If you are anything like me, when a new company is showing you sneak peeks on Facebook you get incredibly impatient. Made In Preston has been doing that for a while now.  Finally their site is live (seriously, it felt like forever!), and those sneak peeks are now available for purchase. Last week I did a little brand overview to tell you a little bit about what MIP is about. Today you get to see the Aztec bralet.

Disclosure: This product was provided to me for the purposes of this review. All opinions are mine alone, regardless of the origins of the product.

Aztec bralet fabric design

I won’t lie, when you hear about a bralet designed for a full bust customer you cannot help but be skeptical. I honestly expected something like what you would see from Forever 21 or a similar US vendor. So I was pleasantly surprised when this came. The quality is much better then what you would buy in the US. We will talk design and construction in a bit, but just the fabric and overall look is much better.

This little heart is important! Pay attention!

When it came in the mail I was pretty excited. It came very quickly, so I was not expecting it. So I just tore right into the pink packaging see what was inside. So that means you get a few pictures of a little bit of torn tissue paper and the cute sticker that sealed the package instead of the nicely sealed package that was delivered to my door.

Look at this tag!

The package included branded tissue paper sealed with the heart sticker. Simple, clean, but individualized. There is no extra fluff or packaging.  Just the symbol that have come to be associated with the name Made In Preston, that pink heart. If you look at the tag above you’ll see the logo complete with the heart you see on the sealing sticker. The second hang tag on the inside and the brand tag on the garment also have this simple heart design. The second tag politely asks you to check your purchase before removal. The one thing I think is missing is the size. The size is handwritten on the hang tag after the garment is completed. There is no size tag that is placed in the garment. So no going back to check what size you ordered before. Now a note on sizing and that cute little heart. If you look at the MIP site you’ll see that heart used to illustrate the size range, Fit, Foxy, or Fab. I think that is quite the cute way to illustrate a woman’s curved shape and the different sizes of curves that we come in.

Size 8 Fab, measurement laid flat

I was not sure what size to choose, but a quick chat with support was incredibly helpful.  Based on other UK based retailers I expected to need to order a size 6. MIP is size true to size, unlike many other UK full bust clothing lines. So please consult their sizing before you order. As the picture above shows, laid flat the size 8 is about 24 inches long. It does stretch, but the boning keeps it from stretching too much.

The overall length was a problem for me because I have a short torso. The back panel is 7 inches long. It is hard to see because of the black fabric, but in this photo you can see the three channels that contain the boning. It is flexible plastic boning. It moves and bends with you while helping the bralet hold it’s shape. There are two in each “wing” and one directly under each cup. The boning under each cup keeps the bralet from flipping up when you are sitting down. I would expect individual results to vary with this, so please take that into consideration.

Center front

The center front of the bralet is slightly shorter then the wings. Please excuse the badly placed tape measure.

The straps are not what I expected. The front portion of the straps is the divide strap shown above. The back is fully adjustable from where it joins the front with a normal circle bra hardware. Now when it comes to full bust design the straps are the one thing I am not sure of. I know my boobs weigh about 3 pounds, and the straps do not dig on my shoulders in any way. But I’m not sure how these thin (and cute!) straps would hold up to heavier boobs. There is plenty of support from the long fit and boning in the bralet, but the straps will carry some weight. I look forward to hearing how someone with a set of naturally heavier boobs will do.

The back of the bralet is a single set of closures, great for a fashion piece. I know many women would like to see more hooks and eyes, but I think that would negatively alter the appearance of the back of the bralet. It is a bralet top for a night out, not a bra.

One concern that was brought to my attention on Facebook was the width of the gore. So I thought I’d include a quick photo to show you how wide the gore is.
And finally, me wearing the bralet. Now like I said before I asked for sizing help. The 8 is definitely ideal for me. But I was nursing when I consulted for size, in this picture I am not nursing. So I had to throw a few push up pads in the bottom to get the shape to be a bit better. So because of that the 8 Fab is too large in the cups for me. The wire is great. The wire size in this is what you’d find in a 28H/30GG. But the volume allowance will allow for a larger bust. I think this would be a great size for about a 28J or so. The other thing you may see in this picture is where the bottom of the bralet fits me. My waist is a bit higher and my torso a bit shorter than what an ideal fit would be. I’m 5’1.5″ and most of my height is in my legs. So that is something to consider if you want to order the bralets. Because of where it hits on my torso I struggled a bit to find something that I would wear this with. If I had a longer torso this could easily be pare with skinny jeans with almost any rise, a fitted pencil skirt, or skinny fit cropped pants. For an example check out Le Curvy Kitten’s post on crop tops for full bust gals.

So overall, while I love this top it is not suited for me. I will be passing it on to another blogger who hopefully will have a bit more look with the fit. So stay tuned here to find out who will be reviewing it next. Until then take a peek at the MIP bikini that made its way onto the website a few days ago. It’s available in pink and teal for £32 or $49.

Diversity is a complicated thing. As consumers we want to see people like ourselves in the products we buy. But retailers must balance what sells, what models they have access too, and their consumer’s wishes.

June, from Braless In Brasil has started a campaign using the hashtag #diversity in lingerie. From her post:

From now on, if you want to join me take a picture of yourself (can be with or without your face, in lingerie or clothes- whatever you feel comfortable with!) and somehow fit in the hashtag #DiversityInLingerie. You’re welcome to either post it on twitter with the hashtag or email me and I’ll put it up in a post on my blog. Starting today (August 21st) other bloggers will becoming out with their own posts and pictures so check back to this post for the links! I’ll post them as they come out. I’d encourage women of ALL walks of life and appearance to join in. By participating you can show the lingerie industry that, yes, you’d buy lingerie from a diverse group of models, not just the ones currently shown. I want to be clear that this is nothing against the body types currently shown and I don’t want to get into a “real women” debate. We’re all real women. I just want a bigger pool of models so that ALL women can see someone like them and say “hey, she looks like me and that bra looks awesome on her, it could look awesome on me too!”.

Bloggers from all walks of life will be sharing photos of themselves, showing how they are diverse. I’d like to welcome any of my readers to share a photo if they are comfortable. You can share on twitter with the hashtag #diversityinlingerie or you can email me and I can add it to my post with any details you’d like to share.

So why am I diverse? What would a person like me add to the lingerie industry?

I’m a normal white female, if a bit on the smaller side. But I have breast implants. Not only do I have implants, but I have larger silicone implants with very little of my own tissue. Silicone implants in the US are limited to 800cc, and I have 700cc. I’m not going to pretend that they are natural looking, with how little natural tissue I had there was no way they would be.

How many models are there that are confirmed to have implants? I’m not talking about the speculation that every Victoria’s Secret model has implants, that’s what happens when you have a bra two sizes too small. I’m talking about someone like Jestina Campbell who will be modeling for Wonderbra. If you want to find a model with breast implants you’ll be looking into the glamour model section, not a lingerie model. A woman with implants should be able to model, in what ever way she chooses.

So of you may remember last year when Curvy Kate’s Star in a Bra came to the US. The entrants were limited to women who had not had breast surgery. It is my hope that a campaign like #diversityinlingerie will change that.

Other posts (please check back as they are published):

Braless in Brasil
The Breast Life
A Sophisticated Pair
The Lingerie Addict
FullerFigureFullerBust
Invest In Your Chest
Thin and Curvy
Bras and Body Image
Les Gros Bonnets
Voluptuously Thin
Venusian Glow
Wide Curves
That Bra Does Not Fit Her
Fussy Busty
Under the Unders
Two Cakes on a Plate
Kurvendiskussionen
Curvy Wordy
The Absurd Curvy Nerd
The Full Figured Chest
Muscular Hourglass

*These items were sent to me by Large Cup Lingerie. All opinions are my own.

Large Cup Lingerie held a twitter giveaway recently, and while I did not win, the did graciously send me this Rhea set to review. I want to start by telling you what I love about LCL. They are fun, take a look at their twitter and Pinterest. They interact with their customers, in fact if you can’t find something just ask because the may be able to help. The have free international shipping. Their prices are great. I could keep going here. But on to the bra.

LCL sent the bra (with a second) wrapped nicely in pink tissue and boxed to prevent the bra from being squished. Huge plus for me. A bra shipped from a US retailer may survive and envelope, but international shipping in an envelope is risky. They matching shorts were not immediately available, and were sent separately after they were located. The envelope with the shorts actually came a day before the box, that’s customs for you.

If you’ve read my previous review of the Rhea, you’ll know it is a bra I love. While I was pregnant and nursing I was sized out though. While I loved my nursing boobs, I was insanely excited to shrink back down the smidgen I needed to fit back into the Rhea. Pre pregnancy I had the Antique color way, this one is the black. There are minor differences in fit between the two, most likely due to the fact that the dark black dye can cause some fabric shrinkage.

I LOVE this set. Seriously. I don’t have any matching sets right now, I’m still getting rid of what fit while nursing, what fit while pregnant, and what fit before. I couldn’t just nicely fit into any of those sizes. So having this matching set is wonderful. Not only because it matches, but because the entire thing is so comfortable, while being gorgeous.
Some people think that black lingerie gets old. But on a pasty pale girl like me it works wonderfully. I have a slight yellow base to my skin tone, so some colors do not work well on me. Photos disguise this well, but in person it’s not alway pretty. This black is a nice true black (which means it shows dog hair like crazy), it really accents itself by matching the details. There is no slight color differences between the body of the bra and the detailing. High five on that one, Masquerade! I really dislike when dyes just don’t match up between fabric types on a solid color garment.

I love the half cup style, vertical seams work well for me. This style of bra is the kind that can make my augmented breasts look augmented. It can be a bit minimizing for projection as the cup is created with more lifting room then projection room. The wires are not what I’d call wide or narrow, kind of a middle of the road fit. The open top of the cup really leaves room for some upper boob, so some ladies who are sized out may be able to squeeze into the next size down.

Here’s where we get to my two complaints about this bra, both of which are about the straps. First, they are widely placed. Definitely an armpit strap look. Second they loosen easily. That is because they are made from the same material as the bra, which is wonderfully soft and silky. But when your bra straps start sliding because they have loosened, not so good.

Now on to the matching short. It could not get a good picture of the detailing on these, the black on black makes it hard to photograph with my limited skills. I’ll start by saying that I could happily wear these every day. I’d like one pair for every day of the week. They are so comfortable on me. I seem to be just between sizes, I went with a (UK) 10 based on LCL’d recommendation. So if you need help with sizing for a particular product, ask. Seriously, Laura is a wonderful and sweet lady, she will help you out! The 8 definitely would have cut in at the flank area, but still have fit. I like the smoother line of the 10. I expected the material to shift when wearing because it is so silky, no problem with that. Just soft sexy comfort. I’d really like a bunch more.

Unfortunately, it looks like I’ll have to contact Panache. After just a few wears this is what happened. I know it isn’t a problem with the design or fit, I have this bra in another color way. The band on this bra is slightly firmer, but not enough to cause pulled eyes. So I’m sure it’s just a product defect.
My little blog helper. I guess a bra is a great toy.

Until you cannot get it off your head.

Hey everyone!! Welcome to the month of September. I wanted to share with you some posts that are planned, partially because I’m excited, partially because I want you guys to get excited.

Panache Sport, photo from Large Cup Lingerie

Fussy Busty has started a series Fit & Active September. This will include posts sports bras and active wear, but also working out with boobs. Several bloggers are participating, so there will be a ton of variety for every reader. I plan on jumping in to talk about working out with breast implants, sharing how I like to work out, sports bras for different breast needs, a review of the Panache Sport in pink from Large Cup Lingerie and possibly revisiting my Freya Active review for some post pregnancy updates.

Gorgeous by Debenhams Strapless, photo from Debenhams

Sounds like a lot, but there is more!! It’s September, and that means it’s time to start planning Halloween costumes and dress shopping for holiday dresses. And that means special occasion bras. Courtesy of the wonderfull Debenhams & Simply Be, I’ll be able to talk about a few special occasion bras that will hopefully help make your costume and dress options a bit bigger. As many of these options are not easily found in the US I wanted to get things started early. So you’ll be looking at a review for a strapless from the Debenhams Gorgeous line and the Gossard Ooh La La Corselet from Simply Be.

Gossard Ooh La La Corselet from Simply Be, photo from Simply Be.

Some of you may be thinking, but Chrystal those bras do not come in your size. I have an explanation for that too. I’ve been talking with other bloggers, and then made this bratabase post. I am going to be exploring some different fits and rotating out my fit issues to see what I find to be most comfortable in a longer term. I tend to end up getting rid of or reselling bras quickly, I need a solution for more comfortable long-term wear.

This bra was provided by Large Cup Lingerie. All opinions are my own. Unfortunately the pink is out of stock, but they do have the black, grey, & white. I’m sure that the will also carry the next set of fashion colors. The Panache Sport is currently 38£, which at current exchange is $60.

This review was a long time coming. I tested this bra in every way I could to see what it would be great for or not so great for. I put it through the wringer!

Let’s start with sizing. I have sizing issues with this bra. No matter what I do I cannot get the gore to sit flat. I seem to need a 28GG 1/2. The 28GG is a touch small, the 28H is a touch big. It’s still functional in either size, but I may pick one size over the other depending on the needs. I have tried the black in 28GG and the pink in 28H. There is some sizing difference between the band lengths of the two. Sorry for the messy bed picture!

Black 28GG, pink 28H

It is not really visible from the size view, but I have a tiny bit of emptiness at the deepest part of the cup. But only on my smaller side (right), the left is OK. The wire width is also visible here, which you can see is too wide for me. Pretty much every wire is too wide, but it is comfortable. That is my priority when it comes to wire width.

The reason for the comfort is probably the padded wire. The picture below shows the wire and the bend of the padded wire casing. To me this is pretty important for consideration outside the activewear purposes. For women who may need to wear an underwire after a breast surgery I would highly suggest this one. The padded underwire is ideal for sore and healing breasts. It won’t be perfect, you’ll still be uncomfortable, but it will most likely be much more comfortable than a normal wire bra.

I don’t really think you can see it here, but this shows the front seam that curves down and around the cup. This gives the bra a seamless shape under many clothing items, but I’m not totally sure of its purpose. I do not know anything about bra construction so I won’t make any assumptions for what it is for.

The inside of the cup is completely seamless. This is great for when you have sweaty boobs. Personally I do not find this material to be extra absorbing, but it does OK. If you are a heavy sweater you should expect to soak through. With working out I tend to have skin fluctuations. So any seams can dig in and be very uncomfortable. No problems with the cups and seeming, I find that very appealing in this bra.

The underwire does not go up the entire center front of the bra. It does go a little high for me personally, but many women do not have complaints about the heights. It does not work well for my close-set boobs, I just do not have the space for the wires to squish in there to sit flat. The floating gore does seem to change the support factor, but more on that below.

The back of the bra is a standard hook/eye closure with straight straps. There is a hook that can be used to convert this to a racer back. If I could figure out how to hook it while on or how to wiggle into it with the straps hooked. Is it even possible or do I need a bra buddy to hook me in?

Something random that I noticed, the underarm area. Depending on what I am doing the cup/strap area will dig because it is too high. But I also get the underarm fat look which makes it look like it is too low. No idea what is going on with that. Here you can also see a close up of the straps, which are also nicely padded. Another great feature to see in sports bras.

Last but not least, clothing. I usually wear some kind of basic tank. The one below is a cheapy from Forever 21. The bra shows both from the side and from the front. But that is from the design of the tank, not the fault of the bra. Any less coverage in the underarm/sideboob area would not be enough coverage.
So what did I use this bra for, how did it do, and why?

Hiking- A+ This bra was amazing while hiking. No shifting, comfortable, supporting. Perfect under hiking clothes.

Tossing wood- B+ I tested this while stacking wood for this winter. It did great except I noticed shifting with twisting movements. That is probably because the back could be more firm on me.

Running/stair running- C This just did not work for me as a high impact bra. I think part of that is because the floating gore. The rest is because this bra is an encapsulation style sports bra, no compression. Most full bust bras in this size range will be encapsulation. Because I have breast implants my needs are a bit different. I need some compression to limit bounce. More on that in a future post on working out with breast implants.

Sleeping- A I can sleep easily in this bra. I don’t mind sleeping in wires, but many women will not. I do have some issues with the wire digging with certain bending movements, this is because the bra band and the bend of my waist are very close together.

Weight training/calisthenics B+ The only reason this does not get an A for me is because the previously mentioned wire digging and shifting with twisting movements. I have digging of the wires with sit ups or crunches, shifting of the back band with oblique twists.

Post operative (ungraded) I would have loved to have had this bra when I had to have a revision. I wore an underwire bra after one week. I would have loved to have a padded wire! If anyone has any thoughts on this please let me know, I’d love to add that to the review!

Hi everyone!! I hope that you can all take a few minutes to help out. Please see the request below from Alison.

Hi, my name is Alison and I’m in my second year, studying Contour design at DMU. I’m currently working on a project, where I will be using a special type of silicone and support bra in order to help support and heal breasts after surgery. I, myself have had a breast augmentation and understand the problems that occur with the support bra, and the discomfort that it can cause. If anyone has had a breast reduction, uplift or augmentation, please could you take two minutes to fill in my survey as it will be a great help within my research.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/KRY7X5S

Be honest and help her out!!  Designers with personal experience are the best way to really have needs understood and met.

*Disclaimer! This post was very difficult for me to write, for many reasons. It is hard to write a post with moderate emotions when you feel targeted, disrespected, and judged. This post will probably anger some people as well. I can understand that. I am enforcing a strict no snark rule for the comments! I reserve the right to remove or not post any comment left on this post!

Tis the season of SIAB. The full bust social media circles are abuzz with all things SIAB. There are just a few days left, so if you are going to enter you may want to hurry up! I love the concept. It is a great thing to see, a brand with their customers as models. These women are women that would not normally be a model, but here they are, representing a brand they love and chosen by the brand’s customers.

Curvy Kate’s media blitz states “We want your curves!” And they do, kind of. Women of any body shape or size are encouraged to submit their photos. But many women run into a problem, size or fit. One of last years top ladies was Brittany from Thin and Curvy, who is sized out of the brand by needing a smaller bandsize. I have read countless times from women how they would love to enter, but CK doesn’t fit them well or doesn’t make their bra or panty size. SIAB is for D+ women, but sub 28 bands, women above a K cup, or women who need panties over a size 22 feel like they should not enter because of their size. I have not seen anything but encouragement from the company for women who fall into these categories, so I hope that these women will consider joining.

But there is one group of D+ women who are left out, those who have had breast surgery. Because my breast surgery is breast implants, I asked about it on twitter. Last year there was a huge issue on the CK Facebook page, culminating in insult and judgement against women with implants. I wanted to know ahead of time if the rules had been changed. They hadn’t.

Last year it was unclear if it was just women with breast implants or if it was any breast surgery. The SIAB contest rules use the word “enhancements.” Really, CK means any breast surgery. Including reductions, lifts, lump removal, reconstruction, and breast implants. This one rule prevents an incredibly large number of women from entering. From the American Society of Plastic Surgeon’s 2012 Plastic Surgery Procedural Statistics, last year alone 286,274 women had a breast augmentation (up 35% from 2000), 89,067 women had a breast lift (up 69% from 2000), 42,022 women had a cosmetic breast reduction (trend statistic unavailable), 68, 416 women had reconstructive breast reduction, & 91,655 women had breast reconstruction.  Lump removal is not a plastic surgery statistic, so that data is not included. So not including women who have had a surgery to remove a lump in their breast, that is 559,433 women from ONE YEAR that would not be eligible to enter in SIAB (assuming they wore a D cup bra). OVER HALF A MILLION WOMEN!!! And that is just the US numbers, not Canada which is also included in the North American SIAB.

Really, how will they know? What gives them the right to know my private medical information? Does HIPPA apply here? (It doesn’t.) There is actually no legal precedent in place that protects a woman’s right to not disclose this information as part of the contest. Then the next question would be if they have the right to exclude so many women based on this information. Again, no legal precedent. Please note, I do not have a legal background. If someone who does can provide more information I’d love to include it.

And this from a post on their Facebook page, “Cosmetically altered breasts were considered an unfair advantage by our fans and customers as they may show the fit of our bras differently. It may also be an unfair advantage to other women you would come up against in the competition.” I was a CK customer and do not recall ever seeing anything asking what I thought about this. Maybe the before the original SIAB in the UK, but the US and North America is a highly different market. This makes me wonder how much (if any) research was done on the US and North American markets.

So the rules are in place to show how their bras fit and support the natural bust? Do they not realize that breast implants need support too? Or that there are women who have a significant amount of breast tissue over their implant, so no one would ever know that they have implants? There are women with gorgeous augmented breasts that have no one in their lives that know they have implants, and no one would ever guess. The Showgirl line is actually ideal for women who have a wider breast base, usually a moderate or moderate plus implant. Their regular line is ideal for a more narrow breast base, usually a high profile implant. Because they have attractive designs and colors women with breast implants are very attracted to this brand. Why? Because these women have worked hard to feel comfortable in their skin again, they want beautiful lingerie to reflect that.  And I’m not even going into women who have had a reconstruction. I don’t feel qualified to discuss anything about reductions are lump removal, but I am sure there is a similar feeling about wanting to feel beautiful too.

Continuing from the linked post, “You have raised an interesting point, one of which we are torn by as it is really difficult for us to know where to draw the line regarding surgery, as there are so many different cases. Each competition we hope to find a solution but, unfortunately, we have found no way around this rule to date and so have to have one rule across the board xxx”
So far nothing has changed from previous competitions. Still waiting for the support of diversity here. I’d actually love to know what has been considered for a solution.

And the image above. A great way to show the stereotype women with implants are up against. The original commenter was unfairly judged by the second woman, someone she doesn’t even know. The comment was never addressed by the page, but I’m sure that the commenter will find that this negative attitude will reflect her chances of being considered. Comments like these are part of why this blog exists.

While we are on the subject, I’d like to suggest an edit to the about section of their Facebook page. It says, “We continue to champion curves through our annual Star in a Bra modeling competition, which searches for the new Face and body of the brand. The competition celebrates healthy curves, diversity and is open to anyone who can wear our bras.”
I suggest the following, changes in bold, which I feel would be a more accurate description of SIAB.
“We continue to champion curves through our annual Star in a Bra modeling competition, which searches for the new Face and body of the brand. The competition celebrates natural curves, (remove word diversity) and is open to any woman who can wear our bras.”

*Special thanks goes to another blogger who helped me do some legal research on this subject. She knows who she is.

This is a guest post, we will call the author Ms. R.  I’m sure this post was not easy for Ms. R to write, there for I am enforcing a strict no snark rule for the comments! I reserve the right to remove or not post any comment left on this post! The opinions in this post are that of Ms. R, please respect her.

First, I’d like to thank By Baby’s Rules for letting me rant up her blog, since I don’t blog yet. Maybe I should. (Heck yes you should! A very valuable perspective!~BBR)

By Baby’s Rules and I had opposite surgeries. Yet, we both have the same reaction to Curvy Kate’s Star In A Bra rules. Disgust is putting it mildly to me.
As per ASPS numbers, a half million women a year undergo breast surgery in the US alone. That’s not a small section of the population, and that ignores minor procedures that disqualify a women from entering, such as a lumpectomy or cyst removal. As one living with a fairly major surgery, it wasn’t easy, and still isn’t that easy, to find bras that fit and aren’t painful. Bras that don’t have an irritating liner for hyper sensitive skin. Wires that don’t rest on or pinch scarring. Now, get into finding a bra that is comfortable and find one in a small band, large cup size. Now find one that’s not just some beige boulder holder type bra. Good luck. It’s hard. It’s not fun.
Society loves to tell women as a whole that your breasts are only good to attract a sexual partner. But if you dare let a doctor near your breasts, apparently now they are nothing and you should be ashamed of them and hide them. That’s harder to deal with than living with breasts that didn’t fit a bra, no matter what.
Yeah, the surgery that mutilated my breasts? I was at least a 30V under UK sizing. I had surgery over a decade ago, well over. 30V is a size that does NOT exist now, women can barely find a bra over UK KK cup sizes. 10+ years ago, heck, in the US any UK sizing was not around. At 30V, with the genetic fun of dense, heavy breasts, the weight is damaging. I have spinal arthritis. I have shoulders that have some permanent rolling forward. I have scars from ill fitted bras fighting to hang on to my shoulders and carry the weight. My surgeon does not do surgery under the age of 25 without serious medical need, and he makes sure one is wearing a correctly fitted bra first. He never questioned putting me through a difficult, nasty, invasive surgery that could have left me with deformed breasts because it was what I needed to function and survive without wrecking my body.
I was potentially too young during surgery, and yes I’ve had plenty of returning tissue. It’s still dense and heavy. I’m now in the 32G-H range, depends on the line. So I’m not small. But heck, I’m still on the edge of sizing out of some lines. So, yeah, I still get what it’s like to have to look at cute bras and go “nope, won’t fit, hrm, if I go to a 34….” So, it’s not a friendly world still. But 32G is better than 30V.
Per Star In A Bra T&C (found on CK’s Facebook page and the SIAB app)– it’s for natural D+ cup size breasts that are not enhanced. Well, I’ve got natural D+ breasts and I don’t find medically needed surgery to be an enhancement. But as anyone who asks will learn, ANY surgery is disqualifying. Take a cyst out – you can’t enter. Have a mastectomy and reconstruction – you can’t enter. Have implants – you can’t enter. Have a medically needed reduction – you can’t enter.

The first reason is that altered breasts are an unfair advantage. Well, great, but hrm, looking at my breasts, they seem to be fitting my bra the same as any other G cup woman. I can look at By Baby’s Rules and see how bras will likely fit since we share the annoying issue of center gores being too wide and too high, so I think she’s rocking some pretty normal looking breasts.
But that fails as the other reason is alter breasts don’t fill a bra normally. If I’m not filling a bra and looking “normal”, then how is that an advantage? If I’m spilling out all over, or having cups wrinkle badly – no one is going to think I have attractive enough breasts to model a line. I wouldn’t blame them for that, and I’d agree.
So the two reasons are busy negating each other. So I am directed to contact CK to go over this in more detail. Well, hrm. I got a read response in 17 minutes. I got NO contact for 4 business days. I got told it went to the wrong person, it went to the wrong inbox, and it accidentally went to spam. Sure thing. Because the reality is I got no response until I went and put it out publicly that they requested the email and are now ignoring me. Email did me nothing since I just got quoted prior claims and that oh, so sorry you won’t buy the bras now, but you’ll come back was the underlying statement. I posed valid, serious questions which are still not answered. I did wind up with another contact, which I suspect I probably wasn’t supposed to, but that woman did answer questions, take me seriously and treat me with basic respect.
Too bad she was the second/third contact I had. Because the discrimination and mockery of my needed surgery went too far. Because I’d rather alter bras to fit from lines who may not be diverse but don’t claim to be.
Curvy Kate makes a big deal about diversity in the bra world. Unless of course you have the audacity to mutate your breasts via surgery. Then, your unnatural, enhanced breasts are an unfair advantage and don’t fit a bra normally.
But then, I’m being mean by not supporting Curvy Kate trying to make women happy with their big breasts. If that’s what they were actually doing, I’d be supporting them. I’d be waving the white bra with the best of them. But it’s not what they are doing. You still have to fit their odd standard of perfection. You can’t have a health scare. Because any change to your breasts is not allowed. If the rules allowed medically needed surgery, I’d still not enter, but I wouldn’t be so pissed.
It does come down to breast hate. I stuffed myself in badly fitted, cheap sports bras because that was “comfortable”. That’s just me being stubborn. I wasn’t ashamed of my breasts, I just didn’t like the uncomfortable bras I should wear. Well, when I started to wear the right size bra, huh, they aren’t uncomfortable. I love my breast and don’t I have some CUTE bras! Wait, I had a reduction. I should have breast shame for that. Because a well fitted bra fixes everything. It’s bad enough to see on nearly every big breast blog. Because I’m tired of pointing out that per ASPS, medically needed reductions are far more common than cosmetic reductions. Because I’m tired of someone other than my doctor thinking they know what is best for me. I have to live with these breasts, no one else does. If it makes me happy to have a reduction until I’m a 32A cup, then I’m happy and that’s who matters.
Support for women should be very, very simple. Are they happy with their breasts as they are now? If so, good, support them. If not, help guide them NICELY into the best option to make them happy. If they’re happy in a VS bra that’s too small, give up and let them wear that until they learn otherwise if they aren’t badly sized. If they are happy in a 42F, yay for them! It is NOT my business what makes someone else happy with their breasts. It is not anyone’s business that I am happy with my breasts post surgery.
But Curvy Kate is just following the big breast standard that surgery is “evil”. Which is all some of us hear, and face every day. But people seem to not get that the woman who is wearing a soft cup bra who has uneven breasts may have several reasons why. Maybe that’s just how her breasts are and she’s comfortable in that soft cup. Maybe she’s getting implants fixed. Maybe she just had a cyst remove and one side is swollen and sore. Maybe she’s recovering from a mastectomy and preparing for her first round of radiation or chemo. Or there are countless other reasons why she’s wearing that bra with uneven boobs. Unless she expresses dislike for her appearance, it doesn’t matter. She’s still wearing a bra and deserves the same respect anyone wants.
But with current standards and Curvy Kate rulings, every single woman is one health scare away from being disqualified and being told she should be ashamed of her breasts. Which is a very danger precedent to set and use as an example of so called diversity. Let’s try for diversity that accepts EVERY breast out there, no matter who has it or what has happened, so long as the one who wears the breast is happy with it.

One year ago today I posted about Gabrielle’s birth. It has been my most popular post to date.  It’s been a long year, full of some struggles. My baby girl is finally one!

This first year has been a challenge in many ways. We had breastfeeding issues due to Insufficient Glandular Tissue, Gabrielle was born with hip dysplasia and had to wear a brace, moving from the southern US to Alaska in the middle of winter, reflux, multiple trips to Seattle Children’s Hospital, a sleep study, still unidentified sleep problems, crawling, and now walking. But watching her grow has been amazing. She has her own personality and is changing in so many ways.

Stay tuned for birthday cake pictures, I’m sure it will be a mess. Until then, here is Gabrielle as a newborn.

The cake results

Tis the season for parties, dresses, and special occasion bras! Thanksgiving is coming fast in the US an after that are the holiday parties and New Years festivities. That means buying cute party dresses.

With a little one at home I don’t plan on going out to party, but I still need a strapless bra. When I was offered the chance to review a bra from Debenhams I jumped at the chance to try their house brand, Gorgeous. I was torn between their sports bra and a strapless, but the holiday season is here so I went with the strapless. Currently they have several strapless options available. Here’s the kicker and the biggest reason why I wanted to talk about them, their regular price is £22, which is about $37 (USD). How is that for a reasonable price? And for a special occasion bra? Seems too good to be true right? Well let’s find out!
(This bra was provided by Debenhmas. All opinions in this post are my own.)

I’ll start this review by talking about the biggest negative of the line, sizing. In small bandsizes the sizing is limited. It stops at a 30 band and a G cup. But in 32-38 bands it goes to an H. Here is where you are probably wondering why I’m reviewing this as I’m out of the size range. Well for starters, strapless bras usually run tight. Secondly, I’m trying a new approach, I cannot find a perfect fit so I am rotating out my fit problems. But more on that in a future post.

So let’s talk sizing and the bra. I went with a 30G. The bra has 4 sets of hooks an eyes and the band is quite firm. I can comfortably wear it on the loosest hooks with no falling down. That is an amazing accomplishment to me. Like usual, I had a blog helper, Gabrielle dumped the last of my coffee on the bra staining the band in time for pictures. She’s a walking baby disaster right now.

The side wings of the bra contain small pieces of boning. This works to keep the band from rolling up during wear. I found that they did their job perfectly, I had no issues with a rolling band. I did have light pressure marks from the casing, but that is to be expected.

This particular bra is the Ivory Lace Strapless, currently on sale for £19.20 or $30. It is a basic moulded cup with lace detailing on the band. Nothing too fancy for looks, but perfect for a seamless look. It’s basic enough to compete with the Deco strapless for versatility (I have not tried the Deco strapless so no comparison), pretty enough for basic bridal, cheap enough for many budgets. You don’t see something like this in the US department store brands.

I’m going to apologize for this next photo, I just can’t get it right. I wanted to show you the pretty detailing in the gore and along the bottom of the band. I just can’t quite get the lighting right. The material reflects the flash making it look messy. I promise, it’s a pretty detail! It’s not a weirdly shaped mess like this photo shows. But I think this photo can tell you something, the fabric of the bra is a normal smooth choice, the lace detailing is lightly reflective while matching the color tone of the main body of the bra. Some of you may remember how picky I am about blacks that do not quite match. Well that goes for any color.

From the inside you can see that there are two areas for strap placement on the cup and on the back band of the bra. As a person that experiences armpit strap quite often I appreciate this feature. It seems to be pretty standard on the strapless bras I tried before my augmentation, but as a full bust customer I really understand the need more.

The cup edges have the normal silicone strip to help the bra stay in place. Usually I find these strips to be incredibly irritating. So irritating that by the time my special event is over I want to commit bra homicide. I wore this bra through the morning, laying in bed with a napping baby, and through lunch. Not once did I consciously think of that silicone strip.

The silicone strip is along the band of the bra as well. The picture below is of the inside of the center gore. This is where my second issue with the bra is. When I wear the bra I cannot get that part of the band to lay flat. Now I know the cup depth is too small, but it’s not so small that the band should lift that far below the gore. The gore not tacking is expected. A friend of mine also tried this bra on. She is 1-2 cups smaller then I am and had the same issue. I am not sure if it is the bra or the fact that we both have implants with a lot of projection.

The front view shows that the cups are a bit small, as expected. You can see there is a slight east/west look. I think that would appear more on a woman with natural breasts. The bra itself would probably work for me with about two more cups in volume. The gore is no where close to tacking and I get a squished upwards appearance.

From the side you can see that the wire width is much better then the width of a bra that fits the cup depth I need. It’s still too wide, but it’s much better. You can also see the plastic boning on the band.

With this bra I am trying to balance a need for cup depth with out a horribly wide wire. It may seem silly to do this in a strapless, but a strapless with a wide wire is much more uncomfortable then a strapless with a lifting gore. I wore this bra for several hours, chased a baby, laid down while she napped, chased a baby some more. Not once did I do anything but a minor adjustment. I never did the bra chimmy to wiggle it back up. I never pulled at the silicone strips because they where uncomfortable. I did not sigh with relief when I took the bra off. I’m pretty impressed! Add in the cost of the bra and I think this would be a great option for this holiday season. Debenhams does offer international shipping, with delivery ranging from £7-15 depending on your location. International delivery usually ranges around 1-3 weeks depending on your location and customs speed, so you just have time to order before Thanksgiving. Do check out the rest of the Gorgeous line, there is a lot of value for your money!

Check out Holly’s review of a 34HH full cup bra on The Full Figured Chest and Miss Underpinnings review of a 28G balcony set.

As a blogger, posting my pictures on the internet, talking about bra fit, and talking about breast implants I have opened myself up to criticism. When is part of the deal, I get that. All blogger do. But let’s get things straight here,

bloggers never claim to be perfect

Why would we? Bloggers tend to be someone with hard to meet needs. A person with strong opinions. A person with the desire to help and to share.

We critique brands to try and help the consumer get a better product and to be their voice to the brand. (See Miss underpinnings Freya post)

We talk about specific fit needs that may not be met by mass produced labels. (Like the original Bra Band Project)

We show products we are excited about, even when they do not fit us ideally. Like one if current favorite bras, the Cleo Maddie.

Cleo by Panache Maddie in 28H, too small, but so comfy!

We review products outside our size range when there is something we know our readers would like to know. (See my recent review of the Debenhams Gorgeous strapless bra)

We wear bras that do not fit, because it’s what we can find. We never claim that they do. We post photos that may show fit problems as part of our reviews. We are using our bodies like any fashion model would, to display the garment.

Parfait by Affinitas Alexis in 30G. Way too small in depth, can’t settle into the cups, but we all need a “nude” t-shirt bra.

We talk about fit problems and possible solutions. We share fixes when there isn’t a bra to do what you need. (Several bloggers are featured in the bra alterations section of Busty Resources)

We post about our personal lives on Facebook and twitter. Did you know I posted a picture of my face on twitter?

We put ourselves out there, knowing we will be criticized and hurt. But please, remember when you are criticizing that we are people too, we are not claiming to be perfect, we do not always wear a perfectly fitted bra, and we have feelings too.

There is an anti body snark policy on many blogs. That doesn’t mean that criticism isn’t welcome. It is! It does mean to double check yourself before posting. I’d like to see this extend to all the bra fitting communities. There is no reason that The Lingerie Lesbian and The Lingerie Addicted should be slammed on reddit for wearing bras using a +4 fit. Brittany from Thin & Curvy (and other bloggers) should not feel targeted by the Polish forum Balkonetka. Bratabase users should not feel judged by their fitting preferences.
Bra fitting is not a science or simple math. You’re dealing with human bodies, personal preferences. And we all are not perfect, we don’t just fall in line to the math.

And really, when it comes to someone else you would criticize their choice in wearing a tampon, menstrual cup, cloth pad, or disposable pad. Why should you be able to do so for the fit of someone’s undergarments? Discussion, learning, and sharing, not criticism and judgement. Because at the end of the day, none of us are perfect.

A few days before Christmas

I swear to you lovely readers, I’m not making excuses, but life has been crazy busy.  I like in a part of Alaska that is remote enough to be unfriendly for even mail ordering bras (it gets worse!) but has the basics covered. Life here has not been easy, and it has definitely impacted my blogging. So I thought I’d share a little bit of what life is like here and why I’ve been away.  The photo above was taken the Thursday before Christmas, a normal day in my part of Alaska.

So let’s start by talking about how beautiful Alaska is. Below are two different seasons, from my front windows. The first would be fall everywhere else, but it is already snowing here. The second is late spring/early summer as the snow has finally melted off.

It is amazing how different the two are! And yes, those are real moose in my front yard. We have a little moose family that lives around my area, they come through regularly. It’s not as cool as it looks, they are very dangerous. That mama moose could easily kill me with a single kick of those legs. Now, all this beautifulness aside, AK is not an environment you easily adapt to. Summer is amazing, the longest days the sun technically sets but it is still light outside. Winter has very short days where the sun peeks over the horizon just to set again, there is hardly any daylight. Look at the first picture and you can see the sunrise time, almost 11am!

Most people wouldn’t be driving on roads like these!

Going out and driving is always a risk. Most people wouldn’t risk driving on roads like this. But every year we change out our tires for studded tires, we drive slow, and we try to be safe. Just so we can run to the grocery store. The road in this picture is actually a major highway. This ends up causing limited travel and a lot of cabin fever.

Moose tracks through my front yard

Another visit from our lovely moose friend. She trampled through the front yard while we were grocery shopping. To let you know how deep the snow is, I went out a few days later looking for the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights), I sank into the snow up to my knees before I hit a layer of snow so compacted from the snow above that I can no longer sink. I am 5’2″ with pretty long legs, the snow depth is about mid-thigh on me.

My back door trying to freeze shut with a very unhappy Ozzy the boxer.

Every year we end up frozen into the house for at least a little bit. The backdoor and front door often freeze shut. With daily use we can usually break it open pretty easily. My poor furkids wear dog boots to go outside to do their business. Ozzy the boxer is a little bit of a priss, so when it gets too cold he also wears a jacket. Living here can be very hard on them too.

How we heat our home, a wood stove.

What causes the most complication is heating your home. Homes are heated using wood stoves, pellet stoves, or oil heat. Even the electric is a byproduct of oil. Each have their own advantages and disadvantages. Oil is very expensive. January is the coldest month of the year and you can easily spend $1000 on oil to heat your home. Pellets have to be purchased regularly at a super store. Wood has to be chopped and moved. We use a wood stove, which comes out to the least expensive. But every year you stockpile a lot of wood for the use all through the winter. That wood has to be moved all winter long, brought into the house to use. I’m not saying we live like they do in the Alaska: The Last Frontier TV show, but we definitely do not have the easy life.

So what have I been up to? Well, not much and a lot at the same time. I’m spending the rest of the month with just my furkids and Gabrielle, my husband has military commitments. So we spent a bit of time getting the house ready for him to be gone. It is impossible for me to keep up with moving wood with a 14 month old little one running around. So our garage is stocked up with what is hopefully enough wood for us for this cold month. We also did some extra toddler proofing of our kitchen, Gabrielle loves to get into any cabinet and the dishwasher. We did a midwinter clean of the entire house. Do you have any idea how stuffy house can get when it has been shut up for several months in the horrible cold?  We celebrated Gabrielle’s first Christmas where she could open presents. We had some really cool family portraits done, complete with zombie make up. I took an intro photography class with the hopes of getting a tripod and taking better photos for the blog.

I’ve also been dealing with some health problems. Gabrielle had months of sleep problems which has had a major impact on my sleep. Lack of good quality sleep can really do a number on the body and mind. I have tried to focus on getting better sleep for myself, and helping Gabrielle get better sleep too. We are getting there, I’m slowly starting to feel like myself again. I’m still very tired many days, but things are improving. This has really affected my ability to work out, eat how I’d like, and my body image. It is really hard to take pictures in a bra or undies when you are feeling pretty down about how your body looks. So the month of January is (hopefully) focused on continuing to get better sleep for Gabrielle and I, to eating to fuel our bodies, and to being more active. I’m trying to improve my health, my body image, and my mental health.

So there you have it! I hope this is the first post to me getting back to blogging. I’ve got a lot to write about, a lot of bras to review. Please feel free to drop a line and let me know how you’ve been doing. The chatting helps me feel motivated to keep posting.

Hey everyone! This is my first bra review of the year, the Cleo Maddie in Candy Pink. This is my bra pick for Valentine’s Day, with Cleo being my brand pick. There are a few reasons why, but mostly candy pink. Cleo has a few bras available in pink (Fall 2013′s Marcie), and this summer will have the Neve in hot pink. There are past bras in pink, like the Lucy, variations of pink in the Zia’s dots, or flowered pinks. Let’s not forget the Cleo swim line, with the pink Dolly. Most people think Valentine’s Day and go for red, but not me. Having auburn hair red is a hard match for me, so I tend to skip it.
Unfortunately living in Alaska my lighting options are horrible right now. These images are not true to color, they are more yellow. The stock images are much more true to color. The color is what drew me to this bra. I do not think I have ever had a pink bra, even as a teen. I did try on a pink Marcie, and while I’d love to have it the style just doesn’t quite work for me. The Maddie doesn’t come close to perfect, but it fills a huge need in my wardrobe.

The aqua button. I love how the colors tie together with the other parts of the collection. I see the aqua Marcie right here. Makes me wonder if I could take this bra and matching it with the aqua Marcie bottoms.

The Maddie is a moulded cup bra and comes up to an H cup. This is something that I was in serious need of. The interior of the cups are smooth and soft, but not as silky feeling as the outside of the cups.

The back has the Cleo standard two hooks and eyes, something I usually prefer. But this bra is a case in which I do not prefer it. This is directly tied to a fit issue that I’ll talk about in a bit.

The cup material is a lightly striped material that is completely visible under clothing. I think it is cute, I find it appealing in a sea of fabrics that I do not usually care for. I like a touch of detail, but I’m not a fan of the very busy prints you can find.

I don’t usually buy matching underwear as the cost is too high for what I’d like to spend on something covering my cheeks. But I wanted the matching set. It’s the same light striped material with the same cute aqua button.

The back does have a seam, something that I am not a fan of. But it doesn’t show through clothing. But if I am going to have a seam in my butt cheeks I’d like it to at least do something for the fit and shaping. I went with a UK 8 (xs) which fit fine. They are lightly stretchy, but will catch right in the love handle area. Which unfortunately they do on me.

Now on to the fit. This bra does not fit me. No matter how much I want it to it is not going to. The cups are too shallow for my shape. I cannot settle into fill the bottom of the cups. The cups are also slightly too small, give a bubble boob out the top. I have no problems dealing with this at all. I don’t really care if it pushes my boobs up and makes them a bit more fake looking.

From the side the bubble boob is not too bad. It looks wearable. The wires a touch wide, but not nearly as wide as the Marcie was on me. You can start to see the big problem I have with the band. Because the cups are too shallow I have a lot of pressure pushing the cups forward. This pulls the band tight at the back allowing the elastic at the bottom of the band to dig into the soft tissue of my back. The dreaded back fat! More about that below, I’ll show you exactly what it looks like in clothes and why some many women in the US hate it.

I bought this set shortly before Thanksgiving (I know, a while ago, sorry!). During Black Friday shopping I came across these socks and the ones below. I don’t know anyone that matches their bra/panties to their socks, but these were perfect and fun! I had to buy them.

I looked for the Maddie for a while before I finally found it. I even asked on Bratabase to see if the ladies there could help me find it. There was no one in the US that had a 28H in stock and ordering from the UK was not cost affective with shipping. So I asked Panache on twitter to point me in the direction of a retailer that had the Maddie in a 28H. They pointed me to My Smarty Pants, a UK based retailer. Again, shipping is not cheap, but MSP did knock down the shipping costs for me. This brought the set to the price I would pay in the US. Perfect!

Here’s the Maddie under a plane T. Again, horrible lighting, but hopefully the pink bra is visible under blue. Even with the light ribbed material you cannot see it through the top. It’s not a plunge, but as I wear a lot of gray scoop neck tops a pink moulded is just perfect. Pink + gray = Happy me. I love the color combination.

Outside the obvious fit issues that I have made the choice to deal with, this is my one bone to pick with the bra. The back band pulling and digging in the soft tissue on the back. Almost every woman has this soft tissue. In a shirt it creates a “fat roll” look that most of us do not find flattering. Now this is a very thin shirt, it does not show as much in a t-shirt that is the normal thickness. Something to be aware of if you want to purchase this bra. If you do not have as much projection as what I do this may not be as much of an issue for you.

The next color Maddie is a come back color Maddie Aqua. Anyone that loved the Marcie in aqua will want to look at the Maddie. I’ll probably order this in a 30H and alter the band.

The Maddie was available in patterned styles.This post is a great comparison between the patterned styles and the continuity style.

The Maddie is also available in a “nude” and black color. Do check out the other pink options from Cleo for your Valentine’s Day shopping.

The Kewi Bra is a new innovation by inventor and entrepreneur Muyiwa Olumide. It made waves in the lingerie community when the first bits of information came out. The size range of the bra jumped, bandsizes were added, and preorders accepted. Updates slowed down, everyone started wondering how things were going. Prototype images appeared on their Facebook page leaving some wondering.

Then this news article was posted yesterday. Needless to say, I was quite shocked.

Then it was confirmed on Facebook:

Confirmation post on Facebook

My lovely readers, I’m going to be quite blunt and honest here, something I reserve for the rare use. WHAT THE HELL?!?! How is this in any way shape or form a good idea? Before I get started on why this is a bad idea I want to emphasize something. I have no problem with anyone, regardless of gender identity having surgery for implants. I support being happy with your body as long as the positives outweigh the negatives. I have a problem with someone getting implants for publicity, to raise money for a business venture, whether they be male or female. I have an even bigger problem with a male thinking he can feel how a woman feels by getting breast implants. Breast implants or natural, no person (male or female) can feel like a woman unless their gender identity is female. I understand that there is much more to gender identity then what I’m talking about here, but I’m keeping things strictly male/female based on the gender identity of the subject of the article.

So let’s get into the nitty-gritty for why this is a bad idea.

From the Kewi Bra FAQ:

Would the Kewi bra work for someone without a significant amount of ptosis or tissue below the inframammary fold?
The main reason the Kewi Bra does not include A-C cup sizes is because commonly those sizes do not have enough tissue below the iframammary fold to be held by the inner cups. If a women does not have this fold at all due to perkiness then it is not likely her breasts can be held by the inner cups. The inner cups fit just below the crease of the fold at the back of the breasts and wrap around the front of the breasts covering the areolas.

So lets take a look at what breasts look like post augmentation. (Link NSFW!!!) Of course a woman with more natural tissue will be more likely to have more of a breast fold. But it is probably a safe assumption that most men will not. The photo below is my inframammory fold. I started with almost 0 breast tissue, I have larger silicone implants, and as part of my second surgery I had my inframammory fold reinforced. Still no natural breast hang. I could not wear the Kewi bra, and chances are the CEO of Kewi Bra will not be able to either.

My inframammary fold

This lack of inframammory fold can change how a bra fits an augmented breast. That is not even considering some of the other fit considerations that must be looked at when fitting a woman with implants. There are countless combinations of size, profile, shape, filler, and placement that can change how the implant looks and behaves in a bra.  All these factors is why my blog exists, to help women find out what factors change their bra fit and to find a bra that works for them. This is why bras designed especially for implants have failed (I’m looking at you Le Mystere no9).

Next let’s get into recovery.  Here is a little bit about what you can expect during recovery.

UBS (“Ugly Breasts Sydrome”) – You’ve finally had your surgery, and the results you’re seeing aren’t what you paid for. “Ugly Breast Sydrome” happens to many women that have breast augmentation surgery. Most women aren’t going to have gorgeous breasts as soon as they roll out of the operating room. They may appear oblong in shape, or torpedo-like, or they may look swollen, broad, and flat. The implants may ride high, and be literally right up against your collar-bone in the beginning. They may be bruised and swollen, and your nipples may be puffy and swollen. They may look HUGE, or flat. For women who do not realize that this is completely normal, it can be a terrifying experience. The good news is that things will get better, given some time and patience.

Plus there is more in the link above. There are women who come out of surgery looking pretty amazing. But most women do not. Women can expect it to be up to ONE YEAR post op before they have their final results. ONE YEAR! For a bra that is supposed to be released in three months I think time is a little short.

From Dr. Pousti a California-based plastic surgeon experienced in gender reassignment and placing breast implants in the male anatomy, a partial list of post op instructions:

1.Sleeping in an upright reclined position for 1 week after surgery.
2. No heavy lifting for 4-6 weeks. No upper body activity for 4-6 weeks.
3. No reaching out or above your shoulders for 1-2 weeks.
4. Keep your hands and elbows to your side for 1 week.
5. No driving for 1 week post Breast Augmentation surgery or until off narcotic pain medication completely and can respond to an emergency.
9. No upper body exercises for 4-6 weeks post breast augmentation surgery
20. Wear the surgical bra for a total of 4 weeks. You may wear a comfortable sports bra or regular non-under wire bras after you get rid of your surgical bra. You wear sports bras for 4 weeks.
21. Nice under wire bras are ok once you have full sensation at the bottom of the breast. This will be closer to 2 months post surgery.

This is not a simple surgery! This is pretty average with the exception of a technique commonly referred to as Rapid Recovery.  Some surgeons are even more conservative. My first surgery I was not allowed to wear wired bras for 3 months. Other surgeons say one year or even never! This is a taste of what Kewi Bra CEO Muyiwa Olumide can expect if he does go through with a breast augmentation surgery.

On to the last point. Weight. Breasts can widely vary in weight across the size spectrum. Breasts of the same size can be very different weights due to density and type of tissue. Because I have very little natural breast tissue I can be pretty sure that most of my breast weight is silicone implant. You can calculate the weight for different sizes and types here. My 700cc silicone implants together weigh 3.28 pounds and I wear a 28HH. My first implants were 397cc silicone, together they weighed 1.86 pounds and I wore a 28FF. Leah from Hourglassy did an experiment to weigh her own breasts. Of course this is completely unscientific, but it is enough to make you question the issue of weight. Her 28G breasts came in at an estimated 5.2 pounds! Like I said, it’s just a fun measurement, one I did while pregnant too. It is in no way meant to be an accurate measurement of breast weight.

Bottom line through all of this, women feel insulted by the idea that a male can “experience exactly what a Kewi bra wearer goes though.” I myself won’t pretend to speak for all women with implants, I am but a small fish in the sea of women with implants, but I do want to give these women a voice.  The term “real woman” is being thrown around because of this, and that is something that hurts a woman with breast implants. There is already enough of an implication and stereotype that we are “fake.”  We ARE real women too.  Please stop doing things that increase the stigma we already face! Please stop the negative news light on breast implants.

Additional reading on Kurvendiskussionen.

This is the bra that broke my heart. I should have known it wouldn’t work for me, but it was a set that I HAD to have. I should have known better. It went on to another lady, and I’m pretty sure it broke her heart too.

Some people just were not a fan of this bra when it first appeared on the Facebook page. But I loved the print. I used to spend a lot of time reading, so newspaper print kind of spoke to me.

This bra feels kind of vintage to me, old but not dated. It looked white on the facebook, but it is actually the color of a yellowed newspaper. There are also small opaque polka dots, the black ruffles, and the small red hearts with the big red bow. The giant bow in the center gore seems to be an Ewa trend for this season, I’ve found it in many bras that I’ve purchased. It isn’t something that draws me to a bra and I hadn’t noticed it on other styles until they came in the mail.

The biggest complaint I have with the CHP style is the wide placed straps. They just do not work for me. Because this bra has the detailed straps (picture below) they rub that area even more than a normal wide placed strap would. The straps on this bra are wider then the S or SM styles I have from the same season.

Here’s the strap and band. You can see the cute detailing of the straps. Personally I could do without the hearts, they are a bit cutesy for me. I don’t really think they add much to the bra with all the other details.
More hearts! There are four along the back band and one on each strap.

I wasn’t overly impressed by the inside of the cup. The stitching wasn’t as clean as some of my other Ewa Michalak bras. That could have just been a bit of a misadjustment on the sewing machine.

The ruffle at the top of the bra. You can see in my picture above that it does not lay flat against the breast, but it isn’t as ruffly and obvious as something like the CK Tease Me or Thrill Me. I quite like the ruffle and the black over the cup seams and the underwire channel (pictured below). I think there are people who wouldn’t care for the look and would love the read hearts and big bow. Personal taste here, there is no added stability to the cups from the ribbon, at least in my size.

Here is the black underwire channel. And my second bone to pick with the bra. There is more of that pretty black ruffling. It’s so pretty, but it is a bit scratchy on the stomach. Plus if your underbust is smaller than your stomach you’ll have problems with the ruffles pushing out. I noticed this just sitting down in the short time I wore the bra.

Be cause of the CHP shape I would not recommend this bra or style to someone who has a narrow projected shape (HP or UHP silicone implants, or HP saline implants) in any size range.  I think this bra style would be more suited to someone in the G and below range with a wider breast base (mod or mod+ implants). I ordered this bra in a 65GG because that was the cut off for special order sizing.  I did find the band to be just fine in a 65 as it is a bra that stretches just past 65cm (mine stretched to 27.5in). The cup was shallow and a bit small, as I expected, but the wire width was perfect for me. As I am trying to find a better wire fit for the sides of my breasts, encasing the side of the implant instead of sitting halfway to my back, this was perfect. I expected it to be shallow because of the CHP style. Unfortunately the strap placement made this bra unwearable for comfort reasons.

I also purchased the matching bottoms, which have also gone on to a new home. Just taking them out of the package, they were tiny!  I bought a 36 based on other bottoms I have and these were much smaller. They just did not have the stretch that I’d find comfortable in panties. The fabric was the same as the bra, so I guess I should have expected them to not stretch and be a bit small.

Other reviews:
Tamara on Bratabase in a 80FF. Tamara is a fan of the hearts.
Miss Underpinnings in a 65G (with matching bottoms).
Leah from Hourglassy in a 65G (and a bonus review of the S Bambino).
Nicole from Fussy Busty in a special ordered PL Gazeta in 95JJ. Nicole happens to love the hearts too.

First off, happy 100th post!! Yay, I’m excited.

But I owe you all an explanation. It’s been quiet around here. And it’s not that I don’t have things to write about, I do. I am a bit short on time, a place to photograph, but quite honestly none of those are the real problem.

I’m just burnt out on social media. Social media is great in many ways, but horrible in others. Recently it just made me so angry that I completely cut off almost all postings. And I’ll tell you why.

Body snark and the resulting war.

Let’s start with the definition of body snark. From Urban Dictionary

to rudely talk about a persons body or body parts, whether in private or directly at the person

This definition is a bit gray to me. Rudely talk about a person’s body. What about talking about my own body? Can I rudely talk about myself? To myself? Can you bodysnark yourself?

Personally, I do not think so. I think personal honesty, privately or even publicly, is important. And it’s not snark. It’s not bodysnarking myself to say my boobs feel huge. It’s not bodysnarking myself to say I want to loose some weight. And it really is not bodysnarking to others to talk candidly about my own body!!
But I have seen articles posted and bloggers/people immediately take offense. The author is talking about their own body, being honest with how they feel. But negative words make for snark right? Not if the author is talking about themselves! Written expression has a target audience and we are not always in that target audience. If someone is writing about how they hate their large breasts they are not snarking themselves! They are being honest! They are not being negative about every woman with big breasts by talking about themselves! They are expressing their own thoughts about their own body, not bodysnarking.

Just like there is a need for body positivity, there is also a need for body negativity, to your own body. It’s body honesty! Why would you not want to be honest with yourself? Honesty with yourself is about growing, changing, maturing; even if it takes some negative to get you there. It is growth toward better, which can take both good and bad. Why push aside the negative thoughts for only positive if it will limit your growth? Harnessing the positive and the negative to grow into a better person, for you, is why body honesty is important. And it’s not just about your physical body, it’s about you in your entirety.

I’m all for body positivity, but I would love to see more body honesty. There has been such a huge push in the body positive movement that sometimes it can feel false, fake, or pushy. Body honesty can be positive or negative, and it’s completely personal for individual acceptance.

Social media has a tendency to explode things, and it can be overwhelming. I can hope that the idea of body honesty can explode, because honesty is the first step to acceptance. And if honesty says you’d like to change a bit of you, then do it. If honesty says you love something about you, than work it. Body honesty will lead to body acceptance, and accepting yourself is much more important that just being body positive.

-Writing this has been slightly therapeutic. You know why? Body honesty and writing this has pushed me to admit to myself that I am not happy with parts of my body. The fact that I am currently carrying extra weight around my stomach makes me reluctant to take photos for the blog. How I currently feel about my body has me not wanting that body in photo on the internet for all to see. And that’s ok! It’s up to me to decide what to about it, to honestly come to accept my body.

Anyway, I hope to be back and posting more often. I don’t know how much I’ll be on social media, but you may see me here or there. I want to focus on quality posts instead of building a social media presence. I’d like to keep my readers now happy before trying to find new ones. Maybe while I’m at it I’ll tell at wordpress and fix some of the annoying spam comments. See you all soon!

Hi everyone! I’m trying to get back into the swing of blogging. Some chatting with a lovely friend has put some spark back into my desire to write.

So to break the blog silence I’d like to chat about my first Comexim order through A Sophisticated Pair.

Comexim is a Polish brand using a sizing system that uses centimeters not inches. This often results in size confusion when women try and convert their normal UK size to purchase their first Comexim bra.

Brigette

Well in comes A Sophisticated Pair. Located in Burlington, North Carolina, a Sophisticated Pair is a partnership made of Erica, her father Jason, and her aunt Debbie. They carry a wide size range and many brands, but most importantly they believe that every woman deserves a bra that fits.

Mirage

Which is part of why the Comexim brand is such an exciting addition for the small back full busy market. In a recent blog post a graphic was posted showing the expanded size range for Comexim bras available to order. Up to a UK 28M, with sister sizes as the band sizes go up! But it doesn’t stop there. If you continue reading you’ll see that Comexim and another brand, Anna Pardal, have agreed to doing minor alterations to bras ordered through A Sophisticated Pair. Previously, orders were placed directly through Comexim by email. This process could be difficult because the lovely Anna of Comexim is Polish. Google translate and Polish leave much to be desired. Now Erica can help work out the needs of your order with the help of Anna from Anna Pardal. If you were like me, you saw the name Anna referencing both brands and you thought they were the same woman. Not at all, the brands each have a lovely lady named Anna at the helm, and are working together.

Irish Coffee

A Sophisticated Pair places orders monthly, toward the end of each month. They have a generous special order policy, with updates released in their Nov/Dec newsletter. This special order policy puts opens up ordering a Comexim bra to so many, no matter how far you are from North Carolina. But it also applies to other brands and styles.

So on to the ordering process. It was so simple. Seriously, “so easy a caveman can do it” Gieco commercial easy. I went on to the Comexim website and decided on the styles I wanted. I emailed my UK bra size, the requested alterations, and the bra names of the styles I wanted. I also included any matching bottoms as well. I requested to pay asap (bra money must leave my hands immediately, it’s much more gratifying to me than an email confirmation). I received an email back, making sure all was understood as far as requested alterations. Then shortly after an email confirming my order, and a PayPal invoice. So simple!!

Arabella

So what did I order? I requested reduced cups and gore because I prefer less coverage and a wider taller gore will never sit flat. I also requested the straps to be moved in by 2cm, I find most bras in my size have straps that dig into my armpit. The four bras pictured through this post are the ones I decided to order.Guest poster, Dainty Domestic Diva and I will be reviewing the Irish Coffee together, we’ve both been drooling over that bra from the time it was first posted on Facebook. They should hopefully be here in time for Christmas!

Product links are on the photos. Check out the boutique’s Facebook and the designer’s Facebook pages!

It looks like there are may changes for SIAB 2015. Some are definitely worth getting excited for!

Star in a Bra is going worldwide. Click the link to give a quick read. There are some big differences this year, so I encourage you to read the website, FAQ, and the T&C. Even the age requirement is different!

But reading the FAQ left one question unanswered. Luckily for us, someone asked on their Facebook page.

The question says medically necessary, but the answer from Curvy Kate clearly says open to all. Those who were excluded in years past may now consider entering!

If you have had breast surgery, would you consider entering? It would be wonderful to a have voice (even in the top 25!) who has had an augmentation, reconstruction, reduction, lumpectomy. It’s definitely not a simple choice, one that leaves me wondering myself.

I am very impressed by this more inclusive policy. If you have questions about your eligibility to enter I highly suggest contacting the CK team by using the contact at the bottom of their FAQ page.

For those interested in the blog posts from the US SIAB you can find them here and here.

Black Friday, an American thing that has grown out of control to hoards of people and mass chaos. It’s spread to online retailers, and across the ocean.

Online shopping is usually “cyber Monday” but this year many companies hosted pre Black Friday sales or online sales. Living in a small town, Black Friday shopping for boobs wasn’t happening in store. But I definitely did some online shopping! I made sure to save through the year for this, and boy was that a good idea.

First thing on my list, making sure to pre order Comexim bras through A Sophisticated Pair. Easy peasy! You can read about how easy it was here.

Next, Kiss Me Deadly. I have had their items on my wish list constantly. I’ve found images of old items that almost make me cry from missing them. I was not about to miss out on the Cupless Vargus Dress. This is designed in a way that it can be worn with the bra of your choosing, perfect for women outside of KMD’s bra size range. Along with some stockings, this will be making its way to my door, after a 30% off Black Friday code.

Next on the list was Breakout Bras. Their Black Friday special was 30% off orders over $100. With the price of a single full bust bra, that’s not hard. My list here included some Freya Deco variants, the Deco Shape strapless, the multiway, the bottoms, the Deco Vibe (back ordered), and the Deco Delight (back ordered). I will not need a smooth cup t-shirt bra for a while!

I went from bras to clothes, on to Lady V London</a. I don't wear vintage cuts, but Weirdly Shaped has me wanting to try. Add in a cupcake printed dress, and I’ll take it! Of course I had no idea what size to order, so fingers crossed.

I thought I may have missed the chance for a Wonderbra Ultimate Strapless, but Bras and Honey still has some in various sizes. Shipping costs were covered by the sale discount, so at least I kind of broke even.

Last but not least, an Ewa Michalak order. I ordered a dark and a “nude” multiway bras. No Black Friday sales, but I figured if I was buying bra staples for the next year I may as well add those in.

I also did a little bit of Zulily shopping. Nothing too spectacular. I will definitely be a happy camper if the light jackets I bought fit nicely and shape well.

Stay tuned for reviews on some of these. Older or discontinued items you probably won’t see, but newer items I hope to be posting reviews on.

External factors combined with a frenetic lifestyle can undermine the beauty and health of our skin causing loss of hydration and nutrition: here are some effective remedies to counteract the problem of dehydrated skin.

Did you know that during the day our skin loses about 500 milliliters of water? This natural physiological process, combined with the increase of water dispersed due to external agents, can make the skin dry, dehydrated, subject to reddening and more sensitive. Having dehydrated skin is a very common disorder that occurs when the content of water and sebum present in the superficial layer of the epidermis is reduced up to levels below the normal physiological parameters. The hydro-lipid deficiency is reflected in the health of the skin that loses brightness, becoming gray, thin and rough to the touch until it appears, in some cases, desquamated. There are few people who show expression lines and crow’s feet because of a serious condition of dehydration and undernourished skin.

In addition to having aesthetic consequences, dry skin, dehydrated, is no longer able to perform the function of barrier against bacteria, viruses and other harmful substances that can penetrate the body.

But what are the main causes of dehydration?

In addition to a certain genetic predisposition – there are those who have a dry skin and who, on the contrary, fat – the excessive dehydration of the skin is due to multiple factors. These are the most common:

– climate factors such as exposure to UV rays and air conditioning;
– physiological causes (age on all);
– use of drugs for long periods, especially hormones (such as oral contraceptives), chemotherapeutics and diuretics;
– some pathologies such as psoriasis, hypothyroidism, allergies;
– stress ;
– use of aggressive or inadequate cosmetic treatments for the type of leather;
– low-liquid diet.

The 5 most effective remedies for skin dehydration

Here are the main methods to say goodbye to the annoying feeling of the “pulling skin”.

1. Introduce the right amount of liquids

Drinking water, but also including foods that contain it in your diet, is certainly the first advice to follow, especially in summer or when you play sports as sweating causes the body to lose large amounts of liquid and minerals.

Do not underestimate, then, the importance of fat, especially omega 3 (found in fish, oil, and linseed) and omega 6 (grapeseed oil, dried fruit, and legumes). In addition, proteins are also fundamental, especially those contained in fish and dried fruit. Because let’s remember, a dehydrated and not properly nourished skin also accelerates the skin aging process. In this regard, here is a gallery with foods rich in omega 3, not to miss on your table, perfect for your body and your skin!

2. Choose the right cream for your face

Water is responsible for the softness of the skin, its full appearance, and its elasticity. If the skin is not properly hydrated, its tone diminishes, bringing more easily to the appearance of thin and marked wrinkles.

The right ally to counteract the loss of hydration and ensure the right nutrition to the skin is the new Aqualia Thermal Light Cream of Vichy , an isotonic solution – that has the same concentration of minerals and sugars of the water contained in the body’s cells in a state of correct hydration – containing 3 precious ingredients such as Vichy Mineralizing Thermal Water , plant sugars and hyaluronic acid in a formulation with 97% of ingredients of natural origin. It is a light and effective cream at the same time, whose mix, the result of the combined action of 15 different mineral salts, Mannose Vegetable and 15% of Mineralizing Thermal Water of Vichy, guarantees a hydration lasting up to 48 hours.

Its formulation rich in salts and sugars in addition to water reminds that of rehydrating drinks commonly used by athletes which, due to intense physical activity, have a greater need to rehydrate. Since every day the body loses nutrients and essential minerals, a rehydrating solution like this is perfect to restore the levels of hydration and prevent loss of firmness, keeping the skin fresh, relaxed and well nourished.

3. Eye to sun, wind and air conditioning …

Whether it’s sunny, weathering, like wind and humidity, or air conditioning, we are faced with dangerous exposures to our skin (and not just in terms of hydration).
Absolutely avoid exposure to the sun without adequate sun protection to protect the skin from UV rays: the sun, in fact, can create more damage in terms of aging over time. A beauty routine that guarantees your skin the right hydration, protection, and nourishment, is the first step to preserve it from external factors and atmospheric agents, including wind, cold and humidity.

In addition to the sun, even air conditioners – especially if kept at almost polar levels – damage the skin and strongly dehydrate it. So avoid staying for too long in cold environments and, in the office or at home, try to limit yourself to using the dehumidifier or the good old good fan. If you really cannot resist the call of air conditioning, use it responsibly and avoid reaching too low temperatures.

4. Avoid washing with too hot water

Try to avoid washing your face with too hot water. In fact, high temperatures tend to dry the skin easily. A jet of cold water – even in winter, yes! – It is a real cure for the skin on your face, especially if it has a tendency to dry out and dehydrates rather easily. Then join a delicate self-massage to the face when the cream is laid, it will help stimulate the skin, reactivating the microcirculation: tap the fingers with an energetic but gentle touch at the same time, starting from the chin up to the forehead. It is a small beauty ritual, useful and relaxing, which will take only a few seconds and will allow you to regenerate the skin on your face.

5. Learn to manage stress

As we have seen, among the causes of a dehydrated skin, we also find the stress that, in reality, is the bearer of a numerous series of physical and psychological disorders. It is, therefore, worthwhile to learn how to manage and control it properly without being overwhelmed.

Where to start? First of all, always carving out a moment for itself. Whether it’s an hour a day or a day a week, in that period of time only program things that make you feel good: read a book, go shopping, indulge in a massage, take a walk with your dog in the middle of nature. All that is capable of raising your endorphins will be beneficial for your serenity, and your skin will thank you too!