Big Beautiful Lingerie

One of the hardest things about be larger is the difficulty in finding good quality underwear or lingerie that fits you. While no one guide can be all you need to help you find the clothes you need, Ezine Articles has a nice article on buying plus sized lingerie.

I used to dread buying lingerie. I didn't think that I would be able to find anything that would fit me and compliment my curviness. I am what I would call a big beautiful woman. I am not ashamed of my size or the way I look. However, I do not want to wear any clothing that does not look nice. I refuse to look at the tents that they sometimes to try to pitch my way.

Read More: BBW Lingerie

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

Last week Victoria's Secret had it's annual fashion show and as you can see above, some of the outfits on display were rather complex and impressive. Lingerie Talk has a fairly lengthy and involved run down on the outfits and themes of the show. Give it a look if you're interested.

But there’s a lot going on under the lights at the Lexington Armory besides just those gleaming, glittering, gorgeous costumed amazons. To help put the whole VS extravaganza into context, we’ve put together this little viewers’ guide.

Read More: A Viewers Guide to the VS Fashion Show

Make Your Own Corset

Many women wish that they could have access to a good, well fitted corset or piece of shapewear, but some don't have the money to get a good one without making a deep dent in their monthly budget. But Cathy Hay, writing for Foundations Revealed has an interesting article on how to make your own corset. It's a work in progress though, so keep checking for updates.



Read More: How To Make A Corset

Style Clashes With Culture in Pan AM

Retro TV shows are all the rage and with them, the stylish clothes from their time period. From Pan Am, to Mad Men to Boardwalk Empire, it seems you can't flip open a TV Guide without running into a period show with a huge costume budget. But while the outfits may be stylish, as Elizabeth Wellington writes for Philly.com, the gender politics certainly weren't.




Bras were pointy and tight. Girdles, a far cry from the malleable shapewear of today, were downright painful. And girdles were required. For example, during Sunday night's Pan Am episode, Christina Ricci's character, Maggie, reminded a colleague that an attendant caught without her girdle would be fired.

Read More: Mirror, Mirror: Pan Am clothes classy, 60's customs, not so much

Bigger Bras

Those of you with larger bust sizes will occasionally find it hard to get bras that fit comfortably, and really, who wants lingerie of all things to be uncomfortable? But, as Intimate Guide shows, Chelsea Manor Intimates has a new line of bras for the larger breasted women.

These are feminine, pretty bras that come in larger cup sizes for bigger boobies – at affordable prices. Parfait bras, bustiers and babydolls are sized 30D – 40G, with coordinating bottoms sized XS – 2X.

Read More: Bras For Bigger Busts

The Domino Dollhouse

Ever wished to see style and flair appear in the plus sized fashion world? Well as Marie Denee reports for The Curvy Fashionista Dottie Noir might have finally answered your prayers.

She created Domino Dollhouse as an opportunity to infuse style and glamour into the plus size fashion world, and with this latest collection, Dottie Noir, Tracy has done just that.


Read More at Plus Size Designer Domino Dollhouse Fall 2011 Collection

Dresses for the Petite and Curvy

For women who lack height but have plenty of curves, finding a dress that fits right can be tough. Find out what to watch out for to find a dress that flatters your figure with AshleyD on The Budget Fashionista!

The Best Dresses For Petite Plus Size Women

"You’ve got a lot of curves, but not so much height, so shopping for a dress can seem like a daunting task. Petite clothes are geared toward women with slimmer figures, but standard plus size clothes are too long, so it’s not as simple as just shopping in a certain section of the store. Here are some tips for finding the right dress for you..."

Read the tips here:
http://www.thebudgetfashionista.com/archive/petite-plus-size-dress/

Waist Cinchers

The waist cincher has been used to get the small-waisted look that has been sought after since the Victorian ages. They used to be designed in such a way that was so extreme, it would restrict a woman to the point of passing out. Times have changed things (thank god!) and the art of waist cinching has become humane and worlds more comfortable. Rather than hard, constricting material that won't even let you breath, they're now elastic, smooth and work with your figure rather than against it. Read about how this accessory has evolved and how it's used to enhance your curves on This Article from How to Measure Waist!

"The fashion world wants thin. Sleek, smart and again, thin. To the point that women would go to drastic extents to make it happen the way they like it. One of the rather drastic measures has to be the Waist Cincher. Also known as the Waspie, the reason why this piece of garment is being painfully called a drastic measure is because early days have seen women fainting in the grasp of this corset of sorts. The medieval age saw women slowly gravitating towards the look to appeal to the royal eyes in a fashion that lead to most women tightening the strings behind till their eyes popped out and they fainted. This belt worn around the waist makes it physically smaller if not giving the illusion of being so."

http://howtomeasurewaist.com/810/the-waist-cincher-a-fashion-accessory/

Be on Top of the Fashion Trends for Autumn 2011!

Summer 2011 is dwindling down to its final days. It's time to say goodbye to your cute swimsuits, breezy blouses, and summer dresses of the year and find some fun new chic clothing for the upcoming season. Now's your chance to rediscover your favorite sweaters and adornments from last year with a fresh new fashion sense and bring them back to the vogue! With new seasons comes new trends, and if you're at all in touch with the fashionista in you, you'd be interested in the strategy for staying in style this autumn.

Sarah Mower gives the lowdown on the hot colors and styles to keep in mind when dressing and accessorizing this autumn on Telegraph.co.uk.

"Hands up who feels like splurging on a new autumn wardrobe? I thought not. Few things are less becoming to a fashion journalist than exhorting people to buy things at the best of times, but in a week when we're staring into another financial abyss - or sticking our heads in the sand of whatever beach we happen to be on - I'm going to risk my neck and talk about how clothes might play a part in making the next few months feel more bearable. Note that I didn't say 'buying clothes'."

Read the rest here!
http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/Article/TMG8691234/544/The-style-rules-for-autumn.html

Creating Your Own Retro Shapewear

"Most modern women consider it a blessing that we’ve escaped the eras of the corset and girdle. Sure, shapewear still exists, but it’s purely optional now. However, many young seamstresses who sew from vintage patterns are seeking out the foundation garments of the 40s, 50s, and 60s to get a truly authentic retro look."

There's an appeal to all things vintage. Many still seek the old glamour of the foundation garments of decades ago, and some even want to make some for themselves. For those interested in creating their own retro shapewear, sewing blogger Gertie provides a few tips in this blog at BurdaStyle.

Shapewear gives us that hourglass figure!

Great shapewear article on the Fashion Blog at sexyshapewear.net:

Physical beauty is the first thing that everyone notices and is something that a few are gifted with. Heads turn twice when a beautiful body passes by. However, most of us are not lucky enough to be endowed with a Marilyn Monroe figure, which is why we have shapewear come to our rescue. Shapewear is something most women, and yes, men too, need to add to their closet. The underclothing is meant to fit the body, and is a perfect body contouring tool. Any bulky flab and sagging skin is gently tightened without any feeling of discomfort. It would be best to call shapewear a magnificent trimming suit.

Happy Independence Day!

Made in the USA

American Shapewear takes off the July 4^th week in celebration of the USA’s founding as a free and independent nation.

All our shipping to you -- and our full operations -- will resume on July 11.

Thank you and have a wonderful and stylish Fourth of July.

American Shapewear is made in the USA: fashionable, comfortable support lingerie with sex appeal… the highest quality foundation garments that diminish any negatives and accent your best features.

Happy Fourth of July from all of us at American Shapewear! See you on July 11^th!

Are you reading The Lingerie Journal?

The Lingerie Journal always has great shapewear and lingerie stories and information -- if you're not reading it yet, check it out!

Funny (and possibly useful) Vogue article

Ha! Lynn Yaeger in Vogue has a funny, sexy spread on Spring 2011's Most Likely Looks to Get You Stopped By the TSA. Could be useful info, you never know.

American Shapewear stories

Check out Jessica's Shapewear story -- we all know what it's like to love a dress but then be disappointed in how we look in photos. New York college student Jessica wears an American Shapewear by Rago open bottom girdle and it flattens her tummy and smooths her figure.

Celebrities Energize Shapewear Market

Journallist Karyn Monget in WWD has a terrific article on shapewear-wearing celebs:

Building on a combination of celebrity buzz and media glitz, shapewear is seeing a renaissance after four decades of flat sales.

Annual retail sales of shapewear — undergarments that control and smooth figure problems — grew 10.6 percent to $848.3 million from March 2009 to February 2010, and unit sales increased 3.8 percent during that period, according to The NPD Group research consultancy. A leading area of growth was plus sizes of XL to XXXL or larger, with sales gains of 14.8 percent last year.

Read the whole thing here!

There is No Such Thing As a Bikini Body

Writer Dodai Stewart at the always sharp, funny Jezebel has an apropos article, There is No Such Thing As a Bikini Body:

If you read tabloids or ladymags, pay attention to advertising campaigns, or happen to live on planet Earth, you know that the one thing women are supposed to strive for — more than a functioning body, a healthy body, or a strong body — is a bikini body.

Catherine Saint-Louis examines this phenomenon for The New York Times, and finds that in advertising, from yogurt to lotion to 100-calorie "snack packs," the bikini is a symbol of victory, a goal, and a fear motivator. She also discovers that decades ago, when the bikini was invented (and even when it gained popularity) women didn't feel they had to lose pounds — or even wax intimate parts — to sport a two-piece.

Your Smooth, Stunning, Sexy Summer Special Memorial Day Sale: 10% off!

Hey shapewear friends, American Shapewear is running a Memorial Day weekend sale, check it out!

Your Smooth, Stunning, Sexy Summer

Special Memorial Day Sale: 10% off!

CODE: MEMORABLE

Look wonderful and be confident in all your office, party, and casual clothes this summer – 10% off Memorial day weekend!

Our support lingerie is made in the USA and is specially designed to provide additional support and shaping underneath your clothes – giving you lift and tone where you need it most.

American Shapewear featuring products by Rago helps women appear up to two sizes smaller.

Your perfect appearance at picnics, parties, or intimate encounters is built on a foundation of gorgeous, well–made undergarments.

We offer modern, beautifully–made support lingerie with sex appeal: high quality, comfortable foundation garments that diminish any negatives and accent your best features.

Best wishes for a hot hot HOT summer from all of us at American Shapewear!

Choosing Undergarments For Your Wedding

Your wedding dress should fit you perfectly, making you look dazzling without sacrificing comfort. Weddings are active events for a bride, including dancing and plenty of social interactions. Considering the fact that you’ll be doing a fair amount of moving, your dress should be snug and easy to maneuver in throughout the entire ceremony. For comfort and appearance, what you wear under your dress could be just as important as the dress itself. To ensure that the dress fits as it should, a bride has about three dress fittings on average, making alterations to the dress as they’re needed. Since your undergarments have a significant effect on how your dress will fit you, it’s important to decide on what you’re going to wear underneath your dress soon after you’ve chosen it and to and bring them with you to each of your dress fittings. When choosing your undergarments, keep the design of your dress in mind. You want to be sure that the straps won’t show and that the design of the bra agrees with your dress and skin. Wearing underwear that’s visible through your dress could look sloppy, taking away from your impact and elegance.

Since your choice in undergarments has a tremendous bearing on how your dress fits you, it should support your figure in a way that makes you both look and feel incredible. Shapewear and body slimmers are commonly worn underneath wedding dresses because of their ability accentuate your curves and smooth out your shape without discomfort. Any problematic areas that your dress may cling to could be supported by your shapewear, ensuring that it stays firm and under control throughout the day. There is shapewear designed for all sorts of body types, so it shouldn’t be difficult to find something that fulfills your purpose for wearing it. Browse the various types available and select based on your preference, body type, dress color (it should match), and what you’re aiming to do with your figure. Be sure to wear your shapewear in the correct size! If you’re feeling vexed by the discomfort of constraining undergarments, it’ll show in your demeanor and expression. It’s crucial that you feel as good as you look for your wedding, so wear the right size so it fits comfortably and is adequately supportive.

Pinups of color -- great discussions from The Lingerie Addict

The wonderful writer Treacle Tart at The Lingerie Addict has a great article up celebrating women of color pinups -- extending from her amazing article on the lack of pinups of color here.

Shapewear advantages

Here's a great article on the benefits of shapewear for all body types:

Advantages of Body Wrap Shapewear

Body wrap shapewear is a great means to make your body seem toned and slim without the need of shedding weight. The body wrap shapewear brands are becoming very popular these days because they provide the bulky women with the convenient and easy solution to looking sleeker and attractive. Because they cause tightness to the whole body, they are not only suitable for bulkier women but also work great for slimmer women. Wearing body wrap shapewear underneath plus size exercise clothing gives firmness to your body which makes all outfits look beautiful on you, giving that boosted up self assurance that you have been searching for.

Types Of Body Wrap Shapewear:

There are a lot of varieties available in the market these days, varying in sizes, designs and colors. The most popular colors are blacks, whites and skin tones. With these available varieties you can match the color of body wrap shapewear to the color of your outfit. The right type of body wrap shapewear is the one that is suitable for your body requirements. You need to be aware of your problematic areas before you purchase your body wrap shapewear.

Comfort Factor:

Often there is a misconception about body wrap shapewear that wearing it means compromising with your comfort and it might be a trade off between ease and looking attractive. But truly, this is not the case. The materials used in making the body wrap shapewear are extremely comfortable and shear. Usually people cannot even tell if you are wearing body wrap shapewear underneath your outfit or plus size running suit. Materials like Spandex, Nylon and Lycra are used which are extremely stretchable thus they do not hinder any blood circulation.

Benefits Earned:

When you invest in body wrap shapewear, be sure that your money is being well spent. The wrap covers up excess amounts of useless fat and body edges, making you look leaner and prettier. Some of the body wrap shapewear provide full body support helping the backbone in keeping straight. Others are great in enhancing figure and provide complete bra coverage.

Women who have muffin tops and are anxious cause of them, can easily hide them by using body wrap shapewear. If you wear body wrap shapewear regularly, your body starts to attune itself according to that shape. This results in attaining slender figure and you can put on the once dreaded skimpy outfits. It also helps in hiding thigh ripples and cellulite giving you all the needed self confidence by enhancing your self image.

Women have given great body wrap shapewear reviews after they have used them for a considerable time period. Thus giving all the more assurance about the tremendous benefits of wearing body wrap shapewear.

Great shapewear article from 3 Fat Chicks

A fun, smart article from 3 Fat Chicks -- The Benefits of Shapewear:

Clothes Fit Better

Every woman can benefit from shapewear—regardless of your figure or fitness level. Anytime you wear fitted clothes, you can use shapewear. Whether you are wearing casual attire, such as jeans and a t-shirt, or you need to get dressed up in an evening gown for a formal event, shapewear will help to make sure that your body looks its best in your clothing.

Lose Inches Instantly

Shapewear gets rid of bra bulge, underwear lines, and muffin tops (the bulge that can hang over the tops of your jeans). Women who have recently given birth love shapewear because it gives them the confidence to wear their pre-pregnancy clothes much sooner.

Even if you are in great shape it’s still possible to experience unsightly bulges and rolls when trying to wear certain contemporary fashions. Often, no matter how small you are, some clothing designs will look better with the addition of shapewear. Women who have toiled for hours to reduce their waistlines often experience muffin tops even though they are in good shape due to the cut of trendy, low-rise jeans–and shapewear can fix this problem.

Shapewear can be used to help you fit in a smaller size while still dieting to reach your desired size. Shapewear is not only used for reduction purposes; it can also be used to lift and firm trouble areas, like the stomach and the buttocks.

Improves Posture and Helps Train Your Abdominal Muscles

Shapewear pieces that cover the entire abdominal area and incorporate shoulder straps can also be instrumental in helping to pull the shoulders up and back, giving you better posture, which can also help you to look thinner.

Thanks, smart chicks!

Body Image: Loving Your Body Inside and Out

Terrific and helpful advice for improving your body image!

With a positive or healthy body image, a woman has a real perception of her size and shape. She also feels comfortable with her body. With a negative body image, a woman has a distorted perception of her shape and size, compares her body to others, and feels shame and anxiety about her body. Being unhappy with your body can affect how you think and feel about yourself as a person. A poor body image can lead to emotional distress, low self-esteem, unhealthy dieting habits, anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. Developing a positive body image and a healthy mental attitude is crucial to a woman's happiness and wellness.

When you Look in the Mirror, do you Like What you See?

Is your body image positive or negative? If your answer is negative, you are not alone. Women in the U.S. are under pressure to measure up to a certain social and cultural ideal of beauty, which can lead to poor body image. Women are constantly bombarded with "Barbie Doll-like" images. By presenting an ideal that is so difficult to achieve and maintain, the cosmetic and diet product industries are assured of growth and profits. It's no accident that youth is increasingly promoted, along with thinness, as an essential criterion of beauty. The message we're hearing is either "all women need to lose weight" or that the natural aging process is a "disastrous" fate.

Other pressures can come from the people in our lives.

• Family and friends can influence your body image with positive and negative comments.
• A doctor's health advice can be misinterpreted and affect how a woman sees herself and feels about her body.

Learning to Love What You See in the Mirror

We all want to look our best, but a healthy body is not always linked to appearance. In fact, healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes! Changing your body image means changing the way you think about your body. At the same time, healthy lifestyle choices are also key to improving body image.

• Healthy eating can promote healthy skin and hair, along with strong bones.
• Regular exercise has been shown to boost self-esteem, self-image, and energy levels.
• Plenty of rest is key to stress management.

Additional Information on Body Image:

Publications

Building a Better Body Image (Copyright © Boston Women's Health Book Collective, Inc.) — this web page lists tips about how to feel better about the way you look and empower yourself. It also links to other information from the Our Bodies, Ourselves Health Resource Center about body image.

The Media, Body Image, and Eating Disorders (Copyright © National Eating Disorders Association) — This online publication provides some basic facts about the influence of the media on body image.

Organizations

• National Mental Health Information Center, SAMHSA, HHS
• Weight-Control Information Network, NIDDK, NIH, HHS
• American Association of OrthodontistsMind on the Media
• National Eating Disorders Association

Big Girls, Be Confident

When someone is proud and secure in themselves, it radiates from their very being. Being comfortable with your body lets that alluring confidence of knowing your own beauty to show, allowing others to acknowledge and appreciate your appeal. Unfortunately, many women are hyper-aware of their physical flaws, and it's difficult to feel beautiful if you don't feel confident. Among the most insecure are overweight women. Many spend hours finding clothing that covers up problematic areas and deemphasizes their rolls.

Being so conscious of imperfections can be detrimental to a woman's ability to carry herself with assurance and resolve. Smoothing out these areas and therefore eliminating the worry attached to it is very possible with shapewear. Shapewear comes in a variety of forms, designed specifically to cut down or soften your shape in whatever area you may need. Having some support instead of shamefully hiding your body can do wonders for your self-esteem, bringing out that bewitchingly attractive confidence in you.

Introducing: The Perky Lift by Rago

Now available at American Shapewear!!!


The Perky Lift™ is designed for the woman who wants a simple, comfortable, and inexpensive way to feel supported. It is designed to lift the breast and support the abdomen and back areas. The Perky Lift™ revolutionizes the lift: it makes a busty gal look lifted all day, while offering shoulder support and eliminating the ‘back fat’ women hate. For size A and B cup girlfriends, you can create the cleavage while smoothing your back and tummy.
The Perky Lift™ gives all women the confidence to celebrate the beautiful body they have and want to show off!

Buy Here:
Use the code - SHAPEWEARFAN to get 10% off your orders!

Features:
• Supportive wide shelf that you adjust to sit directly under your breasts to create 2+ inch lift.
• Easily accessible hook/eye closure to adjust for comfort (short and long waisted).
• Comfortable straps to distribute weight evenly for all-day comfort.
• High rise leg.
• No panty lines.

Other Features:
* Maintains bra strength all day…you wear your own bra.
* The Perky Lift™ reduces the pressure off your shoulders, back and your bra!
* Gives a lift to gals with large breasts and gives amazing cleavage to smaller breasted gals!
* High Rise leg=no more “granny fanny”
* Eliminates the muffin top

Great tips for buying Bridal Lingerie via The Underfashion Club

Still shopping for your Bridal Lingerie?

Use our code: WEDDING at checkout to receive 10% off your orders on www.AmericanShapewear.com!

Check out these fantastic tips on how and what to buy for your big day via The Underfashion Club and check out www.AmericanShapewear.com for all your intimate apparel needs to look and feel your best on your Big Day!

Special Offer for Brides (And their Mom's!)

It's Your Day, and You Deserve to Feel as Great as You Look!

For 10% off on all Shapewear use coupon code: Wedding

March 1 - March 31

You've bought the dress, planned your hair and makeup, and matched the flowers - you've organized everything about your appearance on the big day...or have you?

We have to face the cameras, family, and friends with confidence so don't forget the most important thing to look beautiful - it's not only your dress, it's what's under it!

Bridal lingerie and Mother of the Bride shapewear is specially designed to provide additional support and shaping underneath your gown to create your perfect silhouette on your most beautiful day.

American Shapewear helps women appear two sizes smaller!

Please browse through our new collection of bridal corsets, camisoles, strapless bridal foundation garments, body shapers in seamless or lace, and support lingerie for all shapes and sizes at American Shapewear - they offer lingerie with sex appeal to add excitement to the boudoir: high quality, comfortable foundation garments that accent your best features and diminish the negative.

You will be a beautiful bride!

Happy Valentine's Day from American Shapewear!

Treat Yourself or Your Loved One to Something Special
and Become a Shapewear Believer!

Your perfect appearance at Valentine's Day dinners, parties, and intimate encounters is built on a foundation of gorgeous, comfortable, well-made support lingerie and Shapewear. Our Rago garments are specially designed with you in mind, providing shaping and lift where you need it most.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER: Only at www.AmericanShapewear.com!

Introducing our Rago "Red Line" - a selection of your favorite support lingerie styles now available in a lustrous, appealing red. Take advantage of our 10% discount when browsing through styles 920, 919, 721, 804, 3184, and 9192 now available in a luxurious, gorgeous red.

Best Wishes for a Shapely and Romantic Day from
all of us at American Shapewear!

Shapewear - Then and Now.

Ever wonder why it's so great to be a Shapewear Wearer in the 21st Century?

Take a look at this old Shapewear Ad from an old catalog page from lingerie pioneer Frederick's of Hollywood:

Now we aren't suggesting that you must be "Padded to be Perfect", we do offer a similar product but with that added 21st Century comfort and sex appeal for those customers who need a bit of extra lift and bulk in some otherwise flatter areas!

Check out Rago Style 916, Long Leg Padded Shaper on AmericanShapewear.com!

Rago Style 916

** Don't forget about our ongoing Shapewear Stories promotion! Use the code: SHAPEWEARFAN to recieve 10% off your orders on www.AmericanShapewear.com!


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Sneak Peek at Shapewear Stories!

Get an exclusive "Sneak Peek" look at our upcoming campaign: Shapewear Stories: Real Women, Real Problems, Real Solutions!

Become a believer with American Shapewear!

Meet Shapewear Fan: Jane


Jane is wearing Rago Style 443 - Open Bottom Girdle Firm Shaping

"As a nursing student, its hard to find any type of
‘shapewear’ that is comfortable enough to wear
all day while I’m working in the hospital. I’ve
tried all different types of shapewear before to no avail—
everything rolled, pinched, bulged or restricted my
breathing so much I had to take it off halfway through my
shift. Not anymore!With American Shapewear I can have
the shaping and support I need all day in comfort and
style— without any of the undesirable problems that
traditional nylon shapers cause. Not to mention, all your
products are super cute! A big thanks to American
Shapewear for their Rago products — you’ve changed
my life!"
Jane, 22 Nursing Student in New York City

Stay tuned for more of our Shapewear Stories, exclusive discounts and more on our Facebook Page!