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Review: A sustainable bra worth the splurge

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finding a bra that meets our lists of wants and needs - comfort, support, colour and more - is almost always a chore and can come with a high price tag.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And as a regular bra-wearer, having to replace my old, trusty pieces with something new is a task I put off until I absolutely have to.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite my reluctance to wear anything except my trusty (and well-worn) T-shirt bras, I decided to try Bendon’s </span><a href="https://www.bendonlingerie.com.au/brands/bendon/conscious-simplicity" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Conscious Simplicity</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Contour Bra ($59.95), which is the brand’s first range of recycled lingerie.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Their bras are made with recycled foam for the cups, 73 percent recycled nylon fibres for the straps, and 93 percent recycled yarn for the back fabric.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="../media/7846487/22-7619zphr_bf.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/03dee18eac494960b3c59fc21fee5a48" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The contour bra (pictured) can be paired with a matching boyleg brief, both made from recycled materials. Image: Supplied</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The range - available in contour, underwire, and maternity bras - can be paired with boyleg briefs which all feature botanical-inspired lace made with 50 percent recycled nylon fibres.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After taking it for a test drive - from quick trips to the shops to full 9am-5pm work days - here are some of my thoughts.</span></p> <p>Barely there… save the straps</p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Initially, I was concerned I’d picked the wrong size despite checking my measurements, but upon trying it on I found it was a perfect fit. Plus, it felt as if the bra was barely there but still supportive.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, I noticed the edging of the straps would dig in each time I put it on, though it becomes less noticeable during longer wears.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I’m pleased to report that the bra barely showed under some of my more notoriously thin white shirts, which even my beige favourites could sometimes be spotted through, but would still be visible through cotton t-shirts.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="../media/7846486/bra-review1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/764f93f2f35a4280bc37b04f6a96a7ef" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The contour bra is hard to spot in even my tightest of turtlenecks or white business shirts. The size pictured is an AU/NZ 16C.</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On top of that, an initial play around with the straps meant I wasn’t constantly adjusting them during the day (a common problem among my former-favourites).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, the band did start to make its presence known by the end of some of my longer days, when I would first put it on at 6am and only take it off at around 9-10pm.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite this, the Conscious Simplicity Contour Bra has become my new favourite and I am on the cusp of adding more to my wardrobe (though an expansion of colour options would be nice).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In summary, here are some pros and cons to consider if you’re thinking of giving it a try.</span></p> <p><strong>Pros</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Comfortable and feels supportive even during longer wears</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Eco-conscious</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hardy, quality materials that are still comfortable</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Concealed under most whites (despite its colour)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wider range of cup sizes, with a maximum size of 22J</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>Cons</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Slightly uncomfortable edging on the straps that can dig in</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Limited colour options (only pink at the moment)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The cost ($59.95 RRP)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Limited underbust/band sizing, with a maximum size of 22 (102cm)</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Bendon Conscious Simplicity range is available from the Bendon website </span><a href="https://www.bendonlingerie.com.au/brands/bendon/conscious-simplicity" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">here</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">EDITOR'S UPDATE (12/4/22):</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Conscious Simplicity range is now available in black, with a Dark Rhubarb colour to be released in November 2022 with a maximum size of 20E.</span></p>

Money & Banking

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Could you be wearing the wrong bra? It’s more likely than you think

<p dir="ltr">Bras are an item of clothing we wear most days (if not every day), so it makes sense to wear bras that fit and are comfortable.</p> <p dir="ltr">But with various sizes, styles and brands out there – and needing to fit them to our own unique body shapes – finding something that actually fits can feel like an impossible task, causing us to settle for the next best thing time and time again.</p> <p dir="ltr">Not any more! To get an insight into how women can find a well-fitting bra, and just how often we should be getting fitted, <em>OverSixty </em>spoke to experts from New Zealand lingerie brand <a href="https://www.bendonlingerie.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bendon Lingerie</a>. Here’s what we learned.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>5 signs a bra doesn’t fit</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">“As women, we’ve long been accustomed to all sorts of minor everyday discomforts - from wearing an uncomfortable bra that requires us to readjust every 30 minutes, to a blister-forming pair of stilettos,” the Bendon Lingerie team explains.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But thanks to decades of cultural shift and breaking away from the need to satisfy societal norms, we know we deserve better and honestly, if it’s uncomfortable, bin it.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The team at Bendon Lingerie have five main signs they tell women to look out for, including: </p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Uncomfortable underwire</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Straps that are too tight and dig into the skin, or too loose and fall off the shoulder</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">If your breast bulge over the top of the cups</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">A bra band that rides up your back (it should sit flat and be parallel to the ground)</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">The gore (the centre front triangle piece) is either digging in or not sitting flush against the body</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr">For a visual guide to determining whether your bra fits, head <a href="https://www.bendonlingerie.co.nz/blog/post/bra-fitting-101#ill-fitting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Myth: Bra shopping is a nightmare</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Now that you know what a bad bra looks and feels like, you might be dreading having to purchase new, well-fitting bras - but getting fitted and staying open-minded about your size can make the task much easier.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s a common misconception that getting bra fitted is a difficult process,” they say.</p> <p dir="ltr">Having been invited for a bra-fitting with the Bendon Lingerie team in Sydney, I can confirm as much. After deciding on a few different styles and starting with the size of my most recent bra (which I reviewed <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/review-a-sustainable-bra-worth-the-splurge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>), we were able to settle on not one, but two, bras that fit my shape and were incredibly comfortable in just 10 minutes - and in slightly different sizes than what we started with.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Our best advice is not to get stuck on the size you think you are, and to be open-minded about trying different styles,” the team tells me.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Have confidence in the fitter to assist you in finding what you want.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We understand that getting fitted can be a confronting process for some women - we hear a lot of women not wanting to go up a cup or band size because it’s ‘not their size’, but bras are quite complex garments. Ours are often made up of a minimum of 26 parts, so there is a lot of room for differences to exist.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Their ultimate advice? Focus on finding bras that are comfortable over specific sizes, since that will be what makes you feel your best.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>When were you last fitted?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Since finding a bra that fits relies on being fitted, how often should we be doing it?</p> <p dir="ltr">The Bendon Lingerie team tells me there are several tell-tale signs it might be time, such as if your bra is uncomfortable or doesn’t feel like it's supporting you anymore, you’ve never been fitted, or your clothing size has changed.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ideally, it’s best to be fitted every time you buy a bra, but since that can be hard to achieve, doing one every 12 months “is a good habit to get into”.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>A strong foundation for every outfit</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s not so much a surprise, but something that women should keep in mind when shopping - our fitters will always ask this question when beginning a fitting too,” the team says.</p> <p dir="ltr">“For example, plunge bras are great for low-cut tops and dresses, smooth cups are great under clothing with clingy fabrics, and contour bras can help create more shape and natural lift for ageing breasts.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Bras can also be a fashion statement all on their own, with the pairing of lacy longline or corset-type bustiers and oversized blazers an example.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b6fafa38-7fff-ad1f-c4b8-fa66931a49c6"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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The things you should never do with your bras

<p>Bras are an essential (and sometimes costly) part of most women’s everyday lives.</p> <p>Do you find you’re replacing yours at a rapid rate? It could be because you’re not treating them correctly. If you take good care of your bras, they should last you for years.</p> <p>Thankfully, the <a href="https://www.goodhousekeeping.co.uk/institute/household-advice/clothing-and-fabric-care/three-mistakes-youre-making-with-your-bra">Good Housekeeping Institute</a> has shared the biggest mistakes women are making when it comes to our underwear – and you’ll be relieved to know they’re pretty easy to fix.</p> <p>How many mistakes are you guilty of? From where you store your bras to how you wash them, here’s what to avoid so you can get years of good use out of them before they need replacing.</p> <p><strong>DON’T: Wash them too often</strong></p> <p>Unlike undies, you can wear your bra a few times before needing to wash it.</p> <p>“Every few wears should be sufficient, but it does depend on your activity level,” says Lexie Sachs from the Good Housekeeping Institute.</p> <p>For instance, if you’re active and wear sports bras, these will need to be washed more often than your everyday bras.</p> <p>But Lexie warns, be careful of washing your bras too often.</p> <p>“Over-washing can damage the elasticity, which is essential for providing the proper support.”</p> <p>If you don’t already, washing your bras in a lingerie bag or pillowcase – and avoiding popping them in the dryer – can help keep them in shape and last longer, whilst minimising damage.</p> <p><img width="500" height="334" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7817788/shutterstock_443126386_500x334.jpg" alt="Shutterstock _443126386"/></p> <p><strong>DON’T: Keep them in a drawer</strong></p> <p>Hands up who is guilty of this? The Good Housekeeping Institute says storing your bras in a drawer is a mistake, even though this would be the obvious way most women would keep their delicates.</p> <p>How you store your bras is particularly important between washes, as storing them in a drawer may encourage sweat and dust to “fester” – which could lead to bad odour or irritation, according to the Good Housekeeping Institute.</p> <p>Their advice? Hang your bras. But not by the straps as this may cause stretching. It is recommended you hang them from the centre or leave them out somewhere “flat”.</p> <p><strong>DON’T: Buy the wrong size</strong></p> <p>If you have never been correctly fitted for a bra, you might be surprised to learn you have been buying the completely wrong size all these years.</p> <p>Many women find a bra size they feel comfortable wearing and stick to it – assuming it is the correct fit.</p> <p>But unfortunately, this is often not the case.</p> <p>Even if you avoided a bra fitting in your teens or 20s, it’s never too late to get fitted correctly, as breast shape can fluctuate over the years due to hormones and weight changes.</p> <p>So, next time you are looking to purchase a new bra, consider getting measured and ensure you buy one that you can only hook on the first clasp, so you have the option of tightening your bra down the track if it stretches.</p> <p> </p>

Beauty & Style

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Golden rules for washing bras and delicates

<p>One thing all women can likely agree on is that a good bra is expensive.</p> <p>Furthermore, as one needs more than one brassiere, good upkeep is paramount to make the most of your investment.</p> <p>Extend the lifespan of your intimate apparel by handling your delicates with delicacy.</p> <p>Here are five sensible rules to take note of when caring for your bras.</p> <p><strong>1. Never wear the same bra two days in a row</strong></p> <p>Ladies, we all know this is a tough one but do not play favourites here.</p> <p>In a perfect world, allowing a bra to rest for a day between wears means that the elasticity will refresh, and in theory last longer overall.</p> <p><strong>2. On the third wear, wash</strong></p> <p>A bra should preferably be washed every three days. </p> <p>So if a woman has three bras that she wears in rotation, when a bra has its third wear of the cycle, in to the washing it goes.</p> <p><strong>3. Perfect your hand-wash</strong></p> <p>Throwing your bras into the washing machine can damage elastic, underwires, or other clothing which may accidentally be caught on a bra's hooks.</p> <p>If you want your bras to last, get good at your handwashing technique. </p> <p>Fill your sink with lukewarm water and add a very small amount of a mild (ideally liquid) detergent. Next, submerge your bras, swish them around and leave to soak for 20 minutes. Rinse and drain before drying.</p> <p><strong>4. If machine you must, use a bag</strong></p> <p>Not everyone has time, all the time, to be a hand-washing queen, so a lingerie bag is your next best bet.</p> <p>There are two common types of delicates bag to choose from – the simple, fine mesh sort with a zip, or a structured mesh bag that's tailored for bra protection.</p> <p>Close the clasps on your bras before inserting into the delicates bag, select a cold, gentle wash, again with mild detergent, and away you go.</p> <p><strong>5. Drying do's and don'ts</strong></p> <p>A heated towel rail is fine for drying a bra in a hurry but put it in the dryer at your peril.</p> <p>Not only might the underwires and clasp come out stinging hot ('Ow!') but it can alter the shape in general.</p> <p>Similarly, do not hang your bra on the washing line by the straps, as the weight of the water will cause them to stretch.</p> <p>The best way to dry your bra is flat on a drying rack. Second best, folded in the centre over a washing line.</p> <p><em>Written by Anabela Rea. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Have we been putting our bras on wrong this whole time?

<p>Putting on a bra is something most women do every day, and let’s face it, it’s not exactly rocket science. But according to the label on one Twitter user’s new bra, we may have been doing it wrong this whole time.</p> <p>Activist and writer Brittany Packnett took to Twitter recently to share the instructions that came with her new bra, and if the response is anything to go by, a lot of women had no idea how to put it on properly.</p> <p><img width="600" height="800" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/44379/dl9q-jexkaagxjn_600x800.jpg" alt="DL9q -j EXk AAGXJn" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>“I’ve been putting on my bras wrong for 20 years,” she wrote alongside the photo. “You probably have, too.”</p> <p>And it seems she was right. </p> <p>“I thought it was supposed to be on middle hook for ideal fit,” one woman wrote. “Guess I’m a messed-up bra wearer too!”</p> <p>Another clarified, explaining you should start on the loosest hook, “so you have room to go when it invariably stretches out”.</p> <p>One bra expert offered another clever tip. </p> <p>“Your bra band should be parallel to the floor all the way around. If it hikes up the back. The band size is too big.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">A lot of women wear a too-small cup size and compensate by upping the band size (&amp; then tightening the shoulder straps). This doesn't work. <a href="https://t.co/EDNuZOgNqj">pic.twitter.com/EDNuZOgNqj</a></p> — digne (@lesmissy1) <a href="https://twitter.com/lesmissy1/status/918618790899859456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2017</a></blockquote> <p>Well, there you have it! </p> <p>Did these instructions come as a surprise to you or did you already know? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Brittany Packnett/Twitter.</em></p>

Body

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Why you should never wear a bra to bed

<p>For years, women have pondered the dilemma – to wear a bra to bed or not to wear a bra to bed? While for some it may be an issue of comfort, for those looking to keep their breasts from sagging, it may seem like a no-brainer. However, according to one doctor, not only does wearing a bra to bed fail to prevent gravity doing its job, it can actually be harmful to your health.</p> <p>“Breast sagging is an inevitable fact of life for women as they age,” Dr Seth Rankin from London Doctors Clinic explained to <a href="http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/body/health/news/a49678/what-happens-body-sleep-with-bra-on/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Cosmopolitan</span></strong></a>. “When you're lying down flat, the effect of gravity pushes the breast tissue back towards your chest, instead of down towards your toes. So wearing a bra (the purpose of which is ultimately to support breasts from below) is essentially redundant in bed, as breasts naturally compress back down onto the chest.”</p> <p>Additionally, wearing a bra to bed can block the lymph glands, which are essential in filtering out waste products from the breasts and sending hormones like oestrogen down to the liver or kidneys to be broken down.</p> <p>“If your bra is too tight, you may be restricting your blood supply to the breasts and surrounding areas,” Dr Rankin said. “The same goes for the lymphatic system: a tight bra may restrict the flow of lymph to the many important lymph nodes around the breast and armpit, hindering the system's vital function of flushing toxic waste-products from the body.”</p> <p>Professor Mokbel confirmed the theory to the <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/wear-bra-to-bed-sleep-perky-breasts-lymph-glands-a7584346.html" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Daily Mail</span></strong></a>, highlighting some of the potential health issues which can be caused as a result of wearing ill-fitting bras to bed. “Wearing a constrictive bra to sleep affects the physiology of the breast,” he said. “It can impair the blood flow and lymphatic drainage, which, at worst, can lead to chronic inflammation, oedema (fluid retention) and discomfort.”</p> <p>So, you might want to rethink wearing your bra the next time you grab some shut-eye. If you can’t sleep without one, try swapping it for a less-constrictive crop top.</p>

Beauty & Style

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