The War on Plus Four: Operation Playtex. Mission accomplished?

Posted on September 30, 2011 by busts4justice

Playtex get it wrongI may be totally fearless when it comes to taking on lingerie retailers, but there are some battle fronts the current B4J HQ in Amsterdam simply puts out of reach. So three cheers for bloggers Georgina Horne, Kitty Lingerista and Cheryl for stepping up and taking the War on Plus Four campaign right to where it really counts: the focus groups of Playtex UK.

To recap, the War on Plus Four was declared months ago when self-proclaimed curve champions Simply Yours created a diabolical size guide for their website. Hot on their heels, Playtex created a cute bra calculator app that predicted your pre-proper fitting size with a chilling accuracy. When challenged, both brands stuck by their positions, claiming they were ‘just guides’ – a common and wilfully negligent defence from plus-four peddlars. But with increased pressure and incredible support from readers Playtex did what Simply Yours dared not, and invited Busts 4 Justice to assemble a focus group of concerned readers to discuss the issue. Three top lingerie bloggers stepped up to the challenge, and I was incredibly proud to read this from Playtex UK on Monday:

“I just wanted to pass our thanks onto you for helping us set up a really valuable focus group, the feedback we received from the ladies was really useful. We will be working on the fitting information on the site over the next few months and look forward to sharing it with you.”

Why is this important? It is always important when big brands listen to customers and are prepared to change. Consumer action is absolutely essential in these situations, because unless customers tell companies they’re getting it wrong companies will continue to do as they always have. And no company is an island – each that makes a change will influence another. Each small victory in the War on Plus Four is a step closer to a consumer culture of better fit, and of more women enjoying the support, confidence and freedom we now almost take for granted. Certainly for me, that’s something worth fighting for.

I look forward to seeing what positive changes Playtex will make. Thanks once again to the girls for attending: you are superstars: medals for all.

And as for Simply Yours? I haven’t forgotten about you. Care to step up and do the right thing? There’s this excellent focus group I know of…

Posted in Busts 4 Justice, Campaigns, War on Plus Four | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

What lies beneath: Freya Bardot bikini reviewed

Posted on September 22, 2011 by busts4justice

FREYA BARDOT BIKINIRegular readers will know just how much I pined for the beautiful Freya Bardot bikini. When I spotted it approximately FOREVER ago I knew right away that this little Biba inspired beauty had to be mine, and finally, yesterday, it was…

My preferred bandeau top – whilst being a bit tricky to do up alone – is true to size, soft and comfortable, and gives a more than respectable amount of support for a bandeau. The halter strap doesn’t really take any weight, and is squishy enough to mean any weight it does take is cushioned from your neck. The fabric is gorgeous, the print is beautiful, and the colour even suits my barely-alive skin tone. And more importantly, while it’s clearly no sports costume, it passed the swim, the silliness, the sauna and the dunk tests without any need for readjustment. Also, for non-ghostly people who actually change colour in the sun, the strap comes off easily for tanline evasion. Bardot is – as predicted – the bikini of my dreams.

Which makes this next point all the more painful to write. The ‘skirted’ bottoms (above left) are not as delightful as the top. Though they look stunning in the picture – and indeed on curvier curves when dry, standing still and with the side ties pulled as tight as can be – in the pool they are transformed in to something quite… peculiar. There is an awful excess of fabric; so much so, in fact, that I could pull the ‘skirt’ up and tuck it in to my top to fashion a onesie, and in the pool found – depending on how tight the ties were – it either bobbed about like an extra stone and a half of cheese and steak on my bottom, or billowed wildly about me as if my body had impaled an enormous red jellyfish. Not practical for carefree swimtime fun. Sad, sad face.

My biggest disappointment with Biba, I suppose, is that there’s no middle point between the skimpiness of the brief option and the bulkiness of the skirt. The skirt will suit some, I’m sure – but I suspect something in the middle would my curves far better than either options available. It’s frustrating. But hopelessly devoted as I am, I will order the briefs and try to fold and stitch the bottoms in to something resembling the picture above. The top, the fit, the fabric and the style of the bandeau are too beautiful – for them, I can compromise on what lies beneath…

Freya Bardot available now from retailers including Leia Lingerie, Figleaves and I’m sure more…

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Fantasie’s ‘Belle’ bra celebrates tenth birthday

Posted on September 21, 2011 by busts4justice

Belle Lingerie Madonna CherryFantasie’s classic Belle bra celebrates its tenth birthday this autumn, with a brand new cherry shade (mmmm, cherry…) being launched – as always – all the way up to a JJ cup.

It only takes a casual look at the reviews on Bravissimo’s website to sense just how popular the style is. Simple and comfortable enough for every day but elegant enough to be seen (a la Madge – so striking under sheer…), it makes evangelists out of its fans who return each season to buy the latest colour or replace the ones they’ve worn out. In fact, the only criticism I’ve found comes in the form of cries for sub-30 backs and K+ cups – which would shoot this classic in to a size-stratosphere nearing the ever popular to-an-L-cup Bravissimo Alana. Is the tweenage Belle up for the challenge?

The brand new cherry bra is available now from Bravissimo and other stockists, in sizes 30DD – 38JJ, 40DD – GG. Happy birthday Belle!

Posted in News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Bridget Jones pants? Pfff. AP take shapewear to a whole new level….

Posted on September 20, 2011 by busts4justice

Thora Dress Agent Provocateur

“Thora is a powerful look, imagined in the boardroom,” say Agent Provocateur, and while I’m not sure this dress is the answer to women’s dire underrepresentation on boards across the globe, there’s no denying that AP’s stylish take on shapewear packs a weighty punch.

Echoing the stylish details of Dior’s 1940’s ‘New Look’, the Thora dress, waspie (below) and suspender belt promise “maximum hold and support,” whilst making good old fashioned Spanx look even more dowdy by comparison. Sadly there’s no room for even a small g, let along a whole G-Unit in that eye-popping dress; but then perhaps €840 is rather a lot of money to spend on something to stay at home pretending to be a CEO in…

Thora Waspie Agent Provocateur

Posted in News | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Association of Aunties tackling ‘breast ironing’ in Cameroon

Posted on September 20, 2011 by busts4justice

I’ve been blogging about breast ironing (the horrifying practice of burning adolescent girls’ breasts with hot stones by their own mothers to inhibit growth) in Cameroon for over a year now, and while the UK Government (see letter below) are actively working with Cameroon to help stem the many human rights abuses there, girls in Cameroon need immediate intervention to stop the abuses now.

The Association of Aunties – a small group of Cameroonian women working with at risk families – are dedicated to stopping breast ironing at its source. By educating young women and their mothers about their sexual health, they are making an immediate difference to the lives of girls in a way recommended regulations and collections of signatures simply cannot.

One Auntie, Georgette Taku said “They (mothers) only resort to some actions, some practices to try to help the girl. It’s better to talk to your daughter — that’s why we teach the mothers even things like puberty.”

Because the most heart breaking thing about the abuse – which affects an estimated one in four Cameroonian girls – is that it is done out of a misguided love. By inhibiting the development of their breasts, the mothers hope to delay sexual maturity and stave off teenage pregnancy, enabling girls to stay in school longer. Georgette Taku, a Cameroonian Auntie, says “If you ask mothers who are doing breast ironing on their daughters, they will tell you that, ‘no I’m doing it because I want to help her, I want to protect her from men’.

“(But) even though they had the breasts ironed they grew up ignorant when it came to pregnancy, HIV and other sexual diseases because the mothers were not talking with them.”

What the Association of Aunties understands – as sometimes even our own politicians (Nadine Dorries, anyone…?) struggle to – is that the only way to prevent teen pregnancy and the transmission of STIs like HIV, is through frank, open and honest education and discussion of sexual health with children and young people.

There are no words to describe my complete admiration for these women, for tackling a horrific problem with such an immediate and pragmatic solution. They are an inspiration, and I hope they get the support and resources they need to eradicate the process for good.

Quotes and image sourced from CNN.

N.B: I’ve been struggling to find a way of donating to the Association of Aunties – if anyone can tell me how, do comment below. It’s not easy to help fight this sort of thing from so far away, but at least in donating we may be able to help them fight it for us.

UK Government Breast Ironing Response

 

Posted in Feminism, News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment