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.

Breast Cancer Awareness Power Figures

How Paula Flory Went from Surviving to Thriving When Faced with Breast Cancer

Post author By Brooke Glassberg
Post date October 5, 2020

In the first chapter of her career, Paula Flory worked as a counselor for nonprofits serving underprivileged youth. Then, in 2011, in her early 40s and in the best shape of her life, she felt a lump in her armpit.

After focusing on beating Stage III breast cancer, Paula found her next chapter: serving women in the same circumstances she had so recently been in herself. That’s why she started Move Over Breast Cancer, a tricked-out van near our New Jersey headquarters that will bring you all the nice-to-have services you could want when undergoing treatment…for free.

“As everyone who has ever been diagnosed with cancer can tell you,” said Paula, “it’s as if you’ve been hit by a high-speed train when you hear the news. It created chaos in me and in my life. Even with the tremendous support of family, friends and my and community, I felt as though I was crawling through sludge making these huge decisions about treatment and surgeries.”

Each day was more difficult than the next, said Paula, but there was also a moment early on in the diagnosis process that “there seemed to be a tiny tunnel through which I could see a light of hope. I strongly felt when looking through this pinhole that I would find an opportunity within this problem.”

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, hear Paula’s fresh perspective on breast cancer and find out why our Power Figure calls it “a gift.”

Personal Style Relationships

The Best Men’s Underwear You Can Buy in 2020

Post author By Brooke Glassberg
Post date September 28, 2020

Maybe you’ve been together for a few months. Maybe it’s more like a million years. Regardless, at this point in your relationship with your man, you probably know him and his preferences better than he knows himself, which is how we’ve arrived here together, just us girls reading a men’s underwear shopping guide.

Multi-packs are definitely how it’s done in the menswear space, which makes things nice and easy, and fall is an opportune time to take inventory of what he’s got stashed in the drawer before restocking for winter and spring.

Just like with women’s bras and panties, so it goes with Bare Necessities and men’s underwear. Simply put, we carry the best options on the market—nay, in the world. Our buyers start by building a curated selection of basics for everyday wear, then add a dash of colors and patterns for interest. To cover all his bases, they round out the must haves with super-specific styles for good measure. And all of this is going on inside an elevated assortment of brands that removes the question of quality from the decision-making equation.

In other words, this should be quick and painless so you can get back to doing more interesting things (like, say, shopping for yourself).

Scroll on to find our top picks for men’s underwear across lots of key categories. By taking this one shopping to-do off his list, you’re now in charge of what you see in the morning; have fun with it.

Personal Style

Leggings Awards: The Best Leggings in 2020

Post author By Brooke Glassberg
Post date September 21, 2020

Sartorially speaking, there’s so much to love about fall, not least of which is the switch from shorts to leggings.

Already the building blocks of the well-rounded wardrobe, in 2020 terms, comfy, stylish leggings are more important than ever before. But which pairs promise to hold up and never let you down?

For that, we went to Bare Necessities buyers Kelly Morales and Megan Irvine. According to our sources, these are most legendary leggings.

Without further ado, check out our annual Leggings Awards winners.

Personal Style Pop Culture

Fall Footwear Trends 2020: Fuzzy and Fabulous

Post author By Brooke Glassberg
Post date September 14, 2020

For a little while longer, say goodbye to your high heels, ballet flats and trainers. The most essential shoes for working from home this fall are comfy-cozy UGG classics. Treading terrain both indoors and out, this highest-quality brand is a household name and, incidentally, it’s all we want to wear around the house at the moment.

Find out what’s currently in demand as well as what’s coming down the road from everyone’s fave fashion-plus-function footwear brand.

Personal Style Pop Culture

Cozy Fashion & Loungewear Brands For Fall

Post author By Brooke Glassberg
Post date September 7, 2020

Fall fashion as we once knew it involved a lot of tailoring: fitted blazers, A-line skirts in plaid wool, pants with waistbands. But since 2020 started upending pretty much everything, it feels completely unlike any other year…and we’re not necessarily mad at it.

All of a sudden, this season’s classics are cozy loungewear pieces. Polished looking yet supremely comfortable, the new power suit is now a sweatsuit; joggers are this year’s answer to trousers, and hoodies have taken the place of jackets.

With new-to-Bare Necessities brands that excel in this world of chic-comfort and more styles debuting every day, get set to find new go-tos that look as good in a Zoom meeting as they feel falling into bed.

Personal Style Pop Culture

Activewear Trends To Fall For

Post author By Brooke Glassberg
Post date August 31, 2020

Working out is shaping up to look a little different this fall. While the gym may be canceled, you might be taking your fitness routine outdoors, virtual or in front of your TV. What doesn’t change is how important exercise is physically or how good it makes you feel mentally, whatever form it comes in.

Bare Necessities has your needs top of mind, from the industry’s best sports bras and performance underwear to the workout clothes that go with them. More than ever before, buyer Kelly Morales has sourced the industry’s best brands and styles (think Nike, Champion, Under Armour) that let you get your sweat on, from gentle yoga to a rigorous on-demand class—even post-workout activewear and sporty-ish athleisure (which lately also doubles as actual work wear).

Fitness newness is flowing in every day here, so keep checking back in our Activewear department. For the moment, check out some of our fall fitness favorites.

Personal Style

New & Noteworthy from Hanky Panky

Post author By Brooke Glassberg
Post date August 24, 2020

Hanky Panky fans have seriously strong underwear opinions. We’ve tried and tossed all the rest because we’re devoted to our brand for life. We know our cuts and our colors. We stock up. In multiples. We collect boxed sets. We covet the cheeky, everyday-sexy vibe only they can provide, because we feel so damn comfortable whenever we wear them.

What’s more: Time and time again, Hanky Panky has proven we can actually have that, all at the same time.

So what’s new with the shining star of our underwear drawers? We’re here to report on all the news that fits. Find out right now on the Bare Necessities blog.

Personal Style Pop Culture

Tie-Dye Makes a Comeback

Post author By Brooke Glassberg
Post date August 17, 2020

Among other things, 2020 has been the year of tie-dye.

It’s been ages since a trend has made such a strong comeback across categories: Not only can you find tie-dye sweatsuits and masks, you can even find the design on swim and activewear here at Bare Necessities. And what started in spring and continued through summer is poised to continue through fall. So why all the tie-dye all of the sudden?

Personal Style Swimwear

The Right Swim for Every Situation

Post author By Brooke Glassberg
Post date August 10, 2020

As with most of the stuff in our closets, it’s possible to have a million swimsuits and still feel like you’ve got nothing to wear. How is that even possible?

We’ve found it comes down to this: You’ve got to match the suit to the situation.

This summer especially, when being outdoors by the water is probably as good as it gets, it pays to get strategic with your swimwear. By planning out what to wear based on where you’re going, you’ll look and feel like you’ve got your act together. (Even in 2020, it’s never too late.)

Our Bare Necessities swim expert Megan Puma is here to set the scene, so you always know what to wear where…

Health & Wellness Relationships

Breast Changes During Pregnancy—and the Bras That Will Help Get You Through

Post author By Brooke Glassberg
Post date August 3, 2020
2 Comments on Breast Changes During Pregnancy—and the Bras That Will Help Get You Through

We talk a lot at Bare Necessities about how important it is to get a bra fitting when your weight fluctuates or you go through a major life event, and that definitely, 1,000 percent (still the understatement of the century) includes having a baby. In fact, if it’s your first time, expect to be shocked by how much the chest you’ve known so well for so long changes on you.

To coincide with World Breastfeeding Week, Bare it All asked our nursing bra buyer Heather Viskovic to tell all about the wild ride her own breasts have gone on two kids later, and what she’s learned that can make life easier for anyone going through it now.

Meet the Merchants Personal Style

The Best Bras for Big Boobs

Post author By Brooke Glassberg
Post date July 27, 2020
12 Comments on The Best Bras for Big Boobs

Especially in warmer weather, big boobs have needs: They do not wish to sag or sweat. They require no small amount of lifting and centering, shaping and smoothing. And when you finally come across the right bra in the right size, they would also rather like to feel as good as they look. We don’t think that’s too much to ask for, do you?

When faced with an assortment as massively comprehensive as ours here at Bare Necessities, the only question is where to begin. Well, you could definitely use our Bra Finder to get some spot-on, data-driven product recommendations. Or you could take Heather Viskovic’s word for it. Our expert full-bust (and full-busted) bra buyer says that if you can only pick up a few new bras a season, these five are where she would personally tell you to put your hard-earned money.

Read on now to find out the latest, greatest bras for big boobs that we’re excited about at this very moment, and treat your girls to the happier summer possible.

Meet the Merchants Personal Style Swimwear

The Latest, Greatest Slimming Swimsuits

Post author By Brooke Glassberg
Post date July 20, 2020

A swimsuit is probably the most revealing thing you’re ever going to wear in public, so there’s every reason in the world to expect that those few yards of fabric should be working overtime to cut you a secure, stylish figure.

That’s why we pledge our eternal allegiance to the best slimming swimwear out there—Miraclesuit and Magicsuit. And there may be no bigger fan than Bare Necessities resident swimwear expert Megan Puma.

Miraclesuit invented the concept with their “Look 10 pounds lighter in 10 seconds” claim to fame. Megan concurs: “They’re unsurpassed at slimming swimwear, and there’s a suit for every body, every age.”

These two sister swim brands fit sizes 8 to 24W. Some also come in DD-cups. (In swim, notes Megan, that’s most likely bigger than an equivalent DD-bra cup, so check ’em out if you’re very full-busted.) These days, the lines have more in common than ever. Miraclesuit typically has lots of great prints; Magicsuit tends to come in lots of solid colors and can skew more contemporary. You’ll also find some lighter jersey knits in the Magicsuit mix.