By Margaret Shrum

Springtime is my favorite season in New York. I feel as if I am in Nature’s boudoir. I love the blooming cherry blossom trees and the colorful tulips that line Park Avenue. The trees have fresh bright green leaves and we begin to see the first glimpses of spring fashion on the streets.  Some of the big trends for spring 2013 are lingerie inspired, peekaboo pieces, including sheer fabrics, beautiful see-through lace, cut-outs exposing midriffs, high cut skirts and a lot of exposed skin. Intimates that will compliment cut outs can be in neutrals, black & nude or bold colors which seem to be trending as well. The silhouette is modern, so stick to the same underneath. Even though the designer fashions are a bit over the top for most women to wear out on the streets, there’s an abundance of less provocative options that are very wearable and affordable to all budgets. Three important trends this spring are boudoir as outerwear, daytime bustiers and romantic whites. Add one item from each of these trends to update your wardrobe and enjoy the flirty feminine springtime fashion.

A few of my favorite designer boudoir inspired looks include:

BRIDAL

Marchesa

METALLIC AND SHEER 

Reed Krakoff

 LACE THAT IS SEXY AND LAID BACK

Vera Wang

FLORAL, SHEER AND LAYERED

Thakoon

Jason Wu

WHITE, EYELET AND CUTOUTS

Alexander Wang

Carolina Herrera

By Margaret Shrum

For my own pleasure and erotic creature, I’ve been wearing suspenders and stockings for the past two months as a bit of an experiment. It all began back in February, I had a midnight rendezvous with a potential lover and I decided that a gorgeous Agent Provocateur red tulle bra with matching panties with garters and red fishnet stockings were to be featured underneath my outfit. It was a New Moon, on the night of the Chinese New Year with an exceptional man who deserved to meet me in full sensual lingerie goddess mode. So I took my time to slowly put on each stocking and attach it to the garter belt and admire myself in the exquisite ensemble. I wore a simple black kimono style blouse with a black pencil skirt and leather boots, showing just a glimpse of the red peeking out. Wearing stockings and garters not only made me exude confidence and sensuality that night, but I also had fun knowing I had on something that most women rarely wear these days. It was actually exotic to wear stockings and a garter!

Of course the man from the first date asked me out again and I wore stockings again, this time letting him catch a glimpse. He commented and remarked how much he loved stockings and thigh highs and was grateful that I wore them. So after having so much fun that night I decided to begin wearing stockings and garters out more often to see what would happen. Just like the first night, I continued to feel great about myself and noticed that I was more playful and outgoing with them on. I tried some different combinations underneath my clothes, like a white garter belt and black stockings under a black and white dress. I wore a long line basque from La Perla underneath a dress with sheer stockings and felt like a femme fatale. The good news is that technology in the lingerie world offers women so many more fun garter options, including panties with detachable garters which are also incredibly vampy. Wearing stockings and even thigh highs has added a bit of feminine flair and glamour to my life and has definitely put a smile on my face and those who are lucky enough to see what I’m wearing!

Years ago, I broke my toe, so I could not wear high heels for at least 6 months. My solution was to wear pretty flats with stockings & suspenders or thigh highs underneath. This instantly gave me an edge and helped me feel more like a diva! Most women I know choose tights, hose or socks to wear out and complain that suspenders are too much trouble. I’d like to invite women to try my little suspender experiment and get back to me with how you feel and anything fun that occurs. Perhaps you had a bad experience with garters, or you wore thigh highs and they didn’t stay up…ending up around your ankles! Or maybe you’ve never tried wearing a garter belt before. Whatever your past personal experience has been, check out these sensational suspenders and see what kind of pleasure you can create for yourself!

By Margaret Shrum

We all have busy lives whether we have a corporate job, run our own business, run the household and care for loved ones or a combination of responsibilities. Finding time to have a high quality, relaxed and sexy time with your lover, husband or even new partner, can often seem more stressful than pleasurable. Plan for your pleasure; by scheduling a sexy date night for yourself and your partner.

Begin by planning a night where you can both take your time to enjoy each other and create a sensual atmosphere as well as taking time to pamper yourself, be well rested and dressed up for your date. Literally, you should plan a minimum of 3 hours and agree to be on time, … Read more

By Margaret Shrum

My parents were madly in love, so much that my father designed a house and filled it with gorgeous furniture that accommodated my mother’s petite 4’10 stature. He made sure that she could reach every shelf, her feet touched the ground on every chair she sat in and he created a home that was cozy and special for her. At the end of her life, he was with her in her last moments, I’m sure she felt loved even at her last breath, he was there at her side. Being a romantic, I’ve always dreamed of experiencing my own legendary love. I imagined from a young age, that I would conjure romance, a fantasy lover who swept me off my feet and treasured me … Read more

By Margaret Shrum

Instead of New Year’s resolutions, how about making Pleasure Intentions? I’ll invite you to explore how you can increase, expand and discover your pleasure in 2013 by setting intentions for yourself. Pleasure intentions are for you, they are not about pleasing your partner, nor are they to be something that causes any stress or anxiety. They are realistic intentions around adding more pleasure to your life. So let’s start off with what pleasure could mean, browse through examples of pleasure intentions and feel free to take anything that resonates or tempts you.

It is my intention to:

Pamper myself at my favorite spa and treat myself to a relaxing massage, a body scrub and a facial.

Book a vacation with my beloved … Read more

By Margaret Shrum

I’m so curious about what women today are fantasizing about when they are alone or especially when they are with their partners. My sexual fantasies range from romantic, to wild, to perverted, to sensual and even mystical. Back in 1973, Nancy Friday wrote a book called My Secret Garden: Women’s Sexual Fantasies.  Her book was the first published compilation of women’s sexual fantasies and basically revealed that women, just like men, have a variety of scenarios that excite them.

Some of the top female sex fantasies include: Dominating men or being dominated by men, the teacher /student scenario, sex with a stranger, having a threesome with another woman or two men, voyeurism, force fantasies, exhibitionism and being a dancer or stripping for … Read more

By Margaret Shrum

The 90 minute S-Factor intro class, was incredibly empowering and about being in your sensual body focusing on fluid, feminine movement. After participating with 8 other women,  I now understand the appeal of learning how-to pole dance. Although several friends have enrolled in the 8 week S-Factor course and then progressed to advanced levels, I had resistance trying it out myself. The concept of pole dancing always triggered me, it made me think of women having to strip for a living in front of men for financial reasons- which turned me off to it. S-Factor is the opposite of what I had feared. The instructor shared that she has been pole dancing at S-Factor for seven years and that she does it for herself, as … Read more