I’m a little bit under the weather today, but I really wanted to share a brand new video series I’m trying out for TLA. One of the things I’ve heard a lot over the past year is that you want more video content, so over my winter break I spent some time brainstorming new and (hopefully) better ways to make that happen and this is the first result.
1 Minute Bra Reviews are where I take a bra from my personal collection and tell you what I think of it in a minute or less. The first 3 are of bras by Rosy Lingerie, Von Follies by Dita von Teese, and Little Minx. These were shot the week before my wedding, so I’m a bit frazzled, but if you like the concept and want to see more, definitely let me know! All videos are below.
There’s a new video up on The Lingerie Addict YouTube Channel and this one’s all about bra shopping. Specifically, it’s about discovering a few new bra brands for the new year. Whether you’re plus sized, full busted, small busted, or just looking for a new name to try, there’s something here for everybody. Take a look at the video below and let me know what you think! If you’ve visited here from the video, you’ll find the complete list of brands mentioned below as well.
Full Bust (DD cup and above):
Curvy Kate
Freya
Miss Mandalay
Panache
Cleo by Panache
Plus Size (38-40 band and above):
Elomi
Goddess
Prima Donna
Ewa Michalak
Small Bust (A, AA, AAA cup):
Lula Lu Petites
On Gossamer
The Itty Bitty Bra Company
The Little Bra Company
Timpa
Ethically Produced/Fair Trade/Organic:
Purrfect Pineapples
Between the Sheets
Ayten Gasson
Sandmaiden
Under the Root
All-around Good Brands:
Simone Perele
Love Claudette
Wacoal
Huit
Mimi Holliday
Where to Purchase the Names Mentioned:
Nordstrom
Bare Necessities
HerRoom
Figleaves
Journelle
Faire Frou Frou
There’s a new video up on The Lingerie Addict YouTube Channel and this one’s about one of my most favorite pieces of lingerie – the corset. I get more questions about corsets than anything else, which makes sense because there’s a ton of conflicting (and inaccurate!) information out there.
In this month’s video, I use one of my corsets (an absolutely gorgeous piece from Puimond) to share the 5 things you want to look for in a quality corset. This video is also heavily based on a article from one of my columnists (and our resident corset expert), Marianne who wrote “What (You Didn’t Know) to Look for in a Corset: 5 Popular Myths Debunked.”
In case you don’t have time to watch the video right now, here are the 5 things to consider:
1) Steel Boning
2) A Steel Busk
3) Metal Grommets
4) Natural Fabric Lining
5) A Waist Tape (which can be internal or external)
I hope you enjoy the video and that, if you’re new to all this, it helps you find the right corset. If you’re looking for corsetieres or corset vendors, definitely take a look at our corset directory. And, of course, if you have any tips or advice of your own, please do share it in the comments.
Kiss Me Deadly "Candy Box" Garter Belt (as seen in the video)
There’s a new video up on The Lingerie Addict YouTube Channel, and it’s all about garter belts (or suspender belts for my UK readers). With Mad Men, Dita von Teese, and, of course, the on-going popularity of Bettie Page, there’s more interest in garter belts now than ever before.
But not all garter belts are created equal so how can you know the difference between a good one and a not-so-good one? Just use the 4 tips from our latest video as your guide:
No time to watch the video? Here are the key takeaways for what to look for:
A wide front panel
Metal garter grips and adjusters
Six garter straps
Hook and eye closure in the back with at least 3 hooks and eyes
I hope you enjoy the video and that, if you’re new to garter belts, it helps you shop for one. Ready to buy a garter belt right now? My recommended vendors are Kiss Me Deadly, What Katie Did, and Secrets in Lace (especially the Rago line). And if you have any garter belt advice of your own to share, I’d love to read it in the comments.
Me trying on a 34HH bra. By Darlene Campbell of Hourglassy.com.
There’s a new video up on The Lingerie Addict YouTube Channel, and in it, I’m sharing a little bit of what I learned about bra fitting from the Eveden Group while in NYC for Lingerie Market.
Eveden, which owns the brands Huit, Fantasie, Fauve, Freya, Goddess, and Elomi, teaches a bra fit seminar at Curve every market season. It’s always well-attended, and after hearing great things about the class from Elisabeth Dale (of The Breast Life) and Laurie Shapiro (of Toad Lillie), I had to go. And I’m glad I did because it was definitely an eye-opener.
Video Screenshot - Me in the Wacoal Lace Embrace
If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you know that I’m really honest about not being a bra fitter. I’ve never worked in a lingerie boutique. I can’t look at you and guess your size. I’m rubbish with a tape measure. Basically, I have no qualifications whatsoever to fit you for a bra.
All the same, I get a ton of questions in my inbox every week asking about bra fit. And while I’m still not a fit expert of any kind, this short video will tell you if your bra is doing okay or if it’s time to go in and get resized. I recently went up a cup size myself (from a 34B to a 34C) and when I used these bra fit criteria in my old bra size and my new bra size, I definitely noticed the difference.
If you don’t have time to watch the bra fit video right now, here are the key takeaways from it:
There are 3 places you can easily check on your bra to determine if it’s fitting you the right way or the wrong way: the gore, the underwires, and the band.
The center gore (the bit of fabric between the cups) should lie flat against your breastbone with no gaps or spaces.
The underwires should completely surround the breast. There shouldn’t be any breast tissue outside, over, or under the cup. You can test this by pressing on the outside edge of your underwire – it should be laying against your ribcage, directly on the bone.
The band, where most of your support comes from, should be horizontal the ground, not riding up or dipping down. It also shouldn’t be so tight against your body that it hurts or bruises.
I hope you enjoy watching this video, and that if you’re new to bra fitting, it helps you figure out what to do next. If you have any bra fit tips and tricks of your own to share, I’d love to read them in the comments.
One of the things I really want to do more of on The Lingerie Addict this year is video blog posts. Lingerie is such a visual experience, and there are literally countless ways to talk about it. Last year, one of my readers asked to see a few of my favorite pieces from my personal collection, so that’s the video I’m kicking off 2012 with. If there are topics you’d like to see me talk about on video, please leave a comment. I’m completely open to suggestions and always love hearing from you!
I owe you all some goodies…namely the video of my first ever burlesque recital, and some photos from my August shoot with retro goddess Viva van Story. My Facebook fans saw these treats first, so if you’d like to be in on the action, don’t forget to follow me over there!
