TC 4043 (click for details)

Welcome to 2011!  The New Year is always a time of reflection.  It’s time to let go of the old, and get ready for the new.  Looking your best for 2011 has never been easier with fit solutions that really work.  We are proud to have been recently featured in Consumer Reports Shop and Save Magazine regarding the issue of helping women to look their best despite figure challenges.  We have provided the content in order for you to look your best.  Enjoy!

The right underpinnings can take you from frumpy to fabulous, but it’s not easy to find great-fitting bras, panties, and shapewear. In the panty department alone, 55 percent of American women say they have difficulty finding a comfortable style, and almost one-third have a tough time figuring out their correct size, according to our survey. We turned to Lisa Cole, founder of LingerieFitExpert.com, and Jill Staats, the fit pro who helped with our makeovers on page 40, for advice that will put the “voom” back in your va-va-voom.

Bras

Wearing the wrong-size bra can not only make you appear heavier than you are but can also throw off your posture. A professional fitting is the best way to find the perfect bra, but there are some telltale fit signs to heed: If your breasts are spilling over, and if the band is uncomfortably tight or leaving indentations on your rib cage or shoulder blades, your bra is too small. It’s too big if it hikes up in the back (you probably need to go down a band size) or you have gapping in your cups (try on a smaller cup size). “When a bra fits, you should only touch it when you get dressed in the morning; you shouldn’t have to battle with it all day,” Cole says.

Panties

Cole tells clients to look for the Three C’s: covered, concealed, and confident. If your panties are creeping up and creating a wedgie, or if they’re digging into your cheeks or waist, they’re too tight. Go down a size if they look bulky through your clothes. “You want to put on underwear as you would a pair of gloves,” Cole says. “They should glide on and fit like a second skin.”

Shapewear

The right shapewear should decrease the measurement in your targeted area by at least half an inch. The key: Read the size chart and pick the size that corresponds to your actual measurements, not the ones you’re hoping to achieve. If your skin is spilling over the edges of the garment, it’s too small. You’ll know it’s too big if it creases, bags, or rolls. “If you’re wearing the correct size, it should feel like a pair of firm-fitting underwear,” Cole says. “You should be comfortable; the days of wearing a sausage suit are over.” But don’t be surprised if the garment looks tiny when you pull it out of the package, Staats says. When wearing a high-top, mid-thigh shaper like the ones we used in our makeovers, she adds, be sure the top of the shaper meets the bottom of your bra; otherwise, you’ll get a bulge in between.

source: Consumer Reports ShopSmart, January 2011 issue (ShopSmart.org)