Fifi's Blog

Keep Your Waistline In Line With These Top Ten Foods!

2009-07-31T06:31:00.000-07:00

I was watching TV this morning when a delightful little spot came on which I thought my readers would appreciate. Fitness Magazine did the hard work of combing through fifty-thousand foods to reveal for us the top ten healthiest AND most delicious foods on our supermarket shelves. So if you're trying to preserve your investment in your recent lingerie purchase by keeping your waistline in line, you'll appreciate knowing which foods came out on top!

Koshi TLC granola bars, 140 calories.

Sabra Classic Hummus, super creamy, 70 calories in two tablespoons.

Athenos Baked Whole Wheat pita chips. These chips are delicious, friendly to the back end, and difficult to find whole wheat in this class of food.

Kettle Baked Potato chips. Real potato chips, only 120 per twenty chips. A lot of bang for your chips!

Sunmaid dried Mixed Fruit. Natural and yummy. Watch your portion size here, but it doesn't get any more natural.

Back To Nature Chocolate Chunk Cookies. Big chocolatey chucks of a great and natural health cookie.

Mister Salty Milk Chocolate Covered Pretzels 100 Calorie Pack.

Jell-O Fat Free very chocolaty and creamy.

Cadburry Royal Dark Semi. Watch portion size.

Ghiradelli Luxe Milk (super creamy chocolate) Watch portion size.

In Celebration of Burlesque Leather Brocades - Now That's Some Lingerie!

2009-07-30T11:22:00.000-07:00

I simply love the new styles of brocade corsets by Allure. They are my favorite out of all my leather lingerie products. Why? The combination of leather, rubber or vinyl on richly decorative colored fabrics is simply stunning, always turns heads, and is even good enough for stage. You just don't see it that often, and when you do it elicits a breathtaking "Wow!". Women who wear brocade leather lingerie are confident and beautiful, sporting a brand of sex appeal somehow reminiscent of burlesque style and imagery which I find attractive.

We recently added fifteen new select styles in stock as of this writing, encompassing styles such as shorts, various styles of corsets, babydoll dress and 2 piece sets. Colors include red, pink, baby blue, navy blue, and violet.

More Leather, Lingerie and Love for Your Life

2009-07-15T18:40:00.000-07:00

Now this is my kind of party, and the perfect venue for something from Fifi's Lingerie store. Just when I thought the days of Studio 53 were dead and gone forever, I stumbled upon this most sexy and even lurid story out of the UK about a "party gone wild". Warning honnies - this one isn't for the faint of heart.
A great history lesson and glossary of everything important to women's lingerie. Did you know for example that women's lingerie may have originated in the Mediterranean? And, in case you were afraid to ask, different styles of lingerie are defined, such as teddies, baby dolls, camis, chemise and more. Read this article and get started on your PhD in women's lingerie!
How do you choose just the right corset anyway? Take the mystery out of the purchase (save it for the bedroom instead!) and read this article about selecting the corset to complement your style and mood.

Spreading the Lingerie Love

2009-07-06T10:46:00.001-07:00

I discovered a most interesting website as I cruised around the Internet to bring you back the best. Check out essortment.com, a wonderful articles submission directory with all kinds of helpful articles and advice. This one on lingerie bridal showers offers advice on great ideas on classy gifts which will make any bride feel beautiful.
Askmehelpdesk.com, "live answers from real experts" is a great website for easily posing questions and getting an answer. The website friendly and easy to use. You can ask questions about anything and expect a qualified response, even on matters of love. Take this steamy situation involving love and lingerie for example, then ask a question yourself!
Did you know that the Saudi kingdom actually bans women from selling underwear? If they had their way, women there would have the ban lifted, and a first ever course presented to a group of Saudi women on how to sell underwear just might do it for them. CBS news world report reveals how social networking technology challenges old beliefs which keep women from experiencing emancipation in Saudi Arabia.

Caring for Your Leather Apparel – Part III – Caching (Storing)

2009-07-03T08:32:00.000-07:00

Part III in my series on leather care focuses on the proper way to store your leather apparel items particularly the ones which typically need to be racked. These include pants, jackets, teddies, harnesses, corsets or other wearable apparel items. I exclude shoes because caring for shoes take a different approach using different products, so the topic deserves another article. Why do I call it “caching” and not simply “storing”? Well, if you’ve read my previous articles (which really are prerequisite to this article) on conditioning and cleaning, it is purely for the aesthetics of the alliteration. (in other words, it just sounds better!).

The word “cache” (at once both a noun and a verb) is a French Canadian term used in the early eighteenth century by trappers to refer to a “hiding place for stores” and today means the same thing as “to store” or “a store of…”

This article is shorter than my articles on cleaning and conditioning because there are just a few pointers you need to know to properly store. So while last in my series, the topic of storing leather apparel is by no means the least important in terms of its care.

Store your leather apparel item in a well ventilated area, outside of any garment bag or covering. Your garment needs to breathe, just like your skin! This probably the most common mistake as many other garments made of other materials are typically stored inside garment bags. Leather is different!

Keep the environment where your garment is stored cool, dry and preferably dark, away from sunlight. Sunlight will cause the leather’s color to fade. And, humidity is moisture, and moisture will ruin leather.

Give your garment a couple of inches of breathing room on each side if you are racking it with other garments.

Hang your garment. Use a plastic or padded hanger or a wide wooden hanger when hanging leather. This will help it keeps its shape. Thin metal hangers will warp and dent your garment, and will cause it to lose its overall shape.

Store (or cache) your leather by following these guidelines and your leather will stay looking fresh and new for a lifetime.

Caring for Your Leather Apparel – Part II – Cleaning

2009-06-28T12:28:00.001-07:00

Wouldn’t it be great if you could just toss your expensive leather teddy outfit into the laundry pile along with your jeans and sweaty socks? If it were that easy, you wouldn’t need Fifi, would you? In this Part II of my series on leather apparel care – cleaning – I explain the proper techniques for washing wearable leather items, which cleaning products to use, which ones to avoid, and provide stain by stain advice, from body fluids on up. Read on if you want to protect the value of that chic leather jacket by learning how to keep it clean and blemish free forever.

Before you roll your sleeves up however, stop. Think about what you’re about to do. If you feel the slightest bit hesitant about dunking your fine leather piece under the water, then call a professional. This isn’t for the faint of heart after all. Just make sure you find one that can really do the job. Call around and ask questions. Does the candidate cleaner understand how leather is bonded and treated? Does the establishment clean leather apparel regularly? Does it have references you can call? Obviously in the case of suede, expensive designer handbags or other specialty or high end leather items you will definitely want a professional to help you. Just make sure you find a reputable one.

Cleaning Your Leather

Let's get the bad news out of the way first: Some stains simply cannot be removed – paint, ink, and chemicals are a few of these. The better news: Softer stains like water, dust, urine, dirt, juices and other liquids can be cleaned if you get to them right away. There isn’t much to the actual procedure of cleaning your leather apparel. Just use lukewarm to warm water and a mild soap like baby shampoo. This proves to be the best solution for most stains, even greasy ones. For extra stubborn stains, apply baby shampoo directly onto the stain, blot with a rag, then rinse thoroughly. Alternatively, you can use a leather-specific cleaning product in place of baby shampoo. Just be sure to select one that preserves the natural lubricating oils applied by the tannery, perform a color-fast safety check on an inconspicuous area of the leather beforehand, and follow the directions on the bottle.

For cleaning, use a soft rag like a cotton diaper or a soft sponge. Nubuck cloth is a great choice for many difficult stains on Nubuck leather (go to www.leathermasterbymail.co.uk for a detailed analysis on how to treat specific Nubuck leather stains and more). Once finished cleaning, gently squeeze the leather to expulse the rinse water. Do not ring or twist the leather to squeeze the water out. Be sure to completely dry all metal snaps, zippers or other fittings so they don’t rust. Then lay the leather garment out flat on a clean, dry towel to absorb any residual wetness. Allow it to dry at room temperature which can take up to two to three days. Finally, protect with your leather protector and conditioner (see our post on conditioning and protecting leather for instructions on how to apply these) and hang it in a cool, dry environment. Do not cover the garment, and be sure to hang it on broad, padded hanger leaving space on each side of the garment while it is hanging.

Congratulations, you did it! Yep, that’s it and I mean it. Whatever you do, don’t embellish the cleaning process with anything else (except for specific stains which we describe below). To do so will invite disaster.

Fifi's List of Don'ts When Cleaning Leather

DON'T:

Scratch at the stain with your fingernails and never use anything abrasive like a scratchy pad, brush, or toothbrush. While these work wonders on some of your poly blends, they will leave permanent scratches on leather.
Use laundry detergents, chemicals, dish soap, or any other soap or detergents. Stick with the baby shampoo. Alternatively, if you’ve found a leather cleaning product, don’t use it until you’ve completed a “color fast” safety check on an inconspicuous area of the leather. Most are safe, but it never hurts to be cautious.
Leave any soapy residue as this will cause the leather to stiffen and crack. Rinse thoroughly!
Hang to dry on a metal wire hanger as you will risk distorting the leather’s shape with it.
Use a hair dryer or any other heat source to dry the garment.
Wipe stains. Always blot instead.

How to Treat Specific Stains

Oils, grease and oily lubricants will be difficult to erase, but try baby shampoo mixed with a few tablespoons of water. Apply the baby shampoo solution by rubbing the stains gently. Rinse well. If this doesn’t work, try lifting the stain by applying ground blackboard chalk (after it is dry again, of course). Sprinkle the chalk powder on the stain and let sit for about a day. Don’t rub the chalk powder on the leather - just let it sit.
Sweat and odors will come out if you wash the garment in baby shampoo and warm water. Some resources suggest corn starch, but by applying corn starch will risk compromising the quality of the garment, scratching it or staining it further. Another acceptable option is to allow the garment to soak in a solution of one teaspoon bicarbonate soda to one quart of warm water.
Wax can be lifted by placing blotting paper on the leather and ironing with a cool or low temperature setting. Brown paper is also effective.
Mold and mildew respond best to a solution consisting of one cup rubbing alcohol and one cup water. Dip a clean, soft cloth in the solution and gently wipe the stain. For stubborn mildew stains use mild soap containing a germicide and water. Wipe the excess soap with a clean cloth and let dry.
Blood stains should be removed immediately with warm soapy water. Blood allowed to remain in contact will cause the leather to stiffen and will smell and will be difficult to restore.
Urine is acidic and very damaging to leather, usually leaving behind discoloring spots or streaks. Wash the urine out right away using warm soapy water with baby shampoo. If urine remains in contact with the leather the damage will be irreversible.
Disinfect away germs by soaking leather apparel in a solution of one teaspoon of bleach to one gallon of water for twenty to thirty minutes. Be sure to rinse thoroughly as bleach will damage leather if left on contact.

Leather apparel will maintain its original condition when you attend to stains immediately, clean it regularly, and clean it properly. Treat stains according to their type. If in doubt, call a professional.

Caring for Your Leather Apparel - Part I - Conditioning

2009-06-26T06:19:00.001-07:00

Let's face it - purchasing a leather garment comes with the same responsibility as caring for your own skin. Think about the similarities. Your new fetish leather corset is porous and needs to breathe. You need to be choosy about how to store and hang that sexy new leather harness because it can wrinkle or sag. That shiny new leather jacket IS a skin, after all! But while you'll never have to worry about dark circles under the eyes with your leather (thankfully), still consider your purchase as the beginning of a committed relationship. Doing so will ensure you keep your beloved leather healthy and supple for a lifetime.

Resources for caring for leather apparel run deep and wide, but the topic falls into roughly three domains: Conditioning, cleaning and caching (or storing). This article focuses on conditioning of your leather apparel. Subsequent articles will focus on cleaning and caching.

The Label is Your Contract

As you're shopping amidst tangled rows of chains, hangers and leather looking for the right size, look also at the manufacturer's care label. Follow the manufacturers care instructions exactly. Thinking of that tiny label as a little contract between you and the manufacturer and vendor is your best defense for a refund after you attempted to protect your coat and weren't satisfied with the results. If your item experiences damage in the form of discoloration, bubbling, warping, cracking or similar due to the application of a protector or conditioner you used at the recommendation of the vendor or manufacturer, take it back in the original store bag, receipt in tow, for a full refund. In the case of an online retailer, follow the retailer's instructions for a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number and send it back, but take a picture first (just in case)

Protecting your Leather

In case the scenario above alarmed you, don't be. Its purpose is to simply reinforce the importance of following the label instructions. It's worth repeating that following the instructions on the label is your best insurance for life long, good looking leather. Those instructions will usually direct you to purchasing protectors and conditioners. So when the store clerk asks you if you would like to purchase leather conditioners and protectors with your new leather jacket or outfit, reply confidently with a resounding "Yes certainly, thank you!" These important accessories will only set you back about ten dollars or less a piece, an expense well worth it for extending the life (and investment) of your leather item.

Fifi says

"...consider your purchase as the beginning of a committed relationship. Doing so will ensure you keep your beloved leather healthy and supple for a lifetime."

Let's be clear: A leather "protector" is specifically designed to act as a water and oil repellant by forming an invisible barrier to protect against wine, coffee, water, oils, urine and etc., any of which will cause your leather to crack and stiffen. A leather "conditioner" conditions the leather by working with the natural surfactants imbued by the tannery to preserve that natural softness that is leather's alone. For both protectors and conditioners, avoid greasy products as these fill the leather's pores and making cleaning and conditioning more difficult. Realize however that all protectors will tend to fill the pores to a degree to form the necessary moisture barrier.

After making sure your leather is clean and dry, treat the entire leather garment by applying the protector lightly. After allowing it to dry naturally, reapply. Be sure to follow the directions on the bottle. Repeat the application periodically. Now you are ready to wear your leather.

Some recommended protector products include:

Scotchgard Clothing & Leather Protector (4 stars out of 5 on Amazon as of this writing)

Tana Style 16 Protective Spray protects (well known, recommended for all types of leather)

Leather Master Protection Cream (5 out of 5 stars on detailersdomain.com)

The Spinneybeck Finished Leather Maintenance Kit is popular

Conditioning Your Leather

Leather apparel needs conditioning just like any other leather. Again, the oils contained in good conditioners will work with natural oils of the leather, penetrating the fibers to replenish and restore its suppleness.Let's start with a list of common mistakes people make when conditioning their leather. Don't:

Attempt to condition or oil your leather when it is dirty, dusty or wet. The danger here is that the dirt or dust will scratch the leather, block the conditioner from the leather, and just make a worse mess in general.

Use a cloth that is not soft enough and which can scratch the leather. Many recommend using a 100% cotton diaper or Nubuck cloth for applying and buffing with conditioner.

Use a substandard product, one that is too old, too greasy or which contains petroleum, silicon or mineral oils. These products tend to plug the pores and will eventually damage your leather apparel.

Apply conditioner before performing a spot check. Always apply new conditioner to a small, inconspicuous section first as a color safety check.

Fortunately conditioning leather is easy. Start by applying a thin coat of conditioner and softly work it into your leather apparel. You should let the fibers absorb the conditioner before wiping up any residue. The great thing about conditioning leather is that you can do it as often you want. The leather will let you know you are over-conditioning by not absorbing the excess amount. Make sure you wipe up any excess with another clean, soft cloth since left over conditioner, besides appearing unsightly, can attract dust and dirt and will serve as a medium in which bacteria colonize.

Apply conditioner in this way several times throughout a season, and more if you expose it to intense or prolonged sunlight or other harsh weather conditions. Keep all this in mind when you approach conditioning your leather and you'll be wearing it like a pro for a long, long time!

Some recommended conditioner products for apparel include:

Lexol Leather Conditioner (5 star rating on mySimon.com, 4.7 stars on Amazon.com. Probably the best known leather conditioner.)

Mothers Leather Conditioner (4.5 star rating on epinions.com, used on auto leather too)

Zymol Leather Conditioner (4 star rating on Amazon.com)

Zelikovitz Professional Leather Conditioner (power user zelikovitzleathers on eBay)

Leather apparel can last for a lifetime if it is regularly maintained and treated well. Just remember that leather is skin. Condition, clean and nourish it as you would your own, and you will help keep it supple and durable for a lifetime.

Sample Fifi's Lingerie

2009-06-23T15:14:00.000-07:00

Hey hunnies! I finally put together a short video sampling some of my favorite pieces (and more covered up!) from my store. Forgive the watermark in the corner and some fuzziness. I'm still figuring this out but kudos goes to me for getting the sound in there. Yeah! So aside from that...click on the "Read More" link below to see the video. What do you think? You get the idea that I've got some pretty sexy, sultry and downright seductive pieces, everything from fetish to fabulous, something for everyone. Besides leather, I also carry vinyl and rubber pieces, for both women and men, including plus sizes. We also ship internationally.

Welcome to My Blog!

2009-06-11T13:55:00.000-07:00

Hello, my name is Fifi Kapri and welcome to my blog! Here is where we will be talking about love, leather and lingerie through stories, gossip, and news which you will find most captivating. I will also offer discounts to my new store Fifi's Lingerie which you will only find here. I am confident you will find my beautiful line of leather lingerie and accessories among the finest available and made available to you at a better value than you will find anywhere else. The unique mix of high quality leather, rubber and vinyl quality products across a dozen distinct categories appeals to both women and men. My Diva series caters to plus size women. Be sure to see my quality accessory items, costumes and costume ideas in my store too. I'm just really excited to bring it all together for you here!

Starting out by selling premium sexy and exotic shoes in our sister store, Venus Shoe, I quickly built up a loyal base of happy customers who appreciate looking their best on stage and off. For those who appreciate beauty in their lives I am here. Let love, leather and lingerie be the pathway to unlocking your secret desires!

GRAND OPENING SPECIAL! Save 20% on anything from my new store by using coupon code FIFI20 upon check out.