Spring is in the air and our layers are starting to shed! The owners of Forty Winks in Cambridge, Rachel and Meredith, share with us Gals some of their tips for bringing luxury and “pretty things” into our, often hectic, everyday lives!
What is your philosophy behind women and lingerie? Can cute undies change my life!?
Haha! While I'm not sure pretty undies can change your life, they sure can make you feel good.
We believe that woman who are investing in their lingerie (and I'm not only talking money, a woman putting time into her underthings is just as important) DO in fact feel better about themselves. Many of our customers say they feel sexier and more confident in themselves when they're wearing something beautiful underneath their clothing.
What are some of the biggest mistakes women make when bra shopping?
Not getting fit or at least having one of the shop girls or saleswomen take a peek to make sure the bra is fitting correctly. Many women are wearing the wrong size (usually too big a band and too small a cup) and don't know that the band is where a bra's support comes from, not the cup or the straps. If your band is properly snug (it doesn't have to hurt you!) it takes the excess pressure off of your shoulders as the straps are no longer doing all the work.
· You should be re-fit after any major weight changes, a pregnancy, and/or after you stop breastfeeding.
· Don't buy a bra when you’re bloated due to your period or hormonal changes.
Do the undies really need to match? I am the queen of not buying sets, any tips on mixing and matching?
You don't have to match your tops and bottoms, but we find that most woman do want a match for a beautiful bra...it sort of completes the experience.
A lot of our customers (and myself personally) try to buy two or three pairs of underwear that match the bra that they're buying. Since you don't have to wash a bra EVERY TIME you wear it, but you do change your undies on a daily basis, it's often helpful to buy more than one pair of matching bottoms for each top. Hanky Panky and Cosabella make great thongs and boy-briefs in seemingly every color so that's a good place to start!
What are your thoughts on letting the bra be seen under a sheer top or straps under a tank? Is this a “Fashion No-No” or ripe with “Avant-Garde Allure”?
We LOVE this look. It gives your gorgeous lingerie a chance to be seen! Of course, this look can go wildly wrong so make sure if you're letting your bra show you're being tasteful about it. People don't want to see your belly button or your nipples!
A good way to incorporate this look is to wear colorful or lacy bras under your tanks or wide necked shirts. The pretty straps of the bra are in view but you're not going all crazy and showing the whole bra. Let go of the idea that you HAVE to wear nude under white-you can wear color.
And clear straps with your tank tops aren't fooling anyone. Embrace your bra!
Aside from the basic t-shirt bra and/or lacy demi cup, what are essentials every gal should own?
- A Strapless Bra!
- A Self Adhesive Bra like NuBra, if you're smaller busted
- or even just Nipple Covers for strapless or backless shirts/dresses.
- At least one pair of Spanx for days when you need a little more tightening!
Let’s talk about CARE. Any tips?
Wash your lingerie in a lingerie wash and by hand. It doesn't take that much longer than throwing it in the washing machine and it will prolong the life of your, often expensive, lingerie by months.
o We recommend Soak, which is low suds and therefore doesn't need to be rinsed a lot.
§ Simply soak your intimates in tepid water with a little lingerie wash for about 15 mins
§ Gently scrub if needed
§ Rinse minimally
§ Lay flat to dry.
o Washing in a lingerie specific wash strengthens the fibers too.
o Never dry your pieces in the dryer.
o Store them in a drawer, out of dust.
What is hot now for Boston women?
Lingerie is hot for Boston women! We feel like everyone's "getting the bug" as we say. Once you start wearing the right size and seeing how good it makes your clothes look and you start feeling the confidence that comes from loving the bras and undies you're wearing, you can never go back.
This being said, women in Boston are practical about the pieces they invest in. They want something they can actually wear day-to-day, but also something that makes them excited about their lingerie. Forty Winks is always striving to find designers and pieces that provide our customers with the support and wear-ability they want, while still being beautiful.
GALS- you can count on the girls at Forty Winks to stay current with the hottest looks of the season. Lingerie trends are paralleling runway ready-to-wear. We are seeing a lot of COLOR and COLORBLOCKING in the intimates department. What a fun way to play with this bold trend! If you are feeling a little timid about rockin’ magenta and scarlet in a skirt and blouse combo, keep your fashion know-how close to the vest. Or not- sheer tops are popping up everywhere so let your colors shine through!
Have fun!
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