Lingerie: More than Just Bras and Panties

Lingerie means so many different things to people, it’s hard to know if we’re all talking about the same thing. And I have definitely seen that women and men hold very different views about what lingerie is.

Women see lingerie as a wardrobe staple. Maybe it’s fun, but it’s definitely a necessity. Everybody wears bras and panties (well, okay, some of us prefer thongs, but it’s all the same general idea). And eventually they all wear out – no matter how well you care for it, your favorite bra will eventually need to be replaced.

Men, on the other hand, see lingerie as a synonym for sex. Straight men, at least, that is. Now I’m not saying women don’t also see the sexiness of lingerie, but it’s more than that to us. To women, lingerie is a way of feeling beautiful, even if no one is looking. It can make us feel sexy, but that might mean very different things to us than it does to men, and it might mean different things at different times. Sometimes sexy can mean seducing someone, sometimes it can mean feeling your own inner strength.

And, clearly, different types of lingerie connote different things. A corset isn’t the same as a bra, and a matching bra and panty set says something different than separates. Take a look at the lingerie you’re wearing today. What are you saying with it?

Beauty Mood Swings

There is nothing like working in lingerie to make you realize that everyone's idea of beauty is a mess. Half the people I meet are looking to make themselves smaller, the other half bigger. Everyone is saturated with articles that automatically assume we all have some major "problem area." As a short woman (4' 10 1/2"), I have yet to read an article on clothing styles that doesn't suggest I wear one solid color from waist to feet to "extend my leg." Do they honestly think that going monochrome will make people think I've breached the 5 foot barrier?

I prefer to think I look great just as I am and would simply like some nice clothing suggestions, not suggestions implying I have some defect that needs correcting. I have spent so much time looking around the world and alternating between moments of thinking I'm gorgeous and moments of thinking I'm hideous, that I have decided to give the phenomenon a name: beauty mood swings.

Acknowledging your beauty mood swings is the first step to improving your self-esteem. After all, it is not physically possible to be both stunningly beautiful and freakishly ugly. Nor can all other women be beautiful, with the sole exception being oneself (I fall prey to that one way too often). A beauty mood swing is when, based on nothing other than a sudden shift in your perceptions and self-esteem, you go from knowing how fabulous you are, to feeling you are never, ever going to be good enough.

Fellow bloggers, what causes your beauty mood swings? What do you do to feel good about yourself again?

Perspectives

Today I want to talk a bit about how we think about our bodies. What do we think of ourselves? We live in a world with images and ads and magazines that describe a certain "ideal" of beauty. It can be difficult to maintain a healthy perspective in the middle of such an inundation.

The images of beauty that are popular now are only a fad. Other generations have preferred other forms of beauty - more curves, more voluptuous women. But even then it was still just an image of what "beauty" was at that time.

What I want to do is reject these images that we receive from outside ourselves and put in their place images that come from our own self-concepts, of who we are and how we feel about ourselves.

What are your thoughts and views on the images of beauty that are popular now? Do they have an impact on how you think of yourself? What images of beauty would you prefer?

Women Helping Women

One thing I have been so lucky to benefit from in my time in Vermont, is the wonderful network of women professionals here. I had been warned about finding an "old boys' network," but my actual experience has been more that of a young women's network. It has definitely helped to keep me motivated, as well as being a great group with whom to celebrate.

A woman I greatly respect recently said to me that, to her, business is about relationships, and I thought: she is so right. It's about working with people you like and trust, and providing them with something they feel good about.

I would love to hear your stories of working with others and how connecting with people and building relationships was helpful to your success!

The Urban Legend of the 34B

The one thing that jumps out at me about lingerie is how many women are convinced that they are a 34B. Worse, it is unbelievable how many have actually been told this by so-called "lingerie professionals" at various stores.

I just met a woman who had been told she was - okay, not a 34B - but a 38B, which was equally ridiculous in her case, in that she had a very slim torso and very full cups. So how did someone arrive at this conclusion? Then I found out another woman I know has been happily buying 34B bras for years until someone suggested she try a C, and - lo and behold - it was much more comfortable.

Unfortunately, women in the wrong-size bra are often so used to being uncomfortable that they don't even question it anymore. So please let me tell you: bras don't need to be uncomfortable. My feeling is, every woman should know how to measure herself, so that she knows her true size. Sure, given the idiosyncracies of individual styles or manufacturers, sometimes she'll choose another size. But at least she'll know when she's doing that, and be making an informed choice.

Try a larger band size if you are getting uncomfortable red marks around your ribcage or if the bra causes bulges where it digs into your back. Generally speaking, the band should close comfortably using the middle hook. Try a smaller band size if the bra doesn't seem to stay in place. The bra should fit snugly, but comfortably, around your ribcage.

A new bra should be a pleasure to wear. If yours isn't, whip out that tape measure and see if maybe another size would be more comfortable.

To learn how to measure yourself and how to know if a bra fits well, go to:
http://www.alittlelingeriecompany.com/shop/pages.php?pageid=5

Just Opened Shop - www.alittlelingeriecompany.com

Well, after five months of working 24/7, A Little Lingerie Company, LLC is finally up and running. People who've clicked seem to really love the site, which makes me feel wonderful, considering how much I pushed to do something different than your typical lingerie website.

Instead of going for bimbette-sexy or granny bra-functional, I've worked to create a site for women who go to work every day and want something unique, lovely, and - best of all - affordable that they can wear to work. So, French maid's costumes we're not, nor are we your basic white bra.

What we are is a fun, user-friendly site that is as much fun to read and look at as our lingerie is to wear.