Lately, this topic has come up again in the store. Customers are worried and don't have the facts they need to make accurate decisions on bra shopping. In my years of selling bras, I have heard all the debates and have my own views but I decided to do some of my own researching and came up with a conglomeration of different articles and websites, to give you some answers. There is no cause to be worried about the correlation between breast cancer and underwire bras. Here is what I found:
Rumor has it lately that brassieres—particularly when they’re too tight—literally could be killing women by causing breast cancer.
Ralph L. Reed, PhD, puts forth his theories for the Natural Health and Longevity Resource Center, but I have actually heard this before. We are just hearing it again that underwire bras can cause cancer, due to the way they allegedly compress the lymphatic system under the arms and breasts, supposedly causing a buildup of toxins. Two medical anthropologists, Soma Grismaijer and Sydney Ross Singer, wrote a book called Dressed to Kill on this subject that—more than a decade after its printing—is still generating spirited debate on Amazon.com!
The thing is, even though this rumor pops up again and again, the research just isn’t there to back up the bra/breast-cancer theory, according to the experts at the American Cancer Society. It’s true that women who are obese have a slightly higher risk of getting BC. And perhaps obese women with big boobs are more likely to wear bras than women with flat chests—voilà, an urban myth was born. “But wearing a regular or underwire bra during the day or night, or just wearing tight clothing, does not affect breast-cancer risk,” says Marisa C. Weiss, MD, director of breast radiation oncology at Lankenau Hospital in Wynnewood, Pa., and founder of Breastcancer.org. Her new book on breasts, Taking Care of Your Girls, comes out in September.
It all began in 1995 with a book called Dressed to Kill, in which Sydney Ross Singer and Soma Grismaijer, a husband and wife medical anthropologist team, claimed that women who wore tight-fitting bras all day, every day, had a much higher risk of developing breast cancer than those who went au naturel. The authors claimed that by inhibiting lymphatic drainage, bras trapped toxins in the breast tissue, which caused cancer.
According to critics, however, the bra-caused breast cancer theory is not supported by sufficient evidence. Scientists say the research of Singer and Grismaijer failed to exclude confounding variables such as the presence in some women of known risk factors for breast cancer. Thus, the notion of a correlation between wearing a bra and breast cancer does not appear to hold up.
"It just really is not logical in terms of what would increase your risk of breast cancer," says Louise Brinton, chief of the hormonal and reproductive epidemiology branch of the National Cancer Institute. Brinton, who has been doing research in the field for 30 years, says commonly accepted breast cancer risk factors are generally things that affect endogenous hormone levels.
These risk factors include how old a woman is and the age at which she had her first child. (The risk increases for women who have not had children, or who have given birth after the age of 30.) Breast-feeding and exercise are thought to lower risk, whereas a family history of the disease increases it. Scientists also know that 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers are linked to BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations.
Marisa Weiss attributes some of the persistence of this urban legend to how frightening the reality of breast cancer can be. As president and founder of the Narberth, Pa.-based nonprofit Web site breastcancer.org, Weiss, who has been in the field for two decades, sees women trying to figure out what in their everyday lives could cause the disease.
Weiss says that although the idea of having one's breasts in cages with metal wires "impeding fluid and marinating breast tissue in toxic liquid" sounds like a reasonable explanation for cancer, it is not. In fact, as she points out, far from being trapped, bodily fluid actually travels up and out of the armpits, not down toward the underwire.
Susan Love is president and medical director of the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation in Pacific Palisades, Calif., and a former breast cancer surgeon as well as author of Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book, now in its fourth edition. Love agrees that the bra myth comes from the frustration of not knowing what causes the disease, coupled with a desire that the disease should come from the outside, from something a woman can control.
Yes, it is the 8th National Underwear Day today!!! Not quite the same holiday as St. Patty's or Sweetest Day, but I say, why not? A much more interesting event to celebrate, don't you think? A day where everyone sets out to work or play just dressed in their fave undies? Makes you take a real good look at the undies in your drawers, eh? Time to replace? add?
Here's a bit of interesting info.....
Freshpair.com did a little research this year, and uncovered the following:
24% of American men have a lucky pair of underwear (whoda thunk, right???) 40% of men prefer briefs and 10% boxers; the rest either are wearing trunks, boxers briefs, thongs, or nothing
34% of American women match their bras to their panties 26% of women prefer bikini briefs 21% of women prefer briefs 21% of women prefer thongs 18% of women prefer boyshorts 4% of women prefer other styles (so that's who's been buying bloomers..)
Here's another bit of info you'll want to share....
80% of Americans wear the same type of underwear for their entire adult lives.
I'd say it's time to try something a bit new, eh???
For all you ladies who come in lovely small packages! Baubo's now has a line perfect for you! The Little Bra Company. We have sizes 30A - 36B. They are increasing their size range this fall to add a few extra bra sizes.
I first really noticed the impact of this current recession in September of 2008. Everything seemed to come crashing to a halt as far as retail sales were concerned. Since then it has been a scary time for all. For me, it has also been a very enlightening time as I learned to make adjustments to the store or risk having to close down.
So I've found ways to cut costs, found items that are easier on everyone's pocketbooks, and looked at ways to broaden the scope of what we offer.
Quality of merchandise and customer service are the top concerns at Baubo's. I want customers to feel very much at home here, kind of a kick off your shoes, talk girl talk, try on pretty things, and walk out feeling peachy about themselves!
Some of my vendors have been looking at ways to cut costs but still provide quality. Wacoal has done a bang up job of looking at some standard bras in their line, and found ways to manufacture them at a lower cost which then trickles down to customer savings. One of their styles that they have done this with is Embrace Lace.
The bra fits fabulously and is very sexy in nude or black stretch lace. You get great fit and a great price of $46.00 for the bra, $27.00 for the bikini and $60.00 for the beautiful chemise which doubles as a slip for dresses. You can check all of these styles out on this website.
O Lingerie, 68 and No Romeo are also great buys, with bras ranging from $25.00 - $36.00 in assorted fabrics, colors and lace, bottoms ranging $9.75 - $14.75, and camisoles, bustiers and loungewear ranging from $28.00 - $60.00. Check out what is available on our website.
DKNY has great basic bras and panties in an array of colors and you can find most bras at the $36.00 range. Donna Karan is the more upscale line with additional styles and more lace.
We at Baubo's are always looking for ways to keep our customers happy. We all know that you need underwear for all of your great clothing and we are happy to provide for all your needs.
There's always something new at Baubo's. Come on in and spend some time with our staff. We are ready to please, laugh, joke, whatever your needs may be for the day! I say, recession smession! Buy yourself something pretty today!
Welcome to a new year! Throw out the old and worn and welcome in new and fresh! Yes, that means a lot of things: ideas, relationships, worn out ideals, etc. It also means tossing out the old granny panties and bras and replacing with new!
When Oprah had her bra fitting show a few years back and said that 90% of women are wearing the wrong bra size, she was correct. It still is the case today.
What I see in the store is mostly a wrong band size. For example, I find a great deal of my customers coming in looking for 36A's, when actually they are 32C's. Yes, to most this sounds crazy. But a good number of stores do not size correctly and do not carry a wide variety of smaller band sizes. So, they "measure" you to fit into the sizes that they do carry.
And this is a great disservice to you. Here are a few things to remember when shopping for bras.
1. Bras do NOT give you back fat. If the bra is too high on the back (and it will always be when wearing too large a band size because it keeps slipping up the back), it will cut into back tissue giving you the appearance of "back fat".
2. Too large of a band size will allow your breasts to hang lower and look bigger. It is the band that provides the initial support. Then the cup size is fitted. A woman with larger, heavier breasts, needs the correct band size to support the weight of the breasts. Then the cup size will do the rest.
3. Fit the band size first, then fit the cup size. While a 36A is similar in size to a 34B (cup sizes increase as the band size increases - an A-cup in a 32 band size is much smaller than an A-cup in a 36 band size), the fit is entirely different.
4. Strap adjustment is crucial. If you draw a circle around your torso starting under your breasts, this is where the band should lay on your back. Adjusting the straps can assist with this.
5. Weight gain and loss, age, childbearing, all have an impact on bra size. Also, some manufacturers sizing runs smaller than others.
Do yourself a favor this year and get measured correctly for a new bra. You will feel better, look better, and your breasts will thank you!! Stop by today for a free fitting!
There are many faces modern women present to the world. In the space of one day, you can be the professional at work, partner and career at home, and fun-lover with friends. No matter what the situation, women need to draw on a wide range of resources to keep it all together. Tapping into goddess energy is one way to ensure you get through each day with your integrity intact.
SELF PRESERVATION. Being goddess is about being in tune with oneself, being able to recognize threatening situations and respond rationally and calmly. Trust your instinct and act with confidence. Be conscious of the influence of others’ moods and needs and stay balanced in times of duress. Manifest security and a dynamic presence by keeping your feet firmly on the ground, literally.
SELF GRATIFICATION. Creatively, emotionally and sexually, connect with others through feeling, desire, sensation and movement. Learn to accept change gracefully and don’t be afraid to let your depth of feelings show. In addition, a poverty consciousness will only serve to deny what you deserve. Abundance is good, (greed is not), whether it be material, esoteric, emotional or otherwise. Ask for what you want and deserve, and providing it’s not for selfish reasons, give yourself permission to receive it.
SELF DEFINITION. Being goddess is more than just alabaster skin and a model body. Apart from round abdomens and swinging breasts, common attributes of ancient goddesses include uncompromising strength, compassion and justice. Spend time working out who you are, who you want to be, and then honoring the true you in the image you present to everyone you meet. Write your own eulogy then circle the five most important elements that you would want people to remember you by. Then, live according to those attributes to make them a habit.
SELF ACCEPTANCE. If you don’t love yourself, then don’t expect others too either. If you let others treat you badly, you are telling your inner psyche that you do not deserve better. The modern goddess gal never, ever allows herself to accept second best. Rally your personal power and self-respect and learn to say words like “No” and “Enough.” Most importantly, mean what you say! On the other side of the coin, give compliments freely, for if ‘what goes around comes around’ you will soon enjoy receiving plenty in return.
SELF EXPRESSION. What you say is what you get. Expressions like, “I’ll never be able to get over this obstacle,” will manifest in exactly the way you describe. Instead of confronting and overcoming your fears, you will remain stagnant, bashing your head against the brick wall you say can’t be knocked down. Change your speech habits to dispel negatives and embrace positives. Say “I can do it,” and next thing you know, you’ll be leaping brick walls in a single bound.
SELF REFLECTION. Get over petty issues and open your vision to see the Big Picture. If you are absorbed in trivial worries, they are most likely a distraction mechanism to keep you from what it is you really need. If you had three months left to live, would you really care about your shade of lipstick, upgrading your mobile phone, or getting the best table at the hottest restaurant in town? It’s up to you to prioritize what the important things really are. Make a list of your dreams for the next week, year, and/or decade. Circle one thing on each list and commit to make it happen, one step at a time.
SELF KNOWLEDGE. See yourself as a minute organism in the ways of the world, both in the physical and non-physical planes, in the present and the future. Disconnecting with the world every now and then can be healthy if it lets you travel to a spaceless, timeless place of knowledge, wisdom, understanding and spiritual connection. To revitalize flagging energy levels, practice yoga and meditation when possible. Time poor? Take the phone off the hook and power-rest for five minutes – this time-out for self can be just as refreshing.
Now in the store! A "pretty" body shaper. And at a great price! $20.00 to $25.00!
Their story:
I was waiting in a very long line to the ladies room of a trendy restaurant, when I turned around to this stunning woman behind me and complained about my shapewear rolling down. “I know how you feel”! Gizelle laughed, my “shapewear slip” is around my waist right now, and it keeps riding up. “And look how ugly the color is“, she gasped, “Its bandage beige“!
“Let me tell you what happened to me!”, I said to Gizelle, whispering, because by now, all the skinny girls were staring at us like we were from another planet. “Well“, I said to my new friend, “I was at home changing, getting ready to go to dinner with my boyfriend, who had been away on a business trip for a few weeks, when all of a sudden he popped his head into the room to rush me along since we were already late for our dinner reservations“. “Hurry up”, he yelled agitated, he than, stopped dead in his tracks and gasped!! “Kate when did you have surgery”!! He questioned me, looking mortified, concerned and obviously upset. That is a big bandage you are wearing! He said painfully giving me the once over. Surgery I thought? Oh my gosh! He thinks my beige girdle is a bandage?
Mortified, and thinking quickly, I had one of two choices, lie! Or admit I was wearing an ugly girdle! Well guess what, I lied! I laughed, as I watched Gizelle’s eyes widen. It was just a minor procedure, I said uncomfortably to my boyfriend. He stared at me with overwhelming sympathy, and gave me a fragile hug. My poor baby, he cooed.
Gizelle burst out laughing; you told him you had surgery!! Oh yes I did, I admitted to her embarrassed, but you know what the worst thing was? I had to sleep in that darned girdle for an entire week so he believed me!!! We both burst out laughing.
So that is why I need to design, pretty, comfortable shapewear in skin tones! I said to her, excited at the prospect of creating a new shapewear line. I want to help! She jumped in, let’s do it!
Gizelle and I became fast friends, and together, “Sliminizer-Shapewear with an Attitude”, was born. We made a promise to only make beautiful, sexy, affordably priced, comfortable shapewear –for all women, real women! Women with different shapes, different skin tones, different sizes. We believe all women are beautiful in their own right, and we should all celebrate that.
So Sliminizer-Shapewear with an Attitude was born by two real women, with passion, dedication, and the love, because we are embracing our curves-with an Attitude!
A portion of Sliminizer-Shapewear with an Attitude profits will go to funding women entrepreneurs who have a dream.
Note: I have never liked the idea of wearing body shapers. They remind me of the girdles of my mom's day. But I brought one in for myself (pink) and wore it last night under a fitted dress. It did not ride up. It did not fall down. And it was comfortable. I may not wear it under all of my clothing, but I know I have something for those fitted clothes that I had relegated to the back of my closet till I lost 25 lbs! Thank you Sliminizer!!!
Age 50 was a difficult one. 40 didn't do anything to my psyche. But 50 has been a very weird year. Very transitional as well. A new thought process has taken place. What once mattered no longer does. And the worst part is letting go of old thought patterns, dreams way past their prime and relationships that have outlived their usefulness and can't walk with me into the new place that is being forged as I write this. That is the saddest thing to understand. Dreams can be fleeting and can be replaced by new dreams, or refashioned into new versions. But relationships cannot perform in the same way. People don't change, at least not their basic traits and values. I look at people who have been in my life for a very long time who just don't fit anymore. It is sad because as much as I don’t want to let them go, I have no choice. We have no control in our lives anyway, as much as we think we do. And the more we try to control our lives, the more out of control we become.
Then I think of the adage, "Let someone go, if they come back to you it was meant to be". My fear is that they come back and I'm not interested.I read that letting go of someone or something feels like your skin has been removed and you spend a deal of time with it raw and exposed before it starts to heal up again.Letting go of something that has past its expiration date does two things.It opens you up t all sorts of new possibilities.That “thing” was taking up too much space and energy and nothing else could grow.Kind of like thinning out the forest so the new saplings can have light and room to grow.But it does another thing too.Letting go forces you to look at what you are leaving behind with microscopic eyes.You see all of the flaws that were not visible earlier on.And a great deal of those flaws are your own.It hurts badly. I’ll be the first to admit it.It gives you the opportunity to live with those flaws, change them, let them work out their own issues without intrusions of your views and ideas, and lastbut not lease, work through the pain.There is always (at least in my world) the question of what I could have done differently to not have to be in this letting go place.Can’t help it – it is an ingrained, learned trait that I will fight with till the end.It also gives me the opportunity to lessen that trait a bit and let myself know that this is a normal pattern of life.Things, people, change.Nothing is static.Someone told me that relationships are like a figure eight pattern.When you are in a relationship and everything is working fine, you are intersecting at the same place.Then over time or circumstances, one moves faster or slower and you aren’t intersecting at the same place anymore.Then you are out of sync.The question is if you will get in sync again or are permanently on a different course.The more you try to make something happen, the further away you get from it.Same with a dream.I have a dream of what I’d like to see happen but I’ve learned painfully that I must let it find its path (with a small amount of help on my part) and give it the freedom to change and grow.Just like a child, it wants its own freedom to explore.
Life changes course on a regular basis.Who am I to fight where it wants to go?I can put my wishes out in the collective conscious and sit back and wait to see what happens.The more I try to control or fight it, the further away it gets from me.All I can do is let it all go, plant the seeds and see what happens.
So I will try to fear less and love more, love myself more especially.To know that I am on the right path, whichever one it is, and to love where I am, accept the things I cannot change, and cherish the wisdom that comes from the pain as well as joy.For without the pain of change and letting go, one cannot know the joy of what is yet to be.
Well, not quite the statement for what continues to happen but apropos nonetheless. Remember that movie? Field of Dreams? Ray says, "It's okay, honey. I... I was just talking to the cornfield." Annie replies, "Hey, what if the Voice calls while you're gone?" And Ray responds, "Take a message."
Yeah, when you hear something like that, you think you're listening to, 1. the movie "Field of Dreams", 2. a comedian on Comedy Central, or 3. Voices in your head and you must be schizophrenic. I keep telling everyone that when you put your thoughts, questions, ideas out in the collective consciousness, they DO get picked up and if you are conscious yourself, you will get answers. It keeps happening. I was having dinner with Peggy last night and I told her about my angel that came into the store last week. We also talked about a mutual friend, Diana, who is going to instruct a women's healing class at the store. I said I have to get on that and call her to set up the dates.
Well, who walks into the store this morning? Yes, she did. And we set up the healing class for October. I believe that answers to your prayers or however you ask the universe to help you, are answered. But only if you are ready to hear them. Or open to hear them. I know that in the past, there was way too much noise in my life to hear, recognize, and see any help that was calling out to me. I also was not ready. Remember? When you are ready, the teacher appears?
So, I know that there are angels in the outfield in my field of dreams. They are there to help me, answer my questions, and guide me. Watch for them in your lives. They come packaged in all shapes and forms, from an 82 year young retired woman to a small child who says just the right thing. Play ball!
I believe the teacher appears when you are ready. The "teacher" is always there - it's just a matter of being able to see them. I believe there is a collective of lessons "out there" that are available for access if you are open and willing to see them.
I was telling a friend about one of these "teachings" that occurred a few days ago and she reminded me that this is always happening to me. I guess it is - when I look back over the last few years, I can see how my questions seem to have a multitude of answers from a multitude of sources. I am a firm believer also that when you plant a seed, it grows, even if you don't tend to it on a regular basis. But that is another topic altogether.
After a difficult conversation the other night, I went to work the next day with a sad heart. There was confusion, regret, a what the heck am I to do feeling that left me flustered and unable to concentrate. Then she came into the store. A slight, 82 year old lady in search of a comfortable bra. This is not her first time in the store. I had ordered her one to try on. as I worked with her in the dressing room, we chatted about her need for ease and comfort now that her health was declining. She knew exactly what she did and didn't want regardless of how I tried to accommodate her needs. We talked about my mother who was her age and the illness that took her life a few years back. We talked about the times in which they both grew up and how she had gone on to college to become a school psychologist while my mother was not afforded the things she really wanted due to prejudices and her upbringing. We talked about health and the changes women go through and how it is hard to decipher between hormonal imbalances and the desire to have more out of life now that the children are grown and growth dictates change. I told her of the difficulties of facing those changes now and the lack of direction in this unknown territory. She asked about my life and my zig zagged path that has lead me to where I am today. And the desire for more but what is more? She must have heard my frustration behind my smile and humor. And she told me I was treading on nothing but air, having left behind the somewhat solid footing of yesterday, the worn path of my past, and choosing a new path, the path not yet forged. I told her I could see the vague form of what I was longing for and she reminded me that getting there was like walking on air with no sure footing. and she said I was okay. All was good. I was good. Words I had longed for in my life to hear from my own mother, coming from this small, soft spoken women with the wisdom of a giant. She was a force to be reckoned with.
She dressed and came out of the dressing room and asked if she could sit for a bit on my couch. I said of course. She asked if she could buy me a coffee for my troubles in finding her the right bra. I said let me buy you a cup and she insisted that it was her treat but yes, she would appreciate my offer to go across the street and get us both coffee. I told her to man the store in my absence and she made herself comfy on the couch that I grew up with in my parent's home.
We then proceeded to talk for almost an hour about our lives. We talked about colors an their relationships to their corresponding chakras We couldn't remember what color the 6th and 7th chakras were. We both loved the color purple - she was wearing a purple tee shirt that almost matched the colors of my store walls, a color I used to use in all of my childhood drawings of people to the displeasure of my teachers. I asked her if she would come back to a women's group I was forming at the store and share her wisdom. She shared information that was dead on for my needs. Did she know how much her words lifted my spirit? I asked if I could walk her to her car. She said it wasn't necessary but I said at least let me stop traffic so you can cross the street. She said how was I going to do that and I told her I own a lingerie shop and today I happened to be showing extra cleavage! She laughed and I helped her across the street. A small token for all she helped me with that day. She called later that day with information about someone she said I needed to see and couldn't remember the name at the time. And to tell me which colors correlated to the third eye and crown chakras. The crown chakra is violet and is associated with inner light, which is what one experiences when they are in the deepest part of their being, as a point of consciousness, glowing with intelligence. It's the level of the soul representing spiritual awakening. It can also be consider the bottomless well from which intuitive knowledge is drawn.
I thanked her again for sharing a coffee with me. No, I did not make a sale from her that day, but my gain was immeasurable beyond words.
I am always a pain when it comes to letting something or someone go. Worse yet when I am the one that is being let go, which makes perfect sense as NO ONE wants that to happen. It crushes our fragile egos and makes us question our worth.
But each time I have been told or have read once again about doors opening and closing, it never seems to sink into my hard head until I am looking right at it. Because when you DO let go, it allows space for new things to come on in. I have lost two friendships in the last few months due to life's struggles. But I have also seen two friendships grow again and begin to flourish. We fill our minds with so much "stuff" that there is no room for anything new. I am constantly telling myself to let it go. I have no control. I realize that I don't. The more I try to control something in my life, the more it goes in the direction I was trying to force it NOT to.
It is truly painful to close doors on issues, people, things that have worn our their welcome, don't fit in my life anymore. But it is part of growing and transformation. I fight it yet I know it to be true time and time again. There is no growth without pain. Why would there be? Remember our growing pains of youth? Well, you never stop growing so there is no sense in trying to stop it. Embrace the pain of loss as growth and it will transform into something new and more wonderful than before. Embrace the pheonix that resides in you.
I looked at a picture today that was taken two days ago at our Finding Your Inner Goddess Party. She is beautiful and I cherish our friendship. We have only known each other one and half years but she feels like a sister to me. Last night at our derby practice, she was injured and long story short, her hubby came and took her to the hospital to check on her head to make sure it was on straight and everything connected correctly.
As I sat with her in my skates, helmet and all my gear, a wave of fear washed over me as I realized that life is short and you can never know what it will toss your way. I thought, what if..... The ladies there all came together as a unit. One lady rushed to her house to watch the kids so her husband could come quickly. Others brought ice, others called the paramedics, others helped remove her skates and gear and find something soft to lay her head on.
These ladies were the same who came to my side last year after a robbery and battery at the store. Without my asking. They just came and gave their love and support. It was then that I realized the true meaning of friendship. You don't always have to give in order to receive. We are all deserving of love and support in our times of need, no questions asked. And another time it will be our turn to provide that love and support.
So I applaud, give thanks, hold dearly, all of the friends in my life. You are all goddesses to me. And Ripa, I will restock your food supplies from last night's careful watch over your children till their precious mama came home safe and sound.
I was enlightened last night. As I near that “time” when one becomes an older woman and is no longer able to bear children, I have started to question my sanity. Is this emotion I am feeling due to normal life or can I blame it on menopause? Of course, I would love to not have to take any responsibility for my emotional state but never having been in this place before, I have questions, many of them. So I had drinks, many of them, last night, with my dear (older, if I may) friend, Diane. I confessed my fear of the time I have left to do all of the things I’ve always wanted to do, but never found the time to do. You know, while I still have my looks, my savvy (if I may), my brains, and the stamina of a 22 year old. Of course my 22 year old body could assist in this. I know it’s still in this older version of myself somewhere. And how did my boobs get bigger in the last year when I didn’t put on any more weight? But that’s another topic altogether….
I’ve always cursed the need that I have to do more, more, more. Why open one business when you can open two or three…..or a chain? Lately, my brain has turned up the volume and frenzy like never before. Last night, Diane and I drank a bottle of wine between us (okay, it WAS over a 4 hour period), and I went home at 12:45am to find myself wide awake with brain activity. What do I do when I grow up? Where do I want to be in 5 years? How do I increase sales? Can I expand the business into more locations? And the list goes on and on.
So I continue to contemplate all of this. And Diane calmed my nerves by informing me that life is great for her now. She is doing all these new great things in her life. The frenzy is gone, her brain is clear and she is doing all the things she ever wanted to do. So there is hope. And of course I have another idea to bring to fruition to help ladies in my predicament. Maybe this brain frenzy isn’t that bad after all?
We were in Italy a few weeks back and visited the remains of the Temple of the Vestal Virgins. I found these women to be very powerful and interesting. Read on.
The priestesses of the goddess Vesta were known as the Vestal Virgins. They were responsible for maintaining the sacred fire within the Temple of Vesta on the Forum Romanum. Other duties included performing rituals in regards to the Goddess Vesta, and baking the sacred salt cake to be used at numerous ceremonies in the year. They were the only female priests within the roman religious system. The head of the college of Vesta was called the Virgo Vestalis Maxima, and she was under the direct authority of the Pontifex Maximus.
The college of Vesta had 18 members, though 6 were considered actual Vestal Virgins at any given time. They were selected from distinguished patrician families at an age from three to ten, and such appointments were considered a top honor for any family to receive. They each served thirty years, the first ten years as novices, then ten years as actual vestal virgins, and finally ten years as supervisors responsible for training the novices. After the thirty years of duty they were released from their duties and could then maintain a private life, including the right to marry. For men, arranging a marriage with a former vestal virgin was highly prestigious, regardless of age or the ability to have children.
The vestals vowed to live in chastity for the thirty years their tenure lasted. In return they were allowed many privileges not given to ordinary Roman women. As one example, the vestals were not subject to the pater potestas of their fathers. Essentially they were allowed to handle their own properties and engage in legal contracts, they were allowed to travel around the city in a carriage and they had special seats in the front row at the various games, where, in contrast women were normally relegated to the back seats. They were considered inviolable and sacred and their blood could not be spilt without fear of terrible repercussion from the gods. So sacred and divine-like were these priestesses, that if a person sentenced to death met a vestal virgin on his way to the execution, he would be automatically pardoned. Of course, special care would be taken to prevent or to make sure this would happen, depending on the circumstances.
While enjoying many benefits, including a rather luxurious life in the House of Vestal Virgins, punishment for breaking the rules were severe. The punishment for breaking the vow of chastity was death by burial alive as this was the adopted to kill a vestal without shedding her blood. Such executions would take place in the "Evil Fields", or Campus Sceleratus, just outside the Servian Wall. Their lover would be flogged to death on the Comitium. While these executions took place several times, it was obviously a rare event that carried all sorts of negative omens with it.
While the Pontifex Maximus continues to the present day as an office of the higher order in the Catholic Church, the order of the vestals was disbanded in 394 AD, when non-Christian cults were banned by Theodosius. The Church, wisely trying to keep the general population with a sense of familiarity, readily adopted the use of convents and position of nuns that held many of the same rules and customs as the Vestals.
Welcome to the first of many blogs to come here at Baubo's Garden. I look forward to hearing what everyone has to say about life, love, lingerie, the works!!!
Underwire Bras and Breast Cancer Debate - Myth or Fact?
Lately, this topic has come up again in the store. Customers are worried and don't have the facts they need to make accurate decisions on bra shopping. In my years of selling bras, I have heard all the debates and have my own views but I decided to do some of my own researching and came up with a conglomeration of different articles and websites, to give you some answers. There is no cause to be worried about the correlation between breast cancer and underwire bras. Here is what I found:
Rumor has it lately that brassieres—particularly when they’re too tight—literally could be killing women by causing breast cancer.
Happy National Underwear Day 2010!
Yes, it is the 8th National Underwear Day today!!! Not quite the same holiday as St. Patty's or Sweetest Day, but I say, why not? A much more interesting event to celebrate, don't you think? A day where everyone sets out to work or play just dressed in their fave undies? Makes you take a real good look at the undies in your drawers, eh? Time to replace? add?
Here's a bit of interesting info.....
Freshpair.com did a little research this year, and uncovered the following:
24% of American men have a lucky pair of underwear (whoda thunk, right???)
40% of men prefer briefs and 10% boxers;
the rest either are wearing trunks, boxers briefs, thongs, or nothing
34% of American women match their bras to their panties
26% of women prefer bikini briefs
21% of women prefer briefs
21% of women prefer thongs
18% of women prefer boyshorts
4% of women prefer other styles
(so that's who's been buying bloomers..)
Here's another bit of info you'll want to share....
80% of Americans wear the same type of underwear for their entire adult lives.
I'd say it's time to try something a bit new, eh???
Happy Day! Are you wearing your best today????
Introducing The Little Bra Company!
For all you ladies who come in lovely small packages! Baubo's now has a line perfect for you! The Little Bra Company. We have sizes 30A - 36B. They are increasing their size range this fall to add a few extra bra sizes.
The fit is great! And the colors are beautiful!
Recession Smession!
I first really noticed the impact of this current recession in September of 2008. Everything seemed to come crashing to a halt as far as retail sales were concerned. Since then it has been a scary time for all. For me, it has also been a very enlightening time as I learned to make adjustments to the store or risk having to close down.
So I've found ways to cut costs, found items that are easier on everyone's pocketbooks, and looked at ways to broaden the scope of what we offer.
Quality of merchandise and customer service are the top concerns at Baubo's. I want customers to feel very much at home here, kind of a kick off your shoes, talk girl talk, try on pretty things, and walk out feeling peachy about themselves!
Some of my vendors have been looking at ways to cut costs but still provide quality. Wacoal has done a bang up job of looking at some standard bras in their line, and found ways to manufacture them at a lower cost which then trickles down to customer savings. One of their styles that they have done this with is Embrace Lace.
The bra fits fabulously and is very sexy in nude or black stretch lace. You get great fit and a great price of $46.00 for the bra, $27.00 for the bikini and $60.00 for the beautiful chemise which doubles as a slip for dresses. You can check all of these styles out on this website.
O Lingerie, 68 and No Romeo are also great buys, with bras ranging from $25.00 - $36.00 in assorted fabrics, colors and lace, bottoms ranging $9.75 - $14.75, and camisoles, bustiers and loungewear ranging from $28.00 - $60.00. Check out what is available on our website.
DKNY has great basic bras and panties in an array of colors and you can find most bras at the $36.00 range. Donna Karan is the more upscale line with additional styles and more lace.
We at Baubo's are always looking for ways to keep our customers happy. We all know that you need underwear for all of your great clothing and we are happy to provide for all your needs.
There's always something new at Baubo's. Come on in and spend some time with our staff. We are ready to please, laugh, joke, whatever your needs may be for the day! I say, recession smession! Buy yourself something pretty today!
A Fresh New Start!
Welcome to a new year! Throw out the old and worn and welcome in new and fresh! Yes, that means a lot of things: ideas, relationships, worn out ideals, etc. It also means tossing out the old granny panties and bras and replacing with new!
When Oprah had her bra fitting show a few years back and said that 90% of women are wearing the wrong bra size, she was correct. It still is the case today.
What I see in the store is mostly a wrong band size. For example, I find a great deal of my customers coming in looking for 36A's, when actually they are 32C's. Yes, to most this sounds crazy. But a good number of stores do not size correctly and do not carry a wide variety of smaller band sizes. So, they "measure" you to fit into the sizes that they do carry.
And this is a great disservice to you. Here are a few things to remember when shopping for bras.
1. Bras do NOT give you back fat. If the bra is too high on the back (and it will always be when wearing too large a band size because it keeps slipping up the back), it will cut into back tissue giving you the appearance of "back fat".
2. Too large of a band size will allow your breasts to hang lower and look bigger. It is the band that provides the initial support. Then the cup size is fitted. A woman with larger, heavier breasts, needs the correct band size to support the weight of the breasts. Then the cup size will do the rest.
3. Fit the band size first, then fit the cup size. While a 36A is similar in size to a 34B (cup sizes increase as the band size increases - an A-cup in a 32 band size is much smaller than an A-cup in a 36 band size), the fit is entirely different.
4. Strap adjustment is crucial. If you draw a circle around your torso starting under your breasts, this is where the band should lay on your back. Adjusting the straps can assist with this.
5. Weight gain and loss, age, childbearing, all have an impact on bra size. Also, some manufacturers sizing runs smaller than others.
Do yourself a favor this year and get measured correctly for a new bra. You will feel better, look better, and your breasts will thank you!! Stop by today for a free fitting!
eden
Daily Energy Routine
How to be a Goddess
NEW!!! Sliminizer Body Shapers!
Now in the store! A "pretty" body shaper. And at a great price! $20.00 to $25.00!
Their story:
I was waiting in a very long line to the ladies room of a trendy restaurant, when I turned around to this stunning woman behind me and complained about my shapewear rolling down. “I know how you feel”! Gizelle laughed, my “shapewear slip” is around my waist right now, and it keeps riding up. “And look how ugly the color is“, she gasped, “Its bandage beige“!
“Let me tell you what happened to me!”, I said to Gizelle, whispering, because by now, all the skinny girls were staring at us like we were from another planet. “Well“, I said to my new friend, “I was at home changing, getting ready to go to dinner with my boyfriend, who had been away on a business trip for a few weeks, when all of a sudden he popped his head into the room to rush me along since we were already late for our dinner reservations“. “Hurry up”, he yelled agitated, he than, stopped dead in his tracks and gasped!! “Kate when did you have surgery”!! He questioned me, looking mortified, concerned and obviously upset. That is a big bandage you are wearing! He said painfully giving me the once over. Surgery I thought? Oh my gosh! He thinks my beige girdle is a bandage?
Mortified, and thinking quickly, I had one of two choices, lie! Or admit I was wearing an ugly girdle! Well guess what, I lied! I laughed, as I watched Gizelle’s eyes widen. It was just a minor procedure, I said uncomfortably to my boyfriend. He stared at me with overwhelming sympathy, and gave me a fragile hug. My poor baby, he cooed.
Gizelle burst out laughing; you told him you had surgery!! Oh yes I did, I admitted to her embarrassed, but you know what the worst thing was? I had to sleep in that darned girdle for an entire week so he believed me!!! We both burst out laughing.
So that is why I need to design, pretty, comfortable shapewear in skin tones! I said to her, excited at the prospect of creating a new shapewear line. I want to help! She jumped in, let’s do it!
Gizelle and I became fast friends, and together, “Sliminizer-Shapewear with an Attitude”, was born. We made a promise to only make beautiful, sexy, affordably priced, comfortable shapewear –for all women, real women! Women with different shapes, different skin tones, different sizes. We believe all women are beautiful in their own right, and we should all celebrate that.
So Sliminizer-Shapewear with an Attitude was born by two real women, with passion, dedication, and the love, because we are embracing our curves-with an Attitude!
A portion of Sliminizer-Shapewear with an Attitude profits will go to funding women entrepreneurs who have a dream.
Note: I have never liked the idea of wearing body shapers. They remind me of the girdles of my mom's day. But I brought one in for myself (pink) and wore it last night under a fitted dress. It did not ride up. It did not fall down. And it was comfortable. I may not wear it under all of my clothing, but I know I have something for those fitted clothes that I had relegated to the back of my closet till I lost 25 lbs! Thank you Sliminizer!!!
Letting Go Part 2
To “let go” is to fear less and love more.
Age 50 was a difficult one. 40 didn't do anything to my psyche. But 50 has been a very weird year. Very transitional as well. A new thought process has taken place. What once mattered no longer does. And the worst part is letting go of old thought patterns, dreams way past their prime and relationships that have outlived their usefulness and can't walk with me into the new place that is being forged as I write this. That is the saddest thing to understand. Dreams can be fleeting and can be replaced by new dreams, or refashioned into new versions. But relationships cannot perform in the same way. People don't change, at least not their basic traits and values. I look at people who have been in my life for a very long time who just don't fit anymore. It is sad because as much as I don’t want to let them go, I have no choice. We have no control in our lives anyway, as much as we think we do. And the more we try to control our lives, the more out of control we become.
Then I think of the adage, "Let someone go, if they come back to you it was meant to be". My fear is that they come back and I'm not interested. I read that letting go of someone or something feels like your skin has been removed and you spend a deal of time with it raw and exposed before it starts to heal up again. Letting go of something that has past its expiration date does two things. It opens you up t all sorts of new possibilities. That “thing” was taking up too much space and energy and nothing else could grow. Kind of like thinning out the forest so the new saplings can have light and room to grow. But it does another thing too. Letting go forces you to look at what you are leaving behind with microscopic eyes. You see all of the flaws that were not visible earlier on. And a great deal of those flaws are your own. It hurts badly. I’ll be the first to admit it. It gives you the opportunity to live with those flaws, change them, let them work out their own issues without intrusions of your views and ideas, and last but not lease, work through the pain. There is always (at least in my world) the question of what I could have done differently to not have to be in this letting go place. Can’t help it – it is an ingrained, learned trait that I will fight with till the end. It also gives me the opportunity to lessen that trait a bit and let myself know that this is a normal pattern of life. Things, people, change. Nothing is static. Someone told me that relationships are like a figure eight pattern. When you are in a relationship and everything is working fine, you are intersecting at the same place. Then over time or circumstances, one moves faster or slower and you aren’t intersecting at the same place anymore. Then you are out of sync. The question is if you will get in sync again or are permanently on a different course. The more you try to make something happen, the further away you get from it. Same with a dream. I have a dream of what I’d like to see happen but I’ve learned painfully that I must let it find its path (with a small amount of help on my part) and give it the freedom to change and grow. Just like a child, it wants its own freedom to explore.
Life changes course on a regular basis. Who am I to fight where it wants to go? I can put my wishes out in the collective conscious and sit back and wait to see what happens. The more I try to control or fight it, the further away it gets from me. All I can do is let it all go, plant the seeds and see what happens.
So I will try to fear less and love more, love myself more especially. To know that I am on the right path, whichever one it is, and to love where I am, accept the things I cannot change, and cherish the wisdom that comes from the pain as well as joy. For without the pain of change and letting go, one cannot know the joy of what is yet to be.
Build It and They Will Come...
Well, not quite the statement for what continues to happen but apropos nonetheless. Remember that movie? Field of Dreams? Ray says, "It's okay, honey. I... I was just talking to the cornfield." Annie replies, "Hey, what if the Voice calls while you're gone?" And Ray responds, "Take a message."
Angels in Our Midst
I believe the teacher appears when you are ready. The "teacher" is always there - it's just a matter of being able to see them. I believe there is a collective of lessons "out there" that are available for access if you are open and willing to see them.
I was telling a friend about one of these "teachings" that occurred a few days ago and she reminded me that this is always happening to me. I guess it is - when I look back over the last few years, I can see how my questions seem to have a multitude of answers from a multitude of sources. I am a firm believer also that when you plant a seed, it grows, even if you don't tend to it on a regular basis. But that is another topic altogether.
After a difficult conversation the other night, I went to work the next day with a sad heart. There was confusion, regret, a what the heck am I to do feeling that left me flustered and unable to concentrate. Then she came into the store. A slight, 82 year old lady in search of a comfortable bra. This is not her first time in the store. I had ordered her one to try on. as I worked with her in the dressing room, we chatted about her need for ease and comfort now that her health was declining. She knew exactly what she did and didn't want regardless of how I tried to accommodate her needs. We talked about my mother who was her age and the illness that took her life a few years back. We talked about the times in which they both grew up and how she had gone on to college to become a school psychologist while my mother was not afforded the things she really wanted due to prejudices and her upbringing. We talked about health and the changes women go through and how it is hard to decipher between hormonal imbalances and the desire to have more out of life now that the children are grown and growth dictates change. I told her of the difficulties of facing those changes now and the lack of direction in this unknown territory. She asked about my life and my zig zagged path that has lead me to where I am today. And the desire for more but what is more? She must have heard my frustration behind my smile and humor. And she told me I was treading on nothing but air, having left behind the somewhat solid footing of yesterday, the worn path of my past, and choosing a new path, the path not yet forged. I told her I could see the vague form of what I was longing for and she reminded me that getting there was like walking on air with no sure footing. and she said I was okay. All was good. I was good. Words I had longed for in my life to hear from my own mother, coming from this small, soft spoken women with the wisdom of a giant. She was a force to be reckoned with.
She dressed and came out of the dressing room and asked if she could sit for a bit on my couch. I said of course. She asked if she could buy me a coffee for my troubles in finding her the right bra. I said let me buy you a cup and she insisted that it was her treat but yes, she would appreciate my offer to go across the street and get us both coffee. I told her to man the store in my absence and she made herself comfy on the couch that I grew up with in my parent's home.
We then proceeded to talk for almost an hour about our lives. We talked about colors an their relationships to their corresponding chakras We couldn't remember what color the 6th and 7th chakras were. We both loved the color purple - she was wearing a purple tee shirt that almost matched the colors of my store walls, a color I used to use in all of my childhood drawings of people to the displeasure of my teachers. I asked her if she would come back to a women's group I was forming at the store and share her wisdom. She shared information that was dead on for my needs. Did she know how much her words lifted my spirit? I asked if I could walk her to her car. She said it wasn't necessary but I said at least let me stop traffic so you can cross the street. She said how was I going to do that and I told her I own a lingerie shop and today I happened to be showing extra cleavage! She laughed and I helped her across the street. A small token for all she helped me with that day. She called later that day with information about someone she said I needed to see and couldn't remember the name at the time. And to tell me which colors correlated to the third eye and crown chakras. The crown chakra is violet and is associated with inner light, which is what one experiences when they are in the deepest part of their being, as a point of consciousness, glowing with intelligence. It's the level of the soul representing spiritual awakening. It can also be consider the bottomless well from which intuitive knowledge is drawn.
I thanked her again for sharing a coffee with me. No, I did not make a sale from her that day, but my gain was immeasurable beyond words.
One Door Closes and Another Opens
I am always a pain when it comes to letting something or someone go. Worse yet when I am the one that is being let go, which makes perfect sense as NO ONE wants that to happen. It crushes our fragile egos and makes us question our worth.
But each time I have been told or have read once again about doors opening and closing, it never seems to sink into my hard head until I am looking right at it. Because when you DO let go, it allows space for new things to come on in. I have lost two friendships in the last few months due to life's struggles. But I have also seen two friendships grow again and begin to flourish. We fill our minds with so much "stuff" that there is no room for anything new. I am constantly telling myself to let it go. I have no control. I realize that I don't. The more I try to control something in my life, the more it goes in the direction I was trying to force it NOT to.
It is truly painful to close doors on issues, people, things that have worn our their welcome, don't fit in my life anymore. But it is part of growing and transformation. I fight it yet I know it to be true time and time again. There is no growth without pain. Why would there be? Remember our growing pains of youth? Well, you never stop growing so there is no sense in trying to stop it. Embrace the pain of loss as growth and it will transform into something new and more wonderful than before. Embrace the pheonix that resides in you.
Friends and goddesses
I looked at a picture today that was taken two days ago at our Finding Your Inner Goddess Party. She is beautiful and I cherish our friendship. We have only known each other one and half years but she feels like a sister to me. Last night at our derby practice, she was injured and long story short, her hubby came and took her to the hospital to check on her head to make sure it was on straight and everything connected correctly.
As I sat with her in my skates, helmet and all my gear, a wave of fear washed over me as I realized that life is short and you can never know what it will toss your way. I thought, what if..... The ladies there all came together as a unit. One lady rushed to her house to watch the kids so her husband could come quickly. Others brought ice, others called the paramedics, others helped remove her skates and gear and find something soft to lay her head on.
These ladies were the same who came to my side last year after a robbery and battery at the store. Without my asking. They just came and gave their love and support. It was then that I realized the true meaning of friendship. You don't always have to give in order to receive. We are all deserving of love and support in our times of need, no questions asked. And another time it will be our turn to provide that love and support.
So I applaud, give thanks, hold dearly, all of the friends in my life. You are all goddesses to me. And Ripa, I will restock your food supplies from last night's careful watch over your children till their precious mama came home safe and sound.
Age, Hormones and all that Fuss
I was enlightened last night. As I near that “time” when one becomes an older woman and is no longer able to bear children, I have started to question my sanity. Is this emotion I am feeling due to normal life or can I blame it on menopause? Of course, I would love to not have to take any responsibility for my emotional state but never having been in this place before, I have questions, many of them. So I had drinks, many of them, last night, with my dear (older, if I may) friend, Diane. I confessed my fear of the time I have left to do all of the things I’ve always wanted to do, but never found the time to do. You know, while I still have my looks, my savvy (if I may), my brains, and the stamina of a 22 year old. Of course my 22 year old body could assist in this. I know it’s still in this older version of myself somewhere. And how did my boobs get bigger in the last year when I didn’t put on any more weight? But that’s another topic altogether….
Letting Go
Vestal Virgins
We were in Italy a few weeks back and visited the remains of the Temple of the Vestal Virgins. I found these women to be very powerful and interesting. Read on.
Welcome!
Welcome to the first of many blogs to come here at Baubo's Garden. I look forward to hearing what everyone has to say about life, love, lingerie, the works!!!