Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Simply curves - A virtual tour of 'Simply Yours'


  As a self-confessed DD+ lingerista and shopaholic, it is always exciting to find a company that stocks brands that I love and covet. I had previously heard a lot about Simply Yours (particularly in relation to the Gok Wan range), but I didn't realise quite how much Simply Yours spoils us for choice with their lingerie range! Simply Yours not only have their own products, but also stock the amazing; Freya, Curvy Kate, Fantasie, Panache, Pour Moi, Masquerade, Wonderbra, Gossard and Miss Mandalay - to name but a few of their curve-friendly lingerie brands!

  Simply Yours sell lingerie, swimwear, nightwear, shapewear and clothes, making it a real haven of shopping delights ready to tempt you! The best thing about Simply Yours, though, is their sizing range - with band sizes 30-50 and cup sizes A-JJ, so many ladies can benefit from the fantastic array of products on offer. Simply Yours also boast a small selection of 28 backs and some styles even go up to a super curvy, L, cup!

  With so many large sized bras from Simply Yours to choose from, I could not wait to investigate what styles were suitable for busty girls, such as myself...



  I was very impressed with the Simply Yours website - it is extremely visually exciting, with its girly colours and photo-story layout, complete with thought bubbles. The categories (Bras, Knickers, Lingerie, Shapewear etc) are carefully organised into headings with drop-down menus, making browsing much easier and more efficient.

  Within the bra section, it is also possible to select what type of bra you are looking for (balconette, full coverage, longline, moulded, multiway, strapless, nursing, soft cup etc), select your bra size and even specify which brand to search within.

  With online shopping's growing popularity, it is a dream to be able to go online to a store like Simply Yours, make an order and receive your products a few days later..but what if you don't know your size? Luckily, Simply Yours don't leave you on your own to make wild guesses!

  You can check out the Simply Yours 'Bra measuring guide' here. The measuring guide is an interactive fitting experience, where the Simply Yours fitter, Sarah, takes you step by step through the stages of discovering your correct bra size. I loved Sarah's informal yet friendly tone, as she gives the listener the virtual advice of a real life bra fitter, but in the comfort of your own house! The listener is informed as to the signs of a badly fitting bra (semi-circular ride up, breast tissue not encased properly in the cups etc) and is offered suggestions as to how to correct them with a well-fitting bra. Most importantly, Simply Yours highlights in this video, the importance of ordering and trying on different sizes, as bras can vary across (and within) brands and your bra size can fluctuate depending on your weight. 


  Another aspect of the Simply Yours fitting guide that I really liked, were the videos showing models with different body types. As a 28FF (small back size and larger cup size), the video of slim but curvy, Kiki, gave me some helpful hints as to what bras are available for me on Simply Yours and could suit my figure:



  The only thing that I was not so keen on, was the use of the 'back band measuring table', which follows an antiquated measuring model of adding inches. I have investigated a lot of fitting techniques and have found that the most accurate way to find your band size is by measuring directly under your bust. I measure 27 inches under my bust and find that the best fit for me is a 28 band. I have many bras from brands stocked on Simply Yours, such as Freya, Panache, Cleo and Curvy Kate, which I all own in a 28 band. The one exception is my Wonderbra strapless, which is fairly snug in a 30 band. In my experience, 32 bands have always been too loose. With this in mind, bra measuring has no 'magic formula', so the best place to start is by measuring under your bust and trying the band sizes around that measurement.

(Simply Yours measuring table)

  I was, all in all, impressed by the effort that has gone into the Simply Yours measuring guide - with interactive videos, fitting problem advice, bra care tips, a lingerie glossary and a bra style guide, there are many reasons as to why Simply Yours is ahead of other brands in making women aware of the pitfalls related to bra fitting, as well as the benefits in persevering in getting a bra that fits correctly.

  Simply Yours make the bra buying experience easier for customers by having a flexible payment scheme, so that you can buy on credit or purchase items straight away. With a free returns system, it also means that you can purchase a range of sizes to try, with no worry about extra costs for returning items...now, there really is no excuse for keeping a bra that doesn't fit perfectly!

   To conclude, I am very impressed with my first tour of Simply Yours and am hoping that time will also see an expansion of their 28 backed bra selection. Simply Yours have a great range of products to suit a variety of tastes and they succeed in providing some top quality brands geared specifically towards girls with curves. I am also thrilled to see Simply Yours using gorgeous, curvy models: Erika Elfwencrona and Laura Catterall to model their products. There is nothing better than seeing models with real curves and a bust, looking fabulous in stunning underwear!

  Finally, here is a selection of Simply Yours 'lust-haves' that I am desperate to get my mitts on! Let me know what your favourite pieces are - they may even get a review...




Love,
Kitty xo

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