The Best Bra for your Breast Type

Infographic guide to choosing the right bra for your breast size, shape and your needs.

Government of Canada selling used thongs

The government of Canada is desperate to get rid of its budget deficit and its selling everything including the kitchen sink in an effort to balance the books.

Thus any Crown assets, including seized or forfeited property, is being sold off... including used thong underwear. Its all about prettying up the bottom line.

Seized property includes items gained through police seizure, tax evasion seizure, and so forth.

In 2010 the Canadian government sold a mere $14 million in Crown assets.

The Public Works and Services Canada’s auction website is currently displaying a range of sexy thongs that come in pink, magenta, violet, blue, silvery black, white and nude. The lingerie items are advertised "as is" and "like new".

And they're apparently selling like ice cream cones on a hot day. ie. One box of 10 panties sold for $50. Another box containing 14 bras sold for $171.99.

Some of the thongs still have the original tags on them and some have never been worn. The thongs were seized from stolen from an Ottawa lingerie boutique, recovered by the Ottawa Police, but never returned to the shop because they had already been covered by the store’s insurance company

Thus the police handed the thongs over to the federal public works department.

The sale of stolen/seized property results in a small commission for Public Works, and another % is re-invested in educational programs targeted towards reducing crime. The rest goes towards trying to balance Canada's budget.

Buyers are anonymous and protected by privacy laws.

Unlike eBay and similar auction sites bids aren't posted until after the sale is made. Its a silent auction and there are plenty of deals to be had.

Unfortunately shipping is not included. You have to pick up, pack and ship the items within 5 days of getting the winning bid.

The Conservative Party is also thinking of selling the CN Tower in Toronto, but only if the Conservatives can get re-elected. No word on whether that will also be a silent auction.

L’Agent by Agent Provocateur Fall/Winter 2014

This is actually from LAST year, 2014, and it is currently December 2015... However not so old that it doesn't matter. Why? Because lingerie fashions really don't change much from year to year.

Agent Provocateur's stylish ways don't change much from year to year either. They're pretty awesome every year.

Plus I like the whole old school exercises thing they did, juxtaposing lingerie with exercise equipment was quite smart in my opinion.

Steampunk Panties

Because who doesn't like Steampunk Panties?

And for fun, here is a photo of a steampunk camaro. Rrrreeeow!

Corsetiere Melanie Talkington

Corsetiere Melanie Talkington got the call of her life in 2012... It was from the Musée de la Mode et du Textile in Paris, located in the Louvre, because they wanted to showcase some of her private corset collection, some 230 pieces that date back as far as 1820.

Corsetiere and fashion designer Melanie Talkington owns Lace Embrace Atelier, a shop and studio just off Main St. in Vancouver, Canada. She sells spectacular handmade corsets, as well as boudoir paraphernalia, including Patricia Fieldwalker silk nightgowns, modern bra/panty/girdle combos by French ’50s reproduction line Scandale, garters and elaborate stockings.

Her corsets are often replicas of vintage styles from her Paris-worthy collection. The grand creations, which can be remade in exotic fabrics, take six to eight weeks to finish making, and start at $600 and can sometimes cost thousands for a custom job. Ready to wear models begin at $250.

Buyers from around the world flock to her shop in Vancouver, sending Talkington their measurements via email. Some are so hard-core they leave their personal fit mannequins with her, including loyalists such as Burlesque superstar Dita von Teese or Cathie Jung (record holder for the world’s smallest waist - 15 inches).

Talkington graduated from Kwantlen University in Surrey, B.C., where she had to teach herself the lost art of corsetry as a hobby in-between classes; today, thanks to a resurgence of interest in the subject (and its liberal use by modern designers, including Dolce & Gabbana), modern corsetry is taught in many international fashion schools... But knowledge of traditional / vintage corsetry is limited. Talkington's obsession led her to study and collect many antique corsets, helping her to replicate the vintage styles.

“I am obsessed,” Talkington says. “But with the internet, I now know how many other people out there are as well!”

In her collection there is a rare red-wool 1860s corset. Vintage pieces can be dated by the length of their components, and by how they manipulate the bosom, waist or hip to match the fashions of the day.

There is a small international community of artisans, collectors and scholars with whom Talkington shares sources, such as the revived steel producer in France who provides her with steel for the stays. (These stopped being made of whalebone in the 1880s.)

The continued and growing popularity of burlesque shows in Canada means Talkington has a steady supply of fresh clients, as well as those who buy for special occasions (think weddings) as well as others who wear corsets daily (often to train their waists, or make them smaller).

She also has a number of male clients. “You put a corset on a man to flatten his stomach, and it makes his chest fuller, and gives him a military bearing,” says Talkington.

The Paris show, Behind the Seams: An indiscreet look at the mechanics of Fashion, includes 38 items from Talkington’s collection and starts in July at Musée de la Mode et du Textile, located in the decorative arts wing of the Louvre.

Talkington hopes to bring the exhibit home afterwards: She’s planning to display her collection at her shop or a local art gallery.

P*rnstar Fashion Chic

NOTE - I apologize for the bleeps. They are done deliberately.

Dressing like a sl*t is a rather unusual trend within the fashion industry. Typically done by girls in their teens or twenties, its done to be deliberately provocative and to arouse attention. In many ways it is a sign of youth rebellion.

You might believe me that people are doing this... in which case have a look at American Apparel's advertising images, like those shown here. That is really their goal. Selling clothes to young women who want to dress like sl*ts.

And if you are looking to dress like a sl*t then look no further than the adult fashion industry. You know, the type of clothing that you can find in an adult fashion store / s*x toy store. Those clothing in such places will give you plenty of ideas of what is expected when people talk about P*rnstar Chic.

P*rnstar Chic, if you are unfamiliar with the term, is a new phenomenon whereby the p*rn industry is now considered hip, kewl, fashionable. And thus, dressing like a sl*t is likewise considered kewl.

And to be fair, dressing in that way has been considered fashionable for centuries... it just varied on how they did it. The Victorian women did it using low cut dresses to show off their cleavage.

But in a modern sense there are many ways a person can accomplish this. Wearing lingerie as a shirt, wearing panties instead of swimming shorts, wearing a corset instead of a vest... These are examples of one type of P*rnstar Chic - whereby you are wearing lingerie as regular clothing.

There are other ways to exhibit this chic look too... including leather bondage gear (which has been done many times over by people into heavy metal and goth music).

The end result is really just a fashion statement wherein a person identifies themselves as being more sexually liberal and open minded.

More P*rnstar Chic Tips

#1. Wear your bra OVER your t-shirt instead of under it. It looks bizarre, but combined with other pieces of eccentric clothing you can create a really strange and provocative look.

#2. Wear bodysuits. Yes, it also makes you look like a danger, but it is a really sl*tty look too.

#3. Show off your shoulders or mid-riff, either in combination with really tight clothing, or extra loose clothing.

#4. Add elements to your clothing so you look more like a dominatrix.

#5. Get really tall boots that go above your knees. Expensive, but they look amazing.

#6. Fake tattoos. Or real ones. Either way, they do their job.

I also want to note that dressing a specific way doesn't mean that you're a sl*t. Or a prostitute. Or a high class escort. Or a dominatrix. It is really more like a costume.

It simply means you enjoy dressing a specific way. So if someone likes to dress in black leather, a tight fitting black corset,  long finger gloves, and fishnet stockings that doesn't mean that she is a dominatrix. She might simply be a goth. Or a fan of comic book superheroine Black Canary (who is famous for her fishnet stockings).

We should also note that the typical escort agency in Toronto doesn't promote their employees by wearing sl*tty clothing on the street. They're much more sophisticated than that. For $200+ per hour they can afford to be wearing Versace and other pricey brand fashions.

So in reality the people who are dressing like a sl*ts... well, they are just messing with your head. The escorts are blending in and aiming at high fashion - cocktail dresses, etc. Because their goal is different... they want to look classy and respectable, because then they can charge more money for their services.

 
American Apparel knows exactly what they are doing with their advertising.

Except a couple years ago they nearly went bankrupt because they had narrowed their focus too much. Since then they have been trying to diversify a bit, but they're still marketing mostly to thin young women.

Which is ironic, since the more lucrative market in the USA is actually women who are overweight. Regardless, their goal is to sell fashion using sex - and young women are always looking for more ways to look sexy and attract a mate.

How to Make Your Breasts Look Bigger

Say what...

No seriously. You can make your breasts look bigger - without surgery and without stuffing your bra or bikini.

Call it one of those things that women like to do when they know they want to look "really good". Like when you have a super hot date and you want to look your absolute best.

And there is nothing wrong with wanting to look your best for special occasions.


How to Make Your Breasts Look Bigger

#1. Do Push Ups, Bench Presses and similar Bust Firming Exercises - Exercise will make your breasts look more perky and bigger.

Note: I cannot emphasis this one enough. Bust Firming Exercises really work and women have been doing them for decades. Even Marilyn Monroe did Bust Firming Exercises. They help you keep the shape of your breasts as you get older too, so even though you are 40 or 50 you could have the breasts of a 25 year old.

#2. Wear Two Bras - Extra Support = More Cleavage.

#3. Pin the back straps of your bra(s) together with a safety pin. Note, doing this will hurt because it will be really tight and squeeze your breasts together, so you don't want to be doing this very often.

#4. Using your hands, lift your breasts a bit and position them upwards so they look bigger.

#5. Makeup - Tanner, Lotion, Bronzers... extra colour in the area above the breasts makes them look bigger because there is more depth perception. Glitter and shimmer also work to add details and show off more shape.

#6. Contour Makeup - Using makeup, you can add contours to make your cleavage and breasts look bigger.

#7. Push Up Bras and Corsets Rock.

These tips are designed to accentuate and take full advantage of what you already have at your disposal.

DO NOT USE TAPE - Yes, it will give you more lift, but what happen when one tape becomes loose and your one breast looks bigger than the other... which looks all droopy in comparison. Plus that won't work if you are wearing a bikini because everyone will see the tape.

DO NOT STUFF YOUR BRA WITH SOCKS OR KLEENEX - That just looks really fake. Plus you can't do that with a bikini anyway.

DO NOT GET SURGERY - Because then everyone will know they're fake - And the health risks and botched boob jobs just aren't worth it. Plus the surgery leaves a distinctive scar which can often be seen when you are wearing a bikini.

Seriously, if you can get awesome results with exercise, fashion and makeup why would you bother with anything else?

Sports Bras for Running

Are you into running or jogging? Or maybe just exercising in general?

Then you probably will want a good quality sports bras.

And by quality I don't mean the cheapest thing you can find - I mean the best quality you can afford. Set yourself a budget and then go look for a sports bra that actually lives up to its promises.

There are lots of sports bras on the market and some of them are very good. Some of them are okay, but depending on the size of your breasts you will want something that is more heavy duty.

For example the Shock Absorber Run B5044 is not just a sports bra, it’s a running bra. It was specially developed in conjunction with Portsmouth University in the UK with their goal of trying to make a bounceless sports bra - really is impossible, but they got pretty darn close. It is billed as the first ever ‘bounceless’ sports bra, although they admit in their own studies that it is really only 78% less bounce.

The good thing about a quality sports bra is that you can breath while wearing it (that comes in handy while running!), and it’s very comfortable and will you fit you better.


I also recommend comparing different sports bras and looking at reviews online. The Shock Absorber Run B5044 for example has 4.5 stars out of 5 on reviews on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

The company Shock Absorber has also developed sports bras specially designed for different kinds of activities so even if you aren't into running you can check out the other things they have to offer. Other similar companies have similar bras too and I highly recommend trying out 2 or 3 different companies to see which one you like best.

The best place to buy a Shock Absorber is Figleaves.com (UK/USA only) or Amazon.com. Prices start at about £18 or US$43.

Men's Underwear: MeUndies Review

By Charles Moffat

Okay so I have been trying out two pairs of men's underwear sent to me via a friend over in England. Since she doesn't wear men's underwear and knew that I write product reviews for Product Reviews Canada that I at least have experience with writing reviews (including fashion reviews).

The underwear company I am testing out is "MeUndies" from meundies.com, which runs an underwear subscription service. Essentially the idea is for people to sign up and every so often they receive new underwear in the mail. It is apparently a booming business model. You find the type and colour of underwear you like, order one to see if you like it, and then once you have it you realize its a good quality product and then sign up for a subscription.

Anywho...

So what I have received is not 1 but 2 pairs of orange boxer briefs. So I've ditched my black Dockers (also boxer briefs) to try out the MeUndies. First impressions? They fit snugly and they're comfortable. And the bright orange is, well, bright.

On the inside label it says 92% Modal 8% Elasthane and made in Turkey. (In contrast my old Dockers are 100% Cotton and made in Thailand.)

Now to be fair... my Dockers stretched over time. Cotton is NOT Elasthane, which I am guessing is a stretchy material used in fabrics. The MeUndies in contrast are nice and stretchy and should keep its size and shape a lot longer.

And really what else do we expect from underwear? Comfort, colour, and a good fit. If underwear can't keep its shape over the long term and gets stretched out too easily then it really isn't that good. (Sorry, Dockers, it is the truth. You need to up your game with the materials you use.)

Want to learn about MeUndies? Check out their site at https://www.meundies.com/

In the meantime I shall have to wait and see if my girlfriend likes the orange boxer briefs. I am going to guess YES.

Marks & Spencer overcharging women for larger bust size

Several years ago...

Beckie Williams, a 35-year-old children's author from Brighton, England, discovered that Marks & Spencer (Britain's number-one lingerie and fashion retailer) was overcharging women for a D cup bra by $4 compared to identical bras that were C or B cup.

Williams responded to this discrimination of busty women by launching a nationwide protest against what she calls "big boob injustice."

"We want good value big bras readily available, it's as simple as that," she says.

Along with a friend, Williams created the Facebook group "Busts 4 Justice" demanding equal pricing for larger bras. The Facebook group has since become a runaway support movement for large breasted women.

Marks & Spencer, responded initially that larger bras were a specialty item that demanded a higher price. The average bra size sold in Britain is 36C (although this could be because many women can't find a quality D cup bra). It also said its products are still cheaper than those of high-end retailers that cater to larger women.

Williams' take on the company's response: "They basically told us, `Tough titties, go away.'"

Ten years ago, the average bra size sold in the United Kingdom was 34B. Since 2003, the demand for bra sizes DD and bigger is up 30 per cent.

What Marks & Spencer apparently saw as only two women complaining has ballooned to more than 7,000 angry customers boycotting their large lingerie departments and a firestorm of publicity over the issue.

According to a retail survey Marks & Spencer sells half of all the underwear bought in Britain.

If bigger bras require more material and take more labour, Williams said, then similar pricing policies should be in place for all clothing, not just bras. Also, why are they overcharging bras for thin women with large breasts (ie. 34D), the same as overweight women with enormous breasts (ie. 40DD) which uses considerably more fabric?

"And women have big boobs even if they are not overweight. It is not something we have any say in," says Williams.

Other retailers have announced they are coming to the rescue, with the U.K. branch of La Senza telling customers they do not charge extra for bigger bras.

"At La Senza, our motto is `One price fits all,'" said Lisa Bond, the company's U.K. spokesperson. "We don't believe that just because you wear a bigger size bra, you should pay more for it."

The chain has even offered a 10 per cent discount to Busts 4 Justice supporters.

HOWEVER La Senza's Canadian operations does overcharge for bras in the D and DD range in Canada. La Senza representatives in Montreal had no comment.

So will the protest spread to Canadian women and demand equal pricing?

The History of the Bra

The History of the Bikini

The History of the Corset and Brassiere

Japanese Women Bust Out

Shock Absorbing Sports Bras