Ask the Mouse your lingerie questions...

[Endless_Night]

I remember reading the red = nude thing on CM's blog

Wait. I'm not quite sure how I missed this, but CM has a lingerie blog?!?! How can I sign up? Seriously, how?

And thank you for asking this, bhndblueyes88 (couldn't figure out a good way to shorten that ).

CM, you talk a lot about going to a good boutique/local shop. How you do gauge how good of quality the fitters/store is without trial/error purchases? Obviously some of that will be involved, but that's a fairly expensive process to rely solely upon...

I checked the Yelp reviews on the boutique I visited. There were several that said, "Rude, pushy, low stock, unfriendly." Apparently it wasn't just me.

There seems to be a new boutique in the area, but they don't carry the sports bra brands you recommended and the "everyday" bras don't seem to have a brand name. Their designer lines include Panache, Curvy Kate, and Elle Macpherson and a few others. None of which I remember you mentioning. This is all via their website, so I still intend to trot over and check out the store. We shall see....

There does, however, appear to be a Nordstrom up in the Galleria Area. No Lise Charmel listed in their online brands, but lots of other stuff.

 

[CutieMouse]

Wait. I'm not quite sure how I missed this, but CM has a lingerie blog?!?! How can I sign up? Seriously, how?

Ages ago, I toyed with a lingerie blog, theory being that I'd eventually build a following and do side ads and figure out a way to make a living babbling about lingerie and somehow magically doing personal shopping [focusing on lingerie].

Then this whole LIFE thing happened, and the energy and organizational focus to build a business from the ground up went "pphhhfffffbbbbblluuuuttt.t"



[/quote]
And thank you for asking this, bhndblueyes88 (couldn't figure out a good way to shorten that ).

I checked the Yelp reviews on the boutique I visited. There were several that said, "Rude, pushy, low stock, unfriendly." Apparently it wasn't just me.

There seems to be a new boutique in the area, but they don't carry the sports bra brands you recommended and the "everyday" bras don't seem to have a brand name. Their designer lines include Panache, Curvy Kate, and Elle Macpherson and a few others. None of which I remember you mentioning. This is all via their website, so I still intend to trot over and check out the store. We shall see....

There does, however, appear to be a Nordstrom up in the Galleria Area. No Lise Charmel listed in their online brands, but lots of other stuff.[/QUOTE]

Panache is actually a good vendor, for the right body. It's a UK brand, which means they cut a deeper cup (a UK E is about 1/2"- 3/4" deeper than a French E, for example), had "half sizes" (DD, E, F, FF, G, etc), and are cut for a much fuller bust - Panache (and Elomi) go up to a JJ/ K. Elle MacPherson is ok, as far as bras go; better than Victoria's Secret (IMO). Elle MacP is designed for smaller busts. I can't remember if it goes up to an F [DDD], or stops at an E [DD]. It's been a few years since I've worked with it.

Vendors like Lise Charmel, La Pearla, Empreinte, etc, are going to be specialty boutique or Neiman Marcus/ /Barney's/ Bergdorf Goodman level buys. Nordstrom doesn't have a high enough price point to support those price points.

 

[bhndblueyes88]

And thank you for asking this, bhndblueyes88 (couldn't figure out a good way to shorten that ).

most people go with bbe ^_^ i don't really care though. it's just a s/n

 

[Endless_Night]

Ages ago, I toyed with a lingerie blog, theory being that I'd eventually build a following and do side ads and figure out a way to make a living babbling about lingerie and somehow magically doing personal shopping [focusing on lingerie]. >

Well, if you ever change your mind I'll subscribe.

< Vendors like Lise Charmel, La Pearla, Empreinte, etc, are going to be specialty boutique or Neiman Marcus/ /Barney's/ Bergdorf Goodman level buys. Nordstrom doesn't have a high enough price point to support those price points.

Neiman Marcus, hmm. We have one. I've been in the store exactly twice. Both times I've felt like a pariah, skulking from rack to rack in search of cover.

Misogynistic chauvinists I can handle, no problem. Snooty saleswomen, on the other hand, particularly those in high end stores, intimidate the hell out of me.

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

What might this be?

Hi CM!
I love this thing, but have no idea what it might be called or where to get one. Any ideas?
Thanks!

 

[bhndblueyes88]

Hi CM!
I love this thing, but have no idea what it might be called or where to get one. Any ideas?
Thanks!

I want to know too, and this is a most mesmerizing gif. I just watch her boobs squish up and together over and over and over and over

 

[CutieMouse]

Hi CM!
I love this thing, but have no idea what it might be called or where to get one. Any ideas?
Thanks!

It looks like a bastardized cross between a teddy and a merry widow.

(And everyone else is going WHEEEEEE boobies!" and I'm going "Gah she's already implanted, and screwing up perfectly good cleavage!" )

 

[CutieMouse]

Well, if you ever change your mind I'll subscribe.



Neiman Marcus, hmm. We have one. I've been in the store exactly twice. Both times I've felt like a pariah, skulking from rack to rack in search of cover.

I've been in that lingerie department...

Misogynistic chauvinists I can handle, no problem. Snooty saleswomen, on the other hand, particularly those in high end stores, intimidate the hell out of me.

The psychology of high end sales, and the energy in buildings that do high end sales, is fascinating. A lot of people can walk in and feel intimidated, and unwelcome, but the buying public [YOU] write those people's paychecks. And you'd be surprised the number of times someone who walks in looking like hell (straight from the gym), is actually the person with more money than god.

So no skulking! Everyone has a right to shop wherever they want, and get the service they deserve (which is to say, spectacular). Would I suggest wasting a shop girl's time by trying on every $500 silk pajama set, $700 La Pearla chemise, and bra in your size in the department? No. But it is perfectly acceptable, understandable, and normal to utilize that resource [the high end snooty stores] to your benefit, if you want to.

 

[IrisAlthea]

I've been in that lingerie department...



The psychology of high end sales, and the energy in buildings that do high end sales, is fascinating. A lot of people can walk in and feel intimidated, and unwelcome, but the buying public [YOU] write those people's paychecks. And you'd be surprised the number of times someone who walks in looking like hell (straight from the gym), is actually the person with more money than god.

So no skulking! Everyone has a right to shop wherever they want, and get the service they deserve (which is to say, spectacular). Would I suggest wasting a shop girl's time by trying on every $500 silk pajama set, $700 La Pearla chemise, and bra in your size in the department? No. But it is perfectly acceptable, understandable, and normal to utilize that resource [the high end snooty stores] to your benefit, if you want to.

Sometimes I think the lovey dovey with Gere in Pretty Woman is just filler. The really important scene might be when she goes back to the snooty store with all the money.

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

It looks like a bastardized cross between a teddy and a merry widow.

(And everyone else is going WHEEEEEE boobies!" and I'm going "Gah she's already implanted, and screwing up perfectly good cleavage!" )

Well my apologies for the unwanted visual, and thanks for the info exactly what I needed, of course!

 

[Endless_Night]

most people go with bbe ^_^ i don't really care though. it's just a s/n

BBE it is!

Well my apologies for the unwanted visual, and thanks for the info exactly what I needed, of course!

Well, I actually thought this was pretty hot, too.

 

[Endless_Night]

While we're on the subject of lingerie education.... Can you recommend a book on lingerie terms (with pictures), CM. I wander through sites in my quest for information and keep getting bogged down.

Ex: Corsets vs basques vs corselets vs merry widows, teddies vs chemises, peignoirs vs baby dolls, thongs vs tangas, boy shorts vs booty shorts, rhumba thong (this last one stumps me.) .

To name but a few.... You get the idea.

 

[CutieMouse]

While we're on the subject of lingerie education.... Can you recommend a book on lingerie terms (with pictures), CM. I wander through sites in my quest for information and keep getting bogged down.

Ex: Corsets vs basques vs corselets vs merry widows, teddies vs chemises, peignoirs vs baby dolls, thongs vs tangas, boy shorts vs booty shorts, rhumba thong (this last one stumps me.) .

To name but a few.... You get the idea.

I have a copy of The Lingerie Handbook by Rebecca Apsan.

It looks like she wrote another book in 2012 Lessons in Lingerie. (Which, now I want to buy. lol)

 

[Loverskitten]

While we're on the subject of lingerie education.... Can you recommend a book on lingerie terms (with pictures), CM. I wander through sites in my quest for information and keep getting bogged down.

Ex: Corsets vs basques vs corselets vs merry widows, teddies vs chemises, peignoirs vs baby dolls, thongs vs tangas, boy shorts vs booty shorts, rhumba thong (this last one stumps me.) .

To name but a few.... You get the idea.

If I may....
Firstly, I think a lot of those terms vary regionally. If you google "lingerie terms" you'll get several sites. I love that one is an eBay guide, because people often list Merry Widows (as well as girdles, teddies, and tops) as "corsets", ugh.
http://www.ebay.com/gds/A-Guide-to-Lingerie-Terms-Some-History-of-Lingerie-/10000000000868931/g.html

I do have a book on the history of lingerie, mainly because I've dealt in vintage, but there are many online resources.

 

[Endless_Night]

I have a copy of The Lingerie Handbook by Rebecca Apsan.

Ordered.

If I may....
Firstly, I think a lot of those terms vary regionally. If you google "lingerie terms" you'll get several sites. I love that one is an eBay guide, because people often list Merry Widows (as well as girdles, teddies, and tops) as "corsets", ugh.
http://www.ebay.com/gds/A-Guide-to-Lingerie-Terms-Some-History-of-Lingerie-/10000000000868931/g.html

Huh. And all these years I thought a surplice was a priest's/monk's robe. I definitely spend way to much time reading golden age mysteries. And, it would have never occurred to me that regional difference might come into play.

This is actually kind of a cool site. It talks about fabrics as well, several of which I've wondered about, like Chantilly lace. I now want a pair of silk French knickers.

 

[Endless_Night]

< And you'd be surprised the number of times someone who walks in looking like hell >

This is probably part of my problem. I have an issue with crowd anxiety. As a result, I treat shopping like a military excursion. Get in, get out, minimize casualties (I get a bit...cranky). My typical attire is flip flops, jeans a size too big, and a loose tee shirt - all easy to get in and out of. Then I scrape my hair into a ponytail and hide behind sunglasses.

My Grandmother had a delightful phrase to describe my shopping attire. "Dragged through a hedge backwards," as I recall.

In short, I probably don't look like I can afford lunch, much less lingerie. Plus, I always scope the sale rack when I enter the store. No doubt this drops my market value considerably.

Still, I don't think I should have to dress to a certain standard to get polite attention from a salesperson. Or to spend my own damn money! Just saying.

 

[Daddy2mylilgirl]

What are your thoughts on the new Jockey bra, CM?

http://www.jockey.com/jockeybra

 

[CutieMouse]

This is probably part of my problem. I have an issue with crowd anxiety. As a result, I treat shopping like a military excursion. Get in, get out, minimize casualties (I get a bit...cranky). My typical attire is flip flops, jeans a size too big, and a loose tee shirt - all easy to get in and out of. Then I scrape my hair into a ponytail and hide behind sunglasses.

My Grandmother had a delightful phrase to describe my shopping attire. "Dragged through a hedge backwards," as I recall.

In short, I probably don't look like I can afford lunch, much less lingerie. Plus, I always scope the sale rack when I enter the store. No doubt this drops my market value considerably.

Still, I don't think I should have to dress to a certain standard to get polite attention from a salesperson. Or to spend my own damn money! Just saying.

Unprofessional sales people judge customers by their appearance. Professional sales people, recognize that how people dress has little (or often nothing) to do with their wallet.

 

[Loverskitten]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articl...udy-finds-snobby-salespeople-boost-sales.html

 

[CutieMouse]

What are your thoughts on the new Jockey bra, CM?

http://www.jockey.com/jockeybra

I saw that a while back. IMO, it's a gimmick. A gimmick sort of vaguely based in truth, but a gimmick.

The whole "volumetric sizing" isn't anything new. The original sizing (A, B C, etc) was developed by measuring liquid volume, and using it as a calculation to assign a "size" to each cup size.

When designing bras, the pattern is drafted by measuring the cubic volume of the cup.

A = 1 cubic inch of tissue
B = 2 cubic inches of tissue
C = 3 cubic inches of tissue
etc

It looks like they have 10 cup sizes, which is an improvement over most American companies,and the bands start at a 30, which is a HUGE improvement over most American companies. I'd say it's a decent option for anyone who doesn't have other options.

 

[CutieMouse]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articl...udy-finds-snobby-salespeople-boost-sales.html

Ehhhh... I question that, a bit.

People presume a degree of snobbery at really expensive stores; it rubs off on how they perceive the sales staff. In my experience, the snobby, rude types of sales staff who see customers as dollar signs, are the ones who burn out quickly. There are always exceptions to the rule, of course, but professional and friendly always wins in the end.

 

[bhndblueyes88]

CM, while I know it's not the best way, I did a quick self measurement just to help me browse potential stores online. I so do not understand bra sizing. I usually measure myself a few times and take an average to help offset the error that comes with doing it myself. I found that with only a variation of ONE CENTIMETRE in band size, I'd be 14C or 16A. wtf?!?! I know the cup size adjusts with band size, but that seems a bit of a jump for one centimetre.

so...I don't really know what my question is, but this just makes no logical sense to me at all. xD

 

[Endless_Night]

I have a copy of The Lingerie Handbook by Rebecca Apsan.

I now know the purpose of laser cut panties.

Good to know. Particularly as saleswomen in the lingerie departments of two different department stores have told me, "It's just another style."

 

[seela]

I now know the purpose of laser cut panties.

Do share.

I hit a jackpot recently. A ton of Freya bras in my size at an outlet, when there was -30% on top of the normal -50% outlet price. So I bought 5 nice Freya bras for less than 100 euros.

 

[Endless_Night]

Do share.

I hit a jackpot recently. A ton of Freya bras in my size at an outlet, when there was -30% on top of the normal -50% outlet price. So I bought 5 nice Freya bras for less than 100 euros.

1) They eliminate VPL (visible panty lines) when worn under tight pants or skirts.

2) Score! I'm sooo jealous!