Acting Cagey: Esty Lingerie Bondage Choker

Let's get one thing straight.  Lingerie isn't always about being pretty.  Don't get me wrong, frills and bows certainly have a place in my life, but our personalities and moods are complex little beasts.  I don't always feel like being cutesy.  I don't like being expected to wear a certain type of underwear and if you're going to tell me to be discreet, I sure as heck will not be!

Lingerie is most definitely fashion in it's rawest form and there's no rule about breaking the rules.  Lingerie can be worn as underwear, equally as outerwear.  Some pieces are just too amazing to hide away and who wants to conform anyway?!

Cue: the bondage inspired Three Strap Choker Bra Strap from the Accessories Collection, handmade in the UK by Esty Lingerie.  I was asked which choker I'd like to review and I chose this one; it's my favourite piece by Esty because the design is so brilliantly simple and yet screams attitude.  Fastening the three straps around my neck feels sexy and looks theatrical.  I knew what to wear it with instantly: my cage suspender belt that looks made to match.

The construction of the bra strap choker is very simply made from elastic straps, like what you'd find on a bra.  The neck straps fasten easily by securing the metal clips into loops.  The large strap that hangs down between your boobs is actually secured in place by inserting your bra through the large loop that is the strap.  All the straps are fully adjustable for the perfect length and tension.

If wearing in the bedroom isn't your thing, the choker strap collection is fantastic to wear as an accessory, since the neck choker detail can be seen even when worn beneath a top or dress.  I think it would look pretty hot, and you wouldn't need to worry about jewellery too.

Triple Choker Bra Strap £19.99, Esty Lingerie

Photos by Sean J Connolly Photography

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What's your lingerie style?  Are bows and lace your thing or is something more edgy your kind of style?  I'd love to hear your thoughts on the Esty Lingerie chokers.

*This was a PR sample given to me but all comments and opinions are my own.

Becky x

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Beautiful Boudoir

This weekend I had a fantastic shoot with Kim Nicholls, the talent behind Farsely, Leeds based 'Madame Boudoir'; a fresh photography concept in helping women (and men!) love the bodies they're in.

When I came across Kim's relatively new business arm I was excited, honestly really excited. I find that boudoir is a genre that is commonly misunderstood and it frustrates me when I see images which are supposedly boudoir but look more 'glamour'. There's a different art to creating good boudoir images; setting, lighting, clothing and the right 'look' in the model. Boudoir is sexy and provocative at it's darkest but can be soft and feminine. In either instance boudoir is always empowering. Never seedy, tarty or cheap. Which is exactly what excited me about seeing the work of Madame Boudoir. I knew we were on the same level with the same thinking. We can only do amazing things together!

After many emails and discussion over what we wanted to produce, the day finally arrived. We decided to portray a range of boudoir styles including bridal boudoir where I wore a classic brides veil with a beautiful set of lingerie. I opted for an opulent ivory plunge bra worn with an underbust waist cinching corset and pretty lace briefs finished off with a sheer suspender belt and cream lace top stockings. Using a crisp white linen spread bedroom setting we took some gorgeous pictures with me on the bed, then we moved onto a wall lined with a stunning lace effect (and feel!). The images were to be clean and pure which gave me ample opportunity to show off some natural smiles. You can see some behind the scenes footage of this part of the shoot here on my Youtube channel.

Another style we worked was classically amazing lingerie in a modern but sexy style; black lace bra and thong complete with matching suspender belt all trimmed with miniature but perfectly formed pewter perfume bottles - and black seamed stockings. I darkened my lip colour for a more sultry make up look finished with some plumping juicy lip gloss. For this set we played with a backdrop of jet black strung beads then moved onto a deep berry bright velour armchair which was absolutely gorgeous! I felt we created some of the best images in that chair.

The last scene we went for was styled in a very relaxed girly look which was a little different for me to try but one I very much welcomed. The bed was gloriously decadent with beaded and satin cushions and topped with a luxuriously cosy furry throw. I devoured the feeling of all the softness in my blush pink lace bra trimmed with velvet, my cute frilly briefs and some super cute angora long socks!

This evening I made the enormously tough job of choosing my favourite images and I'm now just as excited to receive the finished pictures as much as I was the day I discovered Madame Boudoir.

x

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Pin Up Mermaid

What did I tell you about the weather? It's hard to believe it was only last Saturday that I was on the beach in my smalls (and less than smalls) when the hot spell came for one last belter. The day after it was like the heat and sunshine hadn't existed. I was assisting Sean J Connolly on his fashion editorial shoot on the Newcastle Quayside and it was raining and windy like Autumn felt it needed to remind us what month we were in now. Yes, October, and don't I know it.

To help us remember the gorgeous weather we had not so long ago I now have the pictures of the shoot I did, which was a mermaid beach themed shoot with Sean J Connolly. We couldn't have wished for a better forecast and the images show it. I've never modelled less than a bikini on a shoot before so it was actually quite fun and challenging working with nipple tassels and pasties. The ones I used this time, again provided for by Intimate Jewellery Designs, were some aqua colour cockleshell pasties embellished with glittering sequins, and some shimmering blue sequins circular tassels. I wore with them a pair of lacy green shortie knickers and brought a blue sheer voile to play around with. We were lucky the beach we found we had quite free reign of, and I was able to do quite a bit without having to clammer for my top every five minutes. I'm not a prude but I am conscious of people who don't exactly want to see a half naked lady on their day out, and especially not to expose myself where families are concerned. The only person I didn't prepare for was a gentleman walking along the sea shore when I was posing against a large rock formation. I quickly and untimelessly put my hands to my boobs and said 'hi' which was a comical moment. Luckily I hadn't offended him and he continued on his jaunt, not without taking a second appreciating glance. That was funny!

Anyway, I'm very pleased with how the images turned out. We tried a variety of poses with different backdrops; crawling out of the sea, perched upon pricking barnacled rocks. I was even adorned with drapes of salty sandy seaweed. Mmmm, the glamorous world of modelling!

A few of the pictures are still going through editing, but I do have some of my favourites to show you now. Do let me know what you think!

x

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