Let's talk undies

I have been a little quiet lately. Blame it on the summer. Travels and catching up with friends and family. It's sad to see that it's almost coming to an end but I shouldn't complain, it's been awesome and I love autumn.

Back to the blog, I return talking underwear. Panties, knickers, undies and whatever other name you have for them. I am probably not the best person to write about this because I'm not a panty lover, and I mean that literally.  Wearing them, shopping for them, not a fan of any of that. All women know how liberating a panty free day can be, don't you? Too bad we can't avoid them, or can we? Those parts need to breath every once in a while.

This post was inspired by a cousin I visited in London this summer. She joked about one of my most comfortable panties. And I was there thinking, 'there's no way i'm throwing out these, more-than-a-year-old  comfortable briefs. I don't care how much fun she makes of them'. I must admit, it did give me a wake up call that led to some serious cleaning up in that department when I got back home. And here I am few weeks later, sharing the little knowledge I have on the matter.
There is a lot to talk about underwear. The myths behind them, how to maintain and care for them, how and where to shop for them, which are more suitable for particular clothes and body types, the trends etc. I will focus more on trashing them on this particular post. Yes, saying enough is enough and into the bin.

We all have that one panty or two or three or more that we have had for a very very long time. If it could walk it would have escaped for dear life already and never look back. You have held onto it for whatever reason. It's comfortable, it was expensive, it reminds you of some special moments, it's not worn out yet (or so you think), you just love the way it curves your bottom. Usually these are just excuses not go out and buy new ones.

My mother taught us to always have clean, cute panties on just in case you got an accident and your skirt flipped or your clothes had to be taken off. So rule number 1. If someone else surprisingly seeing your underwear would be a big embarrassment to you, trash it. Some women will only have decent panties on when they expect a hook up. Others are caught off guard, ooops.

I think sometimes too much pressure is put on us ladies when it comes to underwear. He better have a clean, cute one too if I have to go all out. Interesting enough, many men may appear like they don't care for underwear but then again they do. Confusing, right? Ok, let me explain. If your panties have holes, discolored, stained, waist band losing elasticity and simply depending on God's mercy not to run down your knees, be sure they will be noticed and will say a lot about you. Unless of course you quickly take them off in perfect timing, who wants to go through that panic anyway? And how long are going to do it? On the other hand, nice underwear can easily go unnoticed except for men who are really into lingerie. He will compliment you on cute panties but look at them for just a split second. Others won't say anything at all but will silently appreciate it. So they do notice it after all. Whether it turns them on or not is a personal thing but an ugly worn out or stained panty is sure hard to forget.
Rule number 2. Spice up your panty drawer first for you before you do it for anybody else.


When it comes to underwear we all have different tastes preferences. Some are more comfortable with just a string running down their behinds on a daily while others like myself prefer hipsters, boy shorts and the so called granny or mothers union panties. Whatever floats your boat is fine as long as you spice it up every now and then. The trick is VARIETY.

Divide your panty drawer into parts.

• The dark colored, not so cute panties for that time of the month when Aunt Flo comes to visit. You don't want to ruin your white, lacy Victoria Secret panties that you'd rather save for more interesting days *wink*. 
• The nude panties for white or light clothes. My mother also taught me that my undies should never been seen in public.
• The seamless ones for those tight fitting clothes. Panty lines are not a good look girls.
• The 'sexy' ones. It could be lacy, stringy, teasy whatever brings the heat on. It could even be just interesting fabric and color.  Every girl should have those. No excuses. You have heard about the edible ones too, right?
• Thongs and g-strings minus being sexy are good for achieving an invisible look under clothes. Have a few for when you need them even if they are not your cup of tea.
• The all day comfort panties. These include the so called granny panties. These to me are must-haves for everyday life. They may not be the sexiest (even if they have made a sexy come back lately, check out the new designs) but with all the stress in the world today, you don't need to add an uncomfortable panty to it.  Keep them a little further in the drawer so that you're not tempted to wear them all the time. They don't have to be ugly, boy shorts and classic briefs for example can be cute.
• It helps to have some high waisted shaping panties for that hourglass look when you wear tight fitting, body hugging clothes like the body con dresses.

Now throw away all those panties that have clearly done their time. How do you know they are begging for relief from their duties?

• When the stains from last months period still look like it just happened. Gross!
• When the waist band has lost all elasticity. 
• When they have threads flying all over the place the moment you pull them out. 
• When they don't feel comfortable anymore but you keep saying to yourself 'one last time'. Continuous washing wears out fabric including that of panties making them loose and uncomfortable. 
• When the have holes, doesn't matter how tiny. They start to look like rags, throw them away.
• When they just don't fit right. Maybe they are not the right ones for your body shape. Maybe you have put on or lost weight. Doesn't matter if they are still new, get rid of them. 
• When you have had them since the first time he met you. You probably kept them because he said you looked hot that night. Chances are he will never forget them. 3 years down the line, trust me he is hoping he doesn't see them again. He won't tell you to change it up because he doesn't want to hurt your feelings so i'm telling you now.

I develop a really intimate relationship with my underwear that throwing them away hurts like a break up.
Most times I am just lazy to go out shopping. I keep moving it to the next day, then the next week till it doesn't happen at all.
If you're anything like me, just close your eyes every few months and trash all those panties asking for retirement. You will be left with no choice but to buy some new ones when the few you have left keep running out. Unless you choose to go commando :-)
It's nice to feel pretty underneath if even no one is going to see it. Take a quick look at your beautiful panties in the mirror before you put clothes over them, you'll understand what I mean. Good for your confidence too.

Now go clean up those drawers ladies and happy panty shopping. Here's an idea of what you are looking for.

LT

Is your SUMMER gear on?????

Summer is one of my best times of the year (before it gets unbearably hot). Everything is so exciting this time of the year. Longer days, louder music, less clothes and the warm weather of course.
All I think about is the beach, travel, accompanied with nicely chilled drinks under the sun :-)
June is here, weather already looks good in my neck of the woods, so how ready are you for the season?

Here are few things I pull out to get me geared up for these hot, sunny colorful days:

Shades. The direct sun is not very good for your eyes, so keep them protected at all times. There are many new trends of shades, find one that suits your facial structure. I prefer the bigger ones that fully cover the eye area for maximum protection.






Sunscreen. It's a common assumption that black skin doesn't get affected by sun rays hence no need for sunscreen protection. Wrong! The extra melanin sure gives people of African decent more protection from the sun so they burn less easily. But, there is still need to cover up that skin especially if you plan on staying out in the sun for long hours like bathing all day on the beach. La Roche-Posay sunscreen, spf of 20 works perfectly for me. You don't want to look years older from sun damage after the long summer you know :-)






Wide brim hat. I can't go through the season without this hat for sun protection. I don't mind the chic celebrity look that comes with it as a plus. My favorite are the ones woven out of straw as they go with anything and are pretty light.

Bathing suit. It's not yet summer time for me until that long chill at the beach, a nap right before and after a nice deep in the cool waters. And for that, cute swimwear is a must. I find that black makes me look slimmer but I love to go for color too. It's important that you feel good in your bathing suit. Find one that's perfect for your body type to boost your confidence. PS: Don't forget to clean shave or wax the hair along your bikini line and all those other hairy areas that are not usually on display in the cold season.

Shorts. Less clothes, less heat. I stock these up in different colors. If you're a bit shy about showing skin for whatever reason, or if you feel 'too old' for certain types of shorts, worry not. There are many kinds on the market say, with longer lengths or more 'decent' styles and fabric.

Sandals. Let those feet breath after the long wintry days. PS: Don't forget to get those nails done before you expose them for the whole world to see.

Skirts and dresses. Nothing is as freeing as these in the hot sweaty weather. You can feel the wind blow underneath these garments right to your skin. I collect them in all types, maxi, short, backless and I like to go floral and colorful too.

Playsuits. Same as shorts, skirts and dresses, these are perfect for the summer. You can have them both long and short. Very liberating.

Don't forget to drink lots of water, moisturize your skin daily and carry that lip balm with you wherever you go. Enjoy the holidays!

What are some of your must-haves for the summer?

LT

Holiday Inspiration: Thailand

There is so much to explore in Thailand, two weeks did not feel enough. Considering, I wanted to spend a good amount of time doing nothing but lying on the lovely beaches, taking a deep in the turquoise blue waters, sipping my cocktails and having as many of those cheap massages as possible while the sun blew away. 
I managed to enjoy a number of things though, and can say it has been one of my most memorable travels.
Thailand is located in Southeast Asia. The official language is Thai but many of the natives make an effort to speak English especially with tourists who are major contributors to the country's income.

Our first stop was Bangkok. We stayed at the Baiyoke Sky Hotel, found in one of the world's tallest buildings. The view, the view! You could see the whole city and beyond from up there.
This hotel also had the best and biggest breakfast buffet I have ever seen. A whole floor dedicated to cuisines from all over the world.

View from the Baiyoke Sky Hotel Restaurant 

After all that food, a good walk was must. So we hit the busy streets. The people were so polite and welcoming. The city is generally chaotic but interesting. 
The prices of things in this country will have your jaw dropping over and over again, that called for some intense shopping. And you can haggle over almost everything too :-)
Don't miss trying a ride in the three wheeled taxis popularly known as the 'tuk-tuk' while you get around.

The tuk-tuk taxi

We then took a tour of some of the beautiful, historic temples and palaces in the land. These landmarks have amazing architecture.

            

Wat Pho temple of the reclining buddha

                              

Golden Buddah at Wat Traimit

The floating market where goods, mostly fruits and vegetables are sold on boats was quite colorful and fascinating. They also cook some local delicacies on those boats that you can give a go.

After few days in Bangkok, we went over to Thailand's largest island, Phuket, located in the South. It has beautiful, long sandy beaches, some more active than others depending on your preference. 
Some of the activities to indulge in on the island are snorkeling, island hopping, diving, sailing, cave touring, elephant rides, not forgetting the bustling nightlife on the beaches.
The party central is Patong beach, full of bars, pubs, restaurants, and discos. There was never a dull moment. The atmosphere in this place made me understand why Thailand is a famous destination for bachelors too.

Canoe tour through the caves

Phi phi islands (location for the movie 'The Beach'), just 45 minutes away by speedboat were simply paradise. Planning a getaway? This could be the place for you.

Spending some time with the locals

Another 40 minutes away is the famous James Bond island (Khao Phing Kan) that featured in the James Bond movie, The Man with the Golden Gun. And yes, it's as lovely as it appeared in the movie.

The elephant rides were another pretty interesting activity. Trekking through the tropical forest, going up and down some hills on the back of an elephant was an amazing experience. I must admit it was a little terrifying being up there. I imagined what could happen if the elephant suddenly got mad in the middle of nowhere. But we were assured that our safety was guaranteed.

I love to try new foods when I travel. Thailand was no exception. Eating local is an experience in itself. 
Thai food is delicious so it was great tasting it right from the origin. Even if, there were a few things on the menu that I was a bit hesitant to try like the wood worm and bamboo worm insects.

 Popular snack in Thailand, fried insects

For 10 dollars or less, I could have a 90 minutes Thai massage. Awesome! :-)
You will find more than one massage parlor on every street. Watch out for the dingy ones,  it's better to have a good look around before you lay down.

Fantastic scenary

  Meals on the beachside

 A glimpse of the entertainment on Patong beach

All in all, Thailand should be on every traveler's must-go list. 
Keep in mind that there is always an inflated price on things for tourists, the trick is to negotiate.
The weather is typically tropical so you can visit all year through. The highest temperatures are around April while July to October is 'the rainy season'. 
I was there in August and it was perfect. Just few showers some days for a short while which was ok to cool down the air a bit. Otherwise, there was more than enough sun to go out and enjoy the beach. 


LT