Feeling confident in her own skin is really what April Salazar, 41, was after with this bra-fit makeover: “I’m finally at a place where I feel confident about who I am and where I’m going.” Which isn’t to say getting there has been easy. After more than a dozen fertility treatments, four pregnancies and three losses over the last few years, April gained 65 pounds she’s now in the process of losing.
“My body has been through the grinder. For so long, I didn’t have control over it. I have no idea what size I am,” said April, the managing editor for a technology nonprofit. “With a three-year-old, only now do I feel like I can take time for self-care. I think it’s important that, at any size, I model self-acceptance to my daughter, and I’m afraid I’m not doing that.”
April bonded with Bare Necessities Bra Fit Expert Kristyn over their shared experiences with miscarriage; Kristyn knew firsthand of the mental and physical fluctuations April was experiencing: “It’s tough to keep track of where your body is. Maybe you were a different size before, but we’re going to go by where you are now, and we’re not going to stop until we get it right. We’re going to get you into something that fits.”
Meredith Bodgas has built her career on walking women through every major life stage and milestone. She’s been an editor at some of the most prestigious websites and magazines like The Knot, Glamour.com, WhattoExpect.com, Babytalk, WomansDay.com, Parenting and Ladies’ Home Journal to name but a few off her resume.
When it comes to advocacy, Meredith takes her platform seriously. She’s made it a priority to show way more diversity among the mothers she profiles and, when she realized Working Mother‘s leave policy didn’t hold a candle to some of the companies they were applauding in print, she prepped a presentation for the company’s leadership and negotiated a better deal for her colleagues…all while out on maternity leave.
True to form, and right in time for American Business Women’s Day, this Power Figure found an hour in the middle of the night while nursing her son to one-handedly tap out her replies to Bare Necessities.
Follow the Fashion Week catwalks or pick up any magazine right now, and you’ll notice the lingerie-as-daywear trend. Yep, it’s totally okay to leave the house baring your bra—thanks, Millennials!—if done right.
That tiny caveat is why we wanted to take a minute with Bare Necessities buyer Kelly Himes. She’s sharing her best styling advice, and taking trepidation out of the equation, so you can step out in confidence.
“Silky, lacy pieces used to never see the light of day, and that’s a shame. All that’s changing now. These separates are making their way out, and why not? What’s the point of saving your prettiest underthings for the dark?” says Kelly. “These pieces blur the line between innerwear and outerwear, doubling the use you can get out of them. Of course they’re perfect in the bedroom, but don’t be afraid to incorporate them in with the rest of your closet. It’s a cool, modern way to think about getting dressed.”
The key to not feeling overexposed: balance. Pair something frilly with deconstructed denim; a crop top with a high-waist bottom, fitted with flared.
“Find your own style within each category,” suggests Kelly. “You can go fully lined if you’re not a lingerie lover, or you can go sheer if you’re expert-level. Try it out, mix it up, see the reaction you get and have fun. It’s only fashion.”
No matter how old you are, this time of year always incites back to school butterflies. And like spring makes you feel the need to clean out the house, for whatever reason, fall feels like the right time to stock up on those everyday foundations we all need to replenish, the no-brainers that make getting dressed and out of the house remotely possible on a busy morning.
To make rounding up these wardrobe staples even easier, our Bare Necessities buyers zeroed in on our best multipacks and Buy More Save More deals. (You can always find them on our promotions page.) Here’s our shopping list of what to load up on for you, for him and for any teens in the house (or going off to college) you may still be bankrolling. They’re the finds our shoppers love and keep coming back to.
Time to get back to basics, in the best possible way.
Sure, Bare Necessities carries 167 different bra sizes from more than 80 of the world’s best brands. But perhaps our greatest advantage: the ladies on our customer service team.
Meet the Bra Fit Experts.
These trained, talented bra fit ninjas are real women with real lives and body concerns of their own. They’re here to assess your bra situation, find you the best size through an at-home bra fitting over phone or chat, then help you choose the perfect style for your body type, budget, style and more. Call them at 877-728-9272, x4 (Monday through Saturday, 8:30 AM to 6 PM), or chat via Bare Necessities to get yours. All you’ll need is a tape measure, your best-fitting bra and ten idle minutes.
Meanwhile, get to know the team so that when you do yourself the favor of reaching out, you’ll already know who’s on the other end of the connection.
Summertime, and the living is arguably easier. What is it about a little sunshine that makes this the happiest time of year and, more importantly, how to bottle that feeling for the other nine months?
Bare Necessities looked into the science behind summer’s golden touch. We’re here to share ideas you can draw on when fall and winter start getting you down. Bookmark this for when you need it in the back half of the year!
Though it seems like it should be the most natural thing in the world, nursing a baby can feel like anything but. These days, when something as benign as feeding your infant is so fraught (politicized, even), it’s reassuring to hear a few wise words from women who have been there, lived that.
In honor of World Breastfeeding Awareness Week and National Breastfeeding Month, we present the good, the bad and the in-between about what it’s really like to sustain a tiny human with your own two boobs. Eight Bare Necessities staffers looked back—some many years, some to this morning—to bring you their best, most honest breastfeeding real talk. File all this knowledge under “things nobody ever tells you….”
Trend-seekers by nature, Bare Necessities staffers are pretty go go go, always seeking out what’s new and noteworthy for fresh inspiration. This month alone, we’re headed for Greece, Israel, Ireland, Mexico, Miami and Chicago.
Bare it All checked in with a few of these intrepid travelers to put together a list of the essentials for a fab summer escape, whether by plane, train or automobile.
When it comes to bra shopping, we’re all Torrie Rathjen at some point.
We are weight fluctuations and trial and error and not knowing for sure if what we think is a good fit actually is a good fit. We are confused by US, UK and EU sizing. We are busy, lacking the leisure time to devote to coddling our chests.
Torrie, 38, The MAX Challenge marketing director, had to try on 30 bras and almost 20 bra-sized swimsuits before she found The Ones.
In the past five years, her body has been through it all: Torrie had twins and recently lost 40 pounds (she went down in dress size from a 14 to an 8) by ramping up her workout routine. Nothing fit her anymore, least of all her bras, and she really didn’t know where to start.
Bra Fit Expert Melissa, who’s lost a lot of weight herself, helped Torrie know for sure when they’d finally gotten it right.
So you and your girls have a pretty extra summer planned. Maybe you’re renting a beach house for a long weekend, or you’re piling onto a plane to recharge and let loose someplace tropical. Either way, those precious few days and nights will likely involve Instagram-worthy hats and sunnies, old inside jokes, suntan lotion chased with aloe and a fair number of rum-based cocktails.
With you and your crew in mind, Bare Necessities swimwear buyer Megan Puma played personal shopper, pulling the best bikinis (and an unforgettable one-piece) for everyone in the inner circle. Just match the squad member with her ideal swimsuit and get packing.
Your ride-or-die BFF knows how to read your mood with a single emoji. She can always be counted on for an airport pick-up, a reliable second opinion and a good cathartic cry. She carries both Advil and Tylenol, because she knows girls need choices. She is the swimwear equivalent of a bra-sized bikini.
Freya Sundance Sweetheart Bikini: Everyone is going wild for the new black cherry color of this uplifting, fabulously fitting full-bust bikini that locks and loads in style.
Freya Run Wild Idol Bikini: “This is the same shape and fit as the uber-popular Idol bra,” says Megan. The hot tub-friendly version has a chic abstract animal print and three different coverage options in the bottoms—in other words, plays well with others.
Bless her, this friend doesn’t have a single mean bone in her body. She’s kind to animals, allergic to gossip, tips lavishly and has a laugh you would recognize a mile away. She’s basically a real-life fairy tale princess, and she dresses the part.
Freya Endless Summer Underwire Bandeau Bikini: Megan loves the optional strap on this ruffled, watercolor top, which comes in D to G cups. It looks more unstructured than it is, with side-boning and power-net back wings.
Becca Femme Flora Ruffle Bikini: Ruffle-trimmed triangle cups for chest sizes 32 to 40 stretches on overhead like a bralette. Pair it with the coordinating romper cover-up for a darling matchy-matchy look.
You know who we mean—she can’t kick back in a lounge chair for more than fifteen minutes before she’s off joining a pick-up volleyball game, hiking a volcano or learning to stand-up paddleboard. She rises with the sun to hit the hotel gym; her only tan line is from her Fitbit.
Pour Moi Glamazon Scoop Neck Underwire Bikini: Trimmed in basketball-esque mesh netting for that just-one-of-the-guys appeal, this scoop-neck bra-sized knockout is as comfy and functional as it is fabulous.
Though she lost her driver’s license in the ocean the day you arrived, you find her endlessly endearing. She is always fashionably late. She likes to keep things interesting, and she’s down for turning up on the dance floor and at the bar—just be sure to get her a wake-up call if you want to see her at brunch.
Pour Moi Glamazon Double Strap Bikini: Sexy layered straps turn it from “game day” to “game on” (see image at top of post). Bottoms range from scant and side-tied to high-leg briefs.
Miss Mandalay Icon Strappy Bikini: Miss Mandalay brings the drama with a strap-happy suit in a bold cobalt color. Choose from two equally modern bottom styles with the same cool strap detail served up different ways.
The easygoing earth goddess who walks among you is happy to roll with whatever—so long as she’s not missing any music festivals. She’s seriously considering opening a coconut stand on the beach and never going back home.
Seafolly Bali Hai Underwire Bikini Top, DD-Cups: With DD-cups and convertible straps, these Far-East florals on a batik background bring a little luau wherever you go. Just tuck a flower over one ear.
Tommy Bahama Cowrie Diamond Halter Bikini: A classic blue-and-white shibori halter inspired by cowrie shells needs only a wood bead necklace and a piña colada. The sarong-esque skirted bottom is like a built-in cover-up.
She’s single and ready to mingle, so why shouldn’t her swimwear say as much? There are worse places to meet someone than paradise. So play on at the playa, player. Bring on those summer nights…and these suits.
Robin Piccone Luca Plunge One-Piece: The bikini’s brave older sister is this un-basic black, deep-vee halter, with hardware suggestive of a bar piercing.
Luli Fama Mambo Push-Up Halter Bikini: If you love this friend, then whatever you do, please do not pull her over to the swim-up bar by the lace-up straps.
THE ONE WHO CAN SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF WHATEVER COUNTRY YOU’RE IN
This is the friend who fills half her suitcase with novels and plays Duolingo and Words with Friends on her phone in her down time. You rely on her to plot out the itinerary, read a map, converse with the concierge in his native tongue and generally get things handled.
Becca Tahiti Halter Bikini: A toile-inspired floral print with darling crochet trim and an adjustable string tie in back is understatedly sweet and smart. A white bikini made wearable, in Tahiti or Tijuana.
Pour Moi Barcelona Halter Bikini: The metallic threads woven into this pinup-worthy, supportive underwire halter sparkle in the sun—not unlike your amigas.
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.
