If you were a reader of StyleOnTheCouch last year you may remember London lingerie label Nichole de Carle highlighted in one of my Friday features. Nichole de Carle is an incredibly innovative brand – taking inspiration from literature, history and architecture to create strong, modern and sculpted lingerie. They are now offering fans the opportunity to customise their own pieces and they invited me to test out my own design skills by creating my own brief using the ‘bespoke’ service.
The service at present covers the bra and brief with braces from their classic collections and the Opal string from their signature range. I decided on the Westminster brief with braces as the starting point for my own design. I chose this for two reasons, firstly because the art-deco style brief looked incredibly flattering on the models and secondly I adored the criss cross body braces that I thought could be worn over a fitted top for a body-harness look:
Above: Westminster bra and briefs.
With nine silk colourways to choose from, three colour options for the powermesh – the panels front and side of the briefs – a choice between black and white elastic and between gold and silver components (I liked that I could select even the finer details) – it was much harder than I expected to make the final decision. Fighting the urge to go all black, I added some nude powermesh to the brief for a lovely colour contrast.
Above: Last Testament bra and briefs.
In terms of fit – the elastics can be adjusted in several places to ensure the design suits the contours of your body and for me this means the brief fits snugly. The criss cross of the braces gives the illusion of curves and are especially interesting and enticing when peeking out from underneath outerwear.
My only (small) complaint is that the elastic rides away from the body a little mid back – not so much a design fault as I think it would be impossible to shape the elastic to every individual curve of your body, but with a snug fit at the front, part of me thought the back looked a little odd in that one place. Having said that, this is entirely suspender style given that the elastics start low on the Westminster brief and when worn under jeans, the snug fit of my skinnies brought the elastic back in place next to my skin. I adore the design, it’s like nothing that I own, it can be worn alone or as part of a set and I am very happy to have this addition to my wardrobe.
Nichole de Carle tell me they plan to add other styles to the ‘bespoke’ service throughout the year. I am hoping that they introduce one of their bodysuits next, because I think that the opportunity to style your own colour combinations with these more substantial pieces is very appealing.
Inspired to create your own? Check out the service here. If you have any further questions about fit etc then leave me a comment below or tweet me @StyleOnTheCouch.
So awesome! I love em’
I agree – I completely love the art deco look of that set. Very elegant.
OMG I can comment again! Yaaaayyy!!!
quite a nice collection, will have to have a further look over them
The models look nice and seductive and everything… but you surely stole the spotlight. I absolutely love the way you teamed it with your outfit. Awesome! x
Great outfit and your hair looks absolutely stunning! x
Love Nichole de Carle! I have a couple of bits, love the art-deco look to them. I wrote a piece on them also recently here http://www.stylenoir.co.uk/blog/index.php/nichole-de-carle-lingerie-as-feminine-architecture/
This is such a great post Alexandra. I had no idea you wrote for Style Noir. I have been enjoying your fashion + psychology tweets lately! Thanks for stopping by…
What an original idea pairing it the way that you did … looks great! And I had to laugh at the comment that the other photo isn’t you … I so thought it was until I looked a little more closely at her face! I thought that you were so brave! lol Happy April, sweetie!
Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou
http://oohlafroufrou.blogspot.com
Oh Sandy my colleague at work thought the same thing as you, we did laugh when I told her um, that really isn’t me! Oh to be able to create such amazing pictures for the blog though, I must say! Thank you for stopping by, I am making like a true Ooh La Frou Frou girl this Easter weekend and having champagne at my favourite NYC hotels xo
Thanks for posting this honest review! Nichole de Carle has been a favorite brand of mine for a about year – lustwise. I haven’t actually made a purchase yet because I can’t find a place in New York where the lingerie is sold, but this gives lots of insight. And of course, it looks smashing on you!
Lindsay thank you for your comment, I am very happy that we connected through the blog and Twitter. I hope we can go for a drink and meet after Easter – ps Myla plum set? Love – very similar colour to Constance Baking by Stella McCartney, which is a favourite style of mine right now x
This looks amazing! I love how you’ve managed to make part of the underwear into outerwear! PS – I awarded you the Versatile Blogger Award
details are on my blog xx
Thank you so much! I just saw the post – wonderful. Lots of great snippets of information about the author too
I must say, the prospect of made to order lingerie is very intriguing indeed! And the best part is, if it weren’t for the fact that your penchant for underwear as outerwear is so well documented, I wouldn’t even have guessed that the piece you’re wearing was underwear – it looks so natural as part of your tailored ensemble!
xox,
Cee
Lingerie fan? Moi? Really?! Lol xo
Oh my~! So gorgeous,
Meant to continue …
Oh my~! So gorgeous, I love the sculptural effect and also the contrasting of the cream and black of the underwear. Stunning xx
There is an architectural theme in all their pieces – the Westminster set was also styled with Westminster Abbey in mind which I feel is really unique for lingerie. The art deco theme also makes the piece very pretty. Thank you for stopping by Toni, and for taking the time to leave your thoughts for me to read xo
wow this is very original ! I like the way you wear it like a belt or something, genius
http://www.mymymode.com
wow, such a sexy sophisticated collection!! Xox <3 hautepinkpretty.com
PS Don’t forget to enter my easy *GIVEAWAY* for a $30 e-gift card!
That is a really nice shirt! So classy! I would wear it
Wow that looks fantastic on you, and I believe you when you say that you can wear it with a fitted top underneath too! Would definitely like this addition in my wardrobe next time…when I start earning my own money! (The prices are too steep for my poor postgrad allowance!) xx
Oh tell me about it! When I was studying for my doctorate in psychology I had so little money because everything was ploughed into the cost of training… I hope you indulge yourself a little after your final exams, I had a really long wish list by the time I graduated!
Oh la la
I love how you mix lingerie and daywear and this is once again a great example!
Underwear definitely is the new outerwear. You mix the lingerie so well in this outfit resulting in a look that is profoundly soft, but with a definitely underlying sexual tone. Nichole de Carle’s customised lingerie is pure sexy sophistication – I love it! x
http://www.lorien.me
great post