So you all seemed to enjoy the first ever ‘Follow Fridays’ blogger interview last week with Venusian*Glow, hooray! It was great to chat to her, and some of you got to know her a bit better, or some of you were introduced to a new lingerie blogger to add to your list! Win, win. So without further ado, let’s hear from this week’s featured blogger, Sweet Nothings. Hi! Welcome to the second interview in IIYC’s ‘Follow Fridays’ series. Thanks for taking part! Please could you give us a little introduction? Sweet Nothings: Sweet Nothings is a mishmash of the things I love and feel passionately about: lingerie, good bra fit basics, body image discussions, feminism, pole dancing, ballet, and baking. Also my cats. I think I’m breaking the first two rules of blogging: have a central focus, and keep the cat pictures to a minimum.
When did you start your blog and why?
Sweet Nothings: I started the blog at the beginning of May in. I’d actually had friends suggest I write a blog for a few years prior to that, but I never really felt competent or qualified. I’d learned so much from reading other blogs, so I figured the word about good fit and good bras was out there, and others would find it like I had. I realized more and more, however, that the wonderful women in my life were at best uncertain about their boobs and their bras, and at worst they’d had experiences that made them feel bad, ashamed, difficult, freakish, you name it. This breaks my heart, because these women are lovely and awesome, and I know there are bras out there that would make them feel spectacular.
I hope to educate and to assist: Teach women how bra sizes work, and then empower them to fit themselves and discover their own likes and dislikes. I wanted first and foremost to help my friends, and if other women (and men) found my words helpful, then awesome. I know it can be hard to figure out where to get started, and it can be hard to pin down what works for you. Bra fit isn’t a matter-of-fact science of numbers; depending on your shape, size, and build, you may find that a system or a brand that works for you won’t always work for everyone else. So I wanted to make sure that my friends, at the very least, had a kind voice saying “It’s ok! Let’s figure this out together.” My rallying cry is “It’s not you; it’s your bra.” If you don’t feel fantastic about your boobs, the problem isn’t you. You just need a better bra.
Which other lingerie blogs do you read the most?
Sweet Nothings: Oh lordy, I read a lot of them! Invest in Your Chest, clearly, as well as Fuller Figure Fuller Bust, Bras I Hate, Butterfly Collection, A Sophisticated Pair, Busts4Justice, The Lingerie Addict, The Full Figured Chest, The Lingerie Lesbian . . . I could go on. There are some wonderful writers out there, and the thing I think is so great is there are lots of different perspectives. Women write with advice about fit, shape, bra construction, hard-to-find sizes, bargains, luxuries, clothing, maternity, aging, sexuality, the list goes on. We’re scattered all over the world and come in all shapes and sizes and ages, and reading these blogs is a wonderful reminder of the beauty of diversity.
Where do you recommend people go get fitted?
Sweet Nothings: That’s a hard one, particularly in the US. I have had MOSTLY good luck at Nordstrom, and MOSTLY good luck at Townshop in NYC, but even then there are caveats. Sometimes your fitter is off her game, sometimes she’s unsure, sometimes (unfortunately) she has to be right and can’t always hear and address customer concerns with an open or empathetic mind. I do a lot of online shopping and self-fitting, something I’d never be able to do if I hadn’t been reading all these different bloggers for a year or two. If you’re in North Carolina, A Sophisticated Pair is the place to go, no matter your size. If you have trouble finding a good fitter near you (not Victoria’s Secret; the bras are pretty if you wear one of the sizes they offer, but they’re notorious for fitting women into the wrong size just to make a sale), I recommend checking out a Skype fitting with Butterfly Collection or a telephone fitting with Bravissimo.
Which brand do you think suits your shape and style best?
Sweet Nothings: I used to be a Freya girl through and through, but I’ve been switching to Panache and her sister brands lately as my size has changed and my needs and preferences have shifted accordingly. Cleo, in particular, has become my one true love lately. The unlined balconettes fit like they were made for my shape, and I adore the colors, patterns, and details. Full-bust doesn’t have to mean frumpy!
What is your ‘desert island’ lingerie set?
Sweet Nothings: Right now it’s the Marcie set by Cleo. I’m wearing it as I type, and I just feel smoking hot in it (the sexy kind of hot, not the temperature kind). It’s incredibly supportive, gives me a fantastic shape, doesn’t shift around or dig in, and is super, super pretty. So if I had to choose one lingerie set out of my current wardrobe to wear forever and ever, it’d be Marcie hands-down.
What, in your opinion, are the biggest upcoming trends in the lingerie world this Autumn/Winter?
Sweet Nothings: Good grief, I feel wildly unqualified to answer that question. I guess the things I’ve noticed are some predictably autumnal styles: warmer, deeper colors, the return of black lace, and darker, more elegant patters. Also lots of royal or navy blue this season, which I love, both because it’s incredibly flattering and because it’s slightly unusual for lingerie. I think the knickers landscape is really changing, too: it used to be I could only find low-cut bikini briefs or thongs, but more and more brands (and amazing independent designers on Etsy) are releasing some gutsy, diverse designs: high-waisted knickers, panty girdles, shorts, ouvert knickers, and more. I hope this diversity sticks around; one thing I’ve learned writing this blog is that as many women struggle to fit their rears/hips as struggle to fit their boobs.
Are you a plunge or a balconette girl?
Sweet Nothings: Oooh, I’m a little of both. Balconettes are often an easier fit for me (see: Cleo, My Undying Love For), but the right plunge bra can feel spectacular. I’m one of the few women who doesn’t love the Freya Deco. I’ll happily recommend it to others, because it’s a great bra, but it’s just not my cup of tea. The Tango Plunge by Panache? Yes, and more yes. Generally, though, I stick to a few reliable balconette shapes. Freya’s Pollyanna was my go-to, but now I’m more likely to turn to Panache and her sister brands.
