Tomima's Blog – Lingerie & Underwear Expert

No kidding–breast movement can hurt. Along with America’s obesity epidemic, the average size of women’s breasts has been on the increase.  Over the last 15 years, the average bra size has moved from a 34B to a 36C, and some are suggesting we are now approaching 38D as the new average bra size in America.  And, with a pair of D cup size breasts weighing in at between 15 and 23 lbs., breast pain during high impact activity is becoming a bigger problem.

Last year, I reported on Dr. Joanna Scarr’s research out of the U.K.  Basically, her findings were that breasts move in a sideways, figure-8 kind of movement.  And, she discovered that the breasts not only move from side to side, but also in and out from the chest wall.  Similar research has been done in Australia by Deirdre McGhee – a sports physiotherapist and graduate student at the University of Wollongong.

McGhee’s research shows that women’s breasts move in a sinusoidal pattern – basically the same finding as Scurr.  However, McGhee feels that controlling of this breast movement is more closely tied to how the bra straps are constructed rather than the bra cup construction.  As a result, her team is working on the world’s first "smart bra."  It will use intelligent materials and electronic textiles to sense breast motion and tighten or loosen appropriate parts of the bra to reduce breast bounce.

All of this is very hush-hush and is in the process of being protected with patents.  Their goal is to create a paradigm shift similar to the shift running shoes experienced in the 1970’s.  The research is being coordinated with British retailer Marks & Spencer.

I for one am looking forward to seeing what turns up from all this work.  As long as it doesn’t need to be plugged in and gets great mileage, I’m ready to try it.

You can see how various sports bras perform in HerRoom’s Bounce Test videos.
Read my original interview with Dr. Scarr about breast movement during exercise.

Find sports bras at HerRoom in these departments:
Sport Underwear

Follow HerRoom on Twitter for daily tips.

Posted by Tomima at 11:56am
Tags: bounce videos, breast bounce, breast movement, breast pain, Sports Bras
1 Comment »

I know I haven’t put a thong on in a long time.  A couple of years ago, I wore them more.  But, frankly, I like to wear skirts and dresses more than pants.  Wearing a thong with these always left me feeling a little… shall we say "breezy" on my backside.  So, my panty shape of choice is a low-rise bikini.

I was reading an interview with supermodel Gisele Bundchen in Elle Magazine.  Now, if anyone would be wearing thongs regularly, I  thought it would be supermodels.  Guess what?  I’m wrong.  Here’s what Bundchen said:

"I’m a huge fan of big cotton underpants; they’re comfortable… I wear them every day."  Now, it was also noted that her words are in Brazilianspeak – "big" in Brazil is equivalent to a bikini-cut panty and not a granny panty.  But still, it was great to read this.

Another supermodel, Tyra Banks, was once quoted as saying that the smaller the bottom of a bathing suit, the thinner you look.  And, I agree.  Not only do bikinis not poke out above your pants, but they are comfortable while providing enough coverage so that you wouldn’t be embarrassed should a gust of wind raise your skirt.

Finally, on this same subject,  an article came out in the New York Times about the panties that erase panty lines.  Five panties were featured – not one was a thong.  The winner was the OnGossamer Cabana Cotton Hip-bikini.  The article stated that this bikini was "totally comfortable" and "Literally, there were zero lines…" 

If a bikini can provide zero panty lines, what woman wouldn’t prefer a panty over a thong?  Does anyone disagree?

Sometimes, the way a panty looks depends on the way we wear them. I wrote about wearing panties too high a while back.

Find thongs, bikinis and more at HerRoom in these departments:
Panties

Follow HerRoom on Twitter for daily tips.

Posted by Tomima at 9:35am
Tags: bikinis, panties, thongs, visible panty lines
1 Comment »

Okay, this one totally stumped me.  Crinkly cleavage?  What is this?  Is this yet another thing to look forward to in old age?

Apparently this is all about a smooth decolletage. While many of us have spent a lifetime lifting and pushing together our breasts to create cleavage, women with natural cleavage claim that vertical wrinkles can form, causing less-than-smooth skin in their decolletage… who knew?

Rachel de Boer, a Dutch designer has invented the La Decollete.  She explained that these crinkly wrinkles are formed mostly at night when women sleep on their side and their breasts are thus stacked on one another.  Her design provides a layer of cushioning between breasts and prevents this apparent breast squeezing.

This bra was first marketed in the UK starting last October.  At a cost of $75 USD, the wearer must really want to prevent this problem.  Of course, these same vertical wrinkles can also be caused by advanced age and too much sun.

So, if you are wearing this to keep your decollatage smooth for the opposite sex, how do you think he’s going to react when he sees you wearing this thing in bed?

Is women’s lingerie just a magnet for strange products? There are plenty more in Tomima Unplugged.

Find all kinds of lingerie accessories, from nipple concealers to back extenders in HerRoom’s Etcetera Department.

Follow HerRoom on Twitter for daily tips.

Posted by Tomima at 12:54pm
Tags: cleavage, lingerie accessories
No Comments »