More Stuff I Probably Will Never Wear But Buy Anyways

After a somewhat successful trip to Wet Seal to find a pair of distressed skinny jeans I saw a girl on the street wear...I found myself in Frederick's. I decided to stop by and see if they had anything new. I didn't find anything new, but I did decide to give a bright blue lace and silk slip a try. I already have one of these in black and silver, but for the sake of brightening up my lingerie wardrobe, I decided to try something with color...and they were on sale. And I wasn't about to kick myself in the ass for missing out on the opportunity to get something and see them discontinue the color.

Set the Mood...Naughty or Nice

Crazy About Neon

Agent Provocateur Fryfly

I don't know if it's just me, but I've become seriously crazy for neon colors (especially pink and lime green!). Neon is the new spring color trend and I love it! I've already allowed myself to get lime green Pleaser glow-in-the-dark platform heels, lime green Nike AirMax2009+ running shoes, and a lime green strapless bra from PINK, but very soon neon will slowly work it's way from my accessories to clothing pieces.

I recently got the March issue of Women's Health to see if I would want to subscribe to the magazine after seeing a well put together workout outfit, and saw the most amazing neon yellow bandage skirt from Express. I've given up on Express for a while but now they've definitely renewed my interest. I couldn't find the same exact image I saw in the magazine but I found other ones on the Women's Health website...


Herve Leger Skirt


Elizabeth and James Pumps



Adidas by Stella McCartney Jacket

Besides Express, Adidas and American Apparel are great places to find neon and lame.




Amber Richard wearing long sleeve mini dress for American Apparel

The Mother Ship: Agent Provocateur

I first heard of Agent Provocateur when reading a GQ article that was advising guys to buy gifts from a less obvious lingerie shop. At that time, I was totally absorbed in the wonderful world of Victoria's Secret and couldn't imagine a better lingerie retailer. Years ago I did my research and found their website when Maggie Gyllenhaal was modeling for their merchandise. My first two reactions were, it's expensive and it's not as aesthetically pleasing. I haven't returned to Agent Provocateur's website until recently, and I see major improvements.


For those of you unfamiliar with Agent Provocateur, it is a high-end, London-based, artisanal lingerie retailer. For most of us American blue collar and even white collar folks, sticker shock is unavoidable. Most people already view Victoria's Secret merchandise as pricey, but walk into Agent Provocateur and you'll find knickers ranging from $55-140 and bras for $130-220. I'm currently coveting the red Love Basque from their Classics collection that's $370, not including panties or hosiery (shown in cream below). These aren't intimates you buy from any lingerie retailer and wear on any occasion, but investments like those expensive optical frames, watch, purse or boots you got. Or maybe that's just me. Although I am a loyal Victoria's Secret customer, artisanal French hosiery and Leavers lace has a pleasant ring to it.


After watching Agent Provocateur commercials on youtube, my favorite one is "Love Me Tender, or Else..." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYuG3jgytqY), I decided to make it a point to visit the only Bay Area store blocks away from San Francisco's Union Square. Even though a friend told me about her negative experience at AP I was still very excited about viewing the lingerie in person, intimidating sales people or not. In comparison to all the VS stores I've been too, AP is relatively smaller but the decor and lush dressing rooms made up for that. I was immediately assisted by a very friendly sales associate who was more than eager to help me find styles I liked in my size. This service was also transferred into the fitting room which she walked into to help me dress and undress into different bras. I tried to hold my surprised expression because perhaps these services are normal in AP stores or other high-end lingerie boutiques. It turned out that her help in the dressing room was amazing. After I got over the fact that she could see my nipples, she was able to finish the snatch in the back of the bras, provide recommendations on how to wear the bras, and her expert opinion on every style. Although I didn't buy anything, it was a great experience especially since I wasn't pressured to make a purchase.


If I haven't convinced you yet, than maybe I need to do a little name dropping. In addition to Maggie Gyllenhaal, other celebrities that have advertised for AP are Dita von Tease, Kylie Minogue and Kate Moss. If you're in downtown, stop by and take a look at their assortment of nipple tassels!