by  Jené Luciani

I have a 17 year old daughter who is large breasted. We find it a huge challenge to find bras and bathing suits that fit well. She is a beautiful girl (with a good body) who has low self body image because she can’t fit into the trendy magazine fashions that her friends wear. I have taken her for bras and it inevitably ends in tears. Can you tell me where we should go for a good bra fitting and selection geared for a young woman and not a 50 year old. Thanks . . . Jodi

My recommendation would be to take your daughter to a better department store or a specialty shop with trained bra fitters who have been educated in the nuances of different brand’s fits.  There are many wonderful brands that cater to a young customer.  For example, companies such as Curvy Kate, Eveden and Panache are dedicated 100% to a Curvy Girl’s needs both for bras and swimwear.

Bra brands that understand the engineering required for curvier girls are also the best sources of swimwear that is constructed for support as well as fashion. Freya from Eveden or Cleo from Panache are sassy, colorful and are created specifically for a younger minded customer. If you look these brands up on line, you will be able to find store locators.

 You can also try an online site like BareNecessities.com, which offer the option to “shop by bra size” with a huge selection in a number of sizes. They also have a new division devoted exclusively to the Curvy Girl. That way, she can shop in the comfort of her own home and whatever doesn’t work, just gets sent back.

by  Jené Luciani

I was wondering how to wear these new trending shirts and dresses where the back is super low and most of it lace (so it\’s somewhat see-thru)! I want to wear these trends but I don\’t want to look inappropriate either!  Thanks. . . . Heather

That really depends in part on how ‘busty’ you actually are. Women generally under a C-cup can try this backless strapless bra from Fashion Forms. It’s great for tricky tops where you can’t have a bra band showing in the back! However, not really supportive for larger busts. Another option is having foam cups sewn into the top. You can get them at almost any fabric/craft store and a seamstress can sew them in! it’s a great way to have ‘built-in’ coverage without having to worry about showing any straps!

ELLEN – care to weigh in on this too? 

Sure!  As a person who has never been able to go braless, I am particularly pleased that today’s trends actually support the idea of letting your bra show.  If you want to wear these styles and are over a D cup, my suggestion is to wear a bra that either color matches the dress or coordinates so well it appears to be an “on purpose” look.  This, however, will require a certain level of confidence.  Do what makes you feel best!

by Jene’ Luciani

I am 32A and I love bras that make me look larger and sexier. What are the best brands that could resolve my problem?. . . Carla

There are plenty of great push-up bras for small-statured girls. The Little Bra Company is one of my favorites. I also love that on BareNecessities.com, you can search for bras BY size in a variety of brands…so if you look here, you will find some really pretty options that’ll surely give your bust a boost!

by  Jené Luciani

As a fitness instructior, I do a lot of jumping. Is it possible that not wearing the right sports bra can make your boobs sag?                           Jolene Mathews

Ah, the sagging debate. Great question, Jolene. Everyone always wants to know what really causes sagging. In short, one word: Gravity! This entire issue is covered in depth in The Bra Book and I interviewed several doctors to get their professional opinions, and pulled together all the research that’s out there. Believe it or not, this subject has been researched! Researchers found that an un-supported breast moves up and down about 6 centimeters when we’re working out. Since breasts are made up of tissue and ligaments, you have to think that theoretically, this stretches the skin and speeds up the sagging process.

According to Las Vegas-based plastic surgeon Dr. Samir Pancholi, wearing the right sports bra is integral. “Bras play a huge role in preventing sagging.  The more support breasts have, the less the role gravity plays over time.” Of course, other factors are believed to play a role in whether a woman’s breasts sag or not, like genetics, extreme weight fluctuations, pregnancy and aging.

by  Jené Luciani

I am constantly on the go and wondering if you have any tips for packing your bra?  I heard that it is very bad to just squish them into your luggage with the rest of you clothing and since I wear padding, it does affect the shape.  Wanted to see if you had any suggestions?. . . Lauren

SUCH a great question!! With many people escaping to warmer locales during the winter months, it’s a great time for a reminder on how to properly store your bras for travel. Bras are so delicate, it is very easy to squish the cups and bend the underwire, stretch out the straps and ruin them permanently! Caring for your bras the right way will really help them last longer. Less “stress” on your lingerie also means less stress on your wallet, too.

To avoid squishing them (and possibly ruining them,) place softer items like socks inside the cups to help them retain their shape, and nestle them into their own spot in your suitcase (preferably on the side, where there aren’t items on top of them).   Or, you can pick up a case that’s specifically meant to keep your bras safe in your suitcase. I recently discovered theCupCase and took it on a trip to Turks n’ Caicos with me. It is amazing! My bras came out unscathed. I even tossed my bikinis in there too (the ones that have built-in cups) so they didn’t get squished as well. Plus, this product comes in bra sizes up to DD which means it’ll hold even larger busted bras (another issue with similar products in the past).

 READ A Beginner’s Guide to Lingerie:  An interview with Jene Luciani  on Real Beauty

by Jené Luciani

How did you feel about being named “Worse Dressed” even if it was a bit tongue & cheek?  We all have fashion faux pas, any suggestion for dealing with them on the spot or avoiding them all together?

As an on-air fashion expert/correspondent, commentator, critic and contributor, and of course author of THE BRA BOOK, usually, I’m seen in magazines making fun of some of the horrible fashion choices celebrities make.  But recently I found myself on the other side of things when I wore a dress MADE OUT OF 200 BRAS for the Bravo TV show MAD FASHION!

Chris March is known for his outrageous designs for people like Lady GaGa and Madonna, and I wanted to make a splash for my Manhattan book launch party. Needless to say, I was photographed in his creation and poked fun of for weeks after when I ended up in STAR Magazine’s worst dressed pages as well as Cosmo’s, and Cosmo even named me one of the worst dressed celebs of the year because of the bra dress! I think a big part of the problem is that people didn’t ‘understand’ the dress. They compared it to an artichoke (which believe it or not, shape-wise, was actually Chris’ inspiration!) and a marshmallow peep!!! When my episode finally aired, people actually got to see the “story” behind the bra dress and the creation of it come to life!

As far as avoiding any faux pas like this, let me just say that fashion is all about expressing your individuality and taking risks. If you don’t take risks, you don’t get to experience the power that fashion has. It’s such a subjective matter – one person’s cup of tea is not another person’s cup of tea, therefore you can’t expect everyone to agree with your wardrobe choices or love them as much as you do. When you’re someone who’s in the public eye, you are putting yourself out there for millions to critique you, not just a few dozen or hundred at an event or party.

While it may have been a faux pas to some for me to wear a dress made out of hundreds of bras, I always say though, the biggest faux pas that’s the easiest to avoid – on the red carpet or off – is one involving foundations. How many see-through bras, so-called nipple slips and slippery straps do we have to be subjected to? Invest in the right bra for EVERY outfit and some double stick tape to carry with you – just in case!! And please check the rearview before you head out the door – visible panty lines are a deal-breaker for me, no matter how well tailored or expensive the clothes!!!

by Jené Luciani

Jené, what is the biggest lingerie problem you notice when you are styling  a celebrity?  How do you resolve it?

In my experience, celebs have 2 big issues when wearing couture gowns on the red carpet – not being able to wear a bra and getting bulges or lines where they shouldn’t be. To solve the “top” dilemma, in place of a bra, usually what I recommend is having foam cups (you can usually get them at a craft store) sewn into the bodice of the dress and then keeping it in place with double-stick tape. If they are wearing a bra or the dress has boning for structure, often they’ll insert a pair of silicone gel “cutlets” for extra oomph. 

And, of course, to slim hips, thighs and buttox, stars always wear shape wear, most commonly the bike short style. Some, like Gwyneth Paltrow, reportedly double up for an extra slimming effect but generally one pair is all it takes to smooth the silhouette under even the clingiest of fabrics!

What is the biggest issue you confront when interfacing
with women about their lingerie?

Honestly, our brains are our biggest barriers when it comes to our boobs! Women get stuck in this mindset that they “know” what size they are/should be/look like and they can’t wrap their heads around someone telling them otherwise. It’s like an article I recently wrote that many women don’t follow the doctor’s advice because they think they know more than an MD. I’ve realized that it’s the same case when trying to help women with bras – they either think they know better OR they don’t want to accept that they’re aging, their bodies are changing, they’re gaining weight or not as “perky” as they used to be. This makes it hard to help them truly get the foundations that are right for them *right now.*