Breast cancer awareness month

At Intimate Underpinnings, we have been working diligently to be able to "support" breast cancer survivors with custom bras. On October 1st, the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Intimate Underpinnings participated in a training to become a Certified Mastectomy Fitter. This event was hosted by Amoena, a leader in prostheses and breast enhancing products. Such good timing that they were in Portland, OR training mastectomy fitters right before I head up to Toronto to study with Beverly on advanced mastectomy and pocketed bra techniques. 

We learned about all of the different surgeries that can take place when cancer is present and how the body is impacted during the removal of cancerous cells and tissue. We also went through various exercises on fitting the Amoena brand prostheses to different individuals. It was a very eye opening experience, and I feel very confident in fitting our clients with prosthetics post surgery. I was very surprised that only a small percentage of prostheses are covered by insurance. It is unfortunate that insurance does not let us take women from an okay fit to a great fit after all that they have just gone through. Hopefully, this will change in the future because we all deserve to feel beautiful.

The most important and impactful part of fitting prostheses post surgery is of course the fit of the bra. If you don't have a great fitting bra, the prosthesis will not support or look as natural as we want. There are some good pocketed bra option out there from various companies, but the unique thing about the pocketed bras made by Intimate Underpinnings is that, like everything else, we customize the bra to you, your needs, and your style choices. We presently make mastectomy, or pocketed bras. Check back next week when I share some of the new bra options for those with prosthetics or breast enhancers. 

Fabric dyes

I try my very best to seek out an array of beautiful laces in various colors, but what happens when you want your custom bra in a color that we cannot provide? Well, we can create that color using fabric dyes. I prefer acid dyes and frequently use the Jacquard brand for several reasons. First and foremost, it has very little smell compared to other fabric dyes. Acid dyes have a shorter boil time to reach the desired color, and this becomes especially important when dying elastics. When dying elastics, we do not want to boil them in the dye water for longer than 30 minutes, as this can impact the integrity of your elastic, a crucial component in your bra. I have also found that acid dyes maintain their vibrant colors after several washes, where others may fade. Finally, you can find or create just about any shade of any color.

Are you interested in dying your own fabrics with acid dyes? Here is how I dye my fabrics, elastics, and bra findings. 

Supplies: 

*These should only be used for the sole purpose of dying. Do not put your food or drink in them later, regardless of how well you clean them*

favorite color of Jacquard acid dye

mug

1/4 teaspoon

8 quart pot 

tongs

tea ball

Mix 1/4 teaspoon of dye in your mug with enough water to make a paste. Let this mixture sit for at least 5 minutes. The crystals of the acid dye need time to dissolve, so the fabrics dye evenly without spots. Fill your pot about half full of water and bring to a low boil. Mix the dye into the boiling water. If dying rings and sliders, make sure they are the nylon coated variety. These are the only ones that will dye. Put your rings and sliders into the tea ball. This will make it easier to check for the desired color. Add your fabric, elastics, underwire casing, and the tea ball containing rings and sliders. Boil until you have reached the desired color (generally no longer than 30 minutes). The rings and sliders will have to boil longer. Continue to check them for the desired color. 

Once you have dyed to the color of your liking, rinse with cold water and distilled white vinegar. This will lock in the color and keep its vibrancy longer. Happy dying!

We're selling body shapers now!

Intimate Underpinnings has been busy drafting and perfecting various forms of body shapers to match your beautiful bras. The great thing about a custom body shaper is that we can focus on the areas where you want the most shaping to give you that sleek silhouette under your favorite dress or outfit. Doesn't that sound amazing? Whether you are interested in a vintage-inspired girdle, an under bust shaper, a shaper with a custom bra built in, or some body shaping shorts, we are all about making you feel and look your best. And if you are like me, and love to have garter clips holding up your thigh highs, we can add them to any shaper.

Here is a little tease of what we've been working on. More shaper options will be up on the website soon.

Red hot lace

With Portland experiencing its share of high 90 and 100 degree days, I have been staying cool by sewing. This red hot lace for summer number is a new style that I wanted to try out before making a display size for a local boutique. I hope you enjoy!

Sister sizing

In my post from three weeks ago, I showed a diagram of bra cup and band sizes. This illustration includes "sister sizing," which is where the cup volume remains the same as the band size increases, thus the number increases and the letter decreases. My bra making instructor would cringe when she heard the term sister sizing, and here is why.

Many lingerie stores will try to get you into a sister size if they don't carry your size, or if they have sold out of it. Don't be convinced that this will give you a properly fitting bra. It never will. When I worked retail, we only used sister sizing as a means to determine cup volume, and we would use that information to create a special order if we were out of a certain size. Now, what happens when you are put into a sister size is that the cup will be the best fitting part of your bra. What about the rest of the bra? Your bra band is actually the most supportive element in your bra. I know, it's surprising to think that wearing the correct band size will give you the best support in your bra.

This is not to say that the other elements are not important because they are, but if you wear a "sister size" where the band is too big (this is the case for most women), the band will ride up in the back. If the elastic in your band is not getting worked at all, your band is too big. When the band is too big and rides up in the back, the breasts will actually droop in the front, even with the correct cup size. Then you will find yourself shortening your straps to hold up your breasts, and the back will ride up even more. It's a vicious cycle.

You might think, okay, I'll just go with the sister size that is a band smaller than mine, but you will not be happy here, either. When you wear a sister size where the band size is smaller than you should wear, the band will feel tight. It might actually dig into your skin, creating...dare we say, back fat. And if this weren't enough, when wearing a band that is too snug, it will actually force the underwire that resides closest to the side seam, into your ribs. This is incredibly painful, and for some women, will actually leave bruises.

You deserve a properly fitting bra, and to feel comfortable when wearing one. My hope with this post is that you will think twice when you are being talked into trying a bra in a sister size. 

Inspirations

I am often asked what inspires me when designing custom bras and lingerie. When I am designing for myself, it can be any number of things. I am inspired by other lingerie designers, vintage inspired clothing, old Hollywood glam, bold colors, beautiful fabrics, and lace. I love lace! If you've had the opportunity to work with Intimate Underpinnings, you know how many samples of lace you get to look at, particularly embroidered lace. I know it sounds cliche, but I often let the fabric (or lace) talk to me.

When I am designing for someone else, THEY inspire me! I have the rare opportunity to take their unique style and personality and blend it with their vision. Inspiration is around us all the time.

                                   

Common fit issues

When I tell someone that I am a custom bra maker, nearly everyone tells me a story about the horrible fit of their bra or a bad experience that they had at a lingerie shop. If you are frustrated by the fit of your bra, trust me, you are not alone. Approximately 80% of women do not wear a properly fitting bra. That is a HUGE percentage!

If you are small-busted, you have probably experienced some of these fit issues with your bra...

*The cup is too big

*The underwire is too small and digs into the breast tissue

*Why is there so much padding?

*The band is too tight (and causes the underwire to dig in even more)

*Did they run out of the fun colors when they got to us?

*If you're athletic, your pectoral muscles and breast tissue will widen, making it impossible to find a bra that fits

*If you have a muscular back, straps often irritate

If you are large-busted, you have probably experienced some of these fit issues with your bra...

*The cup is too small

*The double boob dilemma (it should look like 2, not 4!)

*The band is too big and rides up in the back

*What is up with those tiny straps?

*The band makes it look like there's back fat

*Straps make dents in your shoulders

*I think they ran out of all of the fun colors here, too

*To find one that fits, it looks like something my grandma wore

If you are average-busted, generally those lucky ladies that can wear the most commonly sized ready-to-wear bras, you still might have some fit issues in your bra...

*The underwire might be too small

*Maybe the straps slide off your shoulders

*One breast might be larger than the other, and the cups do not fill evenly

*The band might not fit properly

*Not enough coverage