Transformer Clothes That Maximise Your Travel Wardrobe

Did you know that a lot of your clothes can be worn as something completely different ? Like, a shirt can be worn as a skirt ? Harem pants as a playsuit ? No ?

This is a fantastic way to really extend your travel clothes, while being creative

Here is some inspiration (click pics for links):


Thought you can wear a bandeau top can be worn as a skirt ? Actually you can do with it almost all that they do here with a circle scarf. Ok, maybe not the stuff in the bottom row, because the original circle scarf is pretty big.

The lady above made her circle scarf out of a pillowcase, and wore it in a number of creative ways. I It´s a No Sew project ! Just cut and wear, and morph from turbaned Hippy to ninja.

You could also cut out armholes, like this lady...

The shirt skirt... two different ways (click on photos). When you´re fed up of your own stuff, steal your bloke´s shirt !

  

This site has lots of ideas to wear their wrap skirts and tops. I´m guessing that you could replicate most of the looks with the warp skirt and cardigan in your closet. Extra points if the skirt is reversible !

You can´t see much in the pics, but you can order their instructional CD for 5$. 

You don´t need a magic skirt, if you´ve got a wrap skirt ! You can download the PDF with the instructions for free here. 

Several unexpected ways to wear harem pants... like a jumpsuit or bubble skirt !

Creative ways to wear long skirts

A Very Easy Way to make a convertible top (it´s really ridiculously easy !)





A shirt as a scarf:

And this girl is the guru when it comes to multi-tasking clothes. Top as skirt, top as scarf, upside down top... wow !

So next time you´re packing, think about which items in your suitcase can play different roles ! I´d be geeky enough to print out the above pics and pack them with me, but maybe I should practice beforehand.

Have you ever worn something as something else ? Do you use this tactic when packing ? Do you have any links with more ideas ? Do tell !

The media and badly fitted bras

If models have badly fitted bras, why should we expect any better from the rest of us ? Where else do women learn from how a bra is supposed to fit ? Don´t most of us see the fashion industry as the experts in these kinds of matters ?
   Lingerie models are the ones that are supposed to show us how it´s done. Do they ?

Click images for large size

Victoria´s Secret: band is clearly riding up, cups are clearly too small (breast tissue on it´s way to becoming armpit rolls). I bet the band doesn´t lie flat it the front (the band is way to loose).

Triumph. Ouch. That looks painful ! Once again, the cup is way too small.

La Senza. You can see that the front of the bra doesn´t lie flat and hangs down... The band should support the breasts, but here it´s just hanging there....

These are just a few examples out of the thousands of photos out there. I can´t look at a lot of lingerie catalogues without cringing.

All this despite the fact that the models are carefully posed and everything is tucked in, and of course any remaining problems are photoshopped away...

Unphotoshopped reality looks much uglier.

And another thing the media tells you is that only special and expensive bras can be comfortable, never the pretty ones. And if you have big boobs, you need a bra that looks like this:

What´s missing in the photo is the thick straps that are supposed to bear the weight of... (COmplete BS, it´s the band that´s supposed to support, not the straps !)

Doesn´t it remind you of this :

On the flip side, there are some bra manufacturers that have perfectly fitted models and a big range of sizes, and very big cups in gorgeous colours. Like Panache.

   Do you think that the media often presents a distorted image of how a bra should fit ? Do you feel that people use lingerie models as a guide to how a bra should fit ? Did you ever feel there is anything wrong with your breasts because they didn´t look like Adriana Lima´s big rack stuffed into small cups ?

    

How to gather breasts into bra cups (& get rid of armpit rolls)

ou need to do this every day to get rid of armpit rolls and to make sure you are wearing the correct size. Here is a video demonstrating it:

If after you do this you have breasts spilling out of the tops of the cups, please please don´t shake them back in. You need bigger cups (and a snugger band).

More of my musings on putting on a bra here. You might also be interested in armpit and back rolls.

Photo by    

Pretty Summer Patio

    Give me real homes ! The blogosphere is abuzz, demanding real women instead photoshopped models. I demand real interiors. It depresses me to see beautiful journals with homes designed by architects, where every piece of furniture costs more than all of my furniture put together. It all looks like the people don´t own anything apart from artistically scattered throw pillows, three books and a white tunics. Even Martha Stewart ´s house photos are photoshopped and styled to the last degree.
  When I want real inspiration, homes that are lived in and loved, I turn to Flickr. And to my friends. Some of them have really awesome homes  that uniquely reflect who they are.
Here is one such home. Or rather just the patio. It was so hot that we stayed outside, sipping beer and lemonade and sprawling on the deck chairs.
Oh, and I also got to practice that overexposure, which makes everything looks so artsy-fartsy and delightfully summery.

Photos by Eternal*Voyageur    

Microfiber Cloths For Effective & Gentle Exfoliation

You can´t imagine how happy I am to find an effective exfoliation method gentle enough for the most sensitive skin ! No rubbing and scrubbing, it grabs dirt and dead cells and leaves the skin very smooth. Very smooth. It´s very cheap and there are no chemicals involved.
   I´m talking about microfiber cloth. Yes, that wonder cleaner for the house and the car.
   And I sound like an infomercial. I know. But I´m in love.

   Microfiber cloths have special fibres that GRAB any dirt in their way, however small. If you´ve ever used them around the house, you know how they seem to cling and suck on to surfaces, are really soft and minimise the rubbing and the cleaning products you use. I thought that it was hype, but when I finally got around to trying them, I´m never going back.

  This explains how microfiber works, in comparision to normal cotton fibres. The fibres just pick up the dirt instead of pushing it around:

Via Wikipedia

    Someone somewhere tried using microfibre cloth on the skin, and the rest is history. Microfiber does a fantastic job of cleaning grime and exfoliating dead skin. The fibres pick up the dirt, so there is no rubbing or scratching involved. They do a very thorough work of cleansing and exfoliating. I´m in love with them since I can´t use scrubs (fragile capillaries) and even washcloths and cotton wool can be harsh for me (which is very annoying since my skin often flakes). Microfiber cloths are a revelation, since they are very very soft, much softer than wash-cloths, and they get rid of the skin flakes and any loose sebaceous filaments (pore plugs).
   I also like to scrub lips with them. I also tried rubbing my nails and cuticles with it after I finished trimming the cuticles. It did a fantastic job of cleaning and smoothing that area (which is a mess, I can tell you). Every girl needs to have them on her bathroom shelf !

Microfiber cloths are great for:

* Cleansing. Use just water for more grip, a cleanser for more slip.
* Fighting blackheads and tightening pores. This girl loves the results !
* Removing make-up. Wow. I´ll never use cotton pads again because with them you need to rub, and microfiber just lifts everything off !
* For Oil Cleansing and steaming.
* Exfoliating the face and the body.
* Exfoliating the lips. Forget toothbrushes.
* Apparently they work on scars, fine lines and age spots.
* Cleaning and exfoliating cuticles after you´ve finished cutting them.
* Kerotosis. That´s the permanent goosebumps on arms or butt. I´ve googled around and it looks like microfibre cloths helped much more than most scrubs.
* As a towel, especially travel towel. They absorb a LOT of water.
* Everything around the house ! They magically clean windows without any cleaning agent ! I could wax on and on...

How to use microfibre cloths:
   Soak with water (or cleanser if you want more slip), and LIGHTLY rub on skin. Don´t over-scrub, or you´ll end up with angry red skin. The softness is deceiving and you might feel that nothing is happening, but trust me and don´t scrub hard unless you really want raw skin.
  You can cut the cloths in half or quarters. Or sew them into a mitt.
  Don´t use fabric softener or drier sheets with them, and it´s best to wash them separately (they pick up lint). Or at least don´t wash them with towels that produce lint.

Where to buy:

   You can buy them at any convenience store, for very cheap. I recommend the thick furry ones (often labelled as meant for cars) since they are softer and plushier than the finer, smoother ones. For reference, mine look exactly like these.
   As far as I know, there isn´t any difference between the "cosmetic" microfiber cloths and the ones for household or cars. The ones sold as face cloths are 80% polyester and 20% polyamide, same as the household ones in supermarkets here. Do take a peek at the tags to make sure you´re getting this fabric blend.

Sources:
Makeupalley
Naturaljourneys

Have you tried microfibre cloths ? Around the house, on the face ? Did you like them 

    

Tutorial: tightening a bra band without distorting the fit of the underwires

Simply shortening the band completely changes the fit of the bra because then the band is always very stretched. Try stretching a bra band: the underwires get bent apart, and this flattens the cup. The underwire doesn´t lie flat on the chest anymore, often the ends dig in and the middle stays away from the ribcage. (like this).

    Here is a tutorial with an easy and much better way. By sewing over the elastic on the band, you prevent it from stretching. The band stays practically at rest, and the underwires are not pulled.

Why tighten a bra band ?

* To rescue a not-so new bra
* A way to deal with stretchy but pretty Freya bras
* If you need a band less that UK/US 28 (EUR60)
* Please note that this will not turn your 75B bra into a 65D. These two sizes have different size and spacing of the underwires, cup width and shape.

    Here is the basic method, after that are some better variations:

The quick and dirty 5-minute method:

Notes:

* This is really easy, even a total sewing newbie can do it.
* If you´re using a sewing machine, remember to do a non--elastic stitch ! No "vvvv" or "xxxxx", just simple ------ !
* I left a part unsewn, because you do need a bit of stretch when you are putting the bra on / breathing. Sewing along the entire length will not allow the band to stretch at all. I started sewing where the band is attached to the cups, because I figured that way the underwires wouldn´t be pulled.
* I overdid it a little with the tightness, and had to undo a few cm after I took the photos. That´s why: sew a few cm, then try on !

 

Advanced, and more durable versions:

* Backing with a cloth tape or ribbon.

Put the bra on, and measure how much ribbon you´re gonna need. I recommend not going all the way to the hooks, but leaving a few cm, so that the band does stretch a little. Take off the bra. Attach both ends of the ribbon to the band, like this. Keeping the band stretched, sew the ribbon to the band. (If you don´t have anyone to hold it for you, try pinning it to a sofa). Finished result: stretched, unstretched. 

* Backing with a silicon band

Glue a silicon band to the elastic. The silicone band will stretch, but not much. Also, the whole thing is invisible.

Need even more tightness ?

   The above methods will tighten the band maximally till it´s unstretched length. The bra above is 53cm when unstretched, theoretically I could sew it up till it stays that way (practically you need a few cm unsewn to allow for a bit of stretch when putting the bra on). If you need to tighten the band even more, try the elastic method !

Photos by Eternal*Voyageur    

Reader Question: Tank tops & breast tissue migration

"Because my bras never fit right, I mostly stopped wearing them years ago and usually just wore tank tops with shelf bras in them. Am I still likely to have the tissue migration problem from this? I can't really tell if I do or not."

   I was stumped, so I asked the ladies at the Lobby Malobiusciastych about their experiences in going from tank tops to correctly fitted bras.
   The reply: you most probably don´t have any tissue migrated to the armpits or anywhere else, but a bra will probably do wonders for the breast shape. Most ladies noted that since thew wear a (correctly fitted !!!) bra, the breasts improved in shape. Specifically they are more in the front instead of on the sides, and have become more spherical. Some noted that the bust looks optically looks bigger, though there is no change in actual measurements.

Photo via parisheroinstars    

Reader Question: Bras for 26" (66cm) underbust

"My rib measurement is 26 inches, and not even Bravissimo sells that band size. What's your advice?"

I have a couple of suggestions for you:

* Eva Michalak´s Very Tight Bands

   There is Polish producer that produces bras with very very tight bands. The site is ewa-michalak.pl and they start with band size 60, which is so sung that it´s actually meant for girls with 58-62cm (22-24") under the bust. The bras are very good quality and are very pretty, though the quality of the photos on the site is bad. (Since then they have invested in cute models and a better photographer). For example this actually looks like this (there are also some better photos on their blog.) The one on the pic at the top is the Silver Plunge. This is the rare instance on the Internet where the article is prettier than the photo !
The site has it´s own calculator (with a slightly different system), and according to it you´d find their band 65 a good fit. I don´t know your bust size, so you need to try their calculator yourself.

"obwód pod biustem mierzony ciasno" means "under the bust, measured tightly"

"obwód pod biustem mierzony luźno" means "under the bust, measured loosely"

"obwód w biuście mierzony w pozycji pochylonej bez stanika" means measurement in the bust, leaning forward, bra-less.

The site is in Polish, but they do shipping all over Europe for ca. 5€ and worldwide for ca. 6€ (which is ridiculously cheap) so I´m guessing they do business internationally. I´d suggest mailing them at sklep@ewa-michalak.pl in english, giving her your measurements and the bras you like.
The bras start at 70 zł (PLN) which is 17€.  They offer free shipping if you want to exchange the item for another). They also accept Paypal. All of this makes it a hassle-free and very affordable solution.

* Tight 28 (60) bands

You could try looking for very tight 28" bands. Many 28 (60) bands are so loose that you need to have 70cm in the ribcage to wear them. But some tight ones that stay tight do exist. Try: Freya Tia, Freya Rio, Freya Polyanna, Panache Tango, Panache Lilly, and Miss Mandalay Paris. The Freya bras will have narrower underwires and Panache has broad. You need broad underwires if your breasts are further apart, or if you have a broad back.

* Why NOT sew.

I don´t recommend tightening the bra bands by sewing it up, since this distorts the bra shape. It usually pulls the underwires wider apart, and that flattens the cups. The underwires also may bend in strange ways, spoiling the whole fit and either poking or not lying flat on the sternum.

* Let manufactures know what you want

You might want to write to bra producers telling them that you´d like them to produce small band sizes, and ones that are actually tight. Bra bands seem to be made stretchier every year. So it might be that if they do produce 26" bands, chances are that that they´ll fit only 28" girls. Let them know you need it snug ! Brands like Victoria´s Secret that cater to just a bunch of sizes anyway will not listen, but Bravissimo, Panache and the like might be worth a shot !

Photo via Szuflada Effuniak  

How A Bra Can Firm Up And Repair Breast Shape

Getting the right bra size helped my post-baby boobs enormously, but when I saw these photos I went ´wow´ ! The photos on the left are from two years ago, the ones on the right are after two years of wearing a correctly-fitted bra. The lady is not wearing a bra under the swimsuit ! Read the whole story at Stanikomania (scroll to bottom).

The breasts changed enormously within two years of wearing the correct bra size ! The loose band of the old bra didn´t give any support, and the cups squashed the breasts, making the breast tissue migrate outside of the cups. This is the case of 9 out of 10 women, yes, most of us have wrongly fitted bras ! The new correctly-sized bra of this lady returned the armpit and back rolls to the breasts, and gave her a fantastic shape. Read my post on what is breast tissue migration and find your correct bra size.

Photo by    

Can a Full-Busted Girl Wear a Bikini ?

What if I tell you large of boob ladies that you can wear a two-piece and look & feel fabulous in it ?

Support, comfort and size availability are the things which scare away the large of boob from two-piece swimsuits. However, anyone with a big cup can wear two-piece if they follow the rule: the size must be right. If the band is snug enough, the bikini top will stay put andgive support. And look fabulous. This also works for strapless bras. Do you know that the average woman wears a band size three sizes to big for her ?

The band is the key.

Step one: find your correct size

    The myth that you can´t wear a two-piece if you have a large chest is propagated by those who have never seen a well-fitted bra. When the band is loose and doesn´t offer any support, we rely on the straps to haul the boobs up. The whole bikini top (or bra) won´t support, looks saggy and feels uncomfortable. This is the case with 90% of women on any given street on any given day.

   If the band is snug, it will keep everything in place. To get the correct size for snug supporting band, measure tightly under your bust at exhale, and subtract 5 cm from it. Round down to the nearest band size. (UK sizing: measure in inchest, and round down to nearest band size without substrating anything). This means if you measure 83cm under the bust, you should be wearing band size 75. Don´t add anything to the underbust measurement. Do you wear panties that are wider than your hips ? You do want support, right ?

Once you go down band sizes, you´ll need to go up with cup sizes, since cups are relative to bands. Read more here and use the correct bra size calculator.

Not all bikini tops are flimsy things on a string.

Step two: find the correct cut

For large busts Balconette bikini tops are recommended, since they offer support as good as that of a bra. Don´t confuse them with Plunge bikini tops, which are cut much lower in the front. (In spite of this, plunges still offer better support than a typical bikini top, just make sure that the band is snug and the cup is big enough, or out pops the boob !)

What´s the size limit ?

Bravissimo makes bikini tops up to UK 38 K (That´s EUR 85R) ! And they´re not the only ones that know that busts don´t end at D. Panache, Freya and Fantasie offer bikini tops that are cute, comfortable and supportive.

Where to find these sizes ?

Bravissimo, Brastop (discounts !!!), Biggerbras, Figleaves, Ebay, Amazon, CurvesandLace, curvylicious... You do need to buy online though, since most offline stores don´t have anything beyond D cup.

    

Fabulous Fuschia from Bravissimo (till 38K),     Vodkatini from Freya (till 48G ?)