Saturday, January 29, 2005

Beautiful turquoise bikini

Packing my suitcase I look and smile at my bikini, the beautiful turquoise print of Hawaiian flowers with delicate beaded tie sides I can’t wait to be wearing this tomorrow as I am flying out later today to visit (I use the word visit loosely I really gate-crashing) my retired parents on their two month trip abroad. Winter sun here I come!

Underwear art for sale!

I haven’t been able to write my blog this week as I have been busy trying to sort out my new template and listings for eBay. I hope you like the underwear artwork and if so please feel free to place a bid...

Click here to see the auction.

Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Accused Panty Raider Pinched in New Mexico

What is going on in New Mexico with panty raids? Big stores getting broken into and underwear stolen, this happened last year about the same time so not a new thing for this year but the venue changed to nearby Farmington.
Click here to read more.

What happened to name labels in clothes?

I shall set the scene as it is a mystery and perhaps you could help. I work to my knowledge at a professional and respectable place where we are housed in a very pretty Georgina building.

As I stroll out for lunch I notice out the corner of my eye something pink which is screwed up slightly on the floor of the car park. On closer inspection it is a pair of knickers. Now to give you all the facts we do have gates at work so unless someone knew the number, in theory they couldn’t have been in the car park. The company I work for has about 120 employees so not a tiny company but not a huge place of work so people do know each others names.

As I had a conversation with a friend at work about her children’s scarf purchase in the sale which she is clearly not a child but was wearing she showed me the cute name tag where you write who the item belongs too. Why as you grow up do we no longer have name tags?

One thought perhaps we are suppose to be grown up enough that we know where we leave things, not in the case of the car park knickers I hasten to add. Perhaps there is no need for labels as we no longer get changed into matching uniforms like we did in the PE rooms at school.

I met a guy at university who had just that his name on everything and I mean everything, from scarf to pants! I think his mum thought he would get his stuff taken so this way he would always know what was his. I of course found this highly entertaining at the age of 23 he had names on everything he owned so I proceeded to take the Mickey, I know not glamorous. It did however come in useful when we split up three years later and had to move out going our separate ways. Then I thanked his mum as everything was nice and labelled. Anything however he brought in the three years we were together was a different story but not one to expand on now.

It seems to me labels although I did at first think they were crazy now seem perhaps in some ways useful. Would we take more care if we clearly knew what was out stuff and that it could be traced back? Like for example there is a story with the car park knickers and I bet if they had a label which we could trace back that person could tell us exactly what really happened. Alas since there is no label we may never know and perhaps that is why not having labels are also good this gives you freedom to leave or throw off items where it can become another mystery.

A hit song about . . . underwear?

Des Moines Register
TV/ Radio

Apparently this song is funny although I haven’t heard it myself but everyone kinda liked the Sunscreen song in a quirky way and this is rumoured to be along the same lines with some social commentary by Giraldo instead of the lessons part of the song.

Look out for the band Lazyboy, who have released "Underwear Goes Inside the Pants."

Monday, January 17, 2005

Playtex reviews Pan-European account

Sara Lee owned Playtex is seeking an advertising agency to handle its multi-million pound underwear account across Europe, as incumbent Euro RSCG has declined to repitch for the business.
The brief has already been sent out to agencies to create a campaign for its glamorous underwear sub-brand Wonderbra, which is aimed at women aged 16 –35 years. The pitch is expected to take two months.

The difference between good thongs and bad thongs

Chicago Sunday-Times
USA

Have you tired on lots of thongs and never found a good one to fit? Here is some advice on setting apart bad thongs and good thongs.
Click here to read more.

Bail set at $250,000 in underwear thefts

Buffalo News
USA

Two-decade history of stealing women’s underwear and a former Lancaster machinist got $250,000 for bail.
Click here to read more.

weakness in "intimate apparel

A “strategic review” of the operations for Sara Lee and the company has decided to formally explore option of selling that business which currently include Dim; the company also owns Pretty Polly in Britain and Sans in Spain. The European apparel lines account for about $1.6 billion of the Chicago-based food, beverage, household products and underwear giant's $19.6 billion total.
Click here to read the article

Sunday, January 16, 2005

My Pants Presents a review

The show is created by seventeen artists who were asked to create a Christmas present either for their worst enemy or best friend. All the artists had a connection to London Printworks Trust in some way over the last ten years.

The idea for this exhibition came from inappropriate gifts at Christmas especially underwear which I can certainly agree with after my Nan’s Christmas present (see previous blog message).

The show had some good work and interesting ideas however when you first reach the destination a gate stands between you and the gallery which can be a little off putting but you have got that far so just buzz the bell like the small sign outlines and you will be let in by friendly people who are clearly enjoying and passionate about the exhibition.

Included in the show is Faisal Abdu’Allah’s ‘Buckshot for Bush’ a pair of Y fronts which have had a gun shot through them to give the feel of being hunted. Then there is Rebecca Bourne ‘Ants in your Pants’ I really liked the title of this and the artwork is sweet with a romantic feel but it does have some marks on the piece, which others do too and if you were a perfectionist this would drive you crazy.

Danica Maier ‘G-Strings and Banana Hammocks’ created on the wall , Maier created a piece of artwork using coloured sting as if they were the pencil sketching lines of different pants from g-strings to boxers short right through to big granny knickers. Delightful piece of work which would suit a large room so it could be fully appreciated.

Santa’s Christmas Fairy’ by Kimchi would be a very sexy fairy if these were her leather boudoir pants. These look like they would fit into Coco de Mer shop nicely with their luxurious feel and accessories and pole dancer tassels.

I did enjoy the exhibition but I came away thinking it was the start and not the end. The dramatic element for this show could have been amazing with the light and dark good or evil aspects playing off each other and contrasting each piece. Instead the ‘Estaste Agent Bloomer’ by Sarah Wilson was I believe suppose to portray a gift for a worst enemy but a pretty pair of bloomers didn’t portray the strong enemy style I would expect. The contrast to the show could have been vast but some pieces where in the middle making grey ground. However it was well worth visiting and if you would like to see the show for yourself click the Printworks link below.

Click here to visit London Print works site.

This exhibition will also be a focus for a discussion on the television programme Outlook at 11am on Thursday 20th 2005.

Kylie's £1 Million Pants

Kylie Minogue has an exhibition running in her home town of Melbourne Australia. When an insurance company was asked to value all items in the collection it was the 50p hot pants which were brought by her stylist William Baker in a London flea market that hit the million dollar mark. The insurance company quoted £1million for the gold hot pants which helped Kylie re-launched her career with Spinning Around where she hit the number 1 spot in the charts.

The gold hot pants within the exhibition are shown in a mounted bullet-proof glass case and there are on duty guards around the clock with the specific responsibility of protecting them from pant thieves.

This clothes collection is due to come to the UK later this year.


Friday, January 14, 2005

Lingerie profile to raise or will it?

Big Brother UK what a mess and now they have moved into Celebrity Big Brother well B list celebrities. I for one will not be watching it but as I read Germaine Greer has left saying that many are there just to either make themselves, bands or lingerie ranges more high profile. It’s a little sad.
Click here to read more

Tuesday, January 11, 2005

Can underwear be art?

Times Online - UK

Apparently so according to a group of seventeen artists who have put together an exhibition in London based on underwear ‘My Pants Present’. I shall reserve judgement on the show until I visit this weekend at Printworks, Unit 7, Brighton House, 9 Brighton Terrace, London SW9 8DJ, until January 28.

To read the review in the Times Click here

Friday, January 07, 2005

Canada here I come..

My Canadian friend has been thinking of returning to Canada for sometime but today she has told me the decision has been made and she is going home. This move comes the night after the Victoria Secrets parcel arrived… interesting. No I am not being serious suggesting that she would go back for a shop but I am thinking although I shall miss her dearly. It is a great excuse to visit and do exactly as she use to at Christmas and holidays pre-order and my very own Victoria Secrets parcel could be waiting when I arrive. Canada here I come!

Confusing stories one says give underwear

The Star: Penang News
Uk Evening Times Online

Aparently food stuff and clothing are piling in to the relief centres of Perlis but women staying there have no underwear so are in need. On this site Shahidan called on underwear and garment companies to donate underwear to the female victims.
Click here to read more.

Although today I have also seen this conflicting story where BRA boss Michelle Mone offered £40,000 of underwear and cash to help disaster victims in Asia. This came under attack as she could apparently have sold it to raise money. Yes it is true they could have sold the underwear stock however if the person criticising the gesture had research they would have found like on the site above underwear is being requested. Yes there will become a time when new underwear will no longer be required as they will have enough but to my knowledge this level has not been reached yet. Although I have read many charities are no longer asking for general clothing as they have enough already.
I do understand this is not helping to produce water, feed the victims or medical supplies to improve health it is however a generous offer and a useful one if the requests for underwear are to be believed.
Click here to read more.

Sculptured named after Madonna as she wore underwear on the outside first.

Connecticut Jewish Ledger - West Hartford,CT,USA

Who said you can’t create Madonna out of head lights, a cake tin and potato bag netting? I haven’t seen it yet but I would like to the sculpture by Lisa Gross an Israeli artist.
Click here to read more.

Sharon Osbourne in private lingerie show

San Francisco Examiner - San Francisco,CA,USA

If rumours are true as they suggest in the San Francisco Examiner then Sharon Osbourne has reportedly treated husband Ozzy to a private lingerie show for Christmas. The lingerie chosen apparently was red lace next-to-nothings Agent Provocateur.

Dressing up in underwear?

There I was having a lovely meal at Lucy’s last night where we had caught up on every aspect of each other’s life and had been discussing what 2005 might have in store for us. For me I know there is no drinking in January and shedding the winter weight is a must but apart from that 2005 could bring me anything.

As I was leaving and just putting on my coat she suddenly mentioned that her ‘Victoria Secrets’ parcel had arrived. My Canadian friend uses her Christmas holiday to order Victoria Secrets and pick them up when she returns home, what a lovely home coming present.

I would like to be a premiere Victoria Secrets customer however the shipping costs to the UK are not friendly or cheap so I think alas I just might have to make my own trip over there.

Naturally we had to go through the parcel of smalls she ordered, the shinny pink knickers, the cute lace trimmed PJ set and then some gold knickers. At first I looked and in the dim light they shone. Lucy looked at me with a naughty wink in her eye and proclaimed ‘I brought these as they reminded me of Princess Lear’ to me it all of a sudden became clear. She had brought these knickers as a cute dressing up theme.

Do other women when they see underwear see a scene of a movie or character they would like to replay? I know personally I would love to wear the beautiful lace set and gown worn by Emmy Rossum, the young American actress who plays Christine in The Phantom of the Opera film. I would also cherish the chance to be laced into a corset the way Vivien Leigh is by the black nurse in the film Gone with Wind. Perhaps like fantasies we all have our own individual takes on what we are passionate about and what we deem to be fitting to us. Of cause I am sure there are a few more risky versions we all day dream of but for now I shall leave these thoughts for another day..

Tuesday, January 04, 2005

Back to school or is it work?

Christmas Eve the long time off from work glistened like the bubals on a Christmas tree, all shiny and full of cheer. I had thought it seemed like a long time off, like the never-ending summer holidays when you are a child at school. Like all good things they seem to zoom by and this year was no exception. Great time for New Year and Christmas yet I still feel like I need more…

I mean more in the sense of more time off work, more time for me, more time to do all those little things that never get done when you work the nine till five job. Sitting here just finished my lunch and it feels like I have never been away and I have been hear forever. Don’t get me wrong I like my job, well most the time, but with everyone feeling the same today it’s hard to keep focused.

I wore my new sale top into work today with a nice black skirt and sensible grey underwear; again I think I was influenced with the idea of returning to school. Sigh when is the next bank holiday?

Sunday, January 02, 2005

Resolutions for 2005

1. Get rid of all old underwear and pieces I no longer wear.
2. Continue to extend the lingerie collection I currently own.
3. New house for my delicate lingerie, a mini wardrobe where I can hang sets of underwear together. Instead of fighting with my bras, knickers and tights to find matching items. A lingerie wardrobe shall be built as a shrine to underwear everywhere.

The pieces of underwear I no longer wear or garments I haven’t worn and will not I shall add to the artwork pile as these can later be used as research and inspiration for my artwork.

Extending the current underwear drawer collection has worked well and it is only 2nd January as the sales have been a great enhancer. Also with the research I do for PantsHQ blog then I shall stay ahead of the trends before they happen.

Ah the shrine to lingerie which will be a marvel and show the sets of underwear off to their full beauty. No more rummaging through underwear drawers, un-attaching bra hooks from beautiful lace knickers as they have become entangled, this will be the centre piece to my collection. When this is completed I shall include a photo on this blog.

Saturday, January 01, 2005

Wishes for the New Year!

What should I wish for this New Year I wonder as I am planning on following the Brazil New Year tradition where women chose what to wish for using underwear as the symbol of their desire?

The choice is from white knickers which equal peace, yellow for money or red for passion. I did enquire whether by wearing all three colours of knickers you could wish for all the above however I was told ‘this would just mean I was greedy and more likely the different symbols of desires would cancel each other out’

The mere word ‘greedy’ put me off as after all my Christmas eating the last thing I need to acquire for New Year is a greedy fetish of wanting to eat everything in my path!

The decision is actually quiet difficult as with the Tsunami killing thousands and the numbers rising everyday this is a very strong pull along with the war still raging in Iraq and soldiers far from home over this festive season. Perhaps the pants of choice should be white?

However with my current employer paying a tiny percentage increase to current salaries (which are pathetically small in the first place if you were wondering) not a great incentive to get back to my current job and work, work, work so I am thinking yellow could be the selfish choice.

Or perhaps, last but not least I should choose passion as quite frankly this hasn’t been the most passionate year of my life and I could do with a little loving next year. I could turn off the television; stop reading news papers, researching articles on the web and close myself off to the news. Sorely having a passionate affair could take my mind off the financial situation. As it could include all those dreamy days in bed when time does fly as you’re having fun. Could red be the choice for me?

I shall let you know in the future as I think telling people will make the wish not come true. Although if we suddenly get world peace or I move into a bigger house or I am missing in action for a few days due to new man in my bed then I shall let you know which wish I made this year. Although the other party people Brighton will know as part of the Brazil New Year tradition is to wear white clothes so yes the colour would show through a little.

Here is to a great 2005, Happy New Year and I hope all your wishes whatever they maybe come true!