chateau bizarre: hardcore glamour & curious finds, reviewed daily » swimwear

Dillinger Ink

lilah wild — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 20:26:42 +0000

Pinup skivvies that balance between gingham sweet and satin evening-glove vampery. Most of it runs to seamed stockings and fantasy costumes with some rhumba panties thrown in, but where this catalog really shines is the very good selection of retro swimwear: halter-necked one-pieces and bikinis designed with boyleg cuts and ruching for a decidedly yesteryear look that’s also very fligure-flattering, available in zebra stripes, polka dots, cherries, Hawaiian florals, and straight-up solids.

Swimsuits For All

lilah wild — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 17:47:48 +0000

Bathing costumes for sizes 8 through 34. A good range of styles, from fiery flowers bursting across a tank suit, to classic fatale black that takes bust support into consideration. Also coverups that make for cute little hoodies, sheer drawstring pants, and plenty of dresses for strolling along the beach.

BTC Elements

lilah wild — Fri, 28 May 2010 16:45:12 +0000

Organic, ethically-sourced fashion that works well with a diverse array of looks, from belted elvishness to tight corsetted pencil wiggle. Cowl necks, wide-legged pants, ruffled blouses, dresses that run the gamut from family get-togethers to hot dates, trenchy little coats, bathing suits, and hoodies of course. Much of the jewelry captures the natural patterns of feathers and leaves in recycled gold and silver, and the bags tend towards the bright and flowery.

Tanga Fine Lingerie

lilah wild — Fri, 07 May 2010 20:22:44 +0000

A gathering of sweet nothings from Fruit de la Passion, Aubade, Lise Charmel, Ravage, Chantelle, and a bunch of other European brands. The selection is all over the map and has something for every mood, whether romantic and lacy in nighties from Rossella, or for those more femme-fatale evenings, Rien’s medical-laced Scorpion collection. Also stockings from Gerbe and Stocking Girl, and swimwear.

YesStyle

lilah wild — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 18:29:10 +0000

This site gathers together a bunch of brands and designers across Asia and presents an enormous catalog – 293 pages of dresses, at this writing – with worldwide shipping. It’s the standard casuals-and-partywear stuff of the trendy modern wardrobe, but a patient perusal reveals the distinctive splashes of lolita style shining through in flowery leggings, tiered miniskirts, ruffled bloomer shorts, satin-bowed blouses, double-breasted coats, lacy capelets, and general pastel sweetness. There are also sections for swimwear and intimates, plus sizes, maternity, and accessories.

Linda the Bra Lady

lilah wild — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:45:47 +0000

A lingerie catalog that not only carries everything from balconette to nursing bras, but features a “search by bra problem” section that offers possible solutions to painful underwires, falling out of a bra, and the Quad Boob Effect. Also matching panties, bathing suits, shapewear, and various support-for-a-low-neckline accessories.

Ami Clubwear

lilah wild — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:05:41 +0000

This catalog touts itself as “the positive place for girls” while offering loads of short, tight, ‘n shiny – and some everyday basics, too. Floral batwing one-shoulder minidresses, sweater tunics and ruffled cardigans, leggings with all kinds of crazy prints/patterns/laces all over them, teeny little miniskirts, bikinis and one-pieces, and the beautifying extends into clip-in locks of hair, wigs, and Nyx cosmetics. Candy-striped spike heels and faux-suede scrunch booties can be found in the shoe section, and the accessories include fedoras, tiaras, cinch belts, fringy knit scarves, and gigantic bags for slogging around glamorously during the day.

Betty Buccaneer/Nicole Katherine Designs

lilah wild — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 02:41:23 +0000

Retro fashion inspired by the forties (and a little bit of fifties): puff-sleeved blouses, sailor suits, polka-dotted halters, wide-legged trousers, floral and leopard wiggle interrupted with some Parisian cafe print, and there’s at least one voluminous swing dress finished with Day of the Dead ruffles. Custom welcome and it looks like vintage-style bikinis with all the trimmings are possible.

Coco Career

lilah wild — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:26:06 +0000

A UK boutique specializing in emerging designers of the bold and conceptual variety, where one can find velvet rompers, “braided” trousers, plaid jumpsuits, art tees, and other mod-to-modern flauntables among party dresses, separates, swimsuits, and lingerie. The accessories section gets kitschy with 80’s piano-key belts and poofy unicorn necklaces, also going retro in a wide selection of flapper headbands and fluffy hairpieces. Commissions are possible for certain pieces, contact for more info.

Shrinking Violet

lilah wild — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:18:13 +0000

A fifties-eighties-zombie-punk rock’n'roll riot. Skeleton skinny jeans, pop art longsleevers and cocktail cardigans, flowered aprons, velvet frock coats, skirted swimsuits, page after page of pinup dresses in prints both sweet and psychotic. The bags feature dead girl gravestones and glittery brass knuckles, there are jewels and hair things from Kreepsville 666, and don’t miss the shoe section, which splatters neon animal prints onto everything from maryjanes to winklepickers.

80’s Purple

lilah wild — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 01:13:00 +0000

With a name like that, one shouldn’t be surprised there’s an entire section devoted to leggings. Draping tanks, plaid bubble skirts, oversized sunglasses, scrunch boots, superlong earrings, Patrick Nagel tees, chain-draped bowties, glitter bikinis, houndstooth fedoras, hobo bags, gigantic cocktail rings, thick cincher belts, the all-important “layering basics,” everything updated for seamless blending with modern wardrobes. And a decent-sized men’s section!

Lolita Girl Clothing

lilah wild — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 04:00:00 +0000

A retro brand that aims for nothing less than 100% pure bombshell. Wiggle dresses curve from halters and capsleeves, falling into below-the-knee mermaidy ruffles and playing with polka dots, leopard, stripes, or classic vampy black. Also a good place to find pinup-style swimwear, both skirted longlines and side-tie bikinis, and tiny laceup bandeau tops.

Oyster Lingerie

lilah wild — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 07:16:00 +0000

Retro-style lingerie from a bunch of yesteryear-leaning brands: Alice & Astrid, Huit, Lou Paris, What Katie Did, Modern Courtesan, Kiss Me Deadly, Marlies Dekkers, Miss Mandalay, Ophelia Fancy, Simone Perele, Madame V, Yummie Tummie, Oskalilly, Insinuate, and others. Fringed knickers, nightdresses, sheer robes, bikinis, shapewear, old-fashioned stockings, and other intimates befitting a Golden Age starlet.