How To Try On A Bra To Find the Correct Size

When trying on a bra which hooks should I use?

A common question from the ladies in the fitting room, some people have told them this others that, and from the point of view of buying lingerie you need to know the correct way to avoid wasting money on bras that you won't be able to wear in a month.

The answer can depend on your age or whether you are pregnant.

A teenager is still growing and their chest size and ribcage is likely to expand, in some cases at tremendous rates. This means that a young woman up until she has stopped growing should be fitted with bras on the tightest hooks. Then as she grows the hooks can be loosened. This is important so as not to restrict a growing body or apply unnecessary pressure which can cause long term marks or bruising.

By your state, I am referring to whether you are pregnant and expecting, this is the only time in a woman's life after adolescence that you should also try on a bra to the tightest hooks. This is to ensure that as your bump expands the pressure can be relieved by loosening the hooks.

The most common fitting, therefore, should always be done on the loosest of hooks. Most bras have three sets, although some larger cups may have four to give extra room for adjustment. When trying a bra you start with the loosest, then as you wash and wear your bra, elastic weakens. To secure the same fit from when the bra was new you will need to use tighter hooks, giving you an inch and a half to pull the bra in during aging.

So there you have it, simply to get the most life out of a bra purchase when you have the perfect fit on the loosest hooks and use the tighter hooks as the bra ages.

Of course there are always exceptions and anomalies, two exceptions mentioned here (pregnancy and teenage years), there are two other exceptional circumstances where you may be advised to fit to the middle or tightest hooks. Some ladies maybe between bra sizes, this means if it is too tight on the bra size below (causing excessive discomfort and marks) you may purchase the next size up wearing the bra on the middle hooks will give you an extra inch, meanwhile the tightest hooks will give you an extra half an inch from the size below. Where possible it is always advisable to go for the tightest band size comfortable, as this is where the support is provided, as your breasts weight are balanced in your core. After wearing a loose, old or larger sized bra for sometime the correct size will naturally feel firm at first, you are likely to adjust to this and always remember with washing and wearing the bra will loosen.

The only other situation where a woman may need to purchase on the tightest hooks is where you are petite size where availability is scarce, 26 backs for example. Unfortunately brands tend to go where the largest market rests, that being if you are lucky enough to be petite then you are likely to struggle to find high quality lingerie. This means that you may be forced to buy bras measured to the tightest hooks.

Essential Tools for the Amateur Jewellery Maker

As Jewellery makers, one of the most common decisions we face is whether or not to buy more tools. If so, which ones? Often the choice comes down to "Should I buy another tool or should I buy more material?" For those relatively new to jewellery making, it's an especially daunting question and without proper guidance it can be a costly one as well.

To learn anything new we need three things; tools, materials, and instruction. This trinity is the foundation for developing any kind of skill or ability. Knowing we need some of each to get started, how do we know which, what, when and why? We could buy tools endlessly and still never have all of them.

I find it's better to buy fewer tools and more materials. It's not only the wisest approach to long-term development; it's also the best investment strategy for getting started.

It actually doesn't take many tools to make handmade jewellery. Most aspiring jewellery makers start off buying more tolls than they need. Often they are encouraged by tool makers and vendors that they must have a certain tool to make jewellery. They might also be influenced by others who have more tools than they know what to do with, and definitely have more than they need.

So, where to begin? First we have to have an idea of what we want to do. Let's assume that we want to learn to make jewellery by fabrication directly with metal. The best place to start is with solid foundation skills: forging, forming, bending, sawing, piercing, filing, and cold construction. Just these techniques alone allow us to make jewellery endlessly. They are certainly sufficient to develop and refine our skills and to learn our material.

If you're just starting to explore metal, you don't yet know which techniques you like. Buying many specialised tools will financially confine you to a particular technique before you've decided if you like it. I would suggest beginning with the bare minimum of tools and buying additional tools only if you determine that you want to continue. This will be particularly true for tools used in making handmade rings.

There is an adage that you should always buy the best tool that you can afford. This is sound advice, but not in every situation. I suggest good quality for specific items, especially pliers, but sometimes an adequate is sufficient to get started. Buying economical tools where acceptable allows us to buy a few extra items, invest in more material, or pay for instruction.

What Women Talk About: Recipes, Perfume, And Decorating

There are so many different kinds of women out there, but I would say a majority of women like to talk about recipes, perfume, and decorating. Women are more in tuned with the needs of the home, and recipes and decorating both have to do with preparation of the home. Women are also very interested in beauty, so perfume is one of the hot topics spoken amongst women.

Women like to share recipes with each other. If they are getting bored of their own cooking, they will ask for a new recipe from a friend. A woman may also be interested in watching the Food Network channel on television. On this channel she can get recipes and it is easy to follow since the chef is making it all right in front of you on the television screen. You can also find many recipes on different websites on the internet. Some great recipes can be found on the internet, and also of course in recipe books.

Another topic spoken among women is perfume. Women like to feel beautiful and want to feel attractive to their husbands or prospective husbands. One type of perfume that will attract the opposite gender is Bvlgari perfume. Bvlgari perfume is unique among the world of perfume because it started out as a jewelry company. Today Bvlgari makes perfume that is both elegant and luxurious. The bottles are also works of art in themselves. You can find perfumes by Bvlgari such as Omnia Chrystalline, which has a very unique shaped bottle.

Finally, the last topic women most often talk about is decorating. Women like to keep their home in order, and they are also interested in fashion and style. I would say most women like to keep a clean and organized home. If you want to be artistic in your own home, decorating is a way to use that artistic ability. Some women may be more interested in decorating their bedroom, while others may think it is more fun to decorate their living room and kitchen. You can get good decorating ideas in many interior fashion magazines such as Interior Design, Dwell, and Elle.

Women have so many interests and talents just in the domestic world. However, women are also very interested and talented in areas beyond the home. Cooking and fashion seem to be a big interest among women, although some men may have interest in these areas as well.

Smart Women and Their Relationship With Money

Recently, I had the opportunity to spend the day strategizing with a group of smart women entrepreneurs from different parts of the world. It was an energizing day focused on topics such as effective marketing, clear messaging to attract your ideal client, time management and money.

At one point, women were expressing the challenges they face in getting everything accomplished each day including running a business, managing a family, and hopefully time to squeeze in a little self-care.

I shared with the group that when I'm in the office, I ask myself three questions to help me stay focused and directed on making money in my business:

1. Where is the potential for new business?

2. Are my private clients and groups experiencing award-winning results?

3. Have I reached out to my referral sources this week?

Discovering new business opportunities, creating award-winning client results and focusing on my relationships with referral sources are the very best ways to build a successful company for the long-term.

I noticed one woman in the group had a rather strange look on her face and at the break, I went up to her and asked if everything was OK. Her response? "I've never heard a woman speak so freely about making money. It's liberating for me. I love this idea!"

As I travel around the country and meet women from different parts of the globe, this idea that money should not be discussed is universal. I had one woman tell me that she was raised with a belief that "Money is evil." Money is not evil. What you do with the money is what matters.

This opened the door to a freeing, thought-provoking, conversation about why women need to overcome their fear of making money or having money. If your business is not making the money you desire, could it be possible it's due to the relationship you have with money? If your business is barely "surviving" instead of "thriving" I invite you to think about creative ways you can embrace what a positive cash flow could do not only for you but the world.

To ensure that your Big Idea comes to fruition and achieves growth year after year, it's essential that you make money in your business. I'd like to share some ideas about why women and money go together and energize your thinking about why it's key to stay focused on making money:

1. Contributing to the well-being of yourself and your family - It's an empowering feeling to know that your business contributes to taking care of those you love and care about. It builds confidence, self-esteem and instills the idea in your family that you are an equal partner in every area.

2. Contributing to the economy - I'm thrilled to be able to have a small team of women support me in my business and I can help them achieve their goal of working from home. I'm adding value to the flexibility and freedom in their lives.

3. Giving back - I hear from so many women the reason they started their business is because they want to give back to the charities and organizations they feel so strongly about. This has been an emotional driver for me. My desire to give back has continued to grow over the last 3 years and my dream has finally come true. This year, Smart Women Smart Solutions® is now able to make a donation to several non-profits that support women and girls worldwide from coaching programs purchased by women entrepreneurs.

I'm going to invite you to start the process of creating a consistent, positive cash flow so you can use the money to take care of what's important to you. Stop saying, "When I have the money, I will..." and start saying, "Now that my business is experiencing a positive cash flow, I will..."

Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.