Finding my body confidence with Playtex

Image | January 17, 2020January 16, 2020 | blueskygirlie

So, anyone here truly love their body? Its a real challenge, right?

When Playtex contacted me to ask if I would like to pick an underwear set from their collection to try, I must admit I was a little torn. Their ranges were lovely but I knew to review it properly I really needed to show it on. And knowing that, was I ready for that level of blog…erm, openess? I thought about it and then realised I was being silly – I am very proud of everything I have achieved in the last few years and the changes to my body and fitness levels is one of the things I am proudest of (and have been the hardest to achieve).

So here I am, mum-tum, stretchmarks and all!!! Taa Daa!!!

I have been a fan of Playtex for a long time now, in fact my first bra was Playtex so its definitely a brand I have a warm affection for. These days however, fit is key for me with any lingerie I buy as smooth lines and a great silhouette can make all the difference as your body changes as you get older.

Playtex have some beautiful styles of lingerie currently and with that in mind I went for a set from the Perfect Silhouette range. I chose my normal sizes and went for the 34D in the bra and the small (UK10) in the knickers. This set came with high waisted shaping briefs which is perfect for me as I hate a low knicker that cuts across my tummy.

As you can see the fit is quite functional but with a sexy look to it still. The set is made from an innovative, dense, stretchy microfibre with detailing of transparent tulle panelling. The bra is underwired with dense microfibre cups that shape and lift your bust, creating a defined silhouette and the high-waisted briefs feature invisible stomach support for a flattening effect.

I found the fit really good – the bra was a perfect fit for me, offering the right amount of coverage and support and was smooth under my clothing. For a high-waisted pant briefs were a tiny bit low for me, but to be fair I like a really high pant in this kind of set. They still fitted me well, definitely smoothed my tummy (the area of my body I am most self conscious of) and were comfortable to wear all day.

I really liked this set, it fitted well and made me feel good. It looked great but was still the type of set you could wear for everyday use. Playtex have definitely lived up to my expectations but more than that I love the fact they want to feature real women wearing their products. As a woman over 40, its sometimes really hard to visualise yourself in products you see online and generally you don’t get to see real bodies with all their perceived imperfections. Beautiful lingerie is for everybody and its lovely Playtex recognise that. Taking these photos have really made me question why we are so frightened to show ourselves. My body is strong and healthy, has given me a beautiful son, is loved madly by my partner (his words), ran almost 1000km last year and lets be honest – is the only one I’ve got, so loving it is the only real choice there is. So, did I find my confidence? Well, if this blog is anything to go by I’d say YES!!!

Do you like this set too? Find the bra I am wearing here and find the briefs here. Not sure of your size? Find everything you need here.

*I was gifted this product but all views stated are my own. For more information please see my disclaimer section.

What does your Valentines Day look like?

February 14, 2017February 14, 2017 | blueskygirlie

It’s Valentines Day! Whether or not you celebrate it, love it or loathe it, are taken or single, it’s a great day to spoil yourself and make yourself feel good. It’s a day all about love – whether its the love for a partner, for your friends, your family but most importantly yourself – because you can’t love anyone properly unless youve learnt to love yourself! In todays blog I’ll show you my picks to help you do just that…

Mind blowing blow dry spray – Schwarzkopf Got2b
Red lingerie set – Peacocks
Vanity case – Primark
Heart earrings/Movie Night purse/Diamanté brooch – New Look
Rose Quartz Facial Oil – Skin Chemists*
Red Gazelle Trainers – Adidas
Je t’aime brooch – vintage
The Righteous Butter – Soap and Glory
Heart dish – Clintons
Harley Quinn mini-figure – Lego
Love Heart sweets – Swizzles Matlow

I love wearing nice underwear whatever the day and Valentines Day demands some red accents so why not your undies! This lace bra and knicker set (£15 from Peacocks) is sexy but still wearable – as a 43year old, DD cup size with a mummy tummy, Ann Summers style is just not going to work for me! Feeling confident is sexy, right? The Schwarzkopf Mind Blowing Spray is a new discovery for me and its amazing! It makes your hair dry so fast and makes straightening really easy. The ‘Be Mine’ heart dish (£10 from Clintons) is perfect to put my rings on at night and the Harley Quinn Lego minifigure (£4 from all good Lego retailers) is a little gift from my boyfriend who just loves Lego (and I love Harley). The heart earrings were from the New Look sale and look really cute on as do my red Adidas Gazelle trainers – I’ve wanted a pair for ages so treated myself in the January sales and by buying the kids version (they go up to UK 5.5) I saved a fortune! The Skin Chemists Rose Quartz facial oil (£24.99 from Skin Chemists) is still keeping my skin soft and radiant (for more info see my review of it here) and smells lovely…just the thing to make you feel great about yourself!

I do love a pretty accessory and the heart brooch is a vintage one and the diamanté wreath brooch is from New Look. Love Heart sweets are always cute to give your loved one and dont seem to of changed that much since I was a kid (apart from maybe a ‘text me’ one!). And this vanity case (£5 from Primark) is just adorable – perfect for if youre going away or just to store stuff in your bedroom or bathroom.

I love Soap & Glory products so The Righteous Butter is a constant buy for me – if you’ve never tried their products then I did definitely recommend you do. And finally I couldnt resist the Movie Night coin purse (£4.99 New Look) its small, but perfectly formed and the perfect size for your cinema tickets, some coins and a bank card.

But ultimately my Valentine Day looks like just being with the people I love. As its half term and I have the day off I will be lunching then having a Starbucks date with my 3 sons/stepsons in the day and then later on will share a romantic dinner with my boyfriend. We dont ‘do’ gifts, just give a Valentines Day card because for us its every day that matters, not just February 14th. But whatever you do, however big or small, enjoy the day.

PS I also wrote about how I hate the commercialism of the day here – have a look and let me know your thoughts!

During February Skin Chemists are having a Rose Quartz month with lots of promotional offers on the entire range. This product usually has a RRP of £99 but during February is reduced to £24.99 – to shop it click here. My followers can receive an additional 20% off by using the discount code BLUESKYBLOG making the product only £19.99! The code is valid until the end of February.

*I was gifted this product but all views stated are my own. For more information please see my disclaimer section.

ASOS Bridal

March 22, 2016March 24, 2016 | blueskygirlie

Regular readers to this blog may know I got engaged last year and am currently saving up to get married. As this is my second time around I am definitely not planning to spend as much money on a dress as I did in my early 30’s (over £1500 not including accessories and definitely not including underwear) so when I heard ASOS were introducing a Bridal section I was interested to say the least…

Then I saw this Instagram post and I was REALLY interested! Lots of embellishment, with a boho vibe, yet still fashionable and stylish – the first collection is looking perfect for brides like me who want to look fashionable on their wedding day too.

In todays blog I show you my top 10 picks from the range – ASOS has grown up and is ready to commit and and its looking fantastic!

Lace Panelled Maxi Dress – £120.00 Kimono Deep V Fishtail Maxi Dress – £120.00

Chi Chi London Bridal Tulle Maxi Dress – £65

To liven things up how about wearing a jacket over your wedding dress? I love this look particularly for a bohemian style outdoor wedding.

A Star Is Born Bridal Embellished Trophy Jacket – £160.00

And then there’s the shoes…

ASOS PASSIONATE Heeled Sandals – £45.00

ASOS PRICELESS Embellished Pointed High Heels – £50.00

And you can’t forget to buy some special underwear…yes this set is expensive but its just beautiful and you have to bring out the big guns for your wedding night!

Skivvies For Love & Lemons Ophelia Bra – £100.00
Skivvies For Love & Lemons Ophelia High Waist Brief – £130

And maybe add some cute (but sexy) nightwear too…

Bluebella Julianna Pyjama Set – £44.00

And finally a bag is handy to keep a lipstick, mirror and probably these days a phone…

ASOS Flower and Pearl Box Clutch Bag – £40 ASOS Flap Over Embellished Clutch Bag – £32.00

So what do you think? Prices range from £8 to £350 and is sized from UK4-18 plus theres some Petite and Curve options too.

Look out for more gorgeous styles to come too. These are the images Hello Fashion Monthly shared…

I wont be choosing my dress for a while yet but ASOS will definitely now be somewhere I will look when I’m ready.

All photos via ASOS – find the full range here.

Dita Von Teese – Starlift lingerie

April 15, 2015August 5, 2015 | blueskygirlie

A couple of days ago Dita Von Teese ran two photos one after the other on her Instagram feed showing one of her new lingerie lines.

I just love the fact there are showing the range on two different body shapes without any fuss or fanfare. Each look is slightly different but still strong, sexy and feminine and fits to the Dita Van Teese brand look.

Her lingerie is just gorgeous and is quite clearly is designed for any girl who wants it. Its not ‘plus size’, its not ‘main range’, its just the range.

I think wearing pretty/sexy/fun lingerie makes all woman feel good. It definitely works for me. We are all different shapes and sizes and 99% of us do not have model bodies – if we did we’d be all be working as models. Its lucky really, who would do all the other jobs?!?

The sets look great regardless…and thats the point. Thanks Dita x

Photos via Instagram

March birthday wish list

March 10, 2015April 4, 2015 | blueskygirlie

It’s my birthday month. Did I mention that? Oh I did? A lot? Yeah I do that… Heres my list of the things I am currently coveting, desperately searching for or if I’m lucky, receiving this March. Did I mention its my birthday?

As someone who has lost a lot of weight and now runs 5k 3 times a week, Karrimor clothing plays a big part in my life. This bright zip up fleece will see me through chillier runs as is a total bargain reduced to just £8.99.

I’m obsessive about my underwear matching and a pretty set always works (plus the other half appreciates it too!). Debenhams has an adorable hearts lingerie set by Floozie at £32.50 for the set which I think is super cute and feminine.

I love GIRLS (the HBO show) and this £7.99 TK Maxx Red Nose Day journal with Hannahs amazingly arrogant and hilarious quote is just fantastic. Plus you’re donating to a great charity at the same time. Actually, thinking about it, maybe I am the voice of my generation….😂

As a ‘Blue Sky Girl’ I HAD to have these Cath Kidston collaboration Gola trainers after I saw them at the Press Show. At £65.00 they are more than I would usually spend but luckily I’m getting them from my partner for my birthday present. And gosh I just adore them – expect to see them in many Instagrams. I love the entire ‘Clouds’ range and hopefully will get a few of the home bits too.

I’m a dinky 5’2″ so this £7.99 New Look Petite t-shirt makes me smile. Great to throw on with a pair of jeans and some trainers.

The Jenny Mollen book ‘I like you just the way I am’ looks so funny. She is just wonderful! Still not got it (it was on my Feb wish list LOL) and at £16.99 (thats the cover price so will be cheaper online) is money well spent IMO.

This New Look sleeveless coat is something I want so badly but is currently out of stock online. I will now start a desperate search around all the stores in the south east – you are killing me New Look! Its £39.99 if you can find it

Sia – 1000 forms of Fear CD. I’m getting this as part of my birthday present from my sister and I can’t wait. Her music is just perfection – Elastic Heart has been one of my favourite songs of 2015 so far.

This eBay cat jumper is an aquired taste but I love it. I do like a piece if clothing with a sense of humour – and it’s bargain at a tenner too. Meow!!!

I saw this Lavish Alice Cape blazer worn by another blogger and fell in love with it. A real statement piece but something I think you’d wear forever. £54.00 at ASOS and just so sophisticated.

So, birthday or no birthday, has any of that got you wanting to shop? Whats on your shopping list this March?

All images sourced via the website linked on the text.

Valentines Day Wish List

February 6, 2015March 9, 2015 | blueskygirlie

Valentines day is a week today and amongst the adverts for diamond rings and expensive perfume, its got me dreaming of pretty things I would love to own.

Now, let me start by saying I’m not a huge fan of Valentines day! For me its a marketing ploy, pure and simple, and I don’t like to be told when and what to buy my loved ones.

but…

I also love stuff. Beautiful stuff. Random stuff. Sometimes expensive stuff. So, if I was to pick 10 things right now I’d love, this is it, Valentines Day or not. Oh, and just to add my birthday is very soon too 😉.

1. When I saw the MAC Rocky Horror make up range I shivered in an-tic-i-pation (see what I did there?). I adore the film, its songs, its message and its styling. A perfect collaboration – lipsticks are £17.

2. Tatty Devine jewellery is unique, stylish and well made. Would I go for a name necklace and channel my inner Carrie Bradshaw? For someone like me that loves anything sparkly, their £60 Magpie necklace ticks all the boxes.

3. What can I say about the House of Holland Mr Men collaboration? Lets just say this jumper would look fab on me! I love fashion with a sense of humour – yours for £200 and theres a Mr Messy version too!

4. What a statement piece a Anya Hindmarch bag with the cartoon themed leather stickers attached would be. Stickers start from £35 and you can attach them to any leather bag, wallet or case.

5. Oh gosh, just yes… Primark poporn pyjamas – £10 (sadly not online – find in-store). I’m a bit obsessed with eating popcorn and like films, so…

6. Rory Dobner designs are probably one of the best designer ranges I’ve seen recently after discovering them in Liberty. His cat designs are the sort of thing I cant resist and some pieces will definitely be mine in 2015. Prices start from £13.50.

7. I love a non fiction book, particularly by female writers. The Jenny Mollen book ‘I like you just the way I am’ looks so funny. She is just wonderful! £16.99 (thats the cover price so will be cheaper online) well spent IMO.

8. I’ve been coveting a pair of thigh high boots for a while and these H&M versions look great. The heel isn’t too high and at £39.99 they are a great price too.

9. Etsy panda knickers – OK, not cheap at £27.61 but super cute. And panda is my nickname…

10. I think this Not on the High St train ticket artwork is just so sweet. Personalised art with your names and date you met for just £16. Add the frame of your choice and you’ve got something you’ll treasure forever reminding you of fun days out.