Treat Yourself to some Eco-Chic with the fabulous Sotto e Sopra - Review

I may be a busy Mum of two gorgeous girls, but I do like to look and feel good as much as the next Mum.

I’ve personally found that the first 2 years with a little one are often the hardest and you end up just throwing on the first clean item you can get your hands on in the morning not really focused on what you’re going to look like. Your thoughts aren’t really on how you look, as you realise that throughout the day you’re likely to change several times as you get vomited on, weed on, or worse! And if you’re not venturing out that day, staying in your PJ’s can often feel like the better option given your current circumstances.

However, there does comes a point in those first couple of years when the likelihood of these things ending up all over your freshly laundered clothes diminishes, you begin to feel much more human again, and the want to look nice finally returns with a vengeance. I’ve been feeling like this a lot in recent months and I’m enjoying getting back into old clothes, spending more time on what I look like, and sourcing new clothes again. 
  

During my hunt for new clothes, particularly those which are Eco-friendly, I came across Sotto e Sopra. The name is derived from the Italian meaning “over and under”. Sotto e Sopra are all about quality and founder Pauline Mathewson, originally from Australia, found a gap in the market for high-end versatile garments which could be worn on the school run but would also double up for the office. She exploited this gap in the market and Sotto e Sopra was launched in 2010.

Pauline had always been passionate about being “Green” and wanted to work with a lifestyle fibre which was comfortable and had a luxurious feel on the skin. This led her back to her Australian roots where she discovered the new age fibre Tencel®. Tencel offers quality, which doesn’t fade in colour. It is a natural, man-made fibre extracted from wood pulp and through its processing techniques offers minimal impact on the environment and an economical use of energy and water.

“Renowned for its “drape”, Tencel® is very flattering for the figure...... The unique structure of the fiber is that it keeps the body naturally warm in the winter months and cool in the summer months. The Eco friendly fiber offers a reduction in bacterial growth; due to the fiber absorbing the moisture from the skin, so no water film remains that can often make the skin feel cold or damp. The fiber is chemical and irritation free, which is great news for people with sensitive skin. According to recent dermatological studies, wearing clothing made of Tencel® significantly improves comfort and promotes a feeling of well being and contributes to world peace.” – (taken from the Sotto e Sopra website)

Sotto e Sopra was re-launched in September 2012 following the appointment of Danielle Watson, E-commerce & Marketing Manager, (who I had the pleasure of dealing with), and on 12th November 2012 Pauline & Danielle also launched the fabulous maternity range. The feedback on this maternity range has been very positive and they have a super variety of both maternity and non-maternity tops to tempt you. Their maternity tops remind me of the ones I wore from Seraphine when pregnant with Jess. They look chic, yet comfortable and will accommodate your growing bump.

I was given the opportunity to try their lovely tops and decided to road test the Warm Gathered Long Sleeved Top. I was sent one in Light Khaki Green & one in Mulberry. I particularly liked the look of this top as it had a nice, relaxed, flattering style which would hide what’s left of my Mummy tummy.

They arrived beautifully packaged and the first thing that struck me on opening the parcel and looking closer at the tops was how well they are made and how incredibly soft they are. The fabric is gorgeous against the skin and incredibly warm. It’s been snowy this week and whilst wearing the tops, with only a gilet on top, my torso has remained fabulously warm whilst the rest of me has felt rather chilly in comparison. It made me think that Tencel® would be a great fabric for socks ! The other night I had to change tops and realised just how soft the material was when putting one of my other tops on. The difference was considerable. The fabric is similar to Bamboo but softer still. I love bamboo clothes and the girls have a few tops in this material. Tencel® compares well with it and again would make great kids tops too if the material could stand up to the wear and tear of a small person.

 

The tops are generous in their sizing, they don’t shrink when washed – at one point I accidentally got them mixed up and put them in a 40 degree wash instead of a 30 degree one, but they survived and didn’t shrink; Phew! They dry incredibly quickly and don’t need ironing as the creases fall out in the drying process. This makes them a must for the busy woman. The sleeves are lovely and long, which for me is a joy. I find it hard to find tops with long enough sleeves and if they start off long enough they normally shrink in the wash. Not Sotto e Sopra tops. I really am impressed with them. I just wish they’d been around when I was pregnant – they would have been über comfy. So any of you pregnant Mums-to-be out there, do pop across to the website and take a look. I don’t believe you’ll be disappointed. Their standard range covers vest tops, tunics, long sleeved tops, bolero shrugs and t-shirts in a full range of colours. You’re certainly spoilt for choice.

The Sotto e Sopra January sale is still on for another week, ending 31st January 2013 so get in quick and grab yourself a bargain. They’re also running a competition on Direct 2 Mum’s website until 8^th February to win £50 to spend online from their latest collection.

I’ll certainly be investing in a few more tops for Spring/Summer. The lovely thing about Tencel® is its versatility, being warm in winter and cool in summer. What a joy.

If you would like to browse the lovely Sotto e Sopra range then pop across to their website at www.sottoesopra.co.uk. You can also connect with them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SottoeSopraOnline and on Twitter @sottoesopra.

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Disclaimer: I was given 2 Sotto e Sopra tops to try out, keep and review for this post. All thoughts, feelings and opinions given are my own and no one else's. I always give my honest feedback.

UPDATE: SADLY, SOTTO E SOPRA ARE NO LONGER TRADING