#knowyoursize

So Part II....

Ok just before I go any further please note that although I am about to delve into my shopping experiences these have taken place over about 2 years or so...this hasn't been something where I was like oh yay now I have a magical new wardrobe full of clothes and know EXACTLY what I'm looking for when I go shopping. This takes time and I am still learning everyday.

First thing I can suggest is when I know I'm going clothes shopping I do my hair nice and put on a bit of makeup. I always find I see myself in a different light if my hair isn't all frizzy and I can't see all my spots.

So my first thought for you ladies is....do I have the correct underwear? To me the underwear is the foundation of any outfit. Being a rather busty lass myself I do find that if I don't wear the right bra I can look ALOT bigger than I actually am. 

I will admit....bra shopping is the thing I hate the most. Its depressing going into a store and seeing all these beautiful pretty lacy little numbers and then when you are greeted by the delightful staff and they direct you to the small back corner of the store filled with what I call 'Nanna Bras' which come in a 'variety of colours' which means Beige, White and Black. So research ladies RESEARCH! Those of you in Sydney I have found these two stores which I now buy all my bras from:

http://www.heavenlycurves.com.au/ - I also got my wedding corset from here. The staff were SUPER friendly and most of their bras were bright and colourful.

http://www.debras.com.au/index.asp - I have bought a few of my everyday T-shirt bras and things from here. Comfy and very supportive. 

Make sure you GET FITTED and know your bra size. Many a time I would go into a bra store and they would tell me I was a size 18DD...I went and got fitted properly to find out I am a 16G...so all this time I was wandering around with the incorrect bra on!! Don't feel ashamed (I was mortified when I found out my actual bra size)...if you get the right bra it will help you in so so many ways. I used to suffer bad back pain but now I have the correct fitting bra it just feels so so much better and it has given me a different shape...I don't roll my shoulders in anymore and slouch.

I am terrible when it comes to matching bra and undie combos so I just mix and match. I wear alot of french style knickers and boylegs. I prefer these as they seem to give me a better shape and I don't feel the need to dash off into a dark corner when my bottom gets hungry and decides to start eating my undies lol 

Shapewear is a must I don't care if you are a size 8 or a 28, shapewear just smooths everything out and gives you a much more flattering silhouette. I will be honest I do not wear shapewear all the time. I did for a long time...I did it right through summer worn with a jumper and jeans so since I have retrained my brain, I go without shapewear for everyday wear and just wear it for special occasions. I have 2 corsets and some shapewear shorts for my full swing skirts and I have a slip with straps for my tights wiggle dresses. Ladies if it is hot I will go without shapewear underneath my dresses...there is nothing worse than feeling like a sausage all wrapped up and its 40 degrees celsius outside...not fun. You want to be able to enjoy yourself.

If I am wearing a dress I will generally wear stockings all year round. I will of course skip the stockings if I feel I will end up in a messy puddle by the end of the night if it is too hot! You are smart cookies and know your body better than anyone so you will know if you will end up overheating yourself :)

I think the key here is it doesn't need to be SUPER expensive. I buy most of my underpants and shapewear from Target and Best and Less. I do spend more on my bra's which are generally anywhere from $70-$100 per item but I would rather spend more on a bra because if it fits and supports you....they are a long term friend. Think of it as an investment!

Til next time