Take control

WITH the arrival of autumn and the pressure to get the perfect bikini body now firmly behind us, women are turning their attention to more pressing matters, like Spanx pants.

When the taxi’s outside and you’ve got to get into that dress, there’s only one way to lose a stone in ten seconds and that’s with the help of some high-powered control pants. Thanks to Spanx, apparently, miracles do happen.

Shapewear or “magic knickers” as they are now known have become a fashion staple and sales at Violette Lingerie, in Yarm, are showing no sign of stopping. Push-up bras, suspenders and stockings may be sexy, but since the shop opened in May, it’s the Spanx pants that customers have been snapping up.

Violette specialises in lingerie and swimwear designed to flatter and enhance the figure. Offering everything from basic bras to the Miraclesuit, owner Lesley Kenneally has tried to source labels that aren’t found in the average department store and has deliberately chosen pieces that give a good fit. “I want to help women feel good about themselves,”

she says. “It’s no good falling in love with something if it’s not the right size. If your underwear fits better, it makes you look like you’ve lost a little bit of weight. The Spanx are flying out, they smooth out all the lumps and bumps.”

Lesley says customers are not only buying them, they are telling their friends. There is even a maternity range for women looking for more support as their tummies expand.

Sensible shapewear aside, Violette has a wide range of glamorous lingerie, from suspenders to made-tomeasure corsets guaranteed to set any man’s pulse racing. The Lise Charmel range is among the best sellers, along with the Prima Donna and Marie Jo lines. Other favourites include Curvy Kate, Aubade and Passionata, with prices from £35.

“I’ve tried to find things that were a bit out of the ordinary and have a bit more about them,” says Lesley.

With the majority of women in the UK wearing the wrong-sized bra, Lesley is encouraging customers to pop in for a free professional fitting. A former image consultant, she doesn’t use a tape measure like most department stores, she does it by sight.

The boutique also sells a selection of jewellery, accessories and nightwear, including Japanese kimonos (£89.95) imported from Kyoto, as well as swimwear. Look out for Miraclesuit, which has a built-in panel to pull in your tummy. While it’s not cheap (prices range from £112 to £141), the striking red all-in-one would turn heads on any beach. “If you want to look ten pounds lighter in ten seconds, that’s the way to go,”

says Lesley, who is stocking swimwear all year around.

Many new lines have been added since the shop opened and customers can get an exclusive preview of forthcoming collections at a shopping evening and fashion show in Yarm at the end of the month.

Lesley is also calling on customers to donate any unwanted bras and new knickers. The shop is campaigning on behalf of the Knickers for Africa appeal, providing basic necessities for women there.

With eight out of ten women in the UK not wearing the right size bra, she says it’s the perfect opportunity.

“Once they’ve been professionally fitted, their old bras are no good to them, but could make a huge difference in Africa,” she says.

■ For further information about the campaign, visit knickers4africa.moonfruit.com ■ Violette Lingerie, 37, High Street, Yarm, TS15 9BH. Visit violettelingerie.

co.uk or call 01642-791220.

Pamper yourself before the big day

,p> IT’S wedding planning season, with brides-to-be starting to think about all the things involved in their big day. There’s so much to do that during the next few months they probably won’t take time out to relax, re-charge or re-energise.

That’s why we’ve teamed up with Hilton Newcastle Gateshead to offer one lucky bride-to-be and a friend a pamper treat and lunch in this stunning hotel. The winner of our competition will also receive a “pamper hamper” from Crabtree & Evelyn at Dalton Park – the region’s biggest outlet shopping centre.

Overlooking the River Tyne, the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead hotel is ten minutes walk from the city centre and within easy distance of Newcastle’s attractions, including Millennium Bridge, Sage Gateshead, art galleries, football and horseracing.

It’s also only 20 minutes from Dalton Park – home of top brands at up to 50 per cent off normal high street prices.

Hotel guests can relax in the Executive Lounge or unwind in the gym or pool, dine on local dishes in Windows on the Tyne restaurant or sip cocktails in its bar. Hilton Newcastle Gateshead is also the perfect wedding venue, with a function suite for 500, superb catering facilities, luxurious guest bedrooms with high speed internet access and easy access to motorways, train stations and only 20 minutes’ drive from Newcastle Airport.

And of course, the bride can enjoy pre-wedding pampering at Hilton’s LivingWell Health Club.