It’s not often I have the chance to flash my knickers on a school night, but there I was, at Top Drawer Diva’s Scottish launch at The Corinthian Club in Glasgow, doing just that.
A bit of context: Top Drawer Diva runs knicker and garter-making workshops for hens. These began life across the border when founders Vicki Williams and Clare Booth, who met while working for Panache, were looking for a new venture. Their background in lingerie led them to create a series of events and parties across England where hens could play the designer and seamstress in equal measure, learning to produce their own decorated undergarments. And now, the company’s latest target is Scotland’s brides and their best girls – lucky us!
If you’re surprised we’ve made it this far without a pant-related pun, not to worry: the enthusiastic TDD team has plenty to go around. Make no mistake, the whole workshop is hilarious. We started with a round of cocktails and a game of Knicker Bingo – our card featured shots of faux fur thongs and saucy, sheer French numbers. Then we were unleashed on the boxes, tins and vintage suitcases, filled to the brim with intricate strips of lace, buttons, brooches and rainbow-bright ribbons to adorn the knickers.
Thankfully Vicki and Clare provided us with a ready-to-wear pair of delicates to use as a base, rather than having us try to master whipping up a pair of undies like one of the Corrie gals. Armed with needles and thread, pre-made moodboards for inspiration and a few sewing machines, we were then left to our own devices.
Despite shaking with laughter between stitches and taking regular breaks to nibble on bottom-shaped biscuits, the group’s effort was, believe it or not, quite impressive. Clearly, the workshop does not take itself too seriously or expect pieces La Perla would gladly stock, but the materials were remarkably luxurious, making the bows, trims and embellishments we haphazardly sewed on actually appear semi-professional. I would have felt confident wearing any of the bejewelled creations afterwards – though maybe not on my head, which we were all encouraged to do while our work was judged at the end of the night.
Don’t fancy a party in your pants? Top Drawer Diva can also show hens how to craft bunting (surely a great start on the venue décor?), floral brooches, cushions and aprons from scratch. The company will come to you and you’ll even enjoy a sweet buffet and glass of fizz to boot, while you weigh up whether neon lace ribbon or a row of starry buttons would better suit your festival-style bloomers. What more could your friends ask for?
Learner plates and penis straws? Please. I’d rather get my knickers in a twist.
Costs: from £20-£30 per head, with a minimum of 10 hens per party. For more information, visit: www.topdrawerdiva.co.uk