Last month, we started on the long and sometimes difficult path of Unconditional Body Beautiful self-love by chatting about the relationships with our bodies from the beginning. On the second stop in this journey of self-love we’ll be talking about the heart of our body — the bust.

The bust is home to our heart. It’s the place where our lungs reside, the place where every movement inhales life and exhales anxieties.

I’ve always had a great relationship with my bust. I’m not saying the girls are perfect but they’re mine and I love them. Like most women, my bra size varies based on my weight gain/loss. But finding tops that accommodate me has never been an issue. In my 20’s I didn’t really focus on bra fit too much since I was enjoying my  season of youth and the gravity-defying breasts that came along with it. Of course, as you get older, you begin to really appreciate a well made bra à la Wicked: “I’m defying gravity and you can’t bring me down”!

Right now, my favorite gravity defying bra is still Lane Bryant’s Seamless 5-Way Convertible Bra by Cacique. It is my go-to piece of undergarment. You know the one, lovelies.  It fits just right and always makes you feel fabulous. They actually replaced that original style (*insert sad face here*) with the Multi-Way Strapless Bra, also by Cacique. And although the new bra style is great, the original design still holds the #1 spot in my heart.

However, it definitely wasn’t easy for me to find a bra I loved.  It was a long and sometimes frustrating search.  Yes, it’s true that undergarments are the foundation to any good outfit. But how pretty a bra is or the name on the label won’t make a difference if you’re uncomfortable or in pain. And oh boy! did me and the girls suffer through a lot of pinching, digging, and stabbing on our road to bratopia.

Sir Pokes-a-Lot — The bra with a sharp, badly-lined underwire that causes unavoidable injuries every time you wear it. via http://community.sparknotes.com/2013/03/28/bras-we-have-known-illustrated

But don’t worry my lovelies the road doesn’t have to be rough for you too, I got you! Here are a few important tips that will make your road to bratopia a much smoother ride:

Be practical

“Don’t get caught up in colors,” says Bobbie Thomas, TODAY style editor and author of “The Power of Style.” “And remember, while lace and embroidery may be pretty, they also peek through most fabrics. It’s more important to NOT see your bra. When shopping, bring a few items you wear often, a T-shirt, a blouse, a favorite dress. And judge the bra by how you feel and look in the garment.” [via Today.com]

Bra size changes

“Naturally our breasts change with life changes, whether it’s a shift in hormones, weight loss or gain, nursing, or age. From puberty to child birth, from marathon training to over-indulging, our breast elasticity gives and so does our breast composition. Yet through it all we still shop for that special number we’ve either trained ourselves to wear or been told is correct. We’ve associated beauty with a number, not a fit. We may think “34C is what I’m used to, what I’ve always worn.” The reality remains—our breasts do not stay one size. Nor should our bra.” [via Freshpair.com]

Finding the right bra size

[via LaneBryant.com]

You Need to go Up a Cup Size if:

• Your breast tissue is spilling over anywhere—top, sides, or bottom of the bra
• The underwire is resting on the breast tissue or poking it
• The underwire is lifting away from the bust and not lying flat against the body
• Your band size has decreased

You Need to go Down a Cup Size if:

• There are gaps between the breast tissue and the cup
• The band is level and the underwire is digging up into your armpit
• The band is level and there is space between the underwire and where the breast tissue starts
• Your band size has increased

[via Freshpair.com]

‘Pride’ by Erica Bromage

There you have them my lovelies, a few tips that will hopefully make your bra search a little easier. So whatever your favorite style is– bralettes, bras, corsettes or au natural, just remember to stay true to yourselves and most important of all make sure you feel fabulous in it!

Until next time,

Photograph used in featured image features : Plus size model Mariesther Venegas

Unconditional Body Beautiful is a new self-love series created by Rebequita Rose — “It is a year-long collaboration which I created-slash-founded, and I will be doing this with many other bloggers…We will focus mostly on discussing our bodies more than on fashion, but at the same time we will fuse the two together.”

• Rebequita Rose
• BBW Generation
• Josofab’s Curvesity World
• Curvy Chrisanda
• Natty Nikki
• Style Cassentials
• Clothe Your Curves
• Just Me, Leah
• Curves Become Her
• Beca: Under Construction!
• Katherine Hayward