A Bra, Underwear & Lingerie Blog | Bare Necessities
Author:Brooke Glassberg
Brooke is the editor of this here blog. In a previous life, she was an editor at Good Housekeeping and O, The Oprah Magazine. Brooke has written for Glamour, Travel+Leisure, New York Magazine and more. She’s into concerts, travel and her exceptionally adorable daughter and husband.
Some creative types seem to have more hours in the day than the rest of us. Like Beyoncé. And Oprah. And April Rueb and Samantha Zabell.
In their previous digital publishing gigs, April started out as Sam’s mentor, and they became fast friends. Now, with new day jobs firmly rooted in data—April is an analytics solutions engineer; Sam is a social media strategist—they’re prolifically and profoundly creative in their free time. April is a renegade feminist cross-stitcher; Sam is a self-taught hand-lettering artist. After the 2016 election, they launched Craft for Change (C4C), a collective of artists whose work they “sell” in exchange for a charitable donation to a cause.
Bare Necessities talked to this tireless under-30 twosome about the healing powers of art, the difference between a passion and a profession and how to keep going when the going gets tough.
If spring is the time for frantic between-season closet clean-outs, then summer is the time to wrestle what’s left into the space you’ve got. Because this is such an active time of year, you’re probably juggling a lot of different wardrobe categories—clothes, swimwear, intimates, activewear—on any given day and trying to get them all to peacefully coexist in what we’re guessing is never enough closet space.
That’s why we here at Bare Necessities asked professional organizer Amelia Meena of Appleshine Organization + Design in New York City (a place that isn’t exactly renowned for having expansive storage) for her expert advice on how to stash and store this season’s heavy-rotation delicates.
Jessica Weiss is a 38-year-old wife and mom of two little boys who loves to run marathons and box. Her passion is helping others love the skin they’re in, which she does though her skincare sales business. It was time for Jess to do the same herself. Why now? Two words: swim season.
“I recently completed a round of Whole30, and I’m feeling pretty great about myself. I’d love to see how a properly-fitting bathing suit looks on this ‘mom bod.’ I’m realizing my figure has changed post-kids,” Jess told Bra Fit Expert Mette in preparation for her fitting. “The girls aren’t as perky as they used to be, so finding a swimsuit that’s flattering, supportive and, dare I say, a little sexy, has been hard.” Typically a tankini fan, Jess was open to a high-waisted bikini or a one-piece, so long as it fit well: “I need to be able to wrangle my boys in the pool and at the beach.”
Her bra game could also use an update. “I love a supportive bra because it helps with my posture and my shirts fitting properly, but it’s tough to find ones that don’t look like old-lady bras!”
BEFORE “I’d love a new, great-fitting swimsuit for what I think are my 38DD boobs,” Jess told Bra Fit Expert Mette in their first phone conversation. “I’ve never found one I love. They either smoosh my girls into shapes they shouldn’t be, or they seem to be sagging to my knees.”
Jess had in rotation “one swimsuit from a year or two ago that’s supposedly bra-sized, but I can’t get it to support me enough—it keeps my boobs so low. Another mashes my chest into a weird shape.” She also needed a suit that could pass her Mom Tests: Can she put it on without help? Can she lift a kid up in a pool without inviting a wardrobe malfunction?
Jessica’s “before” bra didn’t do her any favors
To get the swim right, we had to start with Jessica’s bras. She had been wearing mostly Target finds (like the one at left), and a Panache sports bra for running. While on speakerphone, Mette had Jessica measure herself. Turns out Jess wasn’t far off, though she was halfway in between sizes, making her either a 36 or a 38 band and a DD or DDD cup depending on brand and style.
“Measurements are almost never the be-all, end-all. There’s so much else to take into consideration,” Mette told her. They talked not only size but shape and volume, too. Mette asked Jess to describe her breasts.
“That’s a really interesting question!” Jess said. Like a lot of women, she’d never given it much thought. “They don’t touch in the middle, but they’re not wide apart, and they’re still pretty full and dense. My right boob is bigger than my left.”
Mette reassured Jess of how typical that is and taught her the scoop-and-swoop method (“It makes a big difference”) of deliberately filling up each cup. As for preferences, Jess was in Mette’s hands. Like Stitchfix, which Jess had tried with success, she left the decision-making up to her personal bra fit stylist.
THEREVELATION In a coup, Mette’s first-round shipment already contained the winners within. Stylistically, Jess loved all the bras and suits Mette sent: “Everything I loved, I never would have picked out for myself!”
Chantelle’s Rive Gauche won out among the bras. The soft, stretchy 38F (since it’s a European-sized bra, that’s equal to a DDD in US-sizing) was equally pretty and supportive. The Elomi Matilda was the best out of that brand; the Amelia T-shirt bra didn’t do anything for Jess. Ditto Panache Envy.
The swim stunner was the Fantasie Ottawa Twist one-piece in a 38E. “I have seriously never felt so comfortable in a bathing suit and it supported my boobs without making them look huge. I love it so much! It was so pretty and flattering. I could adjust the little ties at the hips for more or less coverage so I can wear this same suit anywhere,” raved Jess. “When my husband saw me trying it on, he said, “Babe, that’s it, that’s what you’ve been looking for.’ Because I can do anything in it. I could go to a party with friends, I could play with the kids. It’s not a mom suit that makes it seem like I want to go hide in a corner, but I’m still a mom, so it covers everything. It’s really just a lovely suit. I was so excited to finally find The One.”
A close second: the Fantasie Malundi tankini, which scored points for a great fit and the pretty watercolor pattern. While cute, the balconette cups of the seashell-print Panache Milano offered too much definition for the kiddie pool, Jess felt.
As is often surprisingly the case, Jessica’s bra size didn’t automatically translate to her swim size. US and European bras tend to be more generously cut. In swim, she went with Fantasie, a UK-sized brand, which tends to be cut truer to size, and you don’t necessarily want your swimsuit to be as tight around as you do your bra, Mette explained.
AFTER “There is a 100 percent difference in where I started and where I ended up, and it was so easy,” Jess said with no small satisfaction.
“The Chantelle Rive Gauche is amazing, beautiful and fits great. This is my first three-part-cup bra, and I’m surprised by how much I like it. I always wore a full-coverage T-shirt bra, which wasn’t very sexy. This is sexy but not so much that I can’t wear every day. It’s supportive, and wearing it makes me feel good.”
In the Fantasie one-piece, she said, “It was so refreshing to not have my chest be the focal point. I don’t think it minimized me, but it somehow made me look like an average-size girl. Hands down, this is the most comfortable suit I have ever worn. It doesn’t pull my chest or bring attention to it, it just supports it so you can be yourself and do your thing.” Mette concurred: “When you’re in the right size and fit, you will look smaller. Just look at her waist!”
For someone like her, at wit’s end trying to get the best fit, Jess recommended “giving the Bare Necessities ladies a call. They know what they’re talking about and what they’re doing over the phone. At first I thought that was totally weird, and it goes against everything you think you know about having a bra fitting, but they ask all the right questions. It’s crazy, but it works. I am here to give the big-boobed hope!”
The Olga Secret Hug Scoop Hipster has a following so devoted, most celebrities would be envious. Hundreds upon hundreds leave our warehouse every day. This word-of-mouth favorite has been around for decades and remains more or less unchanged.
“Customers know it by style number,” says buyer Alyssa Barnard. “This panty runs deep, okay? I couldn’t believe it, even when I first became a merchant in this area. This is by far THE panty, our #1. It’s legendary.”
For a time, Olga discontinued it—and they heard about it from fans. This past fall, by placing an order for “a boatload of panties,” Bare Necessities was able to bring them back. The Olga Secret Hug Scoop Hipster continues to be our exclusive, and it continues to fly off the warehouse shelves. We carry the entire size range (S/5 to 2XL/9) in classic neutrals, the just-reintroduced navy and lace dot print, and the newest hue, sand.
What’s amazing about its ascendency is that, for all intents and purposes, we’re talking about “a granny panty,” in the best way possible: It’s generously cut in the seat and the wide, lacy elastic waist gently supports a tummy.
“Women also love it during pregnancy because it’s stretchy yet soft; it doesn’t dig in anywhere,” Alyssa says. She thinks this unassuming style is repeatedly referred to in near-perfect reviews as the “best panties ever” because they’re feminine, flattering, exceedingly comfortable, true to size and affordable (three for $27), yet very silky and luxe-feeling.
We had five staffers road test the Olga913, as it’s known around here, to find out firsthand what makes them so against-all-odds outstanding, and the common thread was this: You don’t even know they’re on.
We’ll be the first to admit it: There are a lot of bras out there, and finding the ideal ones for you can be…how to put this…challenging.
We here at Bare Necessities have cracked the code that turns bra shopping from drag to delight. Enter our expert Bra Finder, a bra size and fit quiz we developed using both the data we’ve accumulated and the know-how we’ve honed in 20 years in the business.
We get that the best bra goes beyond a number and a letter; it’s the one that makes you feel unstoppable. Because we know the perfect fit is about more than proper support; it comes down to confidence. Here’s how it works….
Winter is a great excuse for snuggling and all, but ratcheting up the thermostat to 85 degrees just isn’t the same as when the mercury gets there on its own. The sun, a little breeze on your warm skin—it makes a world of difference, mentally and physically. It’s a feeling you want to consume and carry through the rest of the year. We’re here for it at Bare Necessities.
In fact, we’re wearing it right now in the form of sexy swimwear and lingerie, because you’ve got to turn up for the life you want. C’mon in and find what makes you feel most alive.
Summer—make that life—is too damn short to do otherwise.
When she was 6, Karolina Dehnhard came to the United States from Poland with her mother, a suitcase, two hundred dollars and an American Dream. From an early age, she learned that nothing in life came easily; the same message would be driven home again when, at age 30, her marriage dissolved.
That didn’t stop Karolina, who completely reinvented her world by changing careers and founding a divorce resources group for women not unlike herself. Divorce Dynasty is her brainchild, a group of attorneys, doctors, accountants, therapists, financial pros, realtors and life coaches who guide women through each step of divorce proceedings. Karolina’s mission: to counsel and empower women facing one daunting, critical decision after another.
Karolina was honored in 2016 as one of the Leading Women Intrapreneurs for her contribution to the advancement of women in the corporate world, and this past February, she was honored by the Trade & Investment Section of the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in New York for her work toward global women’s empowerment. While in the process of writing a book, MRS to ESQ, about her journey, Karolina gave Bare Necessities the scoop on successfully starting over.
We asked our resident bra expert, Bare Necessities merchandise manager Heather Garcia, for her favorite summertime picks of each style of bra so you can put on the best, get outside and enjoy every minute of what feels like the shortest season.
Why you need it now: “Shoulder-baring fashion is everywhere, and it requires the right bra to be able to pull off the look,” says Heather. Our team of buyers constantly scours the market to put together the widest possible size range of strapless bras that actually stay up, so whether you’re going to a cookout or a cotillion, you can count on feeling put-together and supported. The two most important tell-tale signs that your strapless makes the cut: The gore should be tacking flat against your chest between the breasts, and the bra should feel comfortable right from the start. Otherwise, you’re not going to wear it, no matter how well it fits.
Strapless bras we love:
1. Wacoal Red Carpet Strapless Bra(at left): You can bet your bra straps on this all-star for C-cups and up. When someone asks us for a strapless suggestion, this is where we start.
At the risk of jinxing it, it appears spring is finally, really, actually, officially and irrevocably here. Seems like a safe-enough time—quick, knock wood—to send the sweaters packing and turn to pressing matters like our sandal and swimsuit situations.
With Memorial Day squarely in sight, Bare Necessities is here to start things off with the swim part of the equation. And since we’re just coming out from under all those layers and feeling a bit more…well, pale and squishy, frankly…than we hope to be by July or August, we’re doing it delicately.
That can only mean one highly essential thing: cover-ups.
Those chic, breezy security blankets are the perfect segue between showing no skin and baring it all, between feeling warm rays on your shoulders and promptly burning to a crisp, between showing up for those first warm days and endlessly waiting for the height of summer.
This season, our swim buyer Megan Puma has assembled the freshest cover-up mix to date, and paired them for you with a few good suits. Pretty much all that’s left to do is put one on and head on out.
If you’re one of those people who’s ever said, “I can’t meditate! I can’t clear my mind! I don’t have time for that!” hear Suzan Colón out.
In her new book, Yoga Mind: Journey Beyond the Physical, the magazine editor-turned-yoga teacher is your medium between dusty Sanskrit chants and warp-speed modern reality.
Turns out the poses practiced by some 36 million Americans aren’t the half of it; you don’t even have to be able to move to do yoga’s true heavy lifting. Its real power, Suzan explains to Bare Necessities, is in transforming your mind, as she found when helping a friend who was paralyzed after an accident.
By changing your thinking, Suzan found, you could change your life. She walks readers through how to do that in 30 mini-lessons, near-effortless ways of adding mindfulness to the daily grind. She breaks down each concept into woo-woo-free terms—so Saucha becomes “spiritual spring cleaning,” Pratyahara is “quiet time for the senses” and Santosha simply means “being okay with what we have and who we are now.”
Each meditation comes with an assignment, from breathing exercises to coming up with a mantra to finding ways to treat yourself more kindly. This Power Figure upends what you thought about yoga by helping you find the critical distance needed to see yourself for who you really are—not your body, not your thoughts—regardless of the last time you hit the yoga studio.
Stepped-up sleepwear is a smart gift idea because it’s one of those things Mom loves but probably doesn’t treat herself to very often. So between our expert Bare Necessities buyers and Bra Fit Experts, we’ve put together the ultimate mother-approved sleepwear cheat sheet. All you have to do is skim and click and, presto, you’re Mom’s favorite.
Here’s the thing: You have to order by today if you want to get it in time for Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 13th. (Stepping up to preferred shipping buys you a few days and lets you cut the line for a nominal fee.)
Read on for our top 10 gift picks that are all about comfort and heart. If you need even more fast, fab ideas for a very particular mama, call 877-728-9272 x4 or chat via barenecessities.com with a Bra Fit Expert before time’s no longer on your side.
And if all else fails, send an e-gift certificate and remember to tell Ma how much you love her in the message.
Those comfy thongs with a cult following, Hanky Panky panties were first made by Gale Epstein and Lida Orzeck using repurposed embroidered handkerchiefs (so that explains the name). Safe to say that eco-friendliness has been a priority since Day One. Hanky Panky shares its sustainability policy loud and proud, stressing made-in-the-USA carbon savings, low-impact dyes and fibers (expect 100 percent organic cotton by 2025) and recycling of textile waste, packaging and shipping materials. #impressive
“As we all become more dependent on synthetic textiles that don’t biodegrade, we’re also more aware that we must be better stewards of our planet. Most used garments can be handed down, repurposed or donated, but intimate apparel—specifically panties and bras—cannot,” Gale told Bare it All.
For the best support, industry experts, including our Bare Necessities Bra Fit Experts, recommend replacing your heavy-rotation bras about every six months. What’s a girl gotta do to keep pieces that have lived out their useful lives from ending up in the trash heap?
This month, in time for Earth Day, they’re taking things a step beyond…by bringing you into the fold.
Lingeriecycle™, Hanky Panky’s new sustainability initiative, helps divert worn-out, no-longer wearable items from clogging up landfills, where more than 10 million tons of clothes wind up every year. Hanky Panky is even covering the processing costs for customers in exchange for taking greater ownership over the eco impact of its garments.
“It is the right thing to do for the planet. We hope that in the future, all brands and retailers will take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of the items they sell, and we are proud to lead the way for the lingerie industry to transition into a sustainable future,” says the mission statement. “In keeping with Hanky Panky’s 40-year commitment to sustainability, the brand has partnered with a textile waste management organization, B.R.A.Recycling Agency, to make it easy for customers to mail in their old, worn-out bras and panties, which will be shredded and remade into carpet padding.”
Through Lingeriecycle, Hanky Panky will provide single-use envelopes free of charge, which customers can fill with panties and bras of any brand. Add postage and drop into the mail to the recycling center address pre-printed on the envelope.
