Trend Alert Spring Summer 2014

Image from Style.com

The humble cotton oxford makes a come back. From the boardroom to the bedroom as seen in this day look from New York designer Alexander Wang. 

Cool, comfortable and classic; this trend is highly recommended for India.

5 lovely friends for your lingerie

4 section mesh wash bag from The Container Store.

Lingerie wash bags – these mundane looking lingerie bags are terribly underrated. Just put all your tighty-whities in and pop them into the washing machine. They won’t get damaged or entangled with other items and last longer. Also, very essential if you are lazy and don’t want to run a whole wash cycle just for your underwear. One tip though, don’t buy a tiny wash bag, and go for a bigger size.

Silicon Nipple pasties from Undercover Glamour

Nipple cover ups – Hello, my slinky black dress. You know the one I am forced to wear braless for fear of my bra spoiling my “look”. Get at least several pairs of silicon stick on nipple covers for dresses and sari blouses. These do not last forever because the glue eventually wears off so don’t wash them roughly.

Double sided tape from Hollywood Fashion Secrets

Double sided tape - I HATE button down shirts, seriously. They will be my undoing one day, I tell you. So anyway, next time you are wearing a button down shirt or a particularly naughty “V” neck keep your bra from showing by sticking some tape between the button lapels or glue the neckline to your skin.

Gel Cookies 

Gel cookies – Oh hooray for cookies! Not the chocolate chip ones (egad the calories!) These little babies can go inside any bra and give you that instant lift. Also useful if one of your breasts is bigger than the other, pop this into the cup of the smaller breast.

Bra strap cushions from Hollywood Fashion Secrets

Gel strap cushions – If you are a fuller busted lady or if your breasts are growing at a monstrous pace thanks to you being 4 months along or if they are undergoing their monthly change with the hormonal cycle and weigh a ton; push them under your bra shoulder straps to make life a little easier. These also reduce rashes, shoulder and neck pains.

Should I buy Lingerie online?

La Senza promotion on Majorbrands.in

Gosh, I have been away from my blog for so long! While I have many great ideas about the lingerie related things that I want to write about, I have been having trouble writing. See, my forte is Lingerie not writing. But I try, ok? So here goes..

Today I want to talk about the virtues of shopping for lingerie online vis-à-vis in a regular store. I do have a confession before I start though; I may or may not be addicted to shopping online. I am very down with shopping for things like, say a spatula or a toothbrush online but I know I am heading towards murky waters when it comes to shopping for lingerie online.

So here is the ultimate comparative table of the two (I love lists and tables, don’t you?!)

Shopping online for Lingerie	Shopping at a store
If you are a lazy bum like me. Snuggle in bed and shop away. +1	Run from store to store looking for xyz bra in 34DD and in pink. +0
Privacy guaranteed. Almost. +1	Creepy uncle looking over your shoulder +0
Not sure of your size? Not sure how the style will look on you? You may be in trouble my friend.  +0	Ask the sales lady for help, try on multiple items.+1
Ordered the wrong size? Wait for a month may be 2 before your item is replaced. -1	Are you one of those finicky girls who like one thing one minute and hate it the next? Exchange easily and instantly. +1
Customer care staff on the phone who know shit about lingerie. -1	Not a big plus here either but at least you get to try things on before you commit. +0
So you bought 5 panties for 499? Tore in the first wash? Most online companies cut corners by importing cheap items from china and re-labeling them. -1	You get what you choose. +1
Product looks different than what you ordered? Wait endlessly and follow up every day to get it exchanged. -1	Won’t happen unless you shopped without your glasses. +1
HUGE variety of things to choose from. +1	Tiny selections, most stores don’t carry sizes beyond DD cups. -1
Naughty lingerie, need I say more? +1	What is a teddy? -1
Big discounts and sales almost every day. Great if you love a bargain. +1	Discounted items maybe 3 times a year. And I miss it every single time. -1
International brands! Hooray! +1	Most stock only Indian brands. +0

So here is the final tally, Online shopping +2 and shopping-in-store comes close at +1. 

While I am all for shopping online, I do so only if I already know what I want. Shop online if you are pretty familiar with a particular brand and know how it feels /looks on you. I would not recommend cheap promotional deals or brands that no one has ever heard of. Do research on international brands before you shop. I prefer buying things like nightwear, camisoles, robes, socks and other non-fitted items online. Also, most online store have a great selection of lingerie accessories like wash bags, nipple concealers and double sided tapes. 

So Online stores are recommended if you are a savvy lingerie buyer who knows what works best for her.

It's a lazy sunday..

...And you have all the time in the world
It takes a little longer...getting ready- Pilar Blasco via theartstack.com

7 basics of briefs - part 2

Vintage panty ad via Pintrest

...Ok this is the fun bit...

Here are my absolute essentials for your brief drawer.

High waist, full cover brief

High waist, full cover panties -  an absolute essential in my lingerie drawer, this shape has a light tummy control. This is a very comfortable shape. I recommend buying this with a broad waist elastic or with stretch lace on the waist band.

Marks & Spencer Seamfree underwear

Seamless panties - If only I had a penny for every time I have seen a girl walking around with visible pantie lines! Please ladies, avoid this embarrassing situation and invest in a light weight, stitch free seamless brief. There are products in the market that are sold as "Seamless" but upon close inspection they have tiny stitches on the elastic! Buy a fully seamless panty, not just anything that claims to be seamless!

Shaper brief from Marks & Spencer

Shaper briefs - This type although highly functional is not suitable for every day wear. A good shaping brief has thick stretchy fabric and looks a little smaller than your usual panty. I recommend something that has a panel or seam running from the waist to the leg as this offers the best tummy control. Since most of these panties are made in synthetic fabric, they can be uncomfortable in our hot, humid Indian climate. Nonetheless, I recommend having these in 2 colors Black and Nude. I recommend buying these from abroad or Scandale.

7 day pack from Marks & Spencer

                                                    

7 day panty pack - Marks & Spencer's does the best panty packs. There are several shapes and fabrics to choose from. I own several of these in the printed cotton variety and the seamless bikini briefs in an assortment of nude,black and white. There are other brands like Jockey and Lovable that do a cheaper version of this but they don't last too long. Enamor also does panty packs, I find these to have major fit issues and the colors to be dull.

Jockey Bikini

                                               

Boy briefs/Bikini/hipster - Choose a shape you like and go wild. Maybe not. La senza does great basic shapes in wild colors and prints. I wait for their panty promotions to splurge on this.

                                                   

Full lace brief from Mimi Holiday

Lace briefs - Every girl must know the joy of feeling gorgeous, soft lace. It makes you feel classy and beautiful instantly. These little pick me ups can be bought in any shape you like. Be careful of picking up cheap, scratchy lace though. You don't want to spend your day pulling and tugging. Also, lace is delicate so don't wash it with your denims!

The comfiest thong ever! Hanky Panky

Thong/ string bikini/ tanga - Sexy, cosmopolitan cousins of the bikini, hipster and boy briefs. Lol. These are flattering shapes and cuts that cover just a little more than the bare minimums. Why do I recommend these? If you are too lazy to dig for your seamless panties, you can wear these under your tight clothing. Thongs and tangas are great for avoiding panty lines.

Also deserving a mention are the "No stain panty", " The french cut (Hello, 80's!)" and the "Butt enhancer (you skinny girl, you!)"

As with anything else, to me quality is better than quantity. I recommend spending a little more on these little essentials and with good care and nurturing they will last. 

7 basics of briefs

I have a confession to make; I go weak in the knees for soft, lacy panties especially if they are full black lace (swoon) and have pretty bows and trims. But are they the most practical for everyday wear? I don’t know about you but I can live, breathe and eat lace. Kidding. While I do LOVE lace, there are days when the heat outside demands the more practical cotton, days when I absolutely need a tummy control panty to hide my food bulge and days when I just want to go commando. Here I have tried to put together a list of absolute essential panty types that every girly-girl living in our tropical Indian climate.

But first I want to talk about the critical elements of a panty- you know the hidden stuff like elastic, cut and fabric. I am often surprised by how companies in India sell this basic garment. It’s purely on looks alone; sometimes they will add buzz words like seamless, low cut, thong without really explaining to the customer what it really means. Here and in subsequent posts I will talk about things that matter the most to me.

Example of brushed back elastic

Elastic-  You know the stretchy bit that goes on the waist or around the legs? Before you jump in and buy that pack of 7 for 399, feel this elastic under your fingers. Now imagine this rubbing against your sensitive bits for 8-10 hours. Ideally most good companies use elastics that are brushed back meaning they have a fuzzy texture on the back. This is the good stuff. Elastics come in many width, I recommend broader elastics if comfort is important to you.

Test to see if the fabric is 4 way stretch

Fabric- Panty fabrics should have 4 way stretch, you know, so that they drape over all our skinny and not so skinny bits with equal ease. But most Indian companies don’t make panties in this fabric because a) its expensive b) they don’t care. Look for panties that at least have a two way stretch meaning the fabric stretches in opposite directions horizontally. Most cotton panties are made in cotton+ Lycra (the stretchy stuff); if you feel too shy about tugging and pulling in the store just read the label or the box, it should mention the fabric composition.

Crotch lining –This is the little piece that goes directly under your biscuits. This needs to be 100%cotton.

Cut – Think of where you plan on wearing these. Not every panty is ideal for everyday wear. For example, seamless panties (meaning fully stitch free- ooh the miracles of bonded elastic!) are best worn under tight pants or dresses (no panty lines yayyy!) cotton bikinis or hipsters are better for everyday because they can put up with frequent wash and wear.

More about essential panty styles in the next post!

The Ten commandments of Lingerie

1) Thou shall not choose the same bra size as your sister/friend/mom.

2) Thou shall not wear a bra that is too small to look bustier.

3) Thou shall not make the back band reach up for the stars.

4) Thou shall not wear seamed bras under t-shirts.

5) Thou shall not wear the same bra everyday (even if it's your best bra and you love it)

6) Thou shall not tumble dry your bras with your jeans.

7) Thou shall not buy a bra just because the nice sales lady said its your size.

8) Thou shall not be a softy, there are great underwired bras that are super comfortable and super supportive.

9) Thou shall not buy the same size in every brand. Fitting might vary even in the same brand across styles!

10) Thou shall invest in a good sports bra that supports your girls.

Gingham style!

Hello there!

If you are like me, you love vintage, retro styles. Oh those big skirts, parasols and the times when ladies left a little to the imagination (side eye to Miley Cyrus' tongue). Well, guess what gingham is going to be big next year! It never left did it?

Remember her?

So yeah, paging Bettie Page and all that...Gingham all out, I say!

 

Image from Style.com

My review of the Enell high impact sports bra- No Bounce!

Today, I want to talk about my favorite sports bra, The Enell high impact sports bra.

This bra was featured on Oprah many years ago but was not available in India until recently. This is an amazing bra if you are full busted and want to exercise without your breasts getting in the way.

Front view of the Enell sports bra. The model is a 34F size.

Usually, fuller busted women wear two bras while exercising, their regular bra underneath a sports bra. With this bra, one doesn't need to do that. This is a compression type sports bra meaning it compress the breasts against your rib cage to reduce bounce and movement during high impact activities such as running, tennis or basketball. Some women experience painful or swollen breasts during pms, this bra's compression is comfortable and the encapsulation ensures that the breast tissue does not spill out.

The bra feels a little difficult to wear, for the first time user. Like most compression type sports bra, it feels like the bra is small, however this goes after you have worn it for 15-20 minutes.

Notice the broad underband and the broad shoulder straps. The broad underband distrubutes the weight evenly and ensures no skin chaffing. The wide, comfortable shoulder straps that are placed closer than a normal bra maintain even distribution of weight, no strap slippage and comfort.

 Did I mention that the fabric is super soft and absorbent? It is! and even though it is not cotton, I have felt no discomfort while working out. So this bra works in our hot Indian weather as well. There is some technical information about the fabric of this bra on the internet too, do look it up if you want to know more.

This is not the prettiest bra on the market but it is very functional. The high front hook and eyes closure is a little cumbersome and takes some getting used to. The neckline is much higher than the usual bras and there is no spillage if you bend down while exercising.

The back view of the Enell sports bra.

You cant see it in the picture but the bra has two criss cross panels inside for back support. The back is high and offers good back coverage and posture support.

Here is a side view of the bra, notice how the breasts are lifting up from the underband. This is good!

The side view.

I would recommend this bra for all high impact sports activities and especially for women with bigger breasts. 

Yoga in the park

Hellos to the Internets!

Welcome to our very first blog post!

So my bud and I decided to get some much needed fresh air and headed to the park one crisp morning. There were men, women and children(shouldn't they have been at school?). So many people and everyone with different body shapes, aesthetics and age. Thin women, fat women, average sized women, tall women, short women, pears, apples and oranges.

Thinspiration is a scary word and it is surprising how much pressure I feel to be a size 2(not 0-that's just gross). Then there is the other side that believes that "real women have curves" and "all shapes must be celebrated". I look around me and I see fat women/girls being sneered at and made fun of for not being the societies version of "thin". So who decides if I am "healthy" "beautiful" and "thin enough"?

A good friend of mine faces the rudest kind of judgement from men who are potential mates. "Not thin enough"; my 10 year old cousin was called "moti" by her maths teacher. On the other side another friend is regularly told that she is too thin and looks like a child. We as women are in this constant battle with the society and with ourselves -  I am good the way I am. Although, after years of comments and judgement the belief gets more and more shaky. And so starts the battle to please people, the constant dieting, the weight gainers, hormone treatment for increasing height, breasts or butt.

I have recently decided that I will not participate in this war. After being at war with myself for years, I still find myself admiring women who are thinner than me and feeling pity for the fat ones. I now try to stop myself from judging people based on their body shape. Fat= lazy, dirty, Thin=pretty, role model.

Here is a great essay from Robin Lawley the "plus" size model (she is only a size 10) on the daily beast. Read it, her writing skills are much better than mine and communicate the judgement she faces as a plus size model. Here is the link http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/10/28/robyn-lawley-why-the-dangerous-thigh-gap-trend-makes-me-mad.html

Btw, did you guys know that there is a size 00. Meaning smaller than 0, most models are this size.

I dont want to be a size 00 or a 0. I do want to fit into a lbd from 2 years ago by the end of this year. I decide.