Bravissimo

Archive for January, 2010

Denim is a big trend this season and when it’s being worn from head to toe, we want to know how to wear our jeans in light of this denim craze. So here are the 3 key jean trends for spring;

Carrot jeans – yes, you heard us right. This style of jean are named so as they have a high waist, fill out at the hips then narrow down to the ankle, much like, well the shape of a carrot! They work well for slim waists and look great with heels for a dressed up casual look. They can however drown a petite frame, depending on the size of the heels of course!

Harem jeans – super soft denim is used to create the draping effect of one of our favourite styles of last summer. Jean harems however have a much edgier look than the trouser variety. They are more constructed, have more detailing but are just as comfortable. Wear dressed up with this seasons peep toe shoe boots or dressed down with pumps and a simple tee.

Trouser jeans – this trend takes inspiration from some of the latest trouser styles; high waists, wide legs and pleating. The use of light weight denim helps to achieve these styles and makes them a great, yet smart alternative to trousers. This style will also suit just about every shape and size!

Simple strappy tops look fab with jeans

The perfect companion for these fashion forward jeans is a simple cami or vest top, this way the focus remains on the denim. Our essential strappy tops come with an integral bra for the support you need without putting up with showing bra straps. Or for a bit of added glam, our slinky alterneck with jewelled neckline should do the trick! Fitted tees also work well, especially with looser fitting jeans such as the harem or wide leg style. And remember, a nude tee-shirt bra worn underneath a white tee will disappear but a white bra will still be visible so the choice is yours, play it discreet or flaunt it?!

Whether your hair is long or short, curly or straight, the only way to wear it this spring is naturally. We must admit we’ve probably over done it with the straighteners over the years but now comes a more forgiving hair trend that will cause less damage and is achievable with less effort.

Be natural this Spring

Harsh layers and severe bobs make way for easy curls and effortless waves with more natural volume. But there are to be no half hearted attempts at styles. If you’re going short, make it extra short. Whereas long styles need to be long enough to get the right amount of volume, whilst keeping the length! Curls work just as well on short hair as they do on longer hair. One of the styles for 2010 is the messy bob, sported by the likes of Danii Minogue. The basic shape is that of a short layered bob but texture is added by loosely curling the hair to give it an undone natural look.

Longer styles suit looser curls and have the length to pull off more of wave than a curl too. The waves should start lower down the hair rather

than at the root, about cheekbone height will give the most flattering effects. Long styles also have the advantage of pulling off another of this season’s hair trends; plaits. Lengthy plaits that sweep to one side scream summer days and boho chic, wear messy to really nail this look. Other up dos include messy buns and loosely pinned hair that looks effortless. This isn’t however always the case. The messy look can take some mastering but with a little hairspray, a hand full of Kirby grips and a bit of practice, we’re sure you’ll have this style mastered in no time!

Floral prints are a spring time staple but don’t restrict this pretty print to just your clothing, to update the look wear your floral prints on anything but. Whether it’s an itsy bitsy print or bold statement print, floral accessories, bags,  jewellery and lingerie give a quirkier spin to this trend.

Jewellery wise, roses are the flower of choice and as the jewellery trend this season is the bigger the better an oversized rose ring or bracelet is all you really need to pull off this look. But why stop there? Floral print shoes are super cute, we ♥ shoes and we also love flowers so why not combine these two loves to complete our spring outfit? The print suits flats as well as heels so whatever your preference, we’re sure a pair of floral shoes will help to put a spring in your step!

Pretty floral lingerie

For other ways to introduce this trend to your wardrobe, try a printed bag or scarf and if you’re feeling more daring, flash a bit of a floral print bra to nail the underwear trend too! The Charlotte bra with in cool blue and pretty lace trim is perfect for doing just that!

We’re so over the snow right now we could quite happily never see it again, ice on the other hand, we’ll keep but only to put in our cocktails!

Cocktail Party Anyone?

This winter has been a long and cold one, which goes without saying really but honestly shouldn’t it be spring sometime soon? The dark nights and freezing temperatures have really taken a toll on us this year, not to mention the disruption it has caused on the roads and general transport. So we’ve come up with the perfect antidote to these cold wintry nights, a cocktail party! Now we realise that January’s pay check is a long time coming but that doesn’t mean that we can’t have some fun, whilst sticking to a budget. So why not turn the heating up, invite your girlfriends round, put on the cocktail dresses (just because you’re not going out doesn’t mean you don’t have to make an effort) and get the cocktails flowing! Hosting your own party is great as there are only the people there that you want to be there, there are no queues to get in and you can be in control of the music. If everyone brings a different bottle, mixer or nibbles then the costs are spread out evenly and you actually end up getting more for your money if you make the cocktails yourself! Do this and you’re guaranteed to forget about the rubbish weather in no time. What better way to get excited for the Sex and The City sequel than cocktails with the girls?!

For a whole host of weird and wonderful cocktail recipes as well as the classics visit: www.cocktailmaking.co.uk

Now that we’re really back in the swing of things, we need a little something to cheer us up. Hopefully our gorgeous new early spring clothing will do just that!

The slinky knit dresses is ideal for comfort and versatility. But for something a little more special, take a look at our

Slinky Knit Dress

fabulous animal print wrap dress, which is on trend for this season’s safari look and the figure hugging button up dress. We know just how important comfort and fit is, that’s why our clothing is designed to give you that extra bit of room for your boobs without compromising on style.

If you want to add a bit of glam to your usual work attire, try the jewel trim top. The subtle jewels on the shoulders of this top make for a little bit of work time sparkle.

Stripes are a must this season and are a wardrobe staple that can be worn smart or casual. Our nautical stripe tee will last all season and the red stripe adds an instant colour injection.

The great fine stripe shirt gives a defined waist and its subtle details add femininity without being overly frilly. Great for the office but also great worn with jeans out of business hours too.

To finish off your spring work look, try our all weather trench. Super smart, super flattering and with two colours to choose from, the only other thing you need to decide is navy or stone?

Thanks to Eleanor Mills of the Times Online who has written this article…

It’s the late 1980s, and I’m spending more time than I should be shaking my booty on the dancefloor. Those three great clubs of the time — the Wag, Heaven and Phil Sallon’s Mud Club — are notoriously difficult to get into, but in a skintight black Alaïa-like dress, getting past the doorman is no problem. For a big night, I wear my favourite, a green stretchy Lurex halterneck from Kensington Market, which, worn with towering heels, never fails to gain me free admittance, guest list or not. Back then, my friends and I dubbed it the X-rated dress — there was just something about the way it clung to me (with my tiny waist and enormous bosom) that seemed to reduce most doormen to nodding compliance. Happy days!

So I know better than most that while fashion has pretty much constantly extolled the virtues of the waif, out there in the real world the male population has always appreciated a more curvaceous specimen. Granted, my voluptuous figure was not always such a boon — I got sick of being greeted with “Hello leftie, hello rightie, oh… hello Eleanor” in the school corridor, and once, rather memorably, when I interviewed Mikhail Gorbachev for this paper, he spent most of the time talking to my chest.

But still, it was with delight that I looked at these amazing high-fashion pictures from the latest V magazine (currently dominating billboards all over Manhattan), which show beautiful girls with the odd tummy roll and some meat on their thighs. Unlike Beth Ditto — who is as much of a freak in the size stakes as her whippet-thin model counterparts — the V girls look like gorgeous versions of the many. These pictures prove what sensible women have always known: beauty comes in different shapes and sizes, and there is no one body shape that trounces all the others.

Even Karl Lagerfeld, who has been withering in the past about “fatties”, has just photographed Miss Dirty Martini, a burlesque performer of considerable bodilicious charm. In fact, the “plus-size” model market is booming, according to Gary Dakin of Ford Models. “The girls’ rate has moved from £900 a day to £9,000 or £12,000 a day.” He is cock-a-hoop as he has just taken a booking for Crystal Renn, the world’s most famous plus-size model, to close one of the big shows at this season’s New York fashion week.

Add to that Mark Fast’s sexy knitwear selling out in Browns to real girls, the awe-inspiring shape of Joanie from Mad Men and Catherine Zeta-Jones sporting magnificent cleavage on the red carpet, and it seems abundantly clear: the voluptuous woman’s fashion moment has arrived.

Luckily, an underwear revolution has made all this possible. As any larger breasted lady knows, the trick to showing off an hourglass figure is the underpinnings. In my Wag days, finding a bra to fit my bosoms was a nightmare. There were only a handful of stores that stocked them, with Fenwick being the least depressing. Most 16-year-olds never went near a proper lingerie department, so they weren’t exactly presented with a teenage me in mind. On top of that, the prices were astronomical; my mum gave me a special extra allowance, as the bigger bras were at least £30 a pop. I would be imprisoned in a cubicle while some sniffy sales lady, tutting about support, rummaged in the back of the shop for an over-the-shoulder-boulder-holder. Invariably they looked like nursing bras or sturdy matron’s attire. The best I could hope for was black. If they didn’t have black, I’d buy white and dye them. It was hell.

But then, 15 years ago (it celebrates its birthday this month), a shop was founded that was to change my life: Bravissimo. It caters entirely to the large-breasted, its smallest cup size is a D, going up to a KK. There are 2m ladies on the database, because as well as those of us who are just built that way, in 2008, 8,439 British women had their breasts surgically enlarged (up 30% on the year before). Bravissimo stocks all the best bras for big breasts — Freya being my favourite, but also Panache, Masquerade, Pureda, Wonderbra and Fantasie. From about £20 up — oh joy — it sells them in all the colours of the rainbow and just about every pattern.

Even today, putting on a well-fitting bright red bra with gorgeous embroidered flowers, or a green and pink lace confection, fills me with satisfaction. Being able to flaunt my straps or let a little bra lace peep through is a thrill. Bravissimo now has an excellent website and shops with trained fitters nationwide, and the collection changes four times a year. These days it sells nightwear with integral soft bras, attractive sports bras and strappy tops and vests with built-in support. It also produces a catalogue that is peppered with heartfelt stories from women, like me, who are grovellingly grateful for the company’s existence and send in tales of how being properly lifted and separated has made them look stones lighter, boosted their confidence and changed their lives.

Call us on 01926 459 859 for our telephone fitting service

Fitting is key. (Bravissimo will even do a fitting over the phone.) Many girls who might have just struggled on in a 34B bra are discovering, through being properly measured, that actually they are a 30G or a 32FF. With this trend for large breasts on small frames and larger-breasted Brits generally, other lingerie brands are moving in: Elle Macpherson Intimates has just started making bras up to a G cup (they are pretty, but lack technique when it comes to support), M&S is now doing a GG, Prima Donna (as designer as underwear gets: a bra costs £80, knickers £50) now does brilliant larger sizes, while Midnight Grace bras provide notable forward thrust.

If a decent bra is the curvy lady’s foundation stone, the finishing touch is a proper slip. Years ago an elegant friend suggested wearing a silk nightie under dresses rather than a standard slip — silk gives off less static and is much sexier than nylon. A slip allows a dress to skim and cling where you want it to, rather than where you don’t. (For extra help, shapewear such as Spanx work up to a point, though I constantly have to hoick them back into place, and they are definitely a bit Bridget Jones when it comes to the reveal.)

A basque is good for support too. I didn’t need one when I was 16, but it certainly helps now. The key is to ensure it is long enough to prevent an unsightly bulge where it stops, and to get it fitted properly so the bra part does its job. Rigby & Peller is the undisputed queen of the corset. I was fitted for a basque (£81) that I have worn under a number of dresses ever since with great results. A basque separates the larger breast from the waist like nothing else and is much sexier once you take the outer layer off. Masquerade does a good basque too (available from Bravissimo up to a G cup for £55). And since underwear as outerwear is a big part of the spring/summer look, a basque is a wearable way for the newly cool curvaceous posse to work that trend with the requisite amount of support.

As for outerwear, most designers don’t understand a womanly form, but Donna Karan does: I’m a huge fan, as she cuts her clothes to accentuate and flatter (her sweater dresses rule). On the high street, Warehouse, Phase Eight, Oasis and recently Comptoir des Cotonniers do better than the rest. I also recommend the incredibly slimming denim brand Not Your Daughter’s Jeans. Over in the States, NYDJs have been a big hit with the “Mom” demographic, as, too, has the brand Hello! Skinny Jeans — its jeans are “a marvel of denim engineering and artistic suggestion”, according to Tyra Banks.

So, bootylicious ladies, I know you’ve had that va-va-voom thing going for ever and the men around you love you for it, but now — finally — fashion is shining a benign eye upon you: so whether you skim, cling or strut, don’t waste this chance. Flaunt it.

Eleanor Mills

Beautiful Brides

Did you know that we do bridal lingerie too? If not you yourself, most of us will know some lucky lady who has been proposed to over Christmas. And as men fall to their knees to pop the question, so starts the task of wedding planning.

As the wedding dress plays such an important role in how we look and feel on the big day, just as much thought should be put in to what is worn underneath. Gorgeous and great fitting underwear will help you to feel that extra bit special the whole day and night long. So brides to be, we have a great selection of lingerie designed with your special day in mind.

The confetti collection, appropriately named, is beautifully embroidered though its delicate appearance still gives fabulous support all day long. It comes as a basque, strapless bra or as a body with matching thong or briefs in ivory or black, for any special occasion. We’re sure this collection will make you feel fantastic worn under any outfit, be it your wedding, someone else’s wedding or not a wedding at all!

If you prefer something more simple, the Zara bra is a great and versatile bra that can be worn with halterneck, cross-over or regular straps. And the push up plunge cups will boost your boobs and give great cleavage.

For more inspiration, take a look at our Bridal Lingerie Guide here http://www.bravissimo.com/themed/bridal-lingerie.aspx

Pink is back but this time it’s all about having pink shades for your make-up rather than for your wardrobe. Although spring is just around the corner, we’re not quite ready for spring clothing yet, even if it is starting to appear in the shops, the amount of snow we’ve had has resulted in people piling on as many layers as possible. We may be reluctant to make our wardrobes more spring like, but we can brighten up our make-up with some fresh colours to lighten up our mood instead!

Pink shades in nail polish, lipsticks, blushers and eye shadows allow you to brighten up your look and feel fresh as a spring daisy whilst still wearing your winter layers! Wearing a matt bubble gum pink nail polish just makes us feel happy that the weather will soon be warming up and makes us look forward to summer, sandals and BBQs again! Matt or shimmery pink lips are a fresh change from the deep red lips we’ve worn over winter. A good blusher with pink over tones and a hint of shimmer will help to add some colour to our rather pasty white faces and a stroke of pink eye shadow will help us to see la vie en rose!

Can’t wait until spring to brighten up your wardrobe? Check out our early spring range online, with lingerie in beautiful pastel shades and comfy separates to help you feel a little warmer inside!

Did you know that by wearing the right size bra, your boobs are placed where they should be, your waist is defined and this can result in dropping a whole dress size?

So many women are wearing the wrong size bra, by wearing the wrong size your boobs are not properly supported and this can be very uncomfortable and involve lots of hoiking up of the straps and readjusting throughout the day. Also, if the back size of your bra is too big, your boobs can fall much lower than they should be, this can cause problems when trying to find the right clothing size.

At Bravissimo, we don’t use tape measures as we acknowledge the fact that boobs come in all different shapes, sizes and that the volume of the boobs can also vary greatly. Our bra fitters have the experience to know a good fit and how to tell if you’re wearing the wrong size. Our bra fitting appointments are one on one, that way you get our full attention and we help you to find your correct size. And remember, the girls have been there before themselves, so there’s no need to feel nervous. We also understand that some of us can feel a little embarrassed about the size of our boobs, but there’s nothing more uplifting than a properly fitting, comfortable bra that you can wear all day, the size is just a number.

Find your nearest store by clicking here and book an appointment today!

Happy Birthday Bravissimo!

This month we’re celebrating  our 15th year of providing gorgeous and great fitting lingerie, swimwear and clothing to Bravissimo girls.

In 1995 the company’s founder Sarah Tremellen started Bravissimo in her own living room as a mail order company following her own disappointing experiences when underwear shopping. And since then has strived to change the bra industry for bigger cup sizes to what people want rather than what comes in their size! And so to celebrate, we’re giving away a lingerie set a day for 15 days until Friday 29th January. Simply make a purchase online for your chance to win.