The Right Fit Marathon

So the marathon season is on what with the Pinkathon being a big success and the glamorous Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon coming up (post all the Xmas and New Year partying)! We’re gunning strongly for more women participants as this sport picks up and for a good cause that too.

While you’re readying your best pair of shoes and running gear, along with strength building at the gym, stacking up on the correct nutrition and protein content and building stamina with daily 3 hour practices, Cazaro Lingerie wishes to do it’s bit by providing you information about a very important element to consider on this day – Your Right Fit Sports Bra! Yes, as mundane as it may sound, this piece of under garment is no small deal to be ignored.

Wondering why so much emphasis on wearing a sports bra? Well to begin with, our reasons include reducing the number of hard-on’s in the world to your boobs not smacking in your face while you run to breast pain while working out! So if you’re not ready to contribute to the above, we suggest you invest in the perfect sports bra, which is scientifically proven to reduce injuries, improve your running form and even reduce back pain arising out of long runs.

Cazaro Lingerie’s got a quick checklist for you to ensure that you pick the best Sports Bra through these pointers:

1. Band – Should fit perfectly – not too tight and definitely not loose. A good band ensures you get the best support and this’s essential to avoid the breast bounce factor primarily. Your flab (being an Indian woman you’ve got to have some) should not protrude from the sides, nor should the band leave any marks owing to tightness.
   
2. Cup – Breast tissue should be contained here and not spill over especially from the sides. If you feel your breasts are floating, its probably a bigger size and you should opt for a smaller one then. Ideally your breasts should be properly packed to forbid any movement at all, which would result as a hindrance in your marathon
   
3. Underwire – If present, it should sit in the rib cage and not dig into the breast tissue
4. Straps – Go for the sports bra in which straps are adjustable. As with any normal bra, these sports bra straps can also be loose and fall off, which is not something you wish to encounter in a marathon run.

There are so many health benefits associated with running. You don’t want to counter them with breast issues owing to bad sports bra. Every woman has different need for sports bra – some people need it for compression, some need for more cupping, and some for both. 8 out of 10 women into running, wear the wrong sports bra – are you one of them? For an instant verification call our Lingerie Doctor at 9322990151 or mail at contact@cazaro-lingerie.com

Gold is Passé! Lingerie is the New Investment!

Now I’m sure you’d never have got this from your mother or even grandmother that investing in a good bra is going to get you the best of everything in the world. But it so turns out that our mothers and theirs, since forever have not really given this a considerable thought as it deserves! Look at all the reasons below and tell me why would you not be willing to invest in a good piece of bra which uplifts your essentials, gives your body a robust shape, accentuates your curves and even cover up the unwanted attention, gets the focus on the cleavage and moves it away from the flab. So here’s the real deal of why you should invest in a good piece of lingerie:

The Perfect Maths – We women don’t get much into calculations while making a purchase but we always do look for the best deal and the most robust investment. Here’s the news – a good buy of lingerie actually costs less and is a better long term investment than the regular grooming costs we incur like getting pedicures done or buying a dress for a specific function and not wearing it more than twice. For a piece of clothing which we wear everyday vs something we wear 2-4 times a year, if you check the return on investment, a good piece of lingerie is always going to rank higher.

Lingerie would not seek you until you don’t seek it – Not with any intention of making the lingerie buying experience sound so Zen-like, what I mean is that you will not know what really suits and fits you best for your dressing style and lifestyle in general if you don’t look for it. There is a standard size set available in the market, but what is more fascinating is the fact that this size set is waaaay smaller than what is required by the women of the world (or Mumbai for us)! So you’ve got to explore beyond the realms of your nearest stores or biggest brands that one hears of!

A dress is not worth it if the bra isn’t – It’s as simple as it gets! If you’ve a 10 grands worth of dress for the next party, but your breasts sagging heavily due to post-menopausal cycle, no two strings attached could also make the dress (or even party) worth it.

Social embarrassment at your age should be a nightmare – Given that you’re an adult and well above the motherly supervision when it comes to buying lingerie, it would be a catastrophe if your bra straps ever opened up in public. For that matter even adjusting your bra while talking to a friend might be a common thing for you but hello – here’s the real deal – adjusting your bra publicly is not cool! It’s the closest to a man’s version of adjusting his balls (ignore the pun). So if you want to avoid such disasters, all it calls for is an educated investment in your undergarment requirements!

Evolution is the pulse of everything – Anything that wants to sustain itself needs to evolve. If we go back to the history of when the lingerie was introduced for women, to what it is now, you’d see a considerable shift that’s taken place. Right from the shapes to the needs to the occasions to the durability, the lingerie scene has changed waaaay much (remember the conical bra’s which were made famous by Madonna). The point is that your body evolves too, every two years it renews itself so imagine how many changes go on on a daily basis. So the garments which hold your body, give it a certain shape and keep it intact need to change at regular intervals too.

The world does not stop if we continue as is. But we give ourselves another reason to not feel our best if we don’t put in enough care into what the body feels most comfortable in. As much as we support ‘No Bra Days’ and ‘Bra Free Zone’ the support runs even strongly for getting the fit right in order to feel right at all times! A good piece of lingerie is like second skin for your body – nurture it well.

Effects Of Ill Fitting Bra

“Babe, I can’t make it for lunch, today, I have a horrid back ache!”

 “Yaar, am way too gassy today! Just so uncomfortable!”

 “Oh! Don’t ask! Post pregnancy I literally have to stuff my ample bosom into the Bra, Gravity at its best!”

 “I think I slept wrong last night, I have an excruciating pain in my neck & shoulders, only if someone can give me a good back rub.”

 “Hey! Why are you slouching?”

 “Damn! Another rash at the under bust!”

Are these often your words? Or your friends & female family members? If yes, then a visit to the doctor is not what you must plan but a quick rush to your nearest Lingerie Expert!  Yes, as odd it may sound, but more often than not, your back aches, neck & shoulder stiffness is due to your bad posture. The bad posture is your body’s reaction to a Bra which is tugging at it, compressing the wrong nerves, creating not so wise pressure spots. Even the occasional chest pain which we conveniently blame on indigestion may be due to an ill fitted bra.

A fancy, satin, lacy, underwired Bra may not be the answer to your precious bosom if it isn’t the perfect fit! Yes, a wrong fit poses multiple threats to your health & appearance! Take note & right the wrong! So, if your bra becomes loose or tight, it is an indication, that you need a new pair of bra for yourself. Most women have the habit of wearing loose-fitting bras. Bras lose their elasticity after a few washes. In fact a very common habit amongst women is to have separate lingerie for home wear & separate for times when we step out. Evidently the loose ones are for home wear. Is it really safe? This can be bad for the breast as loose fitting bras can damage the breasts size and shape. So, if you do not want sagging or popping out breasts, you need to wear the right bra size. Check out the dangerous health effects of wearing a wrong bra size.

1.    Breast pain
It is one of the most common ill effects of wearing a wrong bra size. Tight-fitting bras that are not comfortable often lead to breast pain, a pain which can be pinching. We may tend to stretch a bit to ease our muscles & assume it to be Indigestion or bad posture while sleeping. However, unhooking the bra gives immediate relief. Next time, try changing into a right fitted bra!

2. Back ache

Wrong bra size can also make you experience frequent back ache & discomfort. This usually occurs in women with large breast size. Using a bra that does not exactly fit you, makes the lack of strut in the chest, and due to the effect of gravity it makes the owner of the breasts more vulnerable to stoop, causing pain in the hip area. If your bra is too tight, it can also exert too much pressure on your rib cage. So if you are wearing a smaller sized bra, then be prepared to suffer from back pain.

3. Sagging breasts

Wearing a loose bra can spoil the breast shape and size. Instead of lifting it up and keeping in shape, the bra can sag your breasts and make them heavier leading to back aches. Breasts are suspended by ligaments that will stretch from bouncing if not held firmly in position. If you are well endowed, an ill-fitting, unsupportive bra can cause you to slump and fold your shoulders forward, and lead to painful postural disorders.

4. Shoulder and neck pain

Again, if your bra is too tight for your bosom, the straps can exert a lot of pressure on the shoulders because it is difficult to lift with a smaller strap. This strain from shoulder can go up to the neck, which can cause severe pain. It is one of the major health effects of wearing the wrong bra size, so pick up the right size every time to avoid such complications.

5. Blockage of the lymph nodes

Lymphatic vessels are very thin, they are extremely sensitive to pressure and are easily compressed. Chronic minimal pressure on the breasts can cause lymph valves and vessels to close. Wearing a bra with a cup size smaller than it should be, causes the failure of the lymph nodes.

6. Ruin your posture 

Wearing a wrong bra size can spoil your posture. Pain felt in the shoulder, neck and back tends to make you more frequently bend, which if allowed to continue will ruin your posture.

7. May trigger breast cancer

This is one of the side effects of wearing a wrong bra size. In extreme cases, using the wrong bra size  can also trigger breast cancer. This could happen because of the size of the bra that is too tight will block blood flow to the breasts, which can cause cancer. Women must stay very careful while picking up the bra size.

8. Skin abrasions 

If you are wearing a pair of improper bra size, it can cause blisters on the skin around the breast, especially when the size is too tight for the size of your breasts. Overly tight straps not only cause skin irritations but reduce blood flow, affecting the nerves and contribute to tension headaches.

So, pause! Take a minute to get it right for your own body & health!

8 tricks to keep your Lingerie Monsoon Free!

“Rain drops keep falling on my head…” sang BJ Thomas.  Perfect time to enjoy long drives, ginger & lemon grass tea and sizzling spicy pakodas (Indian vegetable spiced fritters). And along come the woes of increased humidity- frizzy hair, rusting of metallic home décor, musty wooden furniture, food spoilage and more importantly one battle each home maker fights- drying clothes! What took a day, now takes about two days to dry off completely and yet we fear the dampness in them. The biology lessons in our life remind us about potential microbial growth in damp places! Washing Machines come to our rescue but can you really put your precious undergarments in to be spin dried? So we decided to put together -8- tricks to ensure a clean & dry lingerie experience for you this monsoon!

1. Separate the silks and lacy ones from the cotton and sports bra. If you have worn it for some time and not really perspired into it or been drenched in the rains, simply soak them in cold water sans any detergent and air dry to get rid of any potential smell and dampness.

2. If heavily used, soak the undergarments in cold water with a mild detergent (genteel/safe wash/easy wash etc.), swirl them around, gently scrubbing by rubbing the fabric against itself. Rinse each piece multiple times in clean water to get rid of any residue detergent & gently squeeze out the extra water. Any remnant detergent post drying can cause itching or allergies. It also weakens the fabric’s delicate fibers.

3. Always hook up the bra, so that the hooks don’t snag any other fabric & saves you the time of detangling the straps.

4. Once washed, remould the cups with your hands to maintain the shape.

5. Hang them on to a hanger in the bathroom for a while for excessive water to drip. Don’t forget to keep the exhaust fan on in order to suck out the moisture & allow fresh air in. And then hang them to dry in a place where there is air flow i.e. continuous air blowing against the clothes to ensure air drying. If you find a warm spot, do shift your clothes there!

6. Once dried, evidently you can’t iron your lingerie. Neither can you steam iron. So which is your next best option? Hair dryer! Yes! Keep your hair dryer at a distance of about 6-8 inches from the undergarment and allow the warm air to move all over it. The heated air ensures complete drying & more importantly will also prevent microbial growth.

7. Avoid wearing the same bra two days in a row, as it needs time to regain its shape after wear. Given the monsoon season, always keep an extra handy even in your handbag!

8. Use a dehumidifier box (make one at home by simple punching holes into a plastic container & filling it with silica gel to absorb the moisture) in your wardrobe!

Enjoy the rains while they last and make your second skin last even longer!

The First One

She had a spring in her step, a smile on her face & carefree were her days. She loved the fact that she was popular with her friends (Girls & Boys), excelled at sports and was one fun daughter of mine! Such is teenage life! And along comes puberty & the discovery of physical changes in one’s body, be it the hair growth or the evident presence of breasts. Breast Growth- sign of a woman, assets which became a liability for my girl. I could provide her with solutions for the excessive hair via waxing however I stumbled with probably the most important physical development which affected her emotionally. In some ways, it was unfair, because she was not as conscious as her friends as they noticed it, laughed at her & made lewd remarks, especially when she played her signature smash shots during volley ball matches. My bright happy girl stopped playing sports, avoided her favourite fitted tees and started to leave her hair loose on her shoulders. Something in her was not so happy and I failed to understand! The search mode came on and I googled with all possible key words. Initially I assumed, she was having issues with her friends but having taken her out for a drive and ice cream, I realised that was not the case. In more and more hours spent on trying to find a way out, I came across Teens & Bras! For a few days I keenly observed my daughter going about her routine and yes, there was an evident bounce which her existing bra didn’t seem to support. I also realised that at times, I could notice the bulge of her breasts even when she wearing a dark top. So this is what was troubling my angel. I searched more, spoke to experts in the field and obviously took my daughter on multiple shopping trips spending hours in a trial room! I had to bring back the smile in her life. So here I am, post my research sharing with you tips & tricks I came across in choosing the 1^st bra for my teenage daughter!

1. Ideal Materials: Teenagers lead hectic lives with school, classes and evening time with friends, running all over! So ideally one can pick cotton mixed hosiery as children find it easier to relate to it, are soft & comfortable. Given that our girls these days wear lots of party wear too, I also picked a few cotton + Lycra mixed to go with her fancy tops! What I really kept in mind was my girls comfort.

2. Bra Style:

• My 1^st choice was sports bra/Tee-shirt bra. It is the most comfortable one to slip on & spend an entire day in. Often it’s akin to putting on a tee & yes, they provided complete coverage of the bosom too.
• 2^nd choice was the multiway bra which could be worn in multiple combinations as strapless, racer back and halter depending on what my girl was going to wear over it. Definitely a money saver too!
• Cami top Bra: I would highly recommend this as it takes care of the need of a bra as well as a camisole. It is available in Cotton mixed fabrics & that is boon for translucent tops & the Indian summer season!
• Fashion Bras & Lacy ones are really not required at this age especially since they are in a growing phase. So for now, I skipped this one all together, though yes my girl has her eyes on few!

3. Colours: We fought over it! Yes, she wanted neons, polka dots and all that jazz! I put my foot down. Given my daughters skin tone & her wardrobe, the safest colours are Skin, Nude, Black, light pink, grey and yellow. Though yes, I did pick a few others too, but my daughter herself has come to realise their utility when the polka & the stripes show through and has started to carefully pair her bras with her tops. 4. The Right fit! a. There are essentially -2- parts to consider: Under Bust (band size) & Over Bust (cup size)

• Under Bust: this is that part of the bra that runs across the upper chest and around her back. Band sizes     are generally 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 and so on.
• Over Bust: Cups are what hold the bust. Cup sizes are alphabetic like A, AA, B, C, D, DD and so on.

So a size of the bra is a combination of the above 2. For example, 34B. It is extremely important to get both these sizes right for the perfect fit, coverage & support. I realised in my trials with my daughter that she was wearing the wrong cup size! Hence the bulge & lack of support!

5. Signs of a wrong fit:
   1. The Bra band feels tight and uncomfortable around the ribcage.
   2. The band is too loose & rides up her breasts.
   3. Breasts are compressed and hence the awkward bulge/swell on the chest due to small sized cups.
   4. Large cup sizes wrinkle & create creases under the top and prevent a finished look!

So will all trials, experiments, hours in the trial room and google search I drew my check list for finding my daughters perfect fit! 6. -2- Finger Test: Once she tried on a bra, I would ask her to insert -2- fingers just behind the hooks or at the centre of the bra on her back. If -2- fingers fit in comfortable, it was proven that the bra was neither too loose nor too tight! 7. The band passed through the middle of the back & didn’t rise up creating an inverted V. 8. Cups were comfortable, neither suffocating her nor allowing a freeway. 9. I made her do her PT exercises of raising hands in all directions to check for spillage or bulges! Wanted to make sure my girl was completely covered! 10. The straps should not dig into her shoulders leaving their mark behind. 11. Now my daughter is a bit busty. Hence I also picked an under wire bra wherein the wire extended from the centre to the underarms to ensure full support—so yes, when your little angels grow, it will be time to invest in a good under wire bra too! 12. Minimizers! Now this is where one has tread carefully! So because my girl was super conscious of her assets, she wanted a bra which would make her appear smaller. However, I had my concerns! It is like making Lemon Pickle where you try & squeeze in too many lemons in a jar hoping they will juice out and compress over time! 13. Last but not the least, I learnt one major lesson—Maximum support to our assets must come from the band and not the straps! One mistake I too had been committing all my life! The spring in her walk is back, she seems more confident, she is back in the game with her smash shots and friends no more mock. My girl is back to being the carefree angel she was, all because of a Bra! Yes, always seemed like the last pair of clothing to give much thought to but now I know better. Beautiful inside is Confident outside.

The struggle to find the right size!

Lingerie is one of the most essential part in a women’s life. It’s probably easy to find the perfect partner in your life, but for many women out there its probably a task to find the right bra size! We struggle with the right size all our life, having tried all the possible sizes to find the perfect one. A woman can feel confident in wearing her choice of clothes only if she feels comfortable from inside, and that is when you wear the right lingerie inside.

80% of the women in India wear the wrong bra size. Not only will a major bra fail look bad, but it’s far healthier and more comfortable to get the right fit. Its usually uncomfortable when you need to keep adjusting your straps all the time. Here’s a tip, rather than continuously adjusting and pulling up the straps throughout the day, ensure they’re snug before you start off. If you do this already but find they lose their strength rather rapidly, its probably because of the poor quality.

Whereas a lot of women think the tighter the better. Don’t let anything dig in and certainly don’t have your straps so tight that the bra rides up at the back. Your bra should be at the same height all around your chest.

Wearing the wrong size bra can cause more serious and long term issues such as back ache and shoulder pains, but these can be easily avoided by wearing a comfortable, well-fitting bra. A good bra should always offer a flawless fit, with great comfort and support. Book your appointment with Cazaro to get yourself the right size and forget the pain of ill-fitting bras forever!