Making a busty woman feel confident is my success

I think it’s a common condition with women that because we can do so many things we forget to stop and recognize the things we have achieved because we’re always on to the next thing. The Lingerie Goddess, Margaret Shrum (@LingerieGoddess) posted a link yesterday that made me stop and think. A young spoken poet, Sarah Kay, gave an inspiring talk at www.TED.com about accepting what we don’t know and celebrating the fact that “I’m trying my hardest to get it right this time around.” Her talk made me realize that if I don’t stop and recognize that trying my hardest and making a difference step by step is a great thing, then I might miss the whole point of what I’m doing. If you have 20 minutes then I highly recommend watching Sarah's talk.

From the outside it might look like I just sell bras but anyone who has sat through one of my monologues about the importance of bras knows it runs much deeper for me. (By the way, I always give them rum or wine to take the edge off!) So here I am on this mission to help big busted women across Canada feel more beautiful and confident by teaching them about proper fit, style and health. There are times however, that the weight of this endeavour makes me doubt myself.

With all these opportunities I worry that I'm not doing enough. I feel like I should have revolutionized the lives of women across the country, got every H cup Saskatchewan women buying D cup bras from Wal-mart into the perfect bra etc!! I have been reminded that each woman who emails me to say she loves her new bra and feels so much better about herself is a success.

So I hope that you can take five minutes today and appreciate the things you do, the unique woman you are and I’m going to try and do the same! xx

Is your professional bra fitter giving you the right bra size?

One of my smaller busted girlfriends told me she hasn’t been for a professional fitting in years because in her words “fittings don’t make a difference, bras just hurt”. I rummaged through her exhausted looking bras and they all read 34A. Just by looking at her I knew she wasn’t a 34 band so I showed her how to take her measurements and she quickly discovered that she is actually a 30C.

My friend went through the usual process of disbelief and laughter at the idea of being 2 cup sizes bigger then she looked at me and said “do they make bras in that size?” She didn’t know it but she hit the nail on the head as to why she’s always hated bra shopping – not enough stores carry her size so they put her in a size they carry regardless of the fact that it will be ill-fitting and painful.

Without boring you with the science, the cup on a 34A is the same volume as the cup on a 30C because cups are relative to the band size. How these two bras differ is that a 34 inch band gave no support to my friend so her straps were taking all the weight of her bust and the band was riding up her back. She was generally uncomfortable and in pain.

The bust volume is the same on all three women but their band sizes are different - cup size is proportional to band size.

Lots of stores only buy the most ‘common’ bra sizes (32-38 A-D) because it’s most cost effective. This may make retail sense but it doesn’t make you more comfortable in your bra! This is why I encourage every woman to measure herself before she goes for a professional bra fitting. It’s even more important for big busted women to know their band size because a loose band can wreck your posture, health and silhouette. If you're unsure of your size range it's worth checking our Bra Size Calculator.

Almost 40% of the women who call me because they are unhappy in their bras, are wearing a DD cup. This is because a DD cup is the biggest they can find on the high street. To get a DD cup big enough they are wearing band sizes that are WAY too big so they end up dreadfully uncomfortable and very undefined. You can see from this chart that the volume on a 38DD bra is the same as the volume on a 34G bra but the support and shape are totally different.

Wearing a bigger band to accommodate your bust volume leaves you very uncomfortable (remember a Canadian DD=E).

When you measure yourself at home take particular note of your under bust measurement. If your bra fitter starts to put you into bras that are more than 2 inches bigger than this measurement your alarm bells should start ringing. A lot of stores use a fitting method that adds Four or Five inches to your band size. This method is out of date (and in my opinion dangerous!) and only serves to get women into readily available bras rather than correctly fitting bras. Check out the wonderful Thin and Curvy blog to see what a difference it makes being in the right band size.

There is a lot of bra information out there that is confusing and designed to keep you baffled about your boobs (so you don't know when you're getting bad service!). Knowing your size is incredibly empowering and can put an end to poor quality fitting services and painful bras. So grab yourself a tape measure and take back control of your boobs!!!

Spring Cleaning Your Curves

Likes thousands of women your body and knicker draw may have been in hibernation during the winter and could do with a 'spring clean' before exposing them to the early sunshine. I have 5 tips to get yourself and your lingerie draw in tip top condition for spring:

1) Brightening up your skin will make you feel fitter, firmer and fabulous! A body salt rub at the spa will draw toxins out of your skin and remove dead cells. A great home option is to use an exfoliator for a week. Concentrate on your elbows, knees and thighs. Be gentle around your soft breast tissue and avoid the nipples.

2) If you don't moisturize daily then it's time to start. Feeding your skin every day will help keep your skin plump and bright. This can also be great for the firming up and keeping your breast tissue fed - you'll be amazed at the results!

3) Empty your underwear draw onto your bed and take a good hard look at your bras and underwear. Separate into four piles: 1) Bras I wear and I feel supported in 2) Bras that are in good condition but don't fit me or don't make me happy 3) Bras that are beyond help and are being held together by hope! 4) Bras that don't fit you but you just can't part with.

4) Hand wash pile 1 so that they are all refreshed and ready for spring (we recommend SOAK WASH). Donate pile 2 to a clothing bank or the Salvation Army. Dispose of pile 3. Look at pile 4 and any bras in there that you haven't worn in 2 years need to be donated along with pile 2.

5) If you don't have the following five bras then buy them: 1 good black bra, 2 bras you can wear under pale clothing (pink, grey, beige, caramel are all good options), 1 strapless bra and a sports bra. Ideally you should also have a great coloured bra for the spring. A splash of colour next to your skin can actually lift your spirits!

If none of your bras fit then it's time to start again and spend the rest of the year in bras that fit you and make you feel good. Our Bra Size Calculator is a good place to start. Once a year it's worth overhauling your bra drawer so that your bras are a joy not a chore! xx