Yet another Bra Fitting Article

As a curvy girl it used be so difficult to find a bra that is both gorgeous and comfortable. There is no need to settle for badly fitting lingerie that you don't want to wear everyday. You know what feels good and if you get it right you'll see an improvement in your posture, your comfort and your confidence! Mostly though you'll be proud of your new gorgeous silhouette. Being “measured” for a bra is not the same as being “fitted”. Tape measures can provide a rough guide, but you only know if a bra fits by trying it on! Don't squeeze your boobs into a bra that isn't perfect. Different brands and styles all fit slightly differently. Never assume that if you wear a Brand X bra in a 30G you will also wear a Brand Y in a 30G. Every brand differs in size and style so you may need to try and few ranges to see which is best for your own shape! WHAT YOUR BRA SHOULD LOOK LIKE?

• The strap around your body should be firm but comfortable.
• When you stand side-on at a mirror, the strap that runs around your body should be horizontal and should not ride up at the back at all.
• The wires should lie flat against your rib cage and should not dig in.
• Your breasts should be enclosed in the cups and you should have a smooth line where the fabric at the top meets your bust.
• You shouldn't have any bulging over the top or sides of the cups.
• Your bra band should have enough space to insert two fingers under the back band, and one under the center front.

TRYING ON TIPS

• Start by fastening it on its loosest hook. You will be able to tighten the bra if it starts to give in the back when you've worn it a few times.
• Adjust the shoulder straps to ensure that they are not too loose.
• You may need to adjust your breasts to make sure they are in the cups properly.
• If the back feels too tight then you should try a size up (e.g. 34 to a 36) If the cups are too small then try a cup size larger (e.g. B to a C) REMEMBER: Not all Bras are the same! Different brands and styles will vary even if they are the same size. Don't be surprised if you need a totally different size than the bra you are wearing!

WHY DOESN’T MY BRA FIT PROPERLY?

The most common mistake is wearing a size too big around the back and too small in the cup. E.g. a 36D instead of a 34DD. Listed below are the common symptoms of a bad fitting bra and the solutions:

• I am bulging over the top or sides of the cup.

The cup size is too small. Your breasts should fit within the cups. Try at least one cup size bigger.

• My bra rides up my back.

The back size is too big. Try a least one back size smaller. You should have a snug fitting horizontal band running around your back.

• The wires stick out at the front or dig in under my arms.

The cup size is too small and not fitting around your breast properly. Try a larger cup size.

• The straps are digging into my shoulders.

The back size is too big. The main support should be coming from the strap around your back. If the back is not tight enough the straps will take all the strain. Try a smaller back size.

• The cups are wrinkly.

The cup size is too big. You are not filling the cups properly and should try a smaller cup size.

If you are still unsure when buying a bra or when you have received it at home, contact our customer service team. They will be happy to give you Free fitting advice on styles and brands and help you decide if bra is fitting correctly.

How do you layer your shapewear?

I think all of us at one time or another have wondered about the proper sequence of undergarments. Let’s say you have a pair of pantyhose, a panty, and a piece of shapewear. In what order do you put them on? Do you wear all of them or forfeit something? This question was posed to 13 shapewear vendors including Spanx, Bali, BodyWrap, Va Bien and TC Fine. We were stunned to hear they all had the same response. It was, forget the panties, put on your pantyhose, and then put on your shapewear. Are you surprised? We were. For starters, most of us felt panties should be worn. The reason the manufacturers feel they aren’t necessary is because they all make shapewear with a cotton crotch or an accessible crotch. Therefore, shapewear is specifically designed to eliminate the need for panties. In a poll of the women, the responses fell roughly along age lines. The younger crowd agreed about not wearing panties. Many had tried panties on under their shapewear, but found that the panty created an additional line - even when they tried laser edge cut panties like Commandos. The more mature crowd simply likes the idea of panties and wouldn’t consider not wearing them. The reason pantyhose go on first is because if put on over shapewear, they tend to slide down due to the slick nature of the shapewear fabric. You can spend the night feeling your pantyhose inching down your body and finding yourself in the ladies room several times in order to pull them back up. The panthose can also cause a line that otherwise would be smoothed out if shapewear was put on over it. Now, that said, there are several shapewear pieces that have silicone gripper tape along the legs to keep the shapewear in place. Putting this gripper tape on top of pantyhose renders it worthless, and could possibly cause a run in the pantyhose. So, there can be some conflicting results in this situation. Personally, this is what I do. I don’t wear panties. I also don’t wear pantyhose. If I want leg covering, I buy thigh-high stockings. Since my shapewear of preference is a biker short style, I first put on my thigh-highs, pull up my shapewear, and make sure the top of my stockings are secured by my shapewear. Now, I really only have one layer on, I’m comfortable, not hot, and have a very simple solution when I need to visit the ladies room.

History of the Corset

Like the brassiere, the corset has enjoyed a rich history and has endured much change, although over a different span of time. As a foundation garment, the corset is worn to mold and shape the torso. Corsets can be overbust or underbust lingerie and may include garters for stockings.

Once constructed of torturous laces and constricting slots of supports, called busks, the corset has been radically revised over a very long time. Originally both men and women wore corsets for aesthetic and medical purposes to compress waistlines, support weak muscles and straighten backs. Early corsets laced in the back and required another person to rigorously draw the wearer’s form into the desired constriction.

Busks in these garments were rigid strips inserted for stiffening support and used from the 16th through the 19th centuries. Busks were made of metal, whalebone, quills or wood. Depending on the historical mores, corsets could be tubular and shape obscuring or accentuating and alluring.

The 18th Century was the height of corset popularity. However, usage waned and corsets fell from fashion by the 1920’s, almost completely replaced by elastic girdles. There was a brief revival of corsets in the ‘40’s and ‘50’s in the form of a waist cincher, often called a “waspie”, worn to achieve an hour-glass figure. Coutil became the fabric of choice for comfort and durability; it is a cloth of cotton and/or rayon in herringbone weave.

Today’s corsets are flexible, stylish and beautiful, thanks to ultimate choice in material and design comfort, lending nostalgic tradition to modern lingerie.