Eve in a bra that makes you feel luxurious, comfortable, and confident!