AJ: I’m a cat person, and the idea of having a bust friendly shirt in a cat print is wildly appealing to me. Obviously, I had to try out Urkye’s new Kot (Cat) shirt. I felt a stronger draw to the white version of the shirt than the dark navy (even though I’m terrified of white clothing; I’m a stay at home mom with small kids…enough said), so white it was! From photos of the models, I could tell that the shirt was pretty relaxed with a less revealing v-neckline than many of Urkye’s other offerings. Since Urkye’s charts put me in either a 40o or 38oo for non- stretchy items, the loose fit of the Kot and previous experience with too much shoulder material in a 40o/oo Retro dress led me to order the 38oo.

Boosaurus: I absolutely love that Urkye came out with a more quirky print; I’ve been anticipating trying these tops out ever since I saw the “coming soon” announcement! I grabbed a white colorway in my usual 36ooo. My size was unfortunately sold out in the navy, but I ordered a 38ooo in that color just to see what the shirt was like.

AJ: I received the order pretty quickly (ship time was about a week to the US from Poland). The pattern was, of course, the first thing of interest when I pulled the shirt out of the package. The cats on the white shirt are a more realistic outline than the print on the darker shirt, which I knew from the web pictures, but I didn’t notice that they were 3 different colors: black, red, AND grey. Honestly, the grey cats threw me off a bit at first, but after getting used to them I think they add some welcome extra depth to the pattern.

Boosaurus: I’m not normally a big fan of white shirts, but seeing the shirts in person made me more okay with the white option. The navy shirt appealed to me more color and pattern-wise, though – I was sad I wasn’t able to order my true size!

Apologies for poor quality photos (and derpy faces) – I don’t currently have a good camera!

I’m pulling the extra side fabric for a better idea of how the shirt would look in the right size here.

Fit
AJ: The fit of the shirt is unfortunately problematic for my figure. For reference, my measurements are 37-30-40, 30F/FF, 5’7” with a long torso. The bust fits decently well, if not particularly accentuating, but the waist and material in the low back are too generous for my comfort. (Adding a waist belt does change the look of the shirt and keep it in the realm of “not drowning in billowing cats” for me.)

If there were a consistent looseness in the fit of this shirt, I would recommend a size down, but the shoulder area would make sizing down a bad idea. It is so fitted, in fact, that I wish there was a zipper in the back to help get the shirt off (there is a hidden side zipper, without which getting the shirt on at all would be impossible for me). I have small shoulders and don’t normally have trouble getting out of shirts unless they are too small all over, so having to contort myself to get the Koty off was something of a shock and is certainly another factor against my wanting to keep it.

Left: showing extra fabric. Right: Fabric pulled back a bit to show how I wish it fit

Boosaurus: The fit of this shirt in my usual size is, as expected, loose overall rather than clingy and form-fitting like most of Urkye’s other offerings. I honestly don’t generally prefer looser fits like this, but I found the style growing on me more as I wore it.

I was fairly satisfied with how the bust portion fit, and I didn’t mind the more flowing fabric in the torso area. The main thing that bothered me a bit was the seeming extra/loose fabric in the upper back portion of the top (shown below). I have a wider upper back, so I was surprised that this was an issue. I also had a little bit of trouble getting the shirt on and off despite the side zipper (partially due to a shoulder issue of mine). I’m not quite sure how this issue might be fixed.

AJ: I’m really not sure what I think about the split sleeves. I messed around with them a bit and almost think sleeveless would be better on this style. I feel, for me, that the sleeves add to the box-like look of the shirt on my upper frame.

Boosaurus: I actually liked the sleeves; I thought they added interest to the shirts!

Quality 
AJ: The material is very light, and since this is a white shirt, it is somewhat see-through. I can’t imagine wearing anything but beige under this shirt without a cami. Even with a beige bra, I could see my pale skin through the fabric wherever it happened to sit right against me. I’m paranoid about stuff like that, so it may not be that bad for others, but I couldn’t wear the shirt without a white cami under it. Makes me wish I liked the print on the darker Kot shirt better.

Boosaurus: I found the shirts to seem to be good-quality, and the material (polyester) made the shirt feel light and cool. I did find that the white version of the Kot was somewhat see-through, but I felt like I would be comfortable wearing it with a lighter bra (in the photos I’m wearing a green-and-black Ewa Michalak bra). The navy version of the shirt doesn’t pose this problem.

Views of the dark navy top – the fit is looser than it normally would be due to me taking a size up from my usual. I’m kind of in love with the print, though.

Conclusion 
AJ: I do love the print and applaud the use of it in a new style. I hope that Urkye continues to use new (and possibly risky for them) prints in their designs. I will be passing this shirt on because of the fit and material issues for me. If I had to do a redesign of the shirt to make it work with my figure, I would 1) take in the back several inches from the top of the hidden zipper to the bottom hem, 2) add a second zipper to the back of the neck to assist getting it on and off, and 3) add a white inner lining to help the shirt stay opaque (any time I have to add a layer to stay modest, the chances of my wearing a particular item become slim). And while I’m dreaming, I want a fox print, Urkye. Also, maybe some Russian dolls.

Boosaurus: Although the style of the Kot shirts isn’t one I normally would go for, I do appreciate the risk Urkye is taking with print variety and a different cut. I like the dark navy version of the top enough that I’m considering getting it altered to fit me better if my true size doesn’t come available again on the site. Overall, the Kot top is something I see myself wearing throughout the coming warm Summer and Fall days. More fun prints, please, Polish companies!

The Kot Bialy and Kot Czarny can currently be found on Urkye’s website for 89zl (about $23.50).

It’s been surprisingly hard for me to find a nice grey-colored bra; as someone who tends to get tired of flowery prints, I really appreciated the color here. The little lace, ribbon, and pearl details add a sweet little touch, making the set feel dressed-up and classic without being over-the-top. And the fabric is surprisingly soft!

The matching panties seemed to run a little smaller than the usual Freya Small. This was fine with me since I usually find Freya Smalls a little roomy anyway, but in general, you may want to get a size up from your usual. The style is a bit cheekier than I was expecting, but no complaints from me! I really like the side lace detail.

Details, details <3

The newer-style Deco bras have a seam across the top edge of the cup, unlike the older, classic Decos that were “open” and unseamed. Some may not like this change because it means that the top of the cup can cut into the breast tissue and allows for less wiggle room on sizing (particularly for those with full-on-top breast shapes). However, as someone with a slightly more full-on-bottom shape, I actually prefer this newer seamed, more closed-off top. The cups of the bras themselves also seem shorter and less tall than the old line, making the entire bra seem less bulky.

Due to my shape, the 28GG worked fine for me (a more even to full-on-top 28H might find the 28GG a bit too small). I found it ran about true to size – perhaps a bit generous in the cups, but less so than the old style of Deco (again, this may be mostly a shape issue for me). The band seemed true to size, stretching to just 28″ and having a “firm” feel.

One thing I found is that the cups are really quite stiff. Since my breast tissue is on the slightly softer/bottom-heavy side, I found that I had a little bit of trouble filling out the sides of the cup all the way, partially since my breast tissue was escaping out the side a bit (someone with definitely soft tissue would probably have some trouble with spilling out towards the middle, as well).

However, a great feature of this bra is that it has a J-hook option to convert the straps to racerback, and when the J-hook is used, it pulls back the cups a bit and fixes any gaping for me (it actually sometimes gives me a slight bit of quad boob). If you’re filling out the cups all the way when wearing the bra normally, using the J-hook will likely cause a little overflow (definitely some extra “oomph”). But if you often get a little bit of gaping with stiff, moulded cups like I do, the racerback feature may solve this issue.

What I really like about this set is that it feels so… mainstream. It’s the first multi-way, plunge, moulded bra I’ve ever had, and it feels like something I would grab at a mall store if I fit in their size ranges. It may seem like a little thing, but this goes a long way towards making me feel more “normal” and better about the bra choices currently out there for me. The two hooks (rather than 3+), the sweet little details, the less-bulky feel, and the J-hook option make the Deco Delight a real winner for me. The bra is comfortable enough that I see myself using it as both a daily choice and on special occasions.

GetBras.com was great to work with; their shipping was fast and the interactions with the owner and staff very friendly. When the first set I had chosen (the quirky Freya Thimble Cottage) didn’t work out for me, they kindly offered to switch it for the Deco Delight. The U.S.-based site carries some solid choices and a nice range of sizes (although a little limited in the 28-band range, and seemingly a bit limited in stock just due to their being a smaller company). You can find the Deco Delight in Dove and the new Denim on GetBras for $66.

Image from Urkye.com

The red polka dot dress reminded me of Minnie Mouse, so obviously, I had to buy it! Since we go to Disneyland now and then, it seemed a perfect choice, especially since I’ve never come across a red polkadot dress that was bust-friendly before.

I was going to get some photos at Disneyland when we managed to go this past weekend, but as luck would have it, a torrential rainstorm happened (in California… I know, right?). So, sadly, most of the time I was looking like this (you’re welcome):

The Teacup ride was closed Good thing I had an emergency jacket and umbrella in the car, though! #beprepared

However, I did manage one slightly-less bedraggled photo!

Underneath an overhang!

As a positive, the dress held up really well in a day spent trekking through crowds and riding rides despite the damp, rainy, humid weather. It’s pretty ideal for warm weather, and the material (a viscose/polyester blend) is such that you can wear colored undies without having to worry about show-through.

The color of the Polka Tuba dress is a very slightly orangy-red; note the comparison between the Minnie Mouse ears bow. This was fine with me, but something to be aware of.

The fit I found true-to-Urkye-size and just like the Tuba shirts in the top (I went with my usual size of 36oo/ooo). Like with the Tuba shirts, the little fabric “tubes” on the sleeves can be slid up and down to create a slightly different neckline. The bust portion of the dress is, as usual with Urkye, fairly generous/forgiving.

The body of the dress is fairly clingy overall, something to keep in mind if you have hips/tummy that you’d prefer not to draw attention to. As to length, the dress hits me about mid-knee. I’d personally prefer the dress to be a little shorter on my 5’4 frame, so I may try to hem it, but it’s not bad.

Don’t mind my walking shoes – I promise I had cute sandals on later!

All in all, this is a stretchy, comfy dress style that’s perfect for summer days out and about. Though it’s more of a casual piece, the Tuba dress can easily be dressed up a bit with a cute cardigan or accessories.

(As a bonus, here’s a look at another, older print of the Tuba (“Paws”) that I also own):

There are 10 colors/prints of the Tuba dress currently available on Urkye’s website, selling for 109-119pl (about $30).

AJ’s Review

When Boosaurus asked me if I wanted to do a dress review for Urkye, I was excited but a bit concerned that I would be disappointed (mostly because of my fears that I wasn’t measuring correctly). I had been stalking their website for over two months, trying to figure out whether or not to try anything. All of the dresses looked great on the models, but none of the models had the neckline I had been hoping to find in a good, multi-occasion, easily accessorized dress, the kind of dress that you can wear to just about anything in most weather. I have never had one of the dresses because my curves and torso just don’t agree with department store finds.

Enter the Urkye Retro. Sweetheart neckline, check. Fitted waist with flared skirt, check. Really short sleeves and a basic color? Check! I picked granatowe (navy) in part because I’m generally too chicken to wear anything brighter but also because my favorite color, the turkusowe (turquoise), was sold out in my size.

The Urkye size chart puts me in the gray zone between a 40o/oo and 38o/oo, leaning more towards the 40o/oo. I hedged my bets and got both (the 38o/oo with the matching bow/belt, the 40o/oo without), so here’s a review of the two sizes and what did and didn’t work.

Color and Material:
The color is a dark, dark navy, one of those that really only looks blue next to black in normal indoor lighting (outside in person, you can tell it’s blue). The material is sturdy with a decent amount of stretch to it. Seaming is nicely finished and nothing looks out of place; I didn’t find any puckering. Both dresses were well sewn.

[Boots on for safety. Fire ants have no mercy. Here I’m wearing the matching bow belt.]

The dress material is fairly thick, which does make this a better dress for cooler weather than hot summers. The inside of the dress is doubly heavy around the top of the bust, which I think helps the garment to keep its sweetheart neckline from drooping (and, to be fair, no droopiness happens). Again, a bit more of a heavyweight material than expected. I live in a very humid climate, and even in 75-80 degree weather, the dress would be too hot to wear. I felt sweaty just trying it on for the photos since it’s already at least 80 here.

[It’s totally cold enough to wear a scarf! What do you mean, I’m sweating?!]

Fit: 
For reference, I measure about 37” around the bust, 30” around the waist, and 40.5” around the hips. My usual bra size is currently a Comexim 65H/70G or a Panache 30FF.

[No belt. Dangerous, non-ant proof shoes. Sometimes, you have to live on the edge. I actually sustained about 15 ant bites thanks to these shoes.]

The Retro is a true pinup style, and I feel like a 50’s housewife. That said, I had no problem with my chest showing too much due to the high neckline (and my non-cleavage chest), which is an occasional issue I’ve heard others reference in Urkye’s dresses. The 40o/oo bags out a bit in the back and is too wide across my narrow shouldered frame, even though it is a bit more comfortable in the waist. The 38o/oo is more form fitting, very fitted in the waist, but not uncomfortable, and it does a better job of showing the curve of my back. The bust area looks nice and fitted in the 38o/oo, but there is some room for a larger bust from the stretch in the material. The 40o/oo was still fairly well fitted in the bust, but it was at the risk of becoming baggy. Again, part of that problem was because the back was too large for me. If you have measurements close to mine but have average or broader shoulders, I would recommend the 40o/oo.

The sleeve openings work well on my somewhat slender arms, and there was no pulling from the arms towards my chest. The length of the sleeves felt closer to a cap sleeve than a standard short sleeve, although that may juts be because I’m used to looser sleeves around the arms.

My hips were not a problem in either the 40o/oo or the 38o/oo since the skirt is loose and free. This is the first dress I’ve ever tried on that makes me think I wouldn’t mind if my butt were bigger. The skirt is somewhat long, hitting me at mid-knee (I’m about 5’6”), but it fits with the style of the dress and is flattering to my calves. Note: there is a LOT of skirt material.

The dress looks fantastic with or without the belt, though some might find the obviousness of the seam odd. I normally do not feel comfortable or aesthetically pleased with a belt at my waist, but because the 38o/oo does nip in so well at the back, there is no material wrinkling up around the belt to bother me. The seam does hit me in the sweet spot of my natural waist, so putting the belt there makes sense. I tried both the bow belt and a few other wide and skinny belts I had lying around, and all of them looked fine to me. The 38 belt worked well with both the 38o/oo and the 40o/oo dress since it was made of the same stretchy material as the dress.

[With a thick belt! Yes, my legs really are that white. ]

Complaints:
My two issues with the dress involve the waist seam and the bottom hem. The waist seam is very thick on the inside and bothers my overly sensitive skin. Still, the dress is so comfortable otherwise that I wouldn’t avoid wearing the dress due to the seam. Also, while going out and about in the dress for a few hours, I found that the hemline would occasionally flip up and need smoothing again. Again, not a deal breaker, but it’s something I’m going to be researching a fix for.

[The seam. Love it or hate it? I kinda wish there wasn’t one.]

If I had to advise Urkye on changing just one thing about this dress, it would be to add pockets. I fell like the skirt is just begging for them; there’s plenty of space for pockets in all that fabric.

Conclusion:
I will be keeping the 38o/oo and sending the 40o/oo on, but again, if you find yourself between these two sizes on the chart, I would recommend going up or down based on your shoulders and back.

All in all, the Retro is a gorgeous, well-fitted, cooler weather dress that begs to be accessorized. Personally, I will be watching and hoping for more colors.

[Thank you, tree, for being so supportive! You were a great prop!]

Boosaurus’ Review

I was quite excited when I saw Urkye’s lineup of new dresses released just in time for summer! The Retro dress looked like the all-occasion skater dress that I’d been searching for, so it was the one I decided to order.

Color and Material:
The Retro is currently available in the fairly standard color choices of Black, Red, and Navy, with matching fabric belts also available. Although I’ve been trying to veer towards brighter clothes, I went with standard black this time. The dress ended up being strong black color, not at all faded-looking.

To go with it, I ordered a green belt for contrast; the green belt colorway is labeled as going with the Kokardka dress rather than the Retro, but I’m not sure how much difference there is between the two belt styles. The fabric belts Urkye is offering are quite simple and cheap, so if you wanted to experiment with colors, it’s not too costly. Keep in mind that the belt is really for looks, not for cinching in the waist at all.

[I was really into “subtle” pops of colors on this particular day!]

The dress seems sturdy and well-made, with the skirt having pleats and flaring out in a slight A-line while still being moderately form-fitting overall. The material itself is stretchy but fairly thick; since I live in a dryer desert climate not too far from the coast, this dress will probably be too warm during the very hot summer days, but I’ve found it just fine in the 65-80 degree weather we’ve been having. I anticipate that it will also come in handy for summer nighttime events. I found it very comfortable – I dislike stiffer fabrics, but this dress almost made me forget I was wearing a dress!

[No belt needed; toned-down accessories make this dress a worthy choice for a nicer event]

Fit:
I went with my usual size of 36oo/ooo. For reference, I measure about 37″ bust, 27″ waist, and 35″ hips, and wear a size 28H bra. My opinion is that the dress runs true to size for Urkye, with the additional note that, like many other Urkye items, the bust portion is generous/stretchy for accommodation of a wide range of measurements.

Because I have rather nonexistent hips and a shorter torso, I found that the dress itself was not as flattering on my body shape (despite the overall fit being right). To be honest, the entire dress made me look a little heavier/wider overall from the front and didn’t “showcase my figure” as well as some other bust-friendly dresses have. I think this is due partially to the thicker material and partially due to the shape of the dress not meshing quite as well with my particular body type.

The sweetheart neckline is interesting, although it didn’t suit me quite as well as other necklines do. It seemed to make my bust area appear heavier and just didn’t sit as well as I might’ve hoped, giving a slightly pointy shape. That said, I don’t think it looks bad, and I appreciate having a variety of necklines in my wardrobe.

I like the contrast that the belt’s pop of green provided, although wearing the belt seems to cut my torso in half visually somewhat with this dress because of where my natural waist is. But the dress looks just fine both with and without the belt, and this is really a matter of preference and body shape.

Complaints:
Although I’ve come across the seam at the middle of the torso portion before in Urkye clothing, it bothered me somewhat in this dress because it added to the bulk and seemed to cut off my (already short) torso a bit. If the torso portion of the dress had been seamless and a little longer and tighter, I think the dress would’ve suited my particular body shape somewhat better.

I also found myself wishing that the dress had pockets; the material of the skirt seemed thick enough that adding pockets would have made sense.

Conclusion:
The Urkye Retro is definitely a solid number. I love how comfortable the dress is, and I’ll be wearing it around despite the fact that the style doesn’t suit me perfectly. In fact, this dress might get more wear than other dresses I have because it’s so comfortable and wearable! I also appreciate that it’s a dress that I can dress up or down with accessories (like rainbow socks).

[The Retro is comfortable enough to hike around the local forest-park in!]

The Retro Dress sells on Urkye’s site for 159zl [about $42].

First of all, Happy New Year! I hope 2015 is looking bright for everyone so far.

I’ll jump right into it: 2014 was something of a difficult year on my end. This may not come as a surprise to many; after all, I only managed to post six – six! – times over the entirety of last year. The truth is, I’ve been dealing with some family issues as well as health issues, both of which have made it difficult for me to devote the needed time and energy into blogging.

However, I’ve been slowly working my way forward, and I’m hoping to get back into the swing of things in regards to blogging and social media in 2015. Expect some reviews in the not-too-distant future!

So – what are you currently interested in reading about in world of all things bra? Have you checked out many SS 2015 previews? Are you excited for any upcoming releases in particular? (I’m lusting after Tutti Rouge’s upcoming Sailor Jerry print, myself)

One final note: Thanks for reading, caring, and understanding, everyone.

With love and affection,

Boosaurus

To start off, I’m talking about lingerie inspired by characters from one of my favorite video games: Okami. The artwork in this game is breathtaking, and I’m a big fan of the involved storyline.

Amaterasu

Image from Okami Wiki

Amaterasu is the wolf form of the sun-goddess. She is intelligent and powerful, and her personality demands stunning and eye-catching pieces.

Eleanor Robe and lingerie set from Harlow and Fox

Masquerade Ivory Serenity set by Panache

Howling Wolves panty from FRKS Lingerie

Waka

Image from Okami Wiki

Waka is a strange and rather mysterious figure who shows up at the most unexpected times (along with his sword, christened “Pillow Talk”). He’s ethereal, bird-like, flamboyant, quirky, and fond of bright colors.

Queenie Frilly Shorts from Tutti Rouge

Cleo by Panache Lily swan print set

FrouFrou Dressing Robe by Dottie’s Delights

Issun

Image from Okami Wiki

Ammy’s companion Issun is a Poncle – an upbeat bug-sized humanoid who wields a paintbrush. His big mouth gets him into trouble, but his big heart is undeniable. Since the Poncles wear clothing made from plants in the game, I chose inspiration pieces that hit a range of points: comfortable, lightweight, and a touch whimsical.

Panache Sculptress Paradise Babydoll

Lunar Ombre set from ClareBare

Walking on Sunshine teddy from Eberjay

Sakuya

Image from Okami Wiki

Sakuya is a flowering tree-spirit who first calls on Amaterasu for help. She is vulnerable, wise, and cutely alluring.

Freya Flourish Blossom set

Ayame cupped corset by Karolina Laskowska

Zinke Daisy Jumper

So what video games would you be interested in seeing lingerie-inspired posts for? Anyone else a fan of Okami? I’m certainly interested in hearing other suggestions for other lingerie you feel relates to the game in some way!

One of our favorite days was spent hiking around Rhossili Bay – truly wild and beautiful

After a rather disastrous experience with lugging a heavy, unwieldy duffel bag around on a 2011 overseas trip, I resolved to pack as light as possible for this trip. Our goal was to limit ourselves to carry-on luggage – that meant one “larger” bag each that met carry-on requirements, plus one “personal” bag each (a messenger bag for him, a small purse for me). Since we were going to be gone for a total of 17 days, this task seemed a bit daunting. However, with some planning and strategic purchases, we were able to accomplish our goal!

As just a brief rundown of some of the things we did to help us pack light:

-We invested in a Convertible and a Voyageur pack from MEI Packs, a small company that custom makes their pieces. We found the packs durable, well-suited to our needs, and a great value. The ordering process (through email/Paypal) was straightforward and we received our order quickly.

Packed and ready to go home!

-We used a variety of eBags (also found on Amazon) to help organize and better pack our stuff. The Voyageur pack could fit 4 medium-sized eBags (with a little wiggle room), and the Convertible pack could fit 2, plus a shoe bag or a couple of smaller bags. The outer compartments on the Convertible pack were perfect for a small eBag to fit in.

-We brought layers of thinner clothing rather than bulky items. The weather ranged from high 40’s to mid 70’s while we were there, with some wind and rain, so it was important to have clothes that worked for a variety of weather situations. We each included a few sport/active tops that were great for traveling and dried quickly. We also each brought a pair of Convertible pants (stylish!).

-We planned to do laundry, both machine and handwashing, while we were there in order to be able to pack less clothing. To prepare for this, we brought some packets of Woolite soap, a small bottle of Dr. Bronner’s for handwashing, a clothesline, and a sink stopper.

Laundry was really a key part of being able to pack light. One of the main things I was worried about was packing enough pairs of underwear. I knew I did not want to bring 18 pairs of underwear with me, I didn’t want to handwash cotton underwear, and I didn’t want to bring any “delicate” underwear even if it did tend to dry faster. The solution I found was Exofficio’s Give-N-Go underwear, which I found on sale on Amazon for less than $10 a pair (for certain colors and sizes). I decided to take 5 pairs total (wear one, pack 4) and handwash/air dry throughout the trip (some people may have felt comfortable with even fewer pairs, but I didn’t know how often we’d have the opportunity to do laundry).

Mr. Boosaurus also wasn’t going to waste space on lots of underthings, and he ended up bringing a total of 3 pairs of boxers for the trip (wear 1, pack 2). Since Exofficio men’s boxers were more expensive at about $25 a pair at our local REI store, he brought 2 Exofficio and 1 “regular” pair. He felt the Exofficio boxers were good for two wears before a wash, so we each had 5 “wears” before needing to do laundry. All in all, we did 3 small loads of machine laundry while traveling, 1 larger handwash ‘load’ in a bathtub, and quite a few small sinkloads (mostly underwear and sometimes an active shirt and socks). We felt that the types and amount of clothing we brought were just about right.

So how did ExOfficio underwear work out for me? I found the undies comfortable and durable while still managing to feel somewhat pretty and delicate. They washed easily and dried quickly (although I found that it was better to plan to dry them overnight rather than hope for them to dry in a few hours’ time – I think you’d need to sun them outdoors for that).

Lacy Bikini and Low Rise Bikini

Since my hips are about 36″ I technically would be an XS according to the size chart. However, due to color choices and sales and preferring my underwear not to fit too snugly, I chose 4 Small pairs and one Extra Small pair. I found that they all felt comfortable and well-fitting, so I’d say that you could size up or down fairly easily if you feel you’re between sizes.

The only caveat I have is the same as I saw mentioned in a few of the reviews – the material doesn’t really allow for adhesives to stick, so disposable pads won’t work very well used in conjunction with this underwear. Since I generally use cloth pads and didn’t expect to need pads at all for the trip I wasn’t worried about that aspect, but I ended up having to test this out on the very last day as we were rushing through the airport (of course). No, disposable pads don’t work too well with these, but it worked “well enough” for a short time and I was thankful that most of the day was just spent sitting on an airplane. If you’re traveling and plan to use disposable pads, you probably will want to have a different kind of underwear for at least those days.

In conclusion, if you’re looking to save packing space but don’t know if you’ll have access to a washing machine, don’t want to carry around extra pairs of dirty underwear in your luggage, are looking for a durable and moisture-wicking pair of underwear that isn’t super utilitarian looking and washes/dries easily, and don’t want to spend a fortune, then ExOfficio is probably a good choice for you!

It happens every so often. I’ll be browsing bra blogs or forums online, and then bam, I click on a link that leads to a breast-reduction forum.

And suddenly I’m back in highschool, during the time before I learned about properly-fitting bras. When I would spend weeks searching online, in tears, about breast reduction options for myself because I couldn’t find bras that fit.

The post-op stories are tantalizing; the pre-op stories all-too familiar.

“I hate my body, my large breasts are gross.”
“Everyone sexualizes me. I’m sick of it.”
“Nothing ever fits.”
“I look fat even though I’m not.”
“My back hurts all the time.”
“I can’t play sports.”

and after,

“I feel so much thinner! Going from a DDD to a perky B cup is amazing.”
“I don’t have back pain any more!”
“Everyone says how great I look.”

On and on the stories flash before my eyes, all in neat little packages. And I become that depressed 16 year old again, unhappy with my body but not knowing how to make things right. Reading story after story and hoping for an easy fix. My opinion of myself falling lower and lower.

Yes, things are much better for me these days after coming to terms with some of the toxic views on Modesty that I grew up with and after finding out my correct bra size. But even getting into the proper bra (amazing as that experience is) doesn’t solve all of one’s body-image issues.

Because invariably, your breast size and/or shape will change after finding that “perfect bra” (if you managed to find it in the first place).

Sooner or later, your best bras will wear out or you’ll accidentally put them through the dryer or your cat will pee on them, and you’ll be left scrambling for extra funds to find something that works at all online because you can’t buy anything in stores.

And after the initial high of figuring out what bras work for you wears off, you’ll be faced with the prospect of coming to terms with being a “weird” size, the probable scorn of disbelieving friends, and the additional fact that most off-the-rack clothing simply isn’t an option for you.

And surgery can seem like a siren call, beckoning from distant shores. If only my breasts were smaller, then…. I would fit in these clothes, I could buy cheaper bras, I would feel better about myself, I would be more “normal”… and on and on the cycle goes.

But I’ve had to come to terms with some things that are true for me. While breast reduction surgery is a great choice for some, it will not:

-Instantly fix my body image issues
-Fix my current intermittent back and shoulder pain, which is a result of nerve damage and years of poor habits
-Make it any easier for me to buy bras (I’ll still have a small back size)
-Guarantee that my breasts will stop growing
-Make me a better person

I used to spend time reading stories of women who had gone through breast reduction surgery, but I’ve realized that reading these faceless stories isn’t healthy for me. Quick forum posts don’t show someone’s whole experience, or tell their whole story. And I don’t want to go through surgery or permanently change my body; I’m just good at letting societal pressures (what I think others think) get to me.

Struggling with body image issues or wearing a difficult-to-find bra or clothing size isn’t easy. But everyone has their own struggles, their own story, and their own choices to make. My story right now consists of focusing on loving and accepting myself, and doing what’s best for me healthwise right now (which partially consists of eating right, doing yoga, and allowing myself to invest in the right clothing and undergarment pieces).

Allowing yourself to love yourself and make the best choices for you isn’t always the easy road (in fact, it often seems to be one of the most difficult things). But it’s worth it. Lovely, you’re worth it.

(Also, Jaffa Cakes and the BiuBiu Bombay Dress are worth it)

(Image from InkMurder on tumblr)

(Image from InkMurder on tumblr)

This jumped out at me because I’ve been there.

Personally, I tend to lose weight when I’m experiencing stress and anxiety. This isn’t healthy for me. However, I’ve had people tell me how “jealous” they are that I can “lose weight easily” – with no mention or consideration of my overall health.

Several years ago, I became very ill and lost 20+ lbs in a short amount of time. Recovery was very slow, and it took me many, many months to gain back the weight I lost in order to get back to a healthy level. But during that time – during which there were periods where I could literally not walk across a room due to weakness – there were people who commented on my weight. Of all the things to comment on. As I struggled through my illness, I had people (both health professionals and friends) telling me that I looked good (because I was thin), had others telling me to just eat more because I was “too skinny”, and still others telling me I was “fine” when I expressed concern about my rapid weight loss (people who assumed that since I was still proportionally curvy [read: still had larger breasts despite my weight loss], I wasn’t “too thin”). As you might imagine, everything together contributed to a somewhat skewed sense of body image/self.

Today, I am at a healthy weight for my individual self, and I’m working on my overall health by doing the best I can in regards to eating well, getting the right kinds of exercise in, etc. But everyone’s “healthy” looks different. It’s something holistic that’s not determined solely by appearance.

When I created this blog, I decided to use the word “skinny” in my tagline (“skinny, curvy, geeky”) as a way to sort of “re-claim” a word that has been used as an insult by some, and to illustrate that someone can be naturally thin and curvy at the same time. But I want to make it clear that I don’t think that the words “skinny” or “curvy” are some kind of goals to attain; rather, they’re (fairly ambiguous) descriptors for certain body types. No body type is “wrong”.

I wish it was common practice to tell friends “You look so healthy!” or ask “How are you doing?” instead of jumping to comment on someone’s weight. This may require actual conversations and getting to know people – which, admittedly, isn’t as easy as just making quick assumptions and remarks. But I think the aim is to be strong, happy, healthy – words that mean different things for different people. Ask me how I’m doing; don’t tell me about myself based on what my body looks like.

What are your thoughts? Do you think that society tends to focus more on weight and appearance rather than overall, individual health?