How to find the perfect bra fit

If you are well endowed in the bust area, you should get yourself refitted for a bra every couple of years or so. Why? Because age, lifestyle and weight changes can all have significant effects on your bust size and breast shape and a bra that may have fitted well a few years back may no longer be the right fitting bra anymore. Most retailers offer bra fitting as a free service and it's well worth the investment in time. A well fitting bra minimises shoulder, neck and back pain, gives the bust a nice shape and allows your outerwear to flatter your overall look.

I won't go into details about how to fit a bra as there is sufficient material on the web, as well as lots of Youtube videos on the subject. Instead, I will give you the benefit of some of my knowledge gained as a qualified bra fitter:

• If wires push out from your bust, rather than sitting flush against the breastbone, it means the wires are too small or that your bust is quite full in the middle. Try a wider wire bra or try a bra with a lower front wire.
• If your bust is heavier at the sides, try bras with a side sling as these encourage forward projection of your bust rather than letting your bust slide towards your arms.
• If you have more bust tissue on the lower bust, try a 3/4 cup or a 1/2 cup (balconette) bra. if you use a full cup bra, you may not able able to fill out the top of the cup.
• A heavy top bust? Try full cup bras. These are higher in the middle but they will support you better.
• Chafing at the centre from wires digging in? Try lower cut bras as the wire does not come up so high at the breastbone.
• Breast tissue at the sides spilling from the cups? Look for bras with a higher wire. Panache tends to make bras with a higher side wire, Freya bras tend to have lower side wires.
• Too much back tissue? Try the back smoothing bras that are now available on the market - eg Berlei Back Smoothing Bra.
• Straps digging into your shoulders? Go for bras with a wider shoulder strap or, better still, a padded shoulder strap. You can also purchase pads that fit around your shoulder strap. 
• Find wires dig in uncomfortably no matter what bra you try? Unwired bras maybe the answer for you but look for ones with a side sling as these give a large bust a better shape. There are some great brands on the market such as Royce, Aviana and Elila. The only downside is that these bras tend to be higher at the centre, to compensate for the lack of wire support, so low neck clothes will require a camisole or a camisette to hide the bra.

A certified bra fitter will be able to help you find the correct bra for your shape and needs and most lingerie boutiques have a good selection of bras to choose from.

Where to find a short cotton dressing gown or kimono wrap?

I have searched all summer for a lightweight cotton dressing gown, with short sleeves and no longer than just on the knees, without success.  All of our Australian sleepwear brands - including Pillow Talk, Love & Lustre, Deshabille, Pickles & Loop & Peter Alexander - had only longer length robes with 3/4 or full length sleeves. Why is it that short sleeve and shorter length dressing gowns are not available? Surely with our hot summers the retailers would be begging the brands to be more accomodating? Or is it because the brands are simply not listening? While they all offer fantastic styles in beautiful cotton prints, please consider our climate in your designs.

It's been a while since I last posted and quite a bit has happened in lingerie.

Bassoni have lot's of new styles out on the market and again they have outdone themselves in supplying the small cup market with unbeatable value items, even better priced than BrasnThings. A bra and brief set costs no more than $35 and many of their nightwear pieces cost the same. What's more, their fit is good as well, even better than Elle Macpherson and Bendon which cost twice as much. As with the latter two brands,I have yet to come across a fitter who likes their fit and most only stock them because of theirappeal to the younger market. Bassoni also targets its products at the younger market so have a look for the label next time you're in a lingerie boutique. Also look for their more upmarket sister label, Little Minx. Again, you'll find quality pieces at very reasonable prices. Bassoni and Little Minx are not sold in the department stores as they do not want to compromise their brand through constant pricing wars.

http://www.littleminxlingerie.com.au/

http://www.bassonilingerie.com/

Love and Lustre, long known for their basics and sleepwear, have finally launched their first bra collection. Thre is a balconette half cup bra, a T-shirt bra and a mouded unpadded bra, all beautifully designed and made with a fresh youthful appeal. Unfortunatel, the maximum cup size is a DD but hopefully they will extend on this in later collections. Next season will also include a beautiful little lace bra reminiscent of Elle Macpherson style but again, the attention to fit is impeccable. Here is their Facebook page link but unfortunately there are not many piccies to view:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Love-Lustre/137932592937106

Pickles & Loop have launched their summer collection and again have managed to keep their prices to 2010 levels without compromising on quality. Beautiful cotton lawn and voiles and their basics range in cotton knit. For an Australian brand, there is nothing over $100 and a single piece can start as low as $25. Check out their range at:

http://www.picklesandloop.com/

In the luxury lingerie market, Ku Shu Shu are getting ready for their new collection so watch this space!

Also, have a look at what Sally Jones Lingerie has to offer:

http://www.sallyjones.com.au/

Time is running out but we will be back for another instalment, hopefully in the next few days!

Giving Birth - What to Wear in Hospital

Now I am going to detract from my original purpose for this blog and write about what nightwear to take with you to hospital when you are giving birth. Having birthed two children, and experienced life in a maternity ward - ok I was only there for two days - I think I can claim some knowledge on this topic or at least pretend to.

What prompted me to start this topic was a comment I overheard today about why would you need to wear nice nightwear to hospital. The person who was making this comment was looking at some HOTmilk nursing nightwear and clearly thinking it was not necessary. I have no problem with that as my thinking is, well each to his own. However, reflecting on a hospital social scene, with staff coming and going through the wards, a stream of visitors which can be either family or friends as well as visitors for other mums in the ward, and sometimes the urge to get away from the ward and go outside for a walk or just to the coffee shop, I know what I would prefer not to be seen in. After all, a hospital is a public place and, like any other public place, a self-imposed dress standard would not go astray. While it may seem shallow, overall presentation does reflect pride in oneself. Would we turn up to a formal dinner dressed in t-shirt and trackies?

Sally Jones Lingerie

Sally Jones Lingerie is one of my favourite Australian lingerie labels. Sally's vision and knack with beautiful fabrics and laces ensures her place at the top end of luxury lingerie design in Australia and beyond. Her range includes bras, a variety of brief styles, camisoles, teddies, torsolettes, suspenders, bedjackets, babydoll nighties, chemises, longer length nighties, wraps and so much more. She also designs a range of accessories including lace gloves, eye masks, neck frills, garters, stockings, lace socks, and fans. But why categorise it all as lingerie when some of the pieces are versatile enough to be worn as outerware? Team the camisoles and bedjackets with jeans or evening pants for an after five outfit and, for the really daring, wear the longer nighties as a cocktail dress. Sally's designs are a must for the true connoisseurs of fine lingerie. Best of all, the pieces are manufactured right here in Australia so the prices are much more affordable than imported European lingerie. Whenever an occasion calls for beautiful lingerie, think Sally Jones. Your only dilemma is what to buy as you will be so spoilt for choice.

Below are some images from Sally's 2011 collection and also the press release:

HoneyMoon

Danielle

Romance

Natalia

Parisienne

Sienne

Mademoiselle

Tiffany

Willow

Tiffany

Sally Jones Logo

Press release 2011:

Since launching the label in 2004, Sally Jones has firmly established herself as one of the world’s top luxury lingerie designers, and is now stocked in prestigious boutiques and department stores in over 20 countries including France, Italy, Germany, England, Japan, USA and Australia.

Portraying her signature style in stunning combinations of French laces, embroideries, silks and tulles, Sally Jones’ 2011 collection features 12 stories, each reflecting a different romantic mood though unique colour and material pairings, including Giselle, Tiffany, Mademoiselle, Charlotte, Angel, Honeymoon, Parisienne, Natalia, Sienna, Daniella, Romance and Willow.

Sally is also renowned for her detailed accessories including garters, lace gloves, pearl necklaces and feather cuffs which compliment each collection.

Welsh-born designer Sally Jones said her label stems from a passion for luxurious lingerie, and a belief that one should never compromise luxury when it comes to wearing intimate apparel.

The philosophy behind the Sally Jones label is that lingerie is made to be beautiful and to make the wearer feel beautiful – Wearing luxurious underwear in the finest silks and laces makes a woman feel elegant and sensual and this translates to her outer confidence.

Sourcing the best European fabrics and using delicate hand finished pearl and jewel embellishments her vision for each collection comes to life, ultimately creating soft and feminine designs which translate from intimate bedroom apparel to indulgent sleepwear.

100% designed and hand made in Australia, the fine quality of the Sally Jones label is unparalleled across the world.

Web: http://www.sallyjones.com.au/

Facebook: Sally Jones Lingerie

Twitter: @sallyjones_au

For stockist information, visit the Sally Jones website or ring 61 7 55 767 317.

Love and Lustre

Love and Lustre, an Australian boutique lingerie brand famous for their underwear solutions including camisoles, knickers and slips, as well as for their gorgeous sleepwear, will be launching their first ever bra and matching knicker collection in Spring/Summer 2011. Extending up to a Size 16E, there will be a plunge bra, a contoured balconette bra and a non-contoured moulded cup bra. All are gorgeously styled with distinctive lace features yet retain Love and Lustre's signature style of being everyday functional items. Love and Lustre have spared no expense in ensuring the fit of this range including sourcing highly experienced bra patternmakers from Europe. So congratulations to Love and Lustre for their foresight in seeing the need for a quality Australian lingerie that fits the budget of most Australians. Who knows, if their bras become a hit, maybe they could even expand their sizing to take on the full cup market and challenge the UK brands to reduce their wholesale pricing in Australia. Love and Lustre bras are very reasonably priced between $59.95 & $79.95 retail. Products will be available from August 2011. For information on their stockists, contact Love and Lustre on 03 9429 0979 or visit their website at http://www.loveandlustre.com.au/

Bamboo products

Bamboo fabric has got to be one of the best natural fibre fabrics. It's quick drying and anti-bacterial properties elevates it above cotton in comfort and hygiene. It's also much softer and the wrinkles smotth themselves out much more easily. Most bamboo fabrics are available in knit form which tends to make it a little heavier than cotton but this is not noticeable during wear.

The quick drying and anti-bacterial properties makes it the ideal fabric for women suffering from hot flushes and night sweats. If this is the problem you are facing at the moment, try the bamboo nighties from Sleep Secrets (http://www.sleep-secrets.com.au/) or the bamboo pyjama set from Lilaque (http://www.lilaque.com/). Both brands are also available from Matilda Jane Lingerie & Sleepwear (http://www.matildajane.com.au/) based at Randwick in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs.

In addition, Womama, a New Zealand based maternity lingerie company, has brought out the first bamboo maternity bra. At present, the Womama bamboo bra is only available in black and, because of the softness of the fabric, only goes up to an E cup. This bamboo maternity bra is so comfortable that it's no wonder it's become a hit with Womama fans.