MSP's Weekly Style Mission

What SYSters are Saying

It's Bra Week at MSP!

Ladies, adjust your straps and get ready! This week's all about BRAS!

It's a hot topic and a very timely one since we are starting out this new year more stylish than ever-let's begin with what we wear UNDER our clothes. 

As they say: strength comes from a strong foundation- and the same can be said about our bras!

If you want to look really great in your clothes-you have to think about what's under your clothes. Are your bras looking a little haggard and worn out? Then perhaps that is how YOU are starting to look in your clothes?

Let's get the right fitting bra and improve our shape, posture and confidence. A new bra will fit snuggly-but it will be comfortable if you get the right style and size.

If we are procrastinating and not refreshing our bras regularly, over time our stretched out bras leave us with a less than desirable silhouette. I promise you, starting with a good fitting bra will automatically improve how you look in your clothes. How good is that?

With 8 out of 10 women wearing

the wrong size bra-getting the right fit & style is essential!

Since our teens, our bust lines have evolved over the years - just like our lives.

We gain or lose weight, have children and we age. All of these factors change our bodies and bust lines over time.

But with a good fitting bra our silhouette can hold off this aging process. Time marches on-but we can slow down the pace.

Finding the right fitting bra can be challenging. Many women have serious fitting issues that they've yet to solve. Perhaps your bra straps dig into your skin, leaving unattractive and painful indentations. Or the bra band inches up your back, annoying and causing discomfort. Slipping straps and painful underwire are other common occurrences. Many women are all too familiar with these issues of an ill-fitting bra, but did you also know that there can be health consequences to wearing the wrong size?

These are just a few conditions that may be caused by an ill-fitting bra: pain in the upper back, neck, shoulders and arms and headaches as well. You could experience discomfort during exercise too if your bra is ill fitting.

Let's examine our silhouettes in the mirror for a moment...

Have the "girls" gone a bit south on you? Tired of slipping straps, neck or back pain or straps digging into your shoulders? These are all signs of a poor fit. But they can be lessened or resolved when you know what the causes are.

The right bra makes a big difference! A bra fitting is the first thing I do when I take my clients shopping. There is no sense in trying on clothes when you are wearing an ill-fitting bra. Clothes will not fit you correctly when your bra is not right.

One of my personal shopping clients had recently lost over 30 lbs. The day we meet for shopping she wore an empire-waist (fitted under the bust) shirt blouse. The problem with her blouse was the "girls" were below the gathers of her shirt! After a proper bra fitting, her bust was above the empire-waist (like it should be). Halleluiah! This proves my point that you wear under your clothes has a huge impact on the way you look in your clothes!

I can't guarantee a new bra will change your life (well maybe I can, LOL!)...it can come pretty close. With a new bra you will see yourself differently and hold your posture better - and others will notice too.

When you wear the correct bra you can look 5-10 lbs. slimmer!

Your torso will look more defined and your silhouette improved

 with a well-fitting bra.

On Thursday we solve your bra fitting dilemmas (slipping straps, back pain, one side larger and many more fitting issues). Finally a good fitting bra that you deserve!

Love,

Leslie MSP

P.S. I'll also talk about bra measuring in Thursday's Style article. With so much incorrect information on the internet, it's hard to get an accurate measurement.

I tried. I went to 3 different sites and got 3 different measurements! One place I was a 36A, another site, 36B and the third site I was a 34D (FYI: NONE of those measurements are correct!)

Jump start your style with Leslie's weekly style help

MSP's Weekly Style Mission

With this week's style topic being BRAS-I'll bet you can already guess the Style Mission, can't you?  If you guessed ‘get fitted' you're right!

This week's Style Mission is to get fitted professionally for a bra!

This could be a special pamper mission for yourself. Set aside time to go to a large department store (I recommend Norstrom's if you have one in your town). Let a professional help you find the correct fit and style for your shape.

You'll find the experience well worth it. (BTW, there is never any obligation to buy-however, if you can it's great to invest in a couple of new ones so you can rotate them). Keep the brand and style # in your wallet so you can re-order in store or online at a later date.

Love, Leslie MSP

What SYSters are Saying

Dear Leslie,

I have been suffering from a sore neck and shoulders for a long time.  I work mostly at a computer all day, so I thought that was the problem.  Yoga helps, but not enough.  Then I read your information on finding the correct bra size, particularly the part about how not having the correct support could cause neck and shoulder pain.  I thought, "Could it really be so simple?"

The short answer is "YES!" After a week of debating with myself, I finally took your advice and was fitted for a bra.  I had been wearing a 36B.  I was surprised to find that I am really a 32C!  I wore my new bra out of the store, and arrived home after a busy day with NO NECK AND SHOULDER PAIN!   The old bras have been flung.  I look and feel much better.

Thanks for such a simple answer to my problem!

Stephanie

Dear MSP,

I have been a syster for over a year now and I continue to enjoy your weekly friendly advice. I can't tell you how much I have learned! 

About the time I joined last year you mentioned how to melt down broken lipstick. I wished I had saved this advice. Any chance you could repeat it?

Much love, Glenda

Dear Glenda,

No worries!

Here's what to do with your broken lipstick:

Put the lipstick into a microwave-safe dish. Mix into the lipstick the contents of 1 pot of Carmex lip balm (can be purchased at any drug store). Microwave for about 30-45 seconds on low. Stir to mix and then spoon back into the lip balm pot and let cool.

Now you have a pretty tinted lip balm in your favorite color! It sure beats throwing out an expensive broken lipstick!

 Love,

Leslie MSP

Posting from MSP's Big Tent Style Group https://www.bigtent.com/groups/missusmsp

Recent posting to the group -

Hi SYSters,

When I first started w/changes b/c of MSP's help I had someone say to me that they like the way I'm "reinventing" myself. I know what she meant, but it made me think: I'm not trying to reinvent myself, but what MSP has done for me is to actually let the real me show. It shows b/c of what I wear, which I used to think really wasn't that important and then that adds to my confidence. And the "confidence" isn't something to boast about, except to let others know that changes they want to make are possible, too.

But, it's been like a door that has opened for me to walk further in my life rather than being limited. It seems that the help from MSP has allowed me to change to allow the "inside" of me to be reflected on the "outside". Because inside I am not frumpy or boring or uncaring or incapable, which my clothing may have been "saying" previously. If this has happened to you, too, them maybe you understand what I'm trying to say. You SYSters give me a lot to think about and I love that!
LindaLou

MSP's Style Poll

Last week's Style Poll was about dressing slender and you gals are pretty dang smart! Great job!

This week's Style Poll is more difficult (I think). Let's see how fashion and sale savvy you are now:

How well do you really read the sale signs?

Sometimes an additional percentage off isn't saving you as much as you think.

If the sign says: "Take an additional 20% off the already reduced price"

So let's say that the previous discount off of a $100 item was 50 percent. What would be the total price you will pay after an additional 20 percent off?

You will pay $50

You will pay $40

You will pay $30

What's the correct answer?  Go to MSP's home page to answer