Archive for the 'Brands--The Inside Scoop' Category
The Ultimate Push-Up Bra – Does it Really Give a 2 Cup Size Increase?
January 07, 2010
There’s been quite a bit of advertising about Victoria’s Secret’s "Miraculous" Push-up bra. Made by the Maidenform Company, the claim is that special padding lifts you up and out, thus adding up to 2 full cup sizes to your breasts. And it does all of this with amazing comfort while keeping a natural shape.
Wow! That’s quite a promise. So, I went and bought one and put it to the test. By way of explanation, a one inch increase in the circumference of your chest along the nipple line qualifies as a cup size increase. So, to make their claim true, a total of 2 inches to the circumference needs to be achieved.
So, here are the results. We used one of our 34B models. Her measurements are:
Band 34"
Bust 36"
First, we put her in the Spanx 216 Bra-llelujah contour bra. These photographs show her shape.
We then put her in Victoria’s Secret "Miraculous" bra. Her measurements became:
Band 34"
Bust 38"
So, the claim is correct; her bust circumference increased by 2 inches. And, I must say, her cleavage and shape look natural and fabulous.
As I mentioned earlier, this bra is made by the Maidenform company. And, apparently a deal was cut whereby Victoria’s Secret got the exclusive for the first 6 months. And boy, are they taking advantage. The Victoria price is $48 for the solid colors and $52 for the prints.
The Maidenform version arrived late June 2010. Their design does have some differences – a little more coverage in the cups, a more stabilizing center front, and a different back design to provide more support. Whereas the Victoria’s Secret bra goes up to DD cup sizing, the Maidenform will only go up to D cups. And, the biggest difference of all will be the pricing. The Maidenform price will be just $34. That’s a 30% price savings!
Personally, I’m very impressed. The Maidenform Company, in my opinion, is the current leader in innovative bra designs. They have done a super job here creating a look of more natural cleavage.
On a final note, I do want to point out that we tried to measure the thickness of the padding in this bra. In some places, the padding is over 1 inch thick. So, I have a bit of a concern with how to care for it. You don’t want to stick it in the dryer, yet with all that padding, will it dry fast enough so that there won’t be a problem with mildew from line drying? The jury is out on this one.
Maidenform & Victoria’s Secret have teamed up before on the Total Solution and Perfect One Bras.
Find Maidenform lingerie at HerRoom in these departments:
Bras
Panties
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Posted by Tomima at 9:12am
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Swimwear That Comes in Bra Sizes
December 24, 2009
I am really excited about the swimwear department we’ve added to HerRoom. Like most women, I hate going bathing suit shopping because suits never look or fit right. The suits I try on either smash my breasts, and/or have no support. And when a bathing suit claims to have a light pad in the cups for modesty, it’s nothing more than some triangle piece of flimsy fabric that quickly gets balled up and never sits right.
Since we deal with lingerie manufacturers, my buyers were delighted to see that several of the ones we work with are now taking their expertise in bra manufacturing to the swimwear arena. But, they have also sized the swimsuits the same way they size bras. A simple idea, but what a difference it makes.
Right now, HerRoom has a great collection of bra-sized swimwear on our site — specifically, Freya and Fantasie swimwear. We found a fabulous F cup model, and made a video fashion show to show you how great the full figure women can look on the beach or by the pool. Oh, and the swim suits from these two brands go up to an H cup in many of the styles.
Below is our video. Sit back, enjoy, and be surprised by how great swimwear will now look on you. It’s actually fun to buy a bathing suit!
Find bathing suits at HerRoom in these departments:
Swimwear
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Posted by Tomima at 9:12am
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An Exciting New Concept in Shapewear: Diva Defined
December 16, 2009
My buyers returned from NYC last month with arm-fulls of shapewear catalogs. It seems like everyone is trying to get on the shapewear band wagon. Understandable since this category is one of the few success stories this year. It all looks pretty much the same, except for one – Annette’s new line called Diva Defined.
I’ve never seen anything like it. What they’ve done is inserted an internal back belt-like design with hook adjusters so you can adjust how much support you want or need. And this internal feature is invisible on the outside.
So, here’s what I like about it. We all know shapewear is not that comfortable to wear all day. With the Diva Defined, you can put it on a loose setting while driving, or sitting at your desk. When you need to give a presentation, or want to look svelte in front of your boss, just dash into the ladies room and tighten it up. It really gives you the flexibility of wearing shapewear all day yet with some relief at the same time.
Right now, there are 5 styles: two panties, a camisole, a biker short and a full slip. This collection is made by Annette – a shapewear brand that has been around for over 25 years. So, you know it’s a quality product and has been well thought out and tested.
If you’re a shapewear wearer, I think the Diva Defined Collection is something you should strongly consider.
I wrote about another innovation in shapewear earlier this year, Cosabella Smooth Bamboo line.
Find Annette lingerie at HerRoom in these departments:
Bras
Shapewear
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Posted by Tomima at 1:21pm
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