Bra Talk

Summer heat can cause a considerable amount of discomfort when you’re simply walking around.  Chafing has long been a problem with women’s panties, but it can be avoided.

Wearing longer undergarments such as boyshorts or thigh shapers can protect you from the friction that is the result of chafing.  Wearing cotton panties can also help.  If these substitutions are acceptable, you can always put lotion or baby powder in the chafed areas.

You don’t always have to go to stores to get fitted for your bras. Some women even find it more accurate to do it themselves. Here’s a guide on how to measure yourself:

Determining your Bra/Band size
(ribcage circumference measurement)

1. Measure around the chest directly under the breast at a constant height with the cloth measuring tape. Add 5 inches to that measurement. This dimension is your bra/band size (If the bra size works out to an ODD number go up one inch to the next EVEN number.) This should equal the circumference around the chest, directly above the breasts/under the arms.

2. Now measure around the chest at the height of the fullest part of the breast. The measuring tape should be held horizontal, flat on your back, and your arms should be down. Make a note of that measurement (only used for comparison) and compare it to the Bra Size from step 1.

Determining your Cup size
(projection of breasts from chest wall)
3.    To determine the proper cup size, find the difference between step 2 and step 1. Use the table to figure out your cup size.

Half inch = AA cup
One inch = A cup
Two inches = B cup
Three inches = C cup
Four inches = D cup
Five inches = DD or E cup
Six inches = F cup
Seven inches = G cup

An American hiker stranded in the Bavarian Alps for nearly three days was rescued after using her sports bra as a signal, police in southern Germany said Monday.

Berchtesgaden police officer Lorenz Rasp said that he helped lift 24-year-old Jessica Bruinsma of Colorado to safety by helicopter on Thursday after she attracted the attention of lumberjacks by attaching her sports bra to a cable used to move timber down the mountain.

“She’s a very smart girl, and she acted very resourcefully,” said Rasp. “She kept her shirt and jacket for warmth, but thought the sports bra could work as a signal.”

She fell about 15 feet to a rocky overhang, where she spent the next 70 hours on the narrow ledge, sustained by water that she found by breaking into a supply box on the ledge.

She badly bruised a leg and dislocated a shoulder in the fall, and the cliff was too isolated for her to climb free, Rasp said.

Rasp said his team followed the cable line up the cliffside in a helicopter and found Bruinsma standing on the ledge, waving with her good arm. After circling once, they lowered a winch to Bruinsma and lifted her aboard.

We often talking about the importance of wearing bras and there are quite a few positive qualities to wearing them, but wearing bras ALL the time can get a bit uncomfortable – even if you’re wearing the best one.  The best time to take a break is at night, while you’re sleeping. 

When you’re sleeping, gravity isn’t such a big factor in your activity, as is such, it’s the ideal time to be braless.  It will also help you sleep at night; so if you’re looking to give the girls a rest, during your slumber is the best time.

Boy shorts, also known as boy short panties, boys’ cut, booty shorts, shorties or boyleg briefs are a sort of lingerie that goes all the way down the hips. They are a relatively new, but increasingly popular style of lingerie among women and are named for their similarity in looks to men’s shorts. Boy shorts often cover most of the buttocks area, but this is not always the case with thong-back lingerie also widely available.

Boy shorts are a popular choice since most of them may avoid displaying a prominent visible panty line provided they don’t ride up, and yet are a modest and comfortable alternative to thongs and conventional panties. They are also popularly teamed-up with a camisole and worn as loungewear. Cotton-spandex blends and lace are the most popular materials for boyshorts.

Some women will opt to stay away from wearing bras in the summer as they can be a bit comfortable in the heat.  But gravity doesn’t stop because of the seasons and neither should your bra-wearing.  Here are some tips on choosing a bra to wear in the summer:

• Invest in a convertible bra. Although manufacturers are still perfecting a truly comfortable version, this bra will support you well under a backless bodice and halter tops.

• Opt for styles without lace and seams for a clean look under fitted sleeveless tops and fine knit shells. If you’re a size A or B, look for stretch cotton bralettes - they resemble a cropped tank top with adjustable straps.

• Try a demi bra when wearing a plunging or revealing neckline. Designed with wide-set cups that just cover the nipple, they offer good support with maximum exposure.

• Wear flesh tones when sporting pastels or sheer materials like linen. White bras will be very conspicuous.

• Combat sweat-inducing humidity by pairing summer attire with a moisture-wicking sports bra. They offer great support, and the high-tech fabric will keep you a lot drier than most fashion bras.

• Consider racer back or cross back bras to wear with sleeveless tops and shells. You can rest assured that your bra straps won’t slip into view.

• Go strapless under skinny-strap tanks and strapless tops. Smaller chests can get away with a stretch tube bra, while larger chests may still need the support of a more constructed bra that hooks in the back.

Many women’s undergarments such as bras and panties are made of satin and therefore require extra care.  Satin is generally a bit more delicate, so here are some quick tips on cleaning the fabric:

Hand washing is recommended for most types of satin. The exceptions to this are nylon and polyester satin. These types of satin can be washed using the gentle cycle of a washing machine. Use cool or warm water only. Use a detergent that is made for delicates. Always check tags for specific instructions for washing and drying your lingerie.

If you have extremely delicate satin you should have them dry-cleaned to prevent damage to the material and to help prevent color fade.

Never use bleach on satin.

Do not twist or wring out your clothes. Lay them on a thick, dry towel and roll the towel around the satin to remove excess moisture.

It is recommended that satin materials are not dried in a dryer. Opt to air-dry them indoors. Polyester satin can be dried in the sun however this is really not recommended for any type of satin.

Find a stain remover that is safe for satin. You should thoroughly read the label of any stain remover before you buy. Do not purchase a stain remover that contains any form of bleach. When a stain occurs quickly treat the stain with the stain remover per instructions on the bottle and then wash.

To treat bloodstains you should immediately immerse the stain in cold water and allow the item to soak. If this does not completely remove the stain you can then apply stain remover.

If your satin material is very delicate you should leave stain removal to a professional dry cleaner.

As a full-figured woman, it’s been difficult for me to find a company that consistently puts us in mind when it comes to manufacturing undergarments.  It’s particularly embarrassing to have to go to a specialty store just to find a bra or a cami.

Luckily, Barely There is the kind of company that does keep bigger women in mind when they make their wares.  Not only are their bras comfortable, but they’re widely available in my size.  I also enjoy the way I look in their shapewear.  Clearly, Barely There is a company I can trust and you should, too!

Surprisingly, it’s not only men who are lacking in the common sense department.  There are some women who have trouble unhooking their own bras!  Here’s an easy guide to how do it yourself:Two straps wrap around the form, fastening in the back. There are usually three vertical columns of hooks and eyes, each column with between one and four pairs, depending on the width of the strap.The hooks fasten into the ‘eyes’, small semi-circular pieces of metal. To undo a bra, you must remove the hooks from the eyes.

If you are facing the woman’s back, you can undo the hooks by simply pulling the straps apart, first pulling towards each other, then away at an approximately 45 degree angle. This will be fairly easy if you can see how they connect.

If you are in front of the woman, the same principle applies. You may have to push the straps closer together before pulling them apart since your view is obstructed. It may take a few tries - just try to get a feel for the connection and how to break it.

If you are the one wearing a bra, you have two options: you can either reach behind you, or take off the straps first and rotate the bra so the clasp is in front of you.

If the bra is behind you, put your arms behind your back, reaching from the bottom up. Grasp one strap in each hand. “Cross” the straps and when you feel the click of the eye releasing the hook, pull them apart.

If you rotate the bra in front of you, grasp the straps in each hand again, cross them, and pull them apart in the same way.

Optionally, if you fold the hook/eye clasp together, the open ends of the hooks will have rotated nearly 180 degrees, facing the other way, and then the elastic will pull the band apart instantly!

Gel bras can offer more than just an ample amount of cleavage, as it can also enhance the look of your outfit.  While there’s no doubt that a majority of women who purchase gel bras do so to maximize the appearance of their bust, if you have an outfit that makes your chest look less-than-flattering, then you may want to wear a gel bra.

Stripes, for example, are a pattern type that can make you look flat.  Unless you’re natural size is a C, there’s no way you can pull off stripes without compromising your chest area.  Wearing a gel bra will temper this and give you the confidence to strut your stuff.