Unlike many fashion related products that I've reviewed here over the years, today's post does not include a series of photos in which I'm sporting said piece. That's because the item, two items actually, that I'm here to chat about are undergarments and modeling them in a way that would still make me feel the degree of modesty I'm personally comfortable with in public (or online) is simply impossible when it comes to bras and panties. That doesn't mean though that I don't adore wearing them behind closed doors and then reporting my findings back to all of you, which is what I'll be doing in this post.
A few weeks ago I was contacted by the popular online UK based women's clothing shop Mio Destino, who specialize in lingerie, bras, underwear, shapewear, swimwear, loungewear, and stockings, and asked if I'd be interested in receiving and reviewing an item or two from their extensive inventory. I get similar inquiries from other lingerie stockists on a fairly frequent basis and generally decline, as they're offerings aren't of the sort that tend to appeal to me or my primarily vintage loving audience. Such is definitely not the case with Mio Destino though, whose inventory boasts a wide number of vintage inspired and appropriate underpinnings, including many from the highly beloved and world famous brand What Katie Did.
For years now, I've been reading reviews and seeing photos on the sites of some of my fellow vintage lovers for this brand and while I'm very well acquainted with it through the web, I didn't actually own any of their alluring beautiful offerings myself yet, so for my selection from Mio Destino, I opted for the What Katie Did Coco Chocolate and Peach Cathedral 1950s Bra and matching pair of Retro Knickers.
Most of my undergarments are either genuine vintage, reproduction or vintage inspired, so every last offering from What Katie Did is right up my alley. I remember seeing this elegant brown and soft creamy-peach line when it was first released a while back and falling madly in love with it at the time, so when I spotted it on Mio Destino's site, my eyes positively lit up with delight and I knew that it was the review product for me.
The lovely folks at Mio Destino special ordered in my size from WKD for me (as they didn't have in stock at the time), shipped the set out to me quickly, and were an absolute pleasure to correspond with through a series of emails discussing their products and the post I was going to be writing (aka, today's). My package arrived in great shape, with each item being thoroughly swaddled in tissue paper inside of a plastic mailer bag. The items were clean, brand new, in perfect condition, and precisely the sizes I'd specified.
The What Katie Did Coco Cathedral 1950s Bra features a pair of chocolate satin panels, sheer peach organza, and thoroughly mid-century approved shape. The bra cups are conical, but not overwhelmingly bullet bra-ish, in my opinion, and could easily work underneath of many 1930s through mid-60s outfits, as well as plenty of modern day fashions as well.
High waisted, very comfortable, and pleasingly flattering (on my short, curvy hourglass figure), the Retro Knickers are a total delight to wear! Equal parts sexy and practical, I've been sporting them under my Freddies jeans and more glamorous garments alike lately. I love this classic cut of panties, which come well up the waist and down to the top of each thigh. It's a cinch to slip on under the majority of fashions and instantly conveys such an appealing old school vibe.
Both the bra and the panties are wonderfully lightweight, soft to the touch and extremely comfortable to sport. The bra is wire free, too, which I flat out adore (I rarely wear wired or boned undergarments, as I find they're too hard on by body due to medical reasons), and the knickers have a little bit of a smoothing effect to them by way of the satin material used and their classic shape, which is an added bonus.
I'd long imagined that I'd be impressed with What Katie Did's products and I'm wholeheartedly happy to report that they did not disappoint in the slightest. One senses the quality and workmanship in their offerings the moment you try them on and I'd be very surprised if both the cathedral bra and the retro knickers don't end up lasting me for many years.
At £43.00 for the coco and peach bra and £27.00 for the matching panties, these items are what I'd call middle of the road in terms of pricing and what I'll personally spend on lingerie. Though I received both of these items as review gifts and sincerely appreciate that Mio Destino sent them to me (thank you so much!), I would have no qualms investing in future What Katie Did pieces from them at similar price points now that I know how marvelously constructed and designed, not to mention comfortable to wear (by still being all kinds of fabulously alluring), they are.
In addition to What Katie Did, Mio Destino stocks a wide range of products, as mentioned above, that are sure to tickle the fancy of many a vintage lover, included classic seamed stockings, retro swimwear, corsets, garters, shapewear, robes, and garter belts, as well as scores of other items that are more modern. I was also impressed with the fact that they stock a wide range of bra sizes, including plenty of options for those with particularly generous sized busts (something that, for better or worse, as a not-too-full C cup, I rarely have to worry about). A vast array of sizes also extend to many of their other offerings, too, which is no doubt part of the reason this online fashion retailer has found such a degree of success with customers both in the UK and internationally (they ship worldwide, with very reasonable shipping cost rates).
I must say, it was a sincere pleasure to receive and review these two old school appropriate What Katie Did items by way of Mio Destino. They've fast become firm undergarment favourites for me and while I won't be modeling them on camera any time soon, I can assure that they'll be invisible players under many of my vintage outfits from here on out.
