Miss Kitty Plum's Lingerie Lovers Blog

Miss Kitty Plum Has Moved Her Blog

2010-06-13T10:36:00.000+01:00

Hi there

Miss Kitty Plums's Lingerie Lovers Blog has now moved. I hope you will come and visit at

www.plumslingerie.com/blog

Prima Donna Lingerie Review

2010-05-29T13:13:00.000+01:00

Prima Donna Lingerie Review

PlumsLingerie.com Prima Donna Lingerie SS2010

2010-05-29T12:23:00.004+01:00

PlumsLingerie.com Prima Donna Lingerie SS2010

2010-05-26T18:47:00.000+01:00

Plums Lingerie Marie Jo Lingerie Spring Summer 2010

2010-05-26T18:46:00.000+01:00

Corsets on the Courts

2010-05-25T13:22:00.002+01:00

The supremely talented tennis player Venus Williams has made a bit of stir at the Paris open. She's has been sporting a black lace corset inspired dress with red detailing. In case this wasn't racey enough she teamed it with flesh tone shorts. The outfit was designed by Venus and I am thinking this maybe taking the underwear as outerwear trend a step too far?

As much as I adore my lingerie I am a great believer in leaving something to the imagination. There is also the point that tennis is a profession and as such shouldn't a certain standard of dress be expected? Even if the lovely Serena sported this outfit to a nightclub I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't raise a few eyebrows.

But the joy of clothing and fashion it it allows us to express ourselves and in th great scheme of things maybe this outfit shouldn't have filled as many coloumn inches as it has.

Feel Confident When You Hit the Beach

2010-05-21T20:15:00.000+01:00

Having just return from a trip to sunny Cuba I have realised more than ever how important the right swimwear is. You want to feel relaxed sipping your pina colada at the poolside bar not worried about whether you bikini is holding you up or if you are in danger of having to send a recovery time to remove swimsuit that has recently become wedged up your nether regions. Those are just the practicalities you also want to look good and feel confident that although you may not have the body of a nubile 20 year old you still are looking pretty good.

It seems the range of swimwear has now extended from the classic bikini or one piece swimsuit. You can now also choose a tankini or one of those trendy looking cutout one pieces, also known a monokini. One pieces are back in vogue and many of us have breathed a sigh of relief. Bikinis are great for lying by a pool or on the beach but if you fancy watersports, swimming or have to run around after kids a one piece is much more forgiving, especially if it comes with a matching cover up.

A few tips when you are buying swimwear

Swimwear can often be sized a little small so you might have to go a size up especially if you have a long body and want a one piece.
Go for quality, the last thing you want is swimwear that doesn’t keep its shape. Sagging bottoms that resemble a nappy are not flattering.
If you do feel a little self conscious about wandering around in your swimwear then invest is some sort of cover up, shirts or skirts are great. Part of looking good in swimwear is standing up straight and walking about with confidence.
Patterns are very flattering, they cover a multitude of lumps and bumps. Trying to blend in to the background in plain block colours doesn’t make you disappear.

I know that trying swimwear can be a slightly traumatic but once you have a cracked it you will feel fantastic on your holidays whether you are in Barbados or Brighton.

Top 5 Reasons to Give Your Lingerie Drawer A Makeover

2010-05-10T12:08:00.000+01:00

Part of our mission at Plums Lingerie is to spread the word about the joy of lingerie so here are our top 5 reasons to get fitted and give your lingerie drawer a makeover.

1. 80% of women are wearing the wrong size bra and 75% of women who have been fitted in a high street store have been fitted incorrectly.

2. Wearing the right size bra can make you look thinner, up to 5lbs!

3. A properly fitting bra should be so comfortable you hardly know you have it on. If you are constantly tugging and readjusting it time to get a fitting.

4. If you get run over by a bus do you really want that handsome A&E doctor seeing you washed out greying bra? If you are ashamed for someone to see your underwear it’s time to retire it!

5. You deserve to look and feel sexy and glamorous every day. Gorgeousness doesn’t have to be saved for a special occasion.

So what are your favourites reason/excuses to treat yourself to new lingerie?

Thanks to lovely Sam Watts for the blog suggestion.

T Shirts Bras for Summer

2010-05-03T18:39:00.000+01:00

It must be summer as I have unpacked my summer lingerie (that must be a sign I have too much!). It also means I am scrabbling around for the perfect T shirt bra. The deep purples and reds from the winter will no longer do and it's time to find out more muted colours that I can wear under white shirts and T shirts.

I'm obviously not the only one as Plums Lingerie can't get in the bras quick enough! But what do you chose, I know that the nude colours are the best to wear underwhite without showing through and the Marie Jo Caffe Latte is definitely the most appealing but I don't think we should be that limited. One thing I know for sure is I won't be wearing white under a close fitting top as it can easily been seen through.

Apparently in Belgium scarlet is the best selling T-shirt bra colour. I'm not convinced it doesn't show through but am prepared to be proved wrong! I am however very excited by the upcoming Prima Donna Perle that will be with us this month! It's a new continuity and it's great to see an alternative to the Prima Donna Satin. for more advice on what T shirt bra to buy check out my article on picking the perfect T shirt bra.

Sex Appeal is Ageless

2010-05-01T14:10:00.000+01:00

Courtney Cox and the TV show Cougar Town are helping boost lingerie sales for women in their 40's and 50's. Debenhams states that it's highest sales are to women in this age bracket. Well it certainly doesn't surprise us here a Plums Lingerie. Our lovely ladies are all different ages, it strikes me a strange that the concept that a woman in her 40's and 50's being sexy seems like a new thing. What about Charlotte Rampling, Catherine Deneuve and Anne Bancroft?

Storm in a G Cup

2010-04-24T10:43:00.001+01:00

It seems that the good old US of A has got it's knickers in a twist about a plus size lingerie TV advert. The news network ABC banned the add for apparently being too sexy. But the hoo ha really kicked off when they allowed the Victoria Secret Advert to run. Lane Bryant, the company who sell plus size lingerie has come out accusing ABC of sizism and double standards and in the process got more publicity for their lingerie than the advert could have ever achieved. So what does this really mean? Busty lovelies are sexier that their waif like sisters? The bigger the cleavage the more erotically charged the advert is?

I think it's refreshing to see an advert where the model is sized more realistically. If you sell plus sized bras the customers don't look like a barbie doll, Lane Bryant have made a advert that their customers can relate to and realise that there isn't just one definition of beauty and sexiness. Mind you I wouldn't go there for a bra fitting, that bra is clearly too big around the back and not big enough in the cup. (I know I sound like a broken record).

Really too risque for TV?

United Nations Lingerie Delegation Arrives

2010-04-19T12:39:00.000+01:00

Now the summer is here and the weather is warming it’s been all go at Plums Lingerie. We are still having our summer stock delivered and it's a very international affair. It’s the first summer that we have had the gorgeous Italian Ambra lingerie in stock. We usually just order for Christmas as it is so special but I don’t think we should neglect the A – D cup ladies. So we have had these gorgeous items delivered. I love the navy and with the white laser cut flowers if only it came in my size!

No need for you bustier lovelies to feel like you are missing out we have the fabulously cool Dutch Marlies Dekkers in 3 different collections no less!

And of course not forgetting out army of Prima Donna (Belgium) fans there is the new colouring of Edoras. You might remember it from the autumn range when it was hugely popular in the purple and lack. This time it’s a cool glacial blue.

Not only has Tricia been unpacking and pricing up boxes and boxes of bras and pants she has also been sorting through the lovely new babydolls from In Bloom in the USA. So cute and they just cry out to be teamed with a pair of fluffy mules!

Waspie Waists in Hollywood

2010-04-15T12:17:00.000+01:00

It looks like the celebs in Hollywood have picked up on the underwear as outwear trend. The corset belt cinches you right in at the waist to give you a curvy hourglass shape. I think this look is fab when worn with a figure hugging pencil skirt or a slinky dress. Eternal Spirits do a gorgeous range of steel boned waist cinches that will give you the perfect waist line, the wiggle in your walk you will have to work on yourself.

Pretty floral arrivals from Marie Jo

2010-04-11T10:39:00.000+01:00

This season it seems to be all pretty and floral in fashion and so the lingerie industry have been doing what they are best at. The two latest arrivals from Marie Jo show these trends off perfectly. The gorgeous Marie Jo Mira is a pretty fresh print with tiny little pink rose buds on the skyblue bra accented with white lace.

The other arrival, the Marie Jo Fiona has a hint at the vintage with the rich ivory lace covering the cups. It's also one of the few collections that includes a suspender belt and also a basque. I would be perfect for a wedding or if you are loving the underwear as outwear trend would be perfect peaking out of a little camisole.

Both collection have the new style push up bra to give you A,B And C cup ladies a bit of added oomph as well as the classic plunge bra which is available to an E Cup. For all those volumptuous lovelies reading this never fear the new Prima Donna ranges will be with us soon and you are going to be wowed!

Love yourself for who you are......

2010-04-06T12:07:00.000+01:00

One thing I am constantly saddened by in our little boutique is how women lack so much confidence about themselves. It seems that nearly every lady who walks in to our fitting room starts with

“I’m sorry I’m not wearing a good bra today”

“I’m sorry I am wearing the wrong size”

“I’m a really weird shape”

“I’m a funny size, I can never find a bra that fits”

There’s no need to be apologetic, if you’re wearing a perfect well fitting bra you probably wouldn’t have much need to visit us for a fitting,. Between Mumsie and me we have seen it all, big ones, small ones, different sized ones, saggy ones, perky ones, fake ones, young ones and old ones. All perfectly normal, it is easy to forget what normal is when we are surrounded by glossy images of bright young things wearing backless strapless dresses with boobs defying gravity with no visible means of support.

So why do we all look in the mirror and immediately focus on that little bit of fat under our arms or decide that our boobs are too big or too small. I think all women would agree it has more to do with our own issues than trying to please anyone else. Most men I have spoken to only notice our little flaws when we point them out or go on about them.

One of the greatest joys of owning our little lingerie boutique is seeing the difference that a beautiful well fitting bra can make to someone’s confidence. After all if you are such a funny misshapen size the lingerie designers wouldn’t make a bra in your size would they. Here’s a great site that that show you that women’s breasts come in all shapes and sizes and are still perfectly normal. So take a look and try not to be so hard on yourself, no one is perfect or 100% happy with what they have but if you can try and be 80% happy and see what difference it makes.

Carrying on Regardless...

2010-04-01T13:39:00.000+01:00

It seems that summer will never arrive with this dreadful weather still necessitating the wearing of coats and the carrying of umbrellas, Thankfully my umbrella is a lovely pink to match my handbag which makes it slightly less awful. Despite this we’ve been carrying on regardless, Mumsie has put the brightest swimwear she can find for the window and I have now got all of the new swimwear on the website. Our final delivery of Marjolaine nightwear is also on its way with some gorgeous lemony yellow and lilac silk pretties.

As part of my quest to spread lingerie love far and wide I have recently signed up for Squidoo and published my first lens. It’s a little piece about stockings based on a blog from earlier this year. Would love to know what you think and whether you have written your own lens and what sort of feedback you’ve had from it.

At Last Time to Show Off Your Lovely Lingerie...

2010-03-29T19:54:00.000+01:00

I knew it! Eventually if you love something long enough it will come into fashion!

The catwalks have been filled with the underwear as outwear trend this season. Unsurprisingly the ladies at Plums Lingerie think it’s about time this trend came back. The iconic of image of Madonna in the cone bra Gaultier corset still looms large and Dolce Gabbana have always produced stunning corset inspired dresses. The trend is now firmly on the high street with cute little bra tops, lacey camisoles and pretty delicate pastels. Like all trends I can already foresee this pretty seductive trend being mutilated and some using it as an excuse to just flash the flesh. Those crops tops really should only be worn by the young and skinny. However there are lots of ways to take inspiration from the designers who have brought the trend to the catwalks of Milan, Paris and London. You may even be able to raid your lingerie drawer and give some of your favourite pieces a new lease of life.

Lace
Lace has become a firm favourite since the trend appeared in the winter. The lace is now moving away from classic black to the pretty delicate pastels, creams, pinks and nudes. A great way of flirting with this trend is by wearing lacey bras with tops that show just the edging of your bra or allow you to show the lace straps. You can also look at wearing a lace and silk slip like the Marjolaine Divine over a pair of skinny jeans or leggings. Alternatively the lace cami tops of the pyjamas would look great teamed with a pretty pastel cardigan and floaty skirt.

Corsetry
The corset dresses seen in the Christian Dior, Versace and Dolce & Gabbana collections are stunning. Many of the lingerie designers already produce bustiers that look great with a pair of jeans or a slinky pencil skirt. The key to carrying off this look is picking a bustier that doesn’t look too much like it is underwear. If the bustier is mainly opaque like the Marie Jo Rose bustier it looks more like it is designed to be seen. Marlies Dekkers also produces sexy bustiers that can be worn as a top. If you have a bustier that looks a little too seductive to be worn on its own a great idea is wearing it underneath a sheer blouse or a lace top. The Prima Donna Babel bustier lends itself perfectly to this and if you aren’t quite ready for the pretty peach pastel tone it also comes in black.

If you are willing to take the plunge you could go for the full steel boned corset. Eternal Spirits produce a fabulous range that are so versatile they can be worn out to a night club, dressed up with a tailored jacket for dinner or worn with a full length skirt for a black tie event. Combine the lace and the corsetry with the stunning lace Bettie corset. Alternatively there are the super sexy waist cinches that can be worn over a dress, or over trousers and a blouse.

This summers key trend is so easy to wear and play around with and a great excuse to show off your gorgeous underwear that spends so much time undercover

K cup bras hit the British High Street

2010-03-22T12:36:00.000Z

I don't know if any of you ladies would be surprised to hear that Britain is getting bustier and due to the surge in demand of larger cup sizes the K Cup bra has finally been introduced to the British high street. Selfridges in London and Manchester have introduced the K cup made by Fantasie for the first time. According to new research, sales of bras in the D to G category have risen 50% every year since 2005. I can't say this surprises me, the average cup size of a Plums Lingerie customers is an E at least.

I think ladies are now becoming more aware of the importance of wearing a correctly fitting bra due to programmes like What Not to Wear with Trinny and Susannah and Gok Wan’s How to look Good Naked. We now stock the lovely Prima Donna Deauville in an I cup which is the equivalent to the UK J and they tick on quite well.

Apparently

'Breasts are getting bigger but it's not just because we are getting heavier,' biomechanics professor Dr. Joanna Scurr told the Telegraph. 'We don't yet know the reason, but it has certainly made women much more aware of the need for correct support.'

Lingerieblog.co.uk are currently running a survey to see what the average bra size is so if you want to have your say you can fill it in here

Burn those tape measures, not your bra

2010-03-14T18:33:00.000Z

In our quest to ensure the women of the world wear correctly fitting bras I have had my little chums at Google scouring the web for questions on bra fittings. There are several questions a day about what bra size to wear and what is normal. I am not so much astounded by the volume of these queries or the confusion of the lovely ladies but rather by the answers from so called experts. Whoever came up with the concept of measuring around the rib cage and then around the boobs then doing some complicated mathematical equation to come up with your bra size must have been bonkers. Boobs, breasts, baps what ever you want to call them come in all shapes and sizes, no two the same. How can mathematics cope with the all the different permutations of the female form? Well in my experience it can't! If you are ever in a fitting room and someone comes at you with a tape measure just politely make your excuses and get the hell out of there. This is a woman with no concept that lingerie and its fit is an art rather than a science.

An experienced fitter will be able to judge by eye and asking a few canny questions. It may take a couple of goes with different sizes bras but really it is the only way to tell for sure. By making sure the band is nice and snug around the back you are supporting the weight of your boobs from underneath rather than suspended from your shoulder straps like a hammock. The wire should go around the width of the boob and not dig in under the arm. Those wires should also sit flush against your breast bone. If you put your arms in the air and the bra doesn't stay firm, its too loose. For those ladies who have had a proper fitting you know the difference the correct sizes bra can make. So I implore you help us spread the word, tell your colleague that that back strap on her bra shouldn't be riding up by her shoulders, tell you friend that 4 boobs aren't better than 2! And if you happen to send them our way and we manage to show them the light and they walk out with a new bra will give you a £10 gift voucher to say thank you for supporting the cause, just make sure they mention who sent them.

Are stockings too seamy?

2010-02-18T16:56:00.000Z

After a couple of dry days where the sun is beginning to poke through the clouds I am confident enough to pop on the pencil skirts again. Personally I have found the days where I wear trousers distinctly less glamorous. Although I mentally conjure up images of Katherine Hepburn and Marlene Dietrich I just can’t seem to mirror their sophisticated devil may care attitude, may be I am not angular enough to carry it off with aplomb.

And so it’s back to my trusty black pencil skirts and silk blouses, much more forgiving for us girls with a few curves. The pencil skirt also brings with it the requirement for a bit of hosiery and as I rummage through the stockings drawer in Plums (don’t tell Tricia I am stealing stock again!) it makes me wonder why so many women shy away from wearing stockings. Stockings seem to have become the preserve of special saucy occasions. Women who do own suspender belts have received them as a Valentine’s or Christmas gift and have worn these lacey red or black numbers on a token number of occasions. Suspender belts have gone from almost being an essential for every lingerie drawer to a sordid piece of dress up, put away in a box with naughty nurse outfits and accessories from Ann Summers.

Maybe it’s about time women reclaimed stockings and suspenders for themselves. As much as you hear claims that stockings are more hygienic or practical than tights it’s never going to make women want to wear them. It is undeniable that stockings and suspenders are sexy but surely there isn’t anything wrong with feeling alluring? Why is it that being frumpy is more acceptable than being glamorous?

Next time you are putting on a skirt, and no I’m not suggesting full time mums should be tottering around in stilettos and seamed stockings, why not dig out that special occasion suspender belt and open a fresh pair of stockings and see if it makes you feel any different. Think Dita Von Teese and channel a bit of Hollywood film star in your wardrobe. Don’t be afraid to feel sexy, start slowly with some simple nude stockings and before you know it you will soon be wearing fully fashioned seamed stockings on a night out! Feel the need for a bit of inspiration? Then watch the film Silk Stockings it has an amazing scene where Cyd Charisse puts aside her black wool stockings and tries her first pair of silk stockings.

Don’t know your fully fashioned from your rht then check out my guide to buying stockings.

Spring is on its Way

2010-02-15T12:03:00.001Z

Mid February and hopefully the worst of the cruel biting winds are behind us. The first pastel hued bra of the spring has now arrived a Plums Lingerie in of the delicate Marie Jo Rose, available is a stunning turquoise, white or black. We’ve plumped for the turquoise to bring a bit of colour to these grey days. The pretty rose embroidery is so fresh and summery and for all you fans of the Italian briefs that have been so popular in the Jane they have brought one out in the Rose.

Blue is definitely the colour of the season in Marie Jo and Prima Donna, the Marie Jo Camille is a deep purply blue with pretty floral sprigs embroidered in pretty pinks. We’ve had the Camille in for a week or so at Plums Lingerie and it’s proving to be really popular, the first colours of the spring are always light relief after the heavy seductiveness of the deeps reds and purples of the winter.

Our busty lovelies haven’t been forgotten, the Prima Donna Babel is now in stock. The delicate cobweb effect embroidered with a gorgeous floral design has made it my favourite for this season. It is definitely high on glamour especially if you treat yourself to the basque!

New lingerie and nightwear seems to be arriving daily so to get the latest updates you can become a fan of the Plums Lingerie Facebook page or follow us on Twitter.

Time to Say Goodbye, when is the right time to throw away your bras?

2010-02-08T12:17:00.000Z

This weekend I had to come to a difficult decision, whether or not to retire my trust black Goa bra from Prima Donna. I love this bra, elegant and not too flashy. A smooth cup with a little embroidery on the top half. Perfect for wearing under fitted tops without declaring it’s presence to passers by but pretty enough that if I was run over by a bus my ER doctor would still be suitably impressed. On first inspection there seemed to be absolutely not reason to stop wearing this ensemble, the colour was still true and it still appeared to give enough support. So why on earth send this bra to lingerie heaven? Well for some god forsaken reason I had to run, not a natural activity to for me but I suddenly became rather aware of an increased bounce factor that was a tad uncomfortable. On investigation I notice the elastic between the cups and the fastening on the back had completely lost its stretch. I was forlorn, it doesn’t seem right to toss aside such a faithful friend, especially as I can no longer purchase a another Goa.

So when exactly is it time to say goodbye? At Plums Lingerie we recommend that an every day bra has about an 18 month life span maximum. Elastic is a perishable material and the more you wash and wear your bras the quicker it will loss its stretch. This is why we always recommend hand washing, popping your bras in the machine in a hot wash will only make their life span shorter. If you are wearing bras that you would be embarrassed for someone to see it’s probably time to move on to a new one. You wear a bra every day which if you wear a bra once a week for 12 months that’s 78 wears. At £60 a bra that’s 76p a wear, worth investing in a new one ever so often to make sure you get the fit and support you need 365 days a year!

And yes the Goa did get retired and I have replaced it with the rather more ostentatious Babel but its flirty embroidering and the fact it comes with a suspender belt lured me in. No doubt in a few weeks the Goa will become a dim and distant memory.

Sever Weather Warning!

2010-02-03T12:24:00.000Z

Tomorrow brings with it a severe weather warning at Plums Lingerie. The hurricane force that is Nicola from Marie Jo and Prima Donna descends on our little boutique. Tricia is currently battening down the hatches and preparing for the whirlwind of lingerie that will hurtle out Nicola’s suitcase like something out of Harry Potter.

It’s always lovely to catch up with Nicola, listening to her animated tales of boutiques far and wide. Her enthusiastic laugh fills the boutique like the contents of her suitcase. Tricia and I have the challenge of putting together our biggest order of the season hoping that we don’t miss out on ‘the next big thing’ and I’m not referring to the H cups! I have already had a sneak preview in Paris and can reveal that the fantastic Prima Donna Deauville will be coming in raspberry for the autumn.

I am sure after an exhausting couple of hours, a few lattes and a lot of laughs we will have our order sorted. Then this weekend it’s time to put in the Simone Perele and Implicite then we are all set and we can get back to organising our party on the 10th February.

Party Time at Plums

2010-02-02T12:21:00.000Z

What better way to cheer ourselves up than having a little party. The chill wind and ever impending rain with be shut out while we are inside sipping on champagne and treating our customers to a cheeky little 20% off all lingerie and nightwear. So see more details of the party you can check out the invitation here.

As well as our lovely party we've also managed to think of the joys of summer when the new Gottex swimwear arrived this week. Lots more colour was the request last year and that's what we've tried to do. However we couldn't resist the sophisticated G ottex Cosmic in black. My favourite is unsurprisingly the fantastic Gottex Paradise. I can just feel the hot sun on my face when I look at this collection. Can imagine not everyone would be a fan, maybe it's the swimwear equivalent of Marmite?

If you want to be the first to hear about all our product updates then become a Facebook Fan or follow me on Twitter.

Au Revoir Paris....

2010-01-28T12:04:00.001Z

Back from Paris and once again the Salon de Lingerie didn’t disappoint! It was great to see it so much busier than last year. The mood it definitely more optimistic however there seems to be a reduction in the men’s lingerie section. Six packed, toned lovelies wandering around in their pants seem to be a scarce breed. Perhaps the bottom has fallen out of the men’s market?

The professional that I am I focused on the buying for next winter and feel quite pleased with the orders placed. Purple is still popular but I think that every woman must own a purple lingerie set by now! The colour raspberry is also very popular, not too red and not too purple. Not sure if it’s particularly boy friendly, one for the girls I think. I have also sourced a new supplier which will be kept under wraps until later in the year but it will take us in to a slightly different market place.

I also picked up the new La Decollete, a bra that dewrinkles your cleavage, as seen in the Daily Mail I am not sure that bra is an accurate description, it more like a mini pillow with shoulder and back straps. The sales rep swore blind it was brilliant, so I thought I would pick one up and bring it home to test out what people think.

After all this work, despite the exhaustion, I continued with my hunt for the perfect location for a glass of champagne. I really don’t understand when people are skeptical about how tough this trip is. The Hemingway Bar at the Ritz was cosy and intimate but I felt I should have been drinking whisky rather than champers. I preferred the Meurice Hotel on Rue de Rivoli, perfect for a post purchase relaxation accompanied by a bit of plinky plonky piano. I will continue the research when buying for next season, any recommendations will be gratefully received and tested thoroughly.

The Fontainbleu Bar at Le Meurice

Paris... 1 day to go!

2010-01-21T13:09:00.000Z

Paris in January... it maybe a tad fresh at this time of year but to me it looses none of it's magic. However I may change my mind if it feels like my ears will be blown off in the wind or the rain dampens my glamorous 'do. I jet off tomorrow on a mission to choose lots of lovely frillies for the autumn winter season. Obviously with no thought for myself I shall trudge relentlessly from stand to stand until I find the perfect collections. Just thought of having delighted customers will spur me on (not to mention the champagne and chocolates).

I am leaving Tricia at home to make sure the website is managed and everyone who comes to the boutique is helped to find the perfect lingerie. You will be please to know that I have finally worked out how to take photos with my phone and upload them to Twitter so prepare to be bombarded!

In between meeting our lovely suppliers, attending seminars and shows I shall be going undercover to research some of our Parisian competitors. Always interesting to see how others arrange their boutiques and what designers they sell. If you want to be kept uptodate on the latest from the show you can either follow me on Twitter or visit our Facebook Fan Page.

Au Revoir....

Fit to burst?

2010-01-13T12:06:00.001Z

Wind, rain sleet and snow but still we are open after the Christmas break. Tricia as finally dried out from the Christmas excess and has managed tidy up the boutique and sort out the new window display. Despite being promised the new range from Prima Donna called Twist, we have yet to see it. We have our suspicions that those chaps from customs may be sporting the pretty spring collection.

Had an interesting phone call from a customer last night asking for fitting advice over the phone. Bit of a challenge to do a virtual fitting, we would always recommend that you do get a proper fitting at least once a year to make sure your lingerie purchases are perfect. But if you see the fitter getting out a tape measure it’s time to politely make your excuses and leave. Any good fitter will pretty much be able to get the right size for you by eye.

We’ve had many a woman who has been emotionally traumatised by a bad experience. Even when you’ve got the courage up to go and get fitted a shocking 80% of fittings from high street shops and department stores are right. A good fitter will never try and get you to fit the bra rather than get the bra to fit you.

Don’t get disheartened if a bra doesn’t suit you or doesn’t fit well. It’s just like trying on dresses, you will always get styles that just don’t work for you. It doesn’t mean you are a funny shape, you’re just not that shape.

Well that’s enough of the do goody bra expert malarkey, I’m off for a G&T.

Sleigh bells ring....

2009-12-17T12:14:00.000Z

Ah I can almost hear the sleigh bells as Santa’s elves harness up the reindeer. Christmas is just around the corner so knickers are flying off the shelf and Tricia is in and out of the window display like a festive jack in the box. I think she is beginning to regret choosing glittery paper for the giant cracker. The woman has permanent sparkly dandruff!

With only 7 shopping days until Santa tries to wedge his jolly jelly belly down the chimney the gents have started to think about doing a bit of Christmas shopping. Some sensible chaps have opted for our pick it pack it and deliver it service. Others have been organised enough to pop in a couple of weeks before Christmas to get their pick of all the nightwear and lingerie. Then we have those poor souls who come in looking like rabbits in headlights. Terrified at the prospect of getting it wrong, seeing a disappointed or disapproving face on Christmas day. Tricia does all she can to make sure these gents go home with a purple be-ribboned box filled with something gorgeous and from the low number of people coming back in January I guess she must be rather good at it!

I am entering the Christmas fray next week ensuring Tricia doesn’t over do the sherry and mince pies and still manages to crawl in and out the window without getting tangled in the fishing line she uses to suspend various frillies from.

After the hectic days running up to Christmas followed by the festive over indulgence Plums Lingerie will be closed until Monday 11th January. Tricia claims this is to give us the chance to paint the shop, give it a bit of a spring clean and let her have a little holiday. I think it’s more of a case of giving her 2 weeks to dry out!

Christmas sparkle, bubbles and baubles...

2009-11-27T13:05:00.000Z

Preparations for Christmas are well underway at Plums Lingerie. The date for the party is set, Thursday 3rd December. I am frantically trying to update the web with all the goodies that have now arrived and Tricia has spent most of this week tussling with a giant cracker. I come in to the shop to find discarded sheets of wrapping paper, bits of cardboard and Tricia covered head to toe in glue and glitter looking rather pleased with her efforts. Now I know what feels like to be a primary school teacher at Christmas, at least the 6 years olds don't have access to the combination of art supplies and gin. I swear I heard her hiccupping!

On the other hand I have been diligently writting a submission for the Jersey Enterprise Small Business Award. As long as the criteria for winning has something to do with having lots of fun and playing with pretties and frillies we stand a chance. The lovely Natalie from Jersey Enterprise has been most helpful with our entry, I thought it was because we were awfully nice and a bit special but apparently she helps everyone.

We also have a fantastic new service this Christmas for gents. We know how tricky it is getting organised and out of the office to buy gifts for your loved ones so we will take care of everything for them. Afterall one thing we know about is lingerie. so all a chap has to do is give us a ring or send us and email with the size of his lady love a budget and any preferences and we'll do all the hard work and have something pretty and lovely wrapped, bowed and delivered!

If you would like your gent to receive an email about this service ( subtle hint for them too) just pop us a note at info@plumslingerie.com. You could also pop in and fill in your wish list on the back of your card to help you get exactly what you want!

It's been too long my little lingerie luvers..

2009-11-15T16:39:00.000Z

Oh how I recklessly and thoughtlessly abandoned you all, while I gadded off to have adventures in Las Vegas.

How on earth have you coped without my little missives on the delights of lingerie and the fascinating goings on at Plums? I would apologies for this neglect but Tricia has done a sterling job of keeping the shop going and to all those of you languishing in cyber space I am sure you have coped admirably.

Normal service is now resumed and we are steeling ourselves for the onslaught that is Christmas. Ah the poor fellows coming in looking like rabbits caught in headlights needing gentle guidance to purchase the ideal gift for their loved one. It is up to us to make sure we have enough lovelies to fulfil their needs.

We are waiting for the final deliveries from Ambra and Simone Perele, I can't wait until the Jospehine arrives. I love the red it's absolutely stunning! Since I've been gone, we've had deliveries from Marjolaine and I am hastely trying to get this all photographed and on the web but stock is limited to it's on a first come first served basis.

I have also got Robby my VA from working getting together some names for me to offer our new Christmas service to. From now one you gents don't need to worry about gift buying any more. All you have to do is give us your loved ones size, colour preference and your budget and we'll do the rest. And before you know it you'll receive a beautifully gift wrapped presents she will absolutely adore. All without leaving the office, who said Christmas had to be difficult!

If you want to take advantage of this service or know anyone you think would like to all you need to do it complete the contact form and we'll sort out everything for you!

Champagne and Corsets

2009-10-10T14:18:00.000+01:00

The nights maybe drawing in with winter approaching but for us it means time for more little soirees! Our first was the launch of Eternal Spirits Corset s the delightful Susi Henson came to visit us and brought with her a suitcase full of goodies! The boutique was crammed with delectable goodies... gorgeous corsets and pretty frou frou pants with lace, crystals and ruffles! It didn't take long before the flowing champers gave a bit of confidence to our lovely customers. Before you could say waspish waists, clothes came flying off and the corsets and waspies were being laced up left right and centre. After a good deal ohs and ahs and quite a lot of posing Susi, Tricia and I were surrounded by a silk and satin explosion.

We also found out that Susi makes evening dresses! Susi will design a dress for you and you can pick the fabric etc and all made to measure. Definitely on my wish list! I have contented myself with a gorgeous corset called Bettie perfect for the Christmas party season. After all it wouldn't be right not to wear my own products!

This policy is rather frowned upon by Tricia who keeps an eagle eye on the stock arriving so that I don't avail myself of the new pretties that seem to be arriving on a daily basis. I have so far managed to restrain myself but that was before the arrival of the gorgeous Anais from Marie Jo. I have even managed to be efficient enough to get it on the website already.

Cardboard City

2009-09-26T16:41:00.000+01:00

As the summer is in it's dying days so Plums Lingerie begins to resemble a cardboard city! We are deluged by deliveries morning, noon and night and Tricia has to spend her days keeping the boxes down to a manageable level. Unfortunately her success is mixed and the other day I took it upon myself to give a troublesome pile a kick with my red soles, only to hear a rather miffed little grunt. Tricia had decided to take an afternoon nap in a particularly large box after her lunch time pick me up tonic. I have my suspicions that the "tonic" is of the gin variety!

Now the weather will be turning chillier I have been on the hunt for some hosiery to adore my lily white pins so as not to blind the public at large. It was a particularly fruitless task which filled me with angst and frustration. I left 2 department stores and Marks and Spencer in utter disgust. There is nothing else for it, Plums Lingerie is going to have to branch out from the delicious Love Me stockings and hold ups, (simply gorgeous but I think they would prove too titillating for daily wear) to provide something for all those glam professional ladies out there who find the hosiery purchasing experience as frustrating as I do.

I think Jonathan Aston and Levante will be the brands of choice. A good mix of lovely colours and elegant sophistication. Perfect for Plums Lingerie!

2009-09-12T14:35:00.000+01:00

Well myself and the entourage are back from gay Paris and it was as fabulous as ever. Staying in the chi chi quarter of Montmatre for 5 nights. The highlight of the trip was seeing Dita Von Teese at the Casino de Paris. I have never seen so many sparkles.. it was nearly blinding.
For you delictation here is a link to some video clips of the show. A spectacular show and although Dita was the star the revue provided fantastic entertainment with a Josephine Baker impersonate, wonderful singers and gorgeous burlesque artistes. Here's a review of the show.

Shockingly I was expected to work while in Paris, goodness knows where I found the time, inbetween visiting Galeries Layfayette, sipping champagne under their beautiful stained glass dome or munching on delicious macaroons at Laduree in St Germain. But work we did, off Tricia and I went to the Mode City Paris to pick pretty pants and beautiful bikinis for next summer.

It was lovely to see Carole from Simone Perele, and fittingly the Implicite range had been rushed to the show specifically for my viewing. Definitely the strongest collection so far however I will never be overly enthused by any collection in lime green. The Simone Perele was equally stunning but I was shocked to hear that the wonderful and popular Fidji is no longer being made. So if you love Fidji it's time to stock up be for we run out! It is however being replaced by an equally pretty style called Romance wth delicate little flowers embroidered on it.

Then it was off to see Roy who supplies our gorgeous Gottex and Gideon Oberson swimwear as well as the Marjolaine nightwear. Tricia and I proceeded to drive the poor man to distraction trying to decide on what collections to choose. Roy was quite surprised to discover that our customers actually expect to wear their swimwear to get wet and even get a suntan!

Autumn Approaches

2009-09-01T12:09:00.001+01:00

1st September and Autumn approaches. This week it's all about planning for Paris! It's the buying for next spring summer and 5 wonderful nights in Paris to boot!.

Tricia is taking care of business while I fly out on Friday and then she will join me at the Show on Sunday. So my little lingerie lovers Plums Lingerie Boutique will be closed until Thursday 10th September. Don't be disheartened I shall be taking the laptop with me to make sure the online shop keeps ticking along and I will be updating the blog with some photos from the show.

Tonight I will finally get the Prima Donna Champs Elysees and the Marie Jo Mary online. There seems to have been a slight problem with the listing. How dull!

Well I must dash and find a lovely restaurant for dinner with mon ami Cindy who will be accompanying me for the first 2 evenings and making sure I don't get into trouble.

Sunshine blogging

2009-08-23T17:39:00.000+01:00

Thank goodness for Wifi, as I sit here on the roof terrace ruminating on the benefits of modern technology I get to enjoy the early evening sunshine. Such a change from sitting in the office behind the shop, as charming as it is to be sat under the stairs tapping away at the keyword, I would much prefer to be outside even if that does involve slavering myself in factor 30.

I have managed to get the first aw collection on the web. Here's the new Implicite Potassium. So gorgeous and such amazing value, I couldn't believe it I had to check the price sheet twice. This week I'll also be working on getting the Mary from Marie Jo and the Prima Donna Champs Elysees on there.

2009-08-15T15:43:00.001+01:00

I can barely contain myself at this time of year. The parcels we receive become decidedly more exciting. It maybe only August but the autumn winter stock starts arriving and I get to see what I ordered in Paris in January.

It can make a girl rather jittery, they ply you with champagne and gorgeous Belgium chocolates before you order. This January I ordered solo so goodness knows what Tricia is going to say when she opens the boxes of orders made under the influence of Moet and a heady sugar rush. I shall take any criticism on the chin and cross my fingers that the dubious cerise and puce negligee is a real hit at Christmas! If it doesn't sell if obviously won't be down to my taste is silky lovelies but Tricia's reluctance to blind customers by taking it out of the box.

The first two arrivals of the season have so far been a huge success. The soft seductive purple of the Implicite Potassium is the first hint of the colour of the season. Purple is huge.... Every range has a purple offering, both lingerie and nightwear. However I still can't quite fathom why Implicite has chosen to use chemicals for the names of the collections... I wonder what they will do once they have made their way through the periodic table of elements.

Marie Jo on the other hand seem to have taken a much more sensible route on picking names asthe new range Mary proves. A delicate pretty collection that ranges from and essential T shirt bra to a elegant new take on the push up bra. With the range coming in black, ivory and red there is definitely something for everyone.

This evening I will be whipping out my lighting tent and doing my best David Bailey impression. The new arrivals hopefully should be on the website by Monday evening!

In charge of the Empire

2009-08-06T12:34:00.000+01:00

So the first week in August is here again and Tricia makes her escape to visit our relatives in Alderney. I think she goes to get back to her roots and it helps her realise why she is as bonkers as she is.

This means I have full control of the Empire in her absence. Obviously profits will soar while I am here, I could barely get passed the crowds lining up outside the door in the morning.

I have managed to snatch myself a few minutes to give you a little update. August seems to be a bit of a strange month, waiting for the new autumn winter stock and busily making sure the website will be ready for the new arrival. Well Robby my virtual PA has been busy updating spreadsheets and saving images etc.

I have been catching up with all the news from Marie Jo Lingerie in their fabulous styling magazine.

I have also been busy booking the trip to Paris in September for buying Spring/Summer 10 stock. 5 days in Paris "working" ah it's tough but I am willing to do it just so all our lovely customers have the very best lingerie to choose from . Mode City is a huge event and a great opportunity for us to see all the latest trends and if Serena is with us usually seeing the Calvin Klein models!

Media Megastardom Beckons for Miss Kitty Plum

2009-07-29T12:32:00.001+01:00

Well I barely have had time to lay my hands on a keyboard to keep you all updated! The bra recycling campagin has made me even more sought after by the paps than ever before. Appearing on the Radio and in Gallery Magazine. Lingerie Buyer has been emailing me furiously to make sure they have a suitably glamorous head shot of me for their Kitty Plum special edition.

Last Saturday our lovely ladies from Plums and myself went around St Helier appealing to women to "Bring Us Your Bras". We have an overwhelming response and our specially designed receptical is brimming with bras!

Of course I am still amazingly busy organizing our 3rd birthday party tomorrow night. The great and the good will be in attendance and the champagne will be flowing. If you haven't received an invitation send me a little note because after all this is an exclusive event and if your name's not on the list you're not coming in.

Prima Donna Spring Summer 2010!!

2009-07-19T19:02:00.000+01:00

It's been a busy week at Plums with Nicola from Prima Donna coming to see us with the Spring/Summer Collections for Prima Donna and Marie Jo. It's always exciting to see the new pieces and Prima Donna has come up with a youthful new range called Twist. Really pretty with a good range of 30inch backs. Thank goodness. As usual it was complete chaos, I don't think Nicola is happier than when surrounded by piles of lingerie!

Nicola did bring us a lovely surprise in the form of Andres Sarda swimwear. It was absolutely stunning and I can definitely see myself sporting it while dangling my feet off the edge of a superyacht into the azure waters of the Caribbean!

Meanwhile Robby the virtual assistant has been attempting to herd my acquatainces together for an evenings entertainment. I would have called them friends but friends would have been ever so much more co-operative and not wasted Robby's precious time with sarcastic comments or by showing off their skills in the Chinese language (unsurprisingly limited). I don't think these people have the maturity to deal with staff! Miss Liptrot has been thankfully quiet on the matter, it could push Robby over the edge and he has been such a help I wouldn't want to lose him!

Virtual Assisting

2009-07-15T18:42:00.000+01:00

I have made a fanatstic discovery in the form of a Virtual Assistant. So awfully busy I am keeping the Empire running I was neglecting my social life. I spent so much time dealing with the begging missives from everyone desperate to see me that it was becoming ridiculous.

Kind hearted soul that I am I realised that I couldn't continue this level of neglect without causing some serious emotion damage. I have now found the perfect solution; a virtual assistant. I have engaged a charming gent from China called Robby. He's been an absolutely godsend doing lots of awfully dreary time consuming work on my website, freeing me up to meet my social obiligations. I am now deluged with invitiations now that everyone knows I can spare a little time, it may come to pass that I will have to send Robby in my place. He has already begun to organise my social engagements and I have now decided I will only liaise with close friends directly.

Robby's last communication eith me went as follows;

"Hi Katherine

When I looked over your letter I was keeping a smile on my face all the time, you are such a lovely girl and I appreciate you for trusting me so much. I have send the emails to your friends and I will tell you their reply without delay when I receive their email. Besides, the updating of item 58 is done. Feel free to tell me if you have anything else I can do for you.

Best regards

Robby"

Not only is the man efficient he is clearly an excellent judge of character!

Party Time at Plums

2009-07-09T19:36:00.000+01:00

Another exhaustingly exciting week nears the end. Mumsie has been manic in the shop, or so she leads me to believe, and I have been bustling away hiring help to lighten the load. I have engaged a virtual assistant from China, absolutely fantastic and would highly recommend. Dear Robby is probably wondering what on earth he has done to deserve such a top assignment!

I have him busying himself updating the website and manking sure it's all tickety boo so I can get on with the challenging task of organising our 3rd birthday party!!

Obviously all our lovely customers are welcome it will be on at our little boutique in Jersey on the 30th July. More details to follow. Any excuse for bubbles!

Lady Gaga & Katy Perry Both Wearing Marlies Dekkers

2009-07-01T19:32:00.000+01:00

Well I knew it wouldn't be long before Lady GaGa would be seen sporting Marlies Dekkers. The talented singer songwriter has a real eye for dramatic fashion statements. She was spotted when visiting Toronto for the well known MuchMusic video Awards. During the day GaGa was spotted at several places - including her rehearsal for the show – looking fabulous wearing a classic marliesdekkers bra from the dame de paris collection!

Katy Perry is another marliesdekkers fan and was photographed for the cover of the American magazine ‘Complex’ wearing one of the marliesdekkers bras from the fallwinter 2 2004 collection ‘fontana’. Every issue the magazine puts a different ‘complex girl’ on the cover and this time it is Katy Perry who steals the look dressed up in the theme ‘leather-clad’. And one marliesdekkers design was not enough for this stylish lady; during the cover shoot she is also wearing a corset from the 2002 collection ‘silver’. She really blows away the camera in both designs!

Latest Marlies Dekkers Mag

2009-06-27T11:51:00.001+01:00

For all you lovely ladies who can't get enough of Marlies Dekkers here's a link to the latest magazine If you want to be kept up to date with the latest arrivals from the Dutch Design Diva thaen join the Plums Club as not only will you be first to hear about new arrivals you'll also get sales previews before anyone else!

Short and sweet today, as I am in on my own!

New bras for Plums Lingerie?

2009-06-22T21:14:00.000+01:00

The gorgeous Lady Gaga has been in the news with her exploding bra . Not sure how much demand there is going to be for this in sleepy little Jersey. I can just see some poor chap getting a bit of a shock when he gets overly amorous!

It's going to be a busy week at Plums. We have one of our fitting nights on Wednesday so we're looking forward to seeing our regular customers. It's a great excuse to catch up and have a few cheeky glasses of bubbles. We are also launching the bra recycling scheme so it will be interesting to see what gets brought in.

Plums Lingerie is Going Green

2009-06-17T20:55:00.000+01:00

At Plums Lingerie so many ladies who come to us, get fitted and find none of their bras at home are any good. As upsetting as it is to find that pretty pink lacy number is about as much use as two nipple tassels and a piece of extra stretch elastic there is a silver lining to that cloud!

Send in all your old unwanted bras to us and we’ll give to 10% off your next purchase! All the bras we collect will be going to Waster Saver at Oxfam. They take old bras and send them to lovely ladies in Africa. Any that aren’t up to the trip will get recycled! You can find out more at the Plums Lingerie website

Armed Robbery at Plums!!

2009-06-12T21:42:00.000+01:00

Oh my goodness what a week! Very dramatic, as mumsie was held up by a scallywag with a knife in our lovely little boutique.

We have had the local police out in force, SOCO has been around to check the crime scene. It's been like CSI Jersey! Unsurprisingly Mumsie kept her composure, and the toe rag was intelligent enough to scarper promptly. But Plums has been on the news and in the paper and lots of lovely well wishers have popped in to see how Mumsie is holding up.

I am slightly concerned that the attention is going to Mumsie's head, she's taken to wearing dark glasses and checking for paparazzi before popping out to pick up the milk.

Beautiful Brides

2009-06-10T20:10:00.000+01:00

Despite the rain and gloom I have decided to cheer myself up by adding a new section to the website. I am browsing through all the prettiest lingerie and nightwear to put together a section dedicated to all those lovely ladies getting ready for their wedding day. It seems to be taking much longer than I expected as there is so much to choose from. I am trying to restrain myself from putting everything on the site in the one section. I have started to narrow it down and the gorgeous silk negligees from Marjolaine. I think this stunningly elegant simple Soie Unie Slip has to perfect for the wedding night.

Still so much to get on before I can publish it so mustn't keep getting distracted!

The Weather Outside Is Frightful!

2009-06-06T17:25:00.001+01:00

I simply can't believe that weather has become so dreadful just for the weekend. I don't know why I am so surprised after all with 25 years (no laughing) of living in the UK I should be used to a spot of inclemancy. Never fear it will not dampen my spirits as it's my favourite day of the week. Saturday is my day to be in the lovely boutique and get to chat to my delightful customers. It's been a tad quiet today but Emily, our wonderful Saturday girl, and I have been working wonders on the Plums Lingerie Website. We've added more information on shipping and sizing, not thrilling but very very useful.

Meanwhile in the shop we've had a day filled with bikinis and T -shirt bras, so very optomistic! I really must help myself to a bikini or two before everything in my size goes. I would hate not to be cutting a dash on the golden sands of St Ouen. It may not be the Riveria but that's not an excuse not to look glamorous!

2009-06-05T17:33:00.000+01:00

Fergie looks spectacular wearing marlies|dekkers in the latest music video of The Black Eyed Peas!

05-06-2009

Fergie, the strong woman of worldwide known hip-hop crew B.E.P. chose marlies|dekkers as her main outfit for their latest single ‘I gotta feeling’!! She looks wonderful wearing a bra of the Triangle collection.
The Black Eyed Peas had their big breakthrough in 2003 with the catchy song ‘Where is the love’. After their fourth album Will.i.am and Fergie went on solo. Now the B.E.P blast back with their new album ‘The E.N.D’ (Energy Never Dies) which has just been released in The Netherlands…

The energetic B.E.P are touring all over the world this summer, so be prepared because with the B.E.P in town it will be buzzing all night!

As soon as I get the new collection in store I'll pop up a post!

social media malarkey

2009-06-01T14:43:00.000+01:00

Here I am all on my lonesome in the boutique today so I thought I would constructively use my time working out how to put my blog, twitter and facebook together to work in perfect harmony. Unfortunately I still have no idea how to show my blogger updates on www.plumslingerie.com. I have managed to get twitter on there which is a small achievement.

There seems to be no end to the ways I can communicate to everyone out there. This doesn't even include the emails I send to Plums Lingerie's faithful followers who have visited the shop and my lovely exotic overseas customers. I seem to be constantly blogging, commenting, feeding back, emailing and texting. It such a welcome change when I actually get to speak to a customer face to face.

As for these communications the latest has been an email to everyone about the gorgeous Eternal Spirits corsets. Tricia has been speaking to the lovely Susi Henson, the creator of Eternal Spirits, about coming to visit our little boutique to help us launch them in Jersey. It's so exciting but difficult to choose which ones we want! I desperately want to have the fushia pink leather one with black tassels!

We haven't got a date set yet but as so as we do I'll post it as we are taking appointments for personal fittings and made to measure corsets!

New favourite's at Plums

2009-05-28T13:09:00.000+01:00

Goodness me I am never ceased to be amazed by how capricious I can be about what I love most....
My new favourite has to be the simply stunning Diane range from Marie Jo Lingerie. I have popped down the Marie Jo Diane Balcony Bra on my wishlist and intend to whisk one away when Tricia isn't looking!

We are also going to be stocking the gorgeous corsets from Eternal Spirits, we are hoping to have the lovely Susy over to help us launch it.

Once we have a date I'll post it!

Miss Kitty Plum labelled as Spam!!

2009-05-22T12:20:00.000+01:00

The audacity of it....... do they not know who I am!

Um maybe it wasn't such a good idea to cut and paste my old blog in one chunk.

Anyway a request has gone in to have my site reviewed so if you want access to my latest little updates you can always follow me on twitter. www.twitter.com/plumslingerie.

Never fear there is always a way that I will keep in touch!

2009-05-19T12:41:00.000+01:00

14th May
It seems that summer has yet to grace us with it's presence despite my optomism that I would have managed to pilfer a lovely new bikini and be on the beach by now. Tricia hasn't let the weather stop her and has picked a lovely Gottex Silver swimsuit to sport at the spa. I am, of course, too busy to be gadding about in a new swimwuit making eyes at the boys. I have been making my mark on twitter so you can follow me there on a daily basis.
Also due to requests from my lovely customers we are looking at providing more stockings and other hosiery so I've popped together a survey to find out exactly what you would like. You can click here to take the survey there is a prize draw and you could win £50 of vouchers.

25th April
Where does the time go? At last it is nearly summer and I shall be basting my lily white body in St Tropez so I can sport our latest bikinis on the beach. Definite advertising opportunity. Time to have a look at the T-shirt bras, I always head straight for the Marie Jo Ines in Caffe Latte, it's perfect under white t-shirts and vests for the summer. Prima Donna also do a great pre-form bra in the Satin Shaper in Cognac it's great to give you a smooth seamless line. However if you are feeling the need for a bit of glamour the new stockings from Love Me have now arrived. My favourite is the everso cute Luna di Delicate hold ups. As you can see from today's entry I have learnt how to link pages through the website. I shall be showing off this new skill in future updates so you can get straight to the good stuff!
9th April
Good Friday and our little boutique is closed. Tricia will be jetting off to see her siblings for the Easter weekend. Thankfully I will not be there to witness the drunken antics that will no doubt occur. I can only hope there will be no photographic evidence of the shenanigans. I am to remain here ensuring the all runs smoothly at Plums, no Tricia and no Emily. Both gadding about while I dedicate myself to ensuring the website is in tip top shape and getting the lovely Simone Perele arrivals on before they fly out of the shop. I don't know how we would cope if I weren't so committed. I shall console myself with a cheeky bit of chocolate egg.
4th April
Spring is in the air and I have finally managed to get the first delivery of swimwear online. It would be great to know what you think of it. I especially like the Gideon Oberson Mirage with the bronze and turquoise which I think even my pale and interesting complexion would look good in. We've also had all the new Simone Perele delivered. I do wonder if Tricia and I have maybe one too many glasses of Champagne when we ordered as we seem to have a very odd range of sizes.
30th March
After a very busy weekend there is no rest for Tricia and myself. As the end of the financial year is upon us we have the dubious pleasure of our annual stock check. I am here watching Tricia going through the drawers counting away poised to note down how many Ines, Deauville and Dekkers we have in. It is remarkable how much lovely stock we have and it all requires counting.
22nd March
The shop has been a bastian of order and glamour as I have been in attendance in the boutique for 2 days while Tricia has been doing a bit of decorating. It is lovely to get to see all the customers who pop in and I am sure they appreciate the higher standard of service while I am in the shop. Poor Tricia she does try but I am for ever thankful for the kindness and patience of our customers.
16th March
I have returned from the north and the shop is still in one piece, in fact Tricia has rearranged the rails to show off the new Marjolaine nightwear off. The colours are stunning with turquoise silk trimmed with ivory lace and a beautiful rose pink silk negliee which is a real eye catcher.
The sun is shiny so the spring is here and we are excited to have the new lingerie arrive. Next step is to get it on the website so you can see it!
5th March
Arrivals are coming almost daily. The latest is a stunning new range of swimwear from Gideon Oberson, goregous designs a lovely contrmporary styles.
I am taking a weekend off this and as you can imagine Tricia could get up to allsorts of trouble without my guidance. I won't go into the time she tried to fixed the internet after tidying up the cables! I can only hope that Emily, the Saturday girl keeps an eye on her and the boutique is in one piece with no sign of electrical fires or singed lace.
25th February
Time is flying by and thankfully we are seeing a bit of sunshine at long last. A definite sign of spring are the new arrivals that are being delivered almost daily. To try and make sure we get these on the website as soon as possible Tricia and I set up our mini photo studio in the back room of the shop, assembled all the stock, ironed all the negliees only to discover our camera was on the blink. After 20 mins of pressing every button available I gave up deciding that a purple hue over ever photo was not going to help you see our lovely new pieces.
So new camera time, and Tricia is very exacting with her specifications. No pocket size camera even if it has a million mega pixels, it's got to be chunky. I put this request down to her increasing short sightedness, as if she puts the camera down she may never be able to find it again. Armed with Tricia's requirements I managed to find a suitable camera which is chunky and actually takes good pictures. Hopefully with the new camera you'll see and improvement in the images on the site, however please take into account that Tricia, not David Bailey. will still be operating the camera. I have already managed to put up some images of the lovely Mayfair from Prima Donna, a gorgeous fresh which bra with lemon yellow flowers. Over the coming weeks you should see lots of lovely new stock! If you want to be kept up to date with the new arrivals just join the Plums Club and we will send you email updates.
12th February
It's party night tonight at Plums!! Tricia and I have organised one of our little soirees for the Jersey customers. Champagne cocktails are de rigeur on these evening and tonight I am experimenting with orange, peach and apricot juice. I haven't yet decided on name for it yet, any suggestions would be gratefully received! Tonight is bound to be busy and I am not sure how on earth I am going to be able to keep an eye on Tricia. I have enlisted some help to sustitute her cocktails with a non alcoholic variety. I don't fancy their chances, she has the nose of a bloodhound when it comes to the sparkly stuff. I can only hope she makes it through the evening without ending up slumped in the corner of the changing room.
I expect the usual decerning clientele will attend to take advantage of the free booze fabulous 25% discount we will be doing. You lovely non Jersey customers will be able to take advantage of the discounts from the 13th.
29th January
After all the excitement of Paris I have settled back down to work, trying to make sure the site is up to date. Today Tricia and I had the lovely Nicola from Prima Donna come to visit us with the Autumn Winter collections from Marie Jo, Marie Jo L'aventure and Prima Donna. Even though I saw the collection when I was in Paris it's always good to have a second look before putting in the order.
Throught the 3 collections there are lots of beautiful rich purples and the black pieces are more stunning than ever. The biggest surprise was the L'aventure range. We have stocked this in the past and it's never really taken off, maybe a tad to young and athletic for our discerning customers. But this season it is a lot more sophisticated using lovely ruffles and ribbon detailing, so that will be with us before Christmas.
I already have my eye on a few things but as I am 'staff', as Tricia refers to me, I am not allowed to get too excited until the customers have had a look at it first! Beginning to get the impression Tricia is not appreciating the value I am adding. It could be that she's annoyed that I availed myself of the Tom bra from L'aventure that she was testing out. However I believe that I am giving it a thorough testing by wearing it, well that's my excuse!
I've also finished my article on the key trends from the Salon de Lingerie in Paris. I'll add the link to it shortly.
22nd January
Back from Paris and I have had a fantastic time. The show was amazing and it was great to catch up with the suppliers. On Saturday was my appointment with the lovely Carole from Simone Perele. There is a great deal of excitement over the new autumn/winter range and I can see why. The collection has a wonderful sophistication and combines beautiful styling with gorgeous lace in sexy subdued tones.
Key colours that came through in the lingerie for this autumn/winter are deep inky blues, soft lavender greys and pale shell pinks. Lace is a strong influence combined with ruffles on a strong corsetry styling.
The lovely nightwear from Marjolaine comes it much stronger shades, The blues are electric and the pinks, either a vibrant fuchsia or powdery tone. It was so tricky to narrow down the choice with all the wonderful colours that were on display.
The show was quieter than in previous years but there was a real focus in the collections and the theme for the show was all about the fit. Good news for all our Plums Lingerie ladies. I’ll be putting a full length report online soon.
15th January
Only one day to go before I fly off to Paris and do the buying for the Autumn/Winter season. Christmas is barely finished before I start thinking about the next. Tricia has given me a list of instructions to ensure I don't go mad or not buy enough. It's usually the latter, very much better safe than sorry. The show is a lovely opportunity to meet up with the suppliers and get an insight into what is popular in other parts of the globe. I will give a full report when I get back and I am sure despite the rigorous schedule I will manage to squeeze in a bit of site seeing and a cheeky glass of champagne.
9th January
The boutique is now open again after our little winter break and Tricia has given it an early spring clean. Thankfully she is a dab hand with a paintbrush and has given the window coat of paint. We've tidied up after the Christmas rush and had customers in looking to spend their gift vouchers.
The new year is a time for resolutions but it's so easy to promise to lose weight, give up smoking, take more time for yourself and before you know it life has got in the way. Why not set a goal that's easily achievable and will make you feel good about yourself? They say that a properly fitting bra can take 5lbs off you and the amazing Miraclesuit shapewear claims you can lose 10lbs in 10 seconds! So that's 15lbs without having to suffer starvation diets and aching muscles!!
24th December
The day before Christmas and a final flurry of activity in the boutique. Wide eyed panic stricken gents bound through the door looking for a gift that doesn't scream 'left to the last minute'. Tricia is an expert at producing the perfect solution, whether it's a little negligee or a bra and briefs set, wrapping it beautifully and finishing with a big plum organza bow. Firm favourites this Christmas have been the Marie Jo Ikuma in red, the simple black Greta and the delicious pink Prima Donna Saint Germain.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL

Apologies for the gap here but I seem to have broken the blog and deleted all the entries for November and December. I really must get better at saving my writing.

31st October 2008
We held the Breakthrough Breast Cancer fashion in the boutique last night. It was great fun and we raised over £200. The models were fantastic and everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves. I think this may become an annual event. I hope to get some photos on the site soon!

26th October 2008
The fantastic Saint Germain from Prima Donna has been delivered! Stunning in both the pink and black I will try and get it up on the website by next week. This is definitely going to be on a lot of Christmas lists this year. Santa take note!
Preparations are well underway for the Breakthrough Breast Cancer fashion show we are holding on 30th October. Tricia and I have been undergoing a rigorous tasting schedule to pick the perfect pink fizz, tough but someone has to do it. Three of my lovely models have been in to try on some outfits which has been the perfect opportunity to see the new Marjolaine nightwear that arrived this week. So gorgeous!

20th October 2008
The start of another week and the weather has definitely taken a turn for the chilly. Sunday was glorious and Tricia and I took our wares to the Bridal Fayre at the Royal Yacht. We met lots of lovely brides and I think it would be perfect to have a Plums Party just for brides one evening.

16th October 2008
I love this time of year, every time I come back from the day job there is an exciting parcel that Tricia is pricing up. We've just had in the stunning Natasha from Marie Jo. This is a lovely lingerie set for the winter, it combines being pretty with being practical. I haven't yet decided whether I prefer the navy blue or the black. Tricia has definitely noticed me looking longingly at the balcony bra in my size and she's given me the look don't touch signal. Um I might have to suggest she takes the day off on Saturday....

13 October 2008
Welcome to my first lingerie blog entry! To help keep you up to date with the latest news at Plums and the rest of the lingerie industry, I'll be keeping this blog. No doubt Tricia will be putting her two pennies worth in from time to time, don't think I could stop her if I tried.
We're are very excited that the website is now live and I am developing an obsession with checking Google Analytics to see which exotic locale has clicked on the site.
Tricia and I want to run the website like our boutique, with a personal touch, taking your feedback on suggestions on the lingerie we stock and how you like to see things run. On the site you can review different pieces and let everyone know why one brand is better for you than another or what your favourite bra is.