Temptation Thursday: Agent Provocateur's Latest

Agent Provocateur has just released their latest line and, as always, it does not dissapoint. While not the worlds most practical lingerie, if you can afford to spend a lot on your bedroom wear, you couldn't do much better. Any of the following pieces are sure to get the heart racing, but it's just a small sample of all the good things they have just released:

Alina Bra

Helena Basque

Sherlyn Bra

Gangster Slip

Thelma Body

The Bodysuit Search - Chapter 2

I recently ventured into the Agent Provocateur, which finally opened last Friday, to have a look at some of the bodysuits that I highlighted in an earlier posting. The few that I pointed out looked every bit as nice in person as they did on line. In fact, the barb wire one might have been even nicer.

So why is this "Chapter 2" instead of a product review? Obviously, I didn't buy anything. Despite the fact that the salesgirl was quite nice, she was adamant about not letting me in the fitting room. Throw in the fact that their return policy is not exactly lax, I wasn't really in the mood to drop several hundred dollars on any of these. I'm trying not to be too disappointed, but I was a bit caught off guard by their refusal. Despite the fact that I walked in on the day that their store had opened, and only one other customer came in and out during the hour or so that I was in there, it was a no go for the try on. If they wanted to refuse, that's their business, but they lost what was potentially a several hundred dollar sale in the process, in what was clearly a slow business day. The bodysuits they had only went up to size large, and while they looked pretty certain that they'd fit, I wasn't really willing to take the chance by just buying it.

Anyway, I'm moving on. The next group of bodysuits to catch my eye come from another of my favorite high-end retailers: La Perla. La Perla gives me another 3 options, where I may be able to find something to my liking. The first of these is the "Sublime"(pictured left). There is so much lace and transparency detail going on here, it is quite amazing. In addition to the lace, in the front, there is some gathering tulle, which is quite gorgeous. The back is see-thru mesh all the way down. It is an 85/10/5 blend of nylon, spandex, and cotton. It goes for $401 on sale.

The second is "A Song" bodysuit(pictured right). It is a stretch lace "intimate floral" detail. It is very feminine. The lace detail begins at the waist and goes all the way up to the bust. Below, is a more solid material with less detail. The back is a sheer tulle, but not quite as transparent as the Sublime. It is a 60/20/10/10 blend of nylon, silk, cotton, and spandex. It can be yours for (Gasp!)$563.

Finally, there is the "Loving" bodysuit(pictured below). I think this one is my favorite (at least on the model. Even though it has quite a bit less detail than the other two, the lack of detail, along with it's sheerness all around, is actually quite pretty. I've always been a big lover of sheer. It is also ivory, instead of black, which just makes it look a bit softer and more feminine to me, for some reason.

It has two seams down the front of the body suit, which separate the front into thirds. The middle third is more reinforced, which makes it a bit less sheer than each of the side thirds. The cups are soft, delicate, and sheer as well, with some beautiful embroidery on them. The back has adjustable straps (as do the backs of the other two bodysuits) and below the straps is a lovely sheer mesh. I think this bodysuit is so incredibly sexy. It is a 75/15/5/5 blend of nylon, spandex, polyester, and cotton. It sells for $305.

I'm hoping my local La Perla store carries all three of these. I'm also hoping they're a bit more accommodating than Agent Provocateur. I will give them a call soon or drop in to find out. I'm in love with all three of these bodysuits. I hope I end up coming home with at least one. Wish me luck!

The Bodysuit Search - Chapter 1

I have never owned or even tried on a bodysuit. That is about to change. That is, once Agent Provocateur finally opens its doors on Newbury Street, or I break down and buy one elsewhere. When I mentioned a few weeks ago that I stumbled upon the soon-to-be home of Agent Provocateur Boston, my blogger-friend Treacle of Stockings Addict pointed out the lovely Maschina barb-wire bodysuit pictured here and available online.

If you read her blog (and why wouldn't you?) she has recently sung the virtues of bodysuits. This alone would've piqued my interest in bodysuits, but when she pointed out this particular one from AP, I'm officially intrigued. After all, after months of blogging about the goods and evils of lingerie (from my somewhat unique perspective) isn't it time I got myself into a bodysuit? The answer is 'yes' just in case you were wondering.

Along with the Maschina barb-wire bodysuit, AP offers several others. This includes the Kimiyo, adorned with lovely butterflies, and the Iona in all its leopard print glory. Along with these options, AP offers a few basques, which, as nice as they are, don't really fit into the criteria. So, at the end of the day, I agree that the Maschina barb-wire, with its detachable suspender straps is the way to go.

So I'm stuck here waiting for the Agent Provocateur to finally open. In the meantime, I run the risk of giving into the temptation of swinging into my local Wolford of perhaps La Perla to give their bodysuits a go. If you know me at all, you know I'm all about the immediate gratification. Not knowing when AP will open its doors is starting to annoy me ever so slightly.

The good news is, I have a little something to keep this blog going for a while. In addition to the AP bodysuits, I can check out the bodysuits from the designers above, and perhaps others, who knows. And finally, at some point, there will be a purchase! ...And then a review!

...So I hope you stay tuned.

Coming to My Neighborhood

I swear, lingerie was the furthest thing from my mind....

Okay, that's a blatant lie. Lingerie is never that far from my mind. But as I was running some lunchtime errands a few days ago, in a retail shopping neighborhood near my office, I stumbled upon it innocently enough.

It had been a store of some kind, amidst a mile long stretch of road that was home to hundreds of other stores. I don't remember what store specifically had been housed there, as it was now dark inside, windows covered with brown paper. Truth is, it didn't matter what had been there. I was much more excited to see what was coming. There it was, stuck to the front door, the white sign that was a stark contrast to the brown paper coverings. It read: "Coming Soon: Agent Provocateur".

My emotions went almost instantly from excited to almost annoyed. Coming soon? Coming when? How soon? What day? I need details, dammit!!

Of course, there were none to be had. Even a look on their website reveals no clues. Their Geneva store opened yesterday, apparently. But not a word on their soon to be Boston, Massachusetts location, which will only be their 7th in North America.

At any rate, this is big news, of course. Boston, for all of our big city aspirations, and perhaps occasional New York envy, can still often be stuck in out puritan roots. While we pride ourselves in being a liberal, progressive city, on the level of, say, a San Francisco, when it comes to things like lingerie and sexuality, San Fran has its Dollhouse Betty and its Piedmont. We have.....well, sadly not much.

That's why the forthcoming opening of Agent Provocateur is so exciting. Beyond the obvious reason that I will soon get to shop there, their is the perhaps more important issue that lingerie and eroticism might actually be becoming relevant here. There mere acknowledgment that this store could have some success here is, in fact, a big step.

That's why I hope it is a success. I hope it leads to similar type stores and boutiques. I hope it leads to an admission that Victoria's Secret isn't the be-all end-all of lingerie and sexiness. I hope it leads women, and more men like myself, to the realization that lingerie can make you feel beautiful, so long as it isn't the same tired old lingerie that you and 20 of your closest friends keep buying from Victoria's Secret. I hope it helps people feel like it's important to feel sexy and beautiful any day, not just on special occasions.

Most of all though...I hope it opens soon!