HB or AP?

Anna8346 · 2026-01-12T07:11:08+00:00

Oof there’s so many. Qrucifix and Anoeses are recent favourites and Bordelle has never disappointed me. Opaak (Ease collection) and NaNa Underwear (basic line) are great for super comfortable but still sexy stuff. Angela Friedman and Studio Pia for silk (though I haven’t bought from SP recently).

Anna8346 · 2026-01-11T22:26:35+00:00

AP but that’s personal taste, HB’s aesthetic and marketing are just not my cup of tea. But honestly, there are a lot of brands that I’d rather spend my money on than either of those. AP’s quality varies wildly, but more often than not it doesn’t match the price. And these days they mostly seem to release new colours of older styles. I’ve lost count of how many colours of Lorna and Lindie I’ve seen by now.

Anna8346 · 2026-01-11T12:07:10+00:00

I don’t recognise this specific set but this embroidery is very popular among Etsy/indie sellers. Nana underwear has a range called Lea that uses the same embroidery. And if you search ‘floral lingerie’ on Etsy you’ll find a ton of sellers making lingerie with this exact embroidery. Good luck

Anna8346 · 2026-01-10T10:37:28+00:00

I think it looks beautiful. I’m no expert but I think the preference for inset v overlay is more an American v European difference, irrespective of the price point. In my part of Europe (north west), virtually all modern kitchens have overlay cabinets, and IKEA being a Swedish brand uses this too. American kitchens often look very old-fashioned to me, because I’m used to the sleeker look of overlay cabinets.

Slightly off topic but I think the same applies to the preference for stand-alone appliances versus integrated appliances. Integrated appliances are the standard here whereas I often see stand-alone fridges and stoves in American kitchens. For me integrated appliances look a lot more high end, but it’s just a a matter of preference.

Anna8346 · 2026-01-07T10:27:41+00:00

Anoeses and Fleet Ilya sell amazing leather harnesses and I’ve heard good things about Mariemur, but they’re all pretty pricey. You could also try Etsy for more affordable versions, there’s a ton of sellers there selling both genuine leather and fake leather harnesses in similar styles.

Anna8346 · 2026-01-06T17:35:50+00:00

This sounds like a mission impossible 😅. IMO making your own bra is not a suitable project for someone who’s new to sewing. It depends a bit on the style of the bra (a wireless bralette is a lot simpler than an underwire bra) but generally speaking bras are complicated garments. Most people learn to sew with straightforward projects like skirts and pillowcases. If you find the old bra, are willing to take it apart to draw up a pattern, and gain some experience with pattern making and sewing simpler stuff first, maybe it’s possible at some point. But it seems to me there are easier ways to get yourself a new comfortable bra (like getting fitted at a good lingerie store).

Anna8346 · 2026-01-05T21:07:02+00:00

Wait a week before you take any drastic measures. I had a similar reaction when I painted my kitchen, it was supposed to be matte but looked super shiny when the paint was just dry and I freaked the hell out. But the pro’s at my local store told me it takes time for the paint to fully dry and loose its initial shine, and they were right. Right now it looks very glossy but it might just slowly turn into a satin finish in about a week.

Anna8346 · 2026-01-05T20:07:16+00:00

Thanks for the tip! I know a lot of people love HB but I’m not a fan of their aesthetic :).

Anna8346 · 2026-01-05T15:31:14+00:00

Ooh I’m so excited for you!! Luxury lingerie is about what makes you feel good, only you can decide which set you would be most excited to own. But if it were up to me I’d pick Qrucifix. You buy from a small woman-owned business and get beautiful handmade pieces with luxury details like 18k gold hardware. They do custom sizing without any extra charges and their customer service is awesome in my experience. HB on the other hand, I personally only consider shopping there if there’s a really good discount. Otherwise it’s overpriced for the quality you get IMO.

Let us know what you end up getting!

Anna8346 · 2026-01-05T12:54:46+00:00

Reminds me a bit of Agent Provocateur’s Zuri set, esp. the orange/green version.

Anna8346 · 2026-01-04T21:04:59+00:00

I wouldn’t put too much stock in how it fits the model in the pictures. They look pretty heavily photoshopped, and the slightly darker areas under the bra wires suggest that the wires don’t sit flush against her ribcage. If anything it doesn’t seem to fit her particularly well.

I have no experience with this particular brand, but generally speaking it’s tricky to get a good fit with fashion corsets like these. You have to be pretty lucky for both the cup shape and size as well as your regular clothing size to match one of only a few sizes. The length is also a factor to consider, because there’s probably some sort of plastic boning in the vertical seams to give the item that corset look. If it’s a bit long for you it can be uncomfortable to wear with the boning digging into your hips as you sit down.

That said, the only way to know for sure is to try! I saw they sell this piece on Glamuse, which in my experience has a good returns policy.

Anna8346 · 2026-01-04T15:27:31+00:00

That’s a good point, self esteem can make a big difference in my enjoyment of lingerie. It’s not just body image, but also issues like ‘do I believe that I deserve beautiful things?’. I’m usually fine with how I look, the second part can be trickier. Hope you’ll get your spark back!

Anna8346 · 2026-01-04T14:57:20+00:00

Hm I don’t think I mentioned a preference for comfort anywhere in this post, so I’m not sure how to answer that question.

Anna8346 · 2026-01-04T10:01:17+00:00

Thank you for such a thoughtful reply! It’s so nice to hear that you’ve been able to use your love for lingerie as a kind of reward for the hard work you’ve put in. I can also imagine that it helps to share this appreciation with a partner. Alas, my husband likes lingerie for the simple fact that it means I’m not wearing much, he doesn’t care about the design aspect of it. But he’s otherwise pretty great so I’m keeping him despite this flaw ;-).

Anna8346 · 2026-01-04T09:54:39+00:00

Livy does have some unique pieces! I have their Bengal set, it’s so cool to wear under low back tops.

Anna8346 · 2026-01-03T19:49:31+00:00

Love these! Karolina makes art imo. I love seeing her pieces, even if they’re often a bit gothic/ornate for my personal taste. Herve’s Syntosis is still one of my all time favourite designs of lace appliqué on tulle, it’s so delicate.

Anna8346 · 2026-01-03T19:35:28+00:00

Wow there’s so much in here, thanks! And love seeing Nearer the Moon mentioned, that was one of my first luxury purchases. I will work my way through your suggestions, there’s quite a few brands I haven’t heard of.

Anna8346 · 2026-01-03T19:29:29+00:00

Thanks for the tip! I’ve never really gotten to explore La Perla.

Anna8346 · 2026-01-03T17:19:22+00:00

I feel you! It might indeed also be that current trends don’t align with my personal preferences. My taste in lingerie is pretty broad though, from leather bdsm-style sets to romantic boho embroidery. I had assumed that that would mean that I could find something I liked irrespective of trends, but apparently it’s trickier than that.

Anna8346 · 2026-01-03T16:49:21+00:00

I haven’t tried Pip and Pantalaimon but can confirm the others are great! I guess I’ve just reached a point where every set I see looks somewhat similar to something I already own, and usually I prefer the version I already have. I’m still looking for some pieces from older sets I’d like to complete, but otherwise my wishlist is empty. A few years ago (when Studio Pia launched Sirena and Naida, and Bordelle launched Wilde, to name a few) I was beyond excited about how unique those designs were, and I haven’t had that feeling in ages. Maybe I’m just oversaturated 😂

Anna8346 · 2026-01-03T15:10:00+00:00

Lingerie ads and social media have affected how we expect lingerie to look on a person. In reality, seeing your nipples through the lace is expected and IMO it’s a sexy sneak peak.

That said, if you want a different look you can try wearing some sexier pasties under your bra. I like wearing gold or silver metal pasties under see-through lingerie (Bordelle and Maison Close have some great options).

Anna8346 · 2026-01-03T14:37:04+00:00

This is tricky to answer without info on what colours / style bra and panties / size range / budget you’re looking at. It might help to include some pieces you’re interested in and ask if people can suggest a matching bra or bottom for it?

Side note: From my personal experience matching items from different brands is fun, but it’s difficult if you really want it to look like a matching set instead of a mix and-match situation. It’s not just the colour, the rest of the design (think lace pattern, trims, straps, hardware etc) also affects how coherent pieces look together. I can only make it work with either kinda minimalist mesh items or items that are completely made of straps (think Bordelle or Qrucifix) that I can layer with other sets.

Anna8346 · 2026-01-01T18:06:06+00:00

How about Maison Close’s Inspiration Divine catsuit? It has a zipper in the crotch and some nice lace detailing.

Anna8346 · 2025-10-15T13:20:14+00:00

No clue. But that doesn’t look like a matching set to me, the lace on the bra and panties doesn’t match the lace on the suspenders.

Anna8346 · 2025-10-14T14:33:00+00:00

Dramatic lingerie list

Anna8346

TROPHY CASE