Do Your Bras Die Young?

I always thought bras were supposed to last you at least a year. According to the Lady Grace website (famed experts in the science of bra fitting) they're only built to last 3-6 months. Um... three sounds like you're either wearing them in heavy combat or your cans are each the size of a small child. Judging by the condition of some of my best-loved bras I'd say six-ish is more like it.

Want to keep your bras alive longer? 3 tips:

1.) Don't wear the same bra more than 2x in a row.

2.) Hand wash your bras. If you're lazy like me, make sure you hook them and use the cold gentle cycle and a lingerie bag when you machine wash.

3.) Make sure the bra FITS in the first place. Not sure? Measure around your body right under your boobs, then measure again over the fullest part of your boobs. Subtract "underboob" from "overboob" - each inch you wind up with counts as a cup size. The underboob measurement is your band size. And no excuses, you can buy a measuring tape for $2.

My favorite bra (pictured above) for both shape (literally no lumpiness) and comfort is the Maidenform Sleek Fit Moulded Demi Bra - available in black, white, beige or brown and on sale for $15 at Amazon.com. The old standby for normally overpriced bras (VS) is having their winter Semi-Annual sale right now too - some of their bras are pretty decent. I'm curious - what's your favorite bra?

Where Do You Get Your Panties?

Where do you buy your panties?
	Victoria's Secret
	Department Store
	other mall store (Aerie, HM)
	Target
	Other

I have a serious panty purchasing compulsion. I have like 90 pair - some with the tags still on - and yes, I throw out my old ones with regularity. I get mine pretty much everywhere: Marshall's/T.J. Maxx, Forever 21, Macy's, Aerie, and of course Victoria's Secret. My favorites used to be the VS cotton low-rise bikini, but the did away with the cut and introduced a new VS cotton bikini that was supposed to be a lower-rise version of the regular bikini. I got a coupon for a free pair the other day so I grabbed one to try them out. Holy Baywatch Bathing Suit. How anyone can wear these with a low rise pair of pants is beyond me, they're cut up to your tits with a hi-leg opening and suited for the longest ass in human history. Horror. Where should I turn to find great panties now? Help.

Semi-Annual Sale at Victoria's Secret

The Victoria's Secret Semi-Annual sale started online this month (won't be in stores till late June), and many of their own brand's swimsuits are cut down to reasonable prices. As always, I'm a fan of their mix and match styles ($14.50 bottoms and $14.50-$22 tops).

This suit is a particular standout. It has a real retro Bond girl look about it:

Ruched bikini, $31 top and $28 bottom.