eternalvoyageur's Xanga

Sports Bra Favourite: Freya Active Underwire

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 07:52:01 GMT

Never having worn any sports bras myself (the most 'strenuous' thing I do is hoopdance), I was thrilled when ina60eorf send me this review of what she finds is the best sports bra. BTW, take a look at ina60eorf's bra metamorphosis after she found out her correct bra size on my site !

I've worn a lot of sports bra - compression and encapsulated .. this one is the best I've ever worn.

It's the Freya Active Underwire in Beige. It's nice because you don't get uni-boob and it does give you a shape. I bought 28E. I find the cups are a bit small but not enough to go up a size.

It is a bit of a strange fit as it moves things east west so there is a lot of material at the armpit - almost like a minimizer.

The band is a bit tight but I like that in a sports bra.

There is virtually no movement even while running. There is a good range of motion for sports that require your arms to be moving i.e., aerobics, weight lifting, boxing, etc.

The fabric is wicking and really does help moisture drawn away. Plus it's very soft not scratchy at all. It's also thicker and sturdier than the material in any other bra I own.

The straps are padded. Honestly it's probably one of the nicest feeling comfie bras I own. And you've seen how many I own!!! I've seen reviews from other women who wear it as an everyday bra - I can see why they would.

The lady on the left (photo from Figleaves) is wearing the correct size, while the lady on the right is not (she needs to go up a cup size). Can you spot why ?

Bra Specifications:

Colours: Beige, Red, White and Black.
Sizes: 28D to 38H
Video of a 34D running in it, from Herroom.
Also available: a model without underwires.

*Disclaimer: This post has not been sponsored in any way !*

You might also want to read:

* Break out of the Bra Matrix
* Bra wardrobe: How many bras do you need ?
* Most Idiotic Comemnts Of Bra Sellers
* Bra Bands: all you need to know about them
*more*

Weekend Reads 27-11-2009

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:41:34 GMT

* Damage control after a classroom nap

* Choosing a handbag in proportion to your body, and how to carry the handbag to flatter your body

* Looking for unique, handmade and eco-friendly gifts ? Look no further, Awakened Aesthetic pick some of the best Etsy ideas ! Pssst, there is a part II !

* 5 life-changing keys to overcoming your fear

* How to make roses from Maple leaves. Gorgeous !

* 7 ways to move beyond procrastination

* DIY Tub Truffles aka Bath Kisses

* The beginner's guide to essential oils

* Fashionable colours --colour therapy

* Indie guest I love this blog !!!

* Yummy Body Scrub Recipes

* NEET Magazine Indie, original fashion

Photo via Joie De Vivre

* More Weekend Reads *

Most Idiotic Comemnts Of Bra Sellers

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:12:13 GMT

Ever seen that bewildered look of the store girl when you as for a *gasp* 65G ? Not me, I always buy bras online. But many ladies that broke out of the Bra Matrix bravely storm shops, partially in hopes of inspiring the stores to have a full range of bra sizes. Many of the responses of the salesgirls are so good that it would be a pity not to share them with the English-speaking world.

*Source*

"You wanted to get your boobs enlarged, so now suffer -- 70D is not manufactured."

"This is a store for normal women" (bra size requested was 70G)

"Where have you heard such nonsense ? This G is like thiiiis (waving hands to indicate that G boobs go from the neck upto the navel). Look (takes out grey tent) this is G. And here we have such nice bras. See this one." "But madam, this is a C" "Yes, exactly. So smart and hasn't read that 80% Polish girls wear C ?"

Bra size requested: 75F. The salesgirl said that F begins with a 95 band, and smaller are not produced. When the lady tried to explain that she had such a difference between breast an underbust measurements, she heard: "Madam, such a difference you can have after a plastic surgery of removing the ribs !"

"For breasts like yours, bras are not produced." (the lady later found out she needs a 70G)

The salesgirl takes out a armour-bra build up to the neck, and to the question "would you have something sexier" she answered, in a voice full of outrage "in THIS size ?"

"You know Madam, for fatter ladies we have 110C, and not some 80 or 85"

"Oh, are you pregnant ?"

"It's nice but you just need a 85B"

"Breasts should be measured naked, not in a pushup."

Lady: "Good day, do you have 70 bands ?"
Salesgirl: "Which cup ?"
Lady (shyly): "H..."
Salesgirl: "Oh. Oh,well we don't have, but please do come in, we like to have strange things in the store..."
(the lady's comment on the forum: So am I a mutant after all

Did you get idiotic, insulting or ridiculous comments when asking for a size other that 75B ?

Photo by bhampton1963

You might also want to read:

* Bra wardrobe: How many bras do you need ?
* Buying bras for the broke: "unusual" sizes on Ebay
* Bra Matrix Reader Metamorphosis 01: ina60eorf
*more*

Skills Learned From Pilates That Amp Every Fitness Method

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:07:14 GMT

I'm utterly convinced that everyone should take at least a couple of Pilates classes (from a good instructor !), no matter what sport they do. Pilates has taught me skills that I have carried on to the other fitness things that I do, as well as daily activities: I know how to protect myself from neck and back injury, and how to get the maximum out of every move.

Here is what I learned from Pilates:

Imagery makes moves more effective:

Visualisations make the exercises really work. Simply moving that leg up and down ? It's easy to cheat and not put any effort into it ! Now imagine you are pressing down a huge big spring coil. That will make you put a lot of energy into the movement, actually pressing, not just lowering the leg. When you want to keep parts of your body steady, imagine they are cemented to the floor; for balance, imagine glasses with water balanced on you.

Pelvic floor, back and abdomen:

My Pilates instructor starts every exercise with this mantra: "Tuck in your tailbone, flex pelvic floor, pull navel to spine." This little sequence is the most amazing thing that I use all the time, even while bicycling. It creates stability in the body, and soon becomes second nature, supporting your body in all sports and daily movements. Yes, we do all this even when stretching our neck.

Flexing the pelvic floor: The flexing of the abdomen is countered by pulling in the pelvic floor muscles. This is not only for ladies ! *Find out more*
Protecting your lower back: The neutral spine ensures you never stress your lower back. Since I did Pilates, I never get back pain from exercising any more. *How to find your neutral spine*
Engaging your belly: Engaging your abdominal muscles before you start the movement gives you a stable torso. It also makes sure you don't push out the belly while abdominal exercises. This abdominal scoop goes much deeper than the typical suck in your gut, as it begins from the pelvic floor. *Learn how to do it*

This is usually done in the following rhythm:
Breath in = tuck in tailbone, flex pelvic floor, scoop in navel.
Breath out = start the movement.

Protecting your neck

We often strain our neck while exercising by keeping it in at an angle to the rest of the spine. Pilates teaches to keep the neck in a straight line with the backbone. In exercises where you belly-down, this means keeping the head lowered and looking down at the floor, not at your instructor. If you are on your back, usually you need to tuck your chin to your chest.

Precisions & movement control

In Pilates, one precise movement is worth more than ten sloppy ones. Let's just face it: any movement is effective only when you do it right. Many of us cheat, like when using the neck or arms to do the movement instead of making the lazy abs do the work. By concentrating on the muscle at work, I became better at refining my control and actually putting them to work.

Focus also on the parts of the body not doing the movement
The entire body should be under control while performing a movement. Often we move a limb, flailing the rest of the body around . Keep your torso stable, and relax the parts of the body that are not being trained at the moment. Tensing your shoulders while doing leg lifts really doesn't help !

Do you have methods and tricks that you use in all your physical activities ? Where did you learn them ?

Photo by BakkoBrats

You might also want to read:

* Exercise from heels for thighs, from toes for calves

* Adult-sized hula-hoops that I made !
* Call For Clips For Worlwide Hooping Video: "Where The Hell Is Hoop" !
*more*

Bra Matrix Reader Metamorphosis 01: ina60eorf

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:21:18 GMT

Inaeorf went from 70C (among many others) to 60E, and was so happy that she sent photos and her story, which features many bra-fitters (Oprah included), as well as the truth on migration and tips for you.

You can inspire others by sharing your bra-metamorphosis story, whether in pictures, word or both ! *Details here*

Here is the visual proof.
Click to enlarge, and watch the thermostat !

Left: 70C moulded bra, unadjusted. Right: the same bra after adjusting (bending forward and gathering from the armpits and back into the cups). You can clearly see the quadruple boob: the cups are too small.

On the left in a correctly sized Freya Rio (soft cup) in 60(28)E. On the right in moulded Panache Porcelain (Our cup size table shows that Porcelain has smaller than standard cups, and that is why ina60eorf found her fit in 60F)

Aaaand: this is a push-up in the wrong size. Note the flat profile !

Ina60eorf's Bra Story:

I had my first bra fitting at the age of 11 or 12 (was not fitted again for another 20 yrs). I was a whopping 28A. In those times, and often still today, it was felt that as your boobs grew so did your band size. By the time I finished high school I was wearing a 32B. I wore that size until I got pregnant. I wore a 34 or 36C during the various stages of pregnancy and wore a 36DD while nursing. The 36DD was too small in the cup but a 38 wouldn't stay pulled down and in my town at that time, there was nothing above a DD in 36.

After I finished nursing, I settled into a 34C. It never felt right. I was constantly tugging at it as every time I lifted my arms it practically came off. I put on 20 lbs and went into a 34D but once again didn't fit right. After 5 or 6 yrs of being 20 lbs heavier, I went on a diet and started exercising. Once I lost the weight, there was no way I could wear a 34 band anymore. My shape had completely changed and it now slid around me.

** Oprah:

This was also the beginning of the bra revolution started on Oprah. It was watching that show that made me realize I'd been wearing the wrong size bra. I immediately went to be fitted and was measured at a 32B. The cups felt too small but that's what I was being told was my size and they're the experts, right?

** Nordstrom & La Senza

While on a trip, I went to a Nordstroms who are supposed to be renowned for their bra fitting skills. They measured me at 32C. Once again,it didn't feel right but the fit mistress adamantly upheld her findings and sent me home with two very expensive 32C's. It was a fairly common size at La Senza in my hometown so that's where I remained for 5 yrs. On Day 1, I would always move them to the tightest hook and never adjusted myself into the cups. Within weeks, they were so loose it was like I was wearing a camisole not a bra. Also, because I felt I was very small and there were no modesty devices to prevent show through, I always bought thickly padded, push-up bras.

Once, when the local La Senza store was having a bra fitting extravaganza, they insisted on fitting me as there was "no way" I could possible be a C cup. And of course, they tried to put me in a 32B. I tried to explain that it wouldn't fit. But the fitter would not be denied and insisted on seeing me in it. When it was clearly too small, she dismissed it by saying that I must be a 34B or the shape not right for me. I left with no bras and made sure the next time I went the fitter wasn't there before sneaking a 32C to the cash.

** Bra Matrix

Sometime around 6 months ago, I found out there were band sizes smaller than 32 in other cities and countries. While on a shopping trip, I had occasion to try on a 30D but it was one of those stretchy material ones which I really hate so I didn't buy it. When I got home from that trip, I went to eBay and bought a Mark's & Spencers 30D. I was so excited for it to arrive. It fit better than my 32Cs but still wasn't quite right.

I started researching online like mad. That's when I came across this wonderful site and the Bra Matrix. I used the online calculator. To my delight, I had not been crazy for the last 20 yrs, my band size was actually 28 not 32. Without a bra on, I measured to a 28D. With a sports bra on, I measured to a 28E. Quite a difference that I didn't understand at the time. I also saw how much of me really couldn't fit into the cup size I'd been wearing after adjusting myself into them according to the instructions on the your site.

I eagerly ordered my first 28E bra from Bravissimo. I couldn't have been more excited when it arrived. I stripped as quickly as I could and put the bra on according to your guidelines. It fit!!! The first time in 30+ bra-wearing years, I had a bra that actually fit. Hallelujah!

** Too tight ?

One note for those that will say the band being recommended by this calculator is too tight - It took me about a week to get used to the tighter band. After having worn 32's for so long, it was very constrictive going to a 28. But within a week, it was as if that been the size I'd always worn. In fact, if I put on a 32 now I feel like I'm going to fall right out of it.

** (Breast tissue) Migration is real !

I spent most of my life blaming my shape on my heredity when in actuality it was poorly fitting bras. I had felt that it was genetics that had caused the majority of my breast tissue to sit under my arm and onto my back - causing me to appear much smaller than I actually am. New modesty products now exist so I no longer have to have padded push-up bras in my lingerie drawer. I'm relishing wearing non-padded bras and how I look under clothes. It's been 4 months since I bought my first 28E and my shape has completely changed. My breasts are firmer, more pert (less saggy) and I measure a 28E without a bra now. The tissue is gone from under my arms and almost gone from my back - migration is real!

** Advice & tips for you **

Don't be discouraged if the first size you try doesn't fit perfectly. Different brands fit differently. Even within the same brand there can be big variations. I have bras in 28E, 28F, 30DD and 30E. It depends on the shape of the cup and stretchiness of the band. And remember, it could be that the bra type just doesn't suit your shape. I thought I preferred full cup bras because I have small shoulders but many balconies have a fairly narrow strap stance that work well for me plus the cups work better for my shape. It will take some trial and error to see what suits you.

So ladies, step away from bras that you can pull more than 2 inches from your back. Just say no to cups that cut into your breast tissue. Toss the straps that pull more than 1 inch from your shoulders. You, too, can have the shape and fit you've always dreamed. No more should you buy a bra that you know doesn't fit just because a "professional" tells you it does. Thanks to Eternal*Voyageur, you too can figure out your proper size and BREAK OUT OF THE MATRIX !

Since her metamorphosis, ina60eorf has tried and tested lots of bras, and has shared her invaluable information in the tables of unstandard (v. big or small) bra cups and (v. tight or loos) bra bands.

You might also want to read:

* Online Bra Calculators: Your Breasts Are Out Of Range
* Bra wardrobe: How many bras do you need ?
* Does this bra fit ? How do I tell ?
* Training program for bra fitters in "normal" stores
* Bra Matrix Central *

Weekend Reads 20-11-2009

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:08:52 GMT

DIY convertible chain jewellery. Wear it as a necklace, choker, bracelet...

To form new habits, try the Half Habit and Timeless Habits.

How to clean your home really really fast. The last tip is actually the best.

If you complain about lack of working space, take a look at Jane Austen's writing space.

How to decide whether you need more shoes. The girls and the boys version. Very funny.

The 6 creepiest places on earth. Seriously awesome.

Random thoughts from 25-30 year olds. Funniest stuff ever !

I love this:

Photo via oh yeah

Cosmetic Product Description Tricks We Fall For

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:18:10 GMT

Dear Ladies, choice of cosmetics should never be based on product descriptions. Here is why:

Once upon a time I stood in cosmetic stores, all big-eyed and trying to decide between extracts of the yellow sea and active ingredients from the glaciers; and weighing the effects of deep-moisturising + soothing, and simply moisturising but also energising...

Now I realise that the truth and the description of the cosmetic are in two different places. For the truth, go to the ingredient list. For entertainment, lets go through the product description.

Can you guess which real advertisements are the base of many of my examples ? Some of the products actually work fine, but why the crazy overblown claims ?

Amazonian Pink Snail Extract aka Exotic Ingredients

Advertising campaigns are often based upon an exotic ingredient of which trace amounts are contained in the product. Clients will never buy something with carrot extract if they can get the extract of the third petal of the five-petalled ultraviolet orchid. Especially if the said orchid was a beauty secret of the Ancient Egyptians, Mayas, Innuits and Vulcanians.

♥ Tip: it is often more effective and economical to buy the pure form of the exotic ingredient, and use it directly or drink it. Read about how to use active ingredients directly.

Goddess In The Shower aka Sensual Atmosphere

Exclusive, fantastic names for ordinary products: the Radiance Fluid (in fact and anti-frizz serum) doesn't even make the hair radiant, but gives us a glowing halo. Besides, it turns your bathroom into an exotic Mediterranean spa.
Language that strongly appeals to the senses, and brings up sensual images, such as "skin that is soft as silk" and "ready to be loved"... you're reading poetry.

102% In 5 Days, aka Hard Facts:

Dandruff & anti-wrinkle creams are sold by seemingly informative, hard and logical language, with lots of specialistic terminology to impress you. They tell you that your skin is messed up due to the lack of xy and the break-up of yz, but the cream contains active bullshitoids that will take care of all that. You will see a noticeable results Your skin will look exactly 51% better within 78 minutes, and the cream has been tested on a group of 999.9 women by 36 and a half dermatologists.

Impressotin© Dumbcustomeroids™ aka Pseudo Science

Contains the new super-innovative complex abracadabra® with IQ that precisely sculpts your body: flattens your abdomen and roundens your butt... well, what if it makes a mistake and flattens the butt and roundens your belly ? Ah, I forgot that the cream is intelligent.
BTW the cream contains soundgoodtoid® that contain justbuythis-pro©.... Now you are impressed, admit it.

The Magic Of Words:

Names, Places And Concepts: Eveline Los Angeles, Laboratories Coco Chanel, cream HydraTao
Hydro- Bio- and Fyto- have made quite a career in cosmetic terminology. So did pro- and active. It's not a moisturiser, it's an active biohydrocomplex pro !

It's an airplane, it's a rocket, it's a cream !

It improves your attractiveness, the happy-dorfins cause your skin to shine with joy. It lifts your mood, and awakes your senses. In fact, you start looking like a smiley. Your boyfriend loves you more, and even your mother does too.

Because you're awesome, you expect the best, and all that crap.
You're worth it. Worth them unnecessarily torturing rabbits and baby monkeys. Just for you.

Buy them all:

To make the customer loyal to the brand, words are used that make you want to buy more of their products. Series, therapy, programme, collection: these words make you feel that the products complete each other, and yet each does a specialised task. The name of the entire collection tells you what results you get when using all of the products: Diamonds-and-Platinum Reflex Therapyy. Even thinking of another brand will spoil that shining effect.

So, how to choose cosmetics ?

Don't even read product descriptions.
Learn to read labels. It's not as hard as it sounds. Quite soon you'll know that anything with SLS, alcohol denat and petroleum is bad, and that a simpler ingredient list is usually the best.
Research online. For reviews try MakeupAlley, for ingredient safety go to Skin Deep.
Don't underestimate stuff you can make yourself, in your home lab or in your kitchen.

Got any favourite product description that you love to laugh at ? Do you watch Telemarketing just for the laughs ?

Photos: by Sea of Legs and viscousplatypus

You might also want to read:

* Silicones and your hair
* Alcohol: the good and the bad
* SLS (Sodium Laurel Sulphate)
* more *

Table Of Tight And Loose Bra Bands, Now Live !

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:52:40 GMT

A comprehensive list of bra brands and models that have a tighter or looser band than standard was the logical next step after the table of exceptionally big and small cups. Both tables is wildly useful for those of us who order bras online. (my next project will be creating a table of bras with narrow and wide underwires).

The table is vieweable here:

Table of loose, tight, and apparently tight* bra bands

* Apparently tight bra bands are those that appear to be really tight... until the first washing, when they loosen up and are quite standard.

A big thanks to ina60eorf for her collaboration on both the tables. Pssst: some great stuff from her will be coming up soon !

Find out how to measure your size, find a bra and everything else in the Bra Matrix Central.

Photo via llohan

You might also want to read:

* Break out of the Bra Matrix
* Your bra might be making your breasts even smaller
* Does this bra fit ? How do I tell ?
* Bra Bands: all you need to know about them
*more*

Too Little vs. Too Much: Finding “Just Right”, Goldilocks Style (Beauty Care & Relations

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:16:41 GMT

I heard of a girl who used to tiptoe to the bathroom at 4:00 am every morning to brush her teeth, so that she'd impress her guy by "waking up" with fresh-minty-breath later on. One day he woke and saw her sneaking out of bed with a toothbrush, and she was extremely mortified. Yes, she was trying ridiculously hard, but isn't she better than the lady who has been married for 10 years and lets her moustache grow luxuriantly (why should she kill herself waxing ?)

Here is fantastic advice on the Golden Path of the Middle when preening to keep the attention of the domesticated male, written for you by The Naked Redhead. When I first stumbled onto her blog, the first thing I thought (for the rest of the day) was "I wanna write like her": I love her candidness, delicious sarcasm, and stiletto-sharp wit. (The second thing I thought was Mystic Medusa was right about Virgos swearing.)

Bio: The Naked Redhead writes about dating, love and relationships on her aptly named blog, The Naked Redhead. She enjoys list-making, performing improv, and playing with her dog and two cats. She lives in Columbus, Ohio (but sort of wishes she didn't).

Too Little vs. Too Much: Finding “Just Right”, Goldilocks Style

     I have several problems with the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, one being, WTF are bears shacking up in a house?! And porridge? Really? Last I checked, bears were carnivores (WHY they didn’t eat Goldilocks as soon as they found her is beyond me. I’m assuming their vegetarianism has made them into total bleeding-heart liberals.)
     However, there’s something to little Goldilocks looking for the “Just Right”. Lone-child-in-the-woods-walking- into-a stranger’s-home-uninvited-and-helping-herself-to-their-shit aside, here’s a girl who knows the importance of a happy medium.
    Which brings me to a story of two other girls. I’ll call them Too Little and Too Much.
     Too Little has been in a relationship for quite some time…and you can tell. She started out looking good for her partner all the time: hair, make-up—the works. Now, though, she’s adopted a “wash and wear” haircut (though the “wash” is dubious), her make-up routine is non-existent, her clothes are sloppy and her only accessory is a sour ex-pression.
     Too Much has also been in a relationship for quite some time. But this lady is a poster child for an overabundance of make-up, hairspray and cleavage. Her partner has never seen her without full foundation, manicure or perfectly touched-up roots.
     Now look, before anyone gets all Mama Bear and says, “Hey, I don’t wear make-up! That doesn’t mean I’ve given up!” or “Hey, I wear make-up! That doesn’t mean I’m high maintenance!”…I know. I’m not talking about you. Shh.
Let me explain…it’s all about attitude.

Too Little

    I was married once before, so I get the mentality of settling into a relationship. Marriage (or the agreement upon the LTR) marks the death of the single life. We aren’t that far removed from animals, after all…just like our wild counterparts, we do certain things in our single lives to make ourselves more noticeable to a potential mate. If it’s not make-up or hair, it’s a new outfit, bedspread, maybe even just an attempt to be “on” all the time. With the exception of one asshole I dated, every person I know makes an effort to at least wipe down the toilet (or at minimum, act embarrassed about it) before a new love interest comes over for the first time.
   About a year into my marriage, I checked out. I just didn’t care anymore. I didn’t work out, I packed on the pounds, and I grew listless. But my “too little” routine wasn’t simply that I knew I’d never need to attract a man again, it seeped into my entire mentality about my relationship. Why work on things—any thing—if we were in a “til death” situation? I mean, that’s PERMANENT, right?
Too Little’s tread on dangerous territory. Like plants, goldfish or babies, relationships die if they are not continually maintained. I am not saying that any woman (or man) should be in full-blown “going out mode” all the time, but effort on the outside can reflect effort on the inside.
    Look, Too Little is not just about the absence of make-up. I have a good friend who has never worn more make-up than a swipe of Chapstick…but she’s not a Too Little. On the contrary, she is scrupulous about what goes into her body, she takes time for meditation and yoga, and spends time pursuing the things she was interested in before she was married.   She understands that you can’t forget who you were before the relationship. That person is still just as important, as desirable and fascinating as she (or he!) was five, ten, or fifteen years ago. YOU just have to believe that.

Too Much

    Once my marriage ended, I dated a lot (read: I was a tad whorish). I quickly realized that there were dickwads out there that expected no less than Barbie doll perfection at all times…and they’d get women who bought the hype!
    Er, no thanks.
    Again, there is nothing inherently wrong with wanting to look good, but, just like with Too Little, Too Much can be a deeper attitude issue that can be damaging to a relationship.
    Listen up…perfection is a myth. It’s impossible to be completely perfect, and it’s the imperfections that make you uniquely YOU. Your partner may actually like the way that you smell and look clean-faced and fresh from the shower. My boyfriend thinks I’m cute when I’ve just completed a work-out and my cheeks are red and my hair is mess…I know, weird, right?

{Eternal*Voyageur: take a moment to read about what men want. It might surprise you.}

    I know women who are stunning without make-up, women whose hair looks fantastic after a joyful bike ride, and girls that know how to dress those gorgeous not-size-six curves. Personally, my boobs are practically non-existent, but I love that it makes me look “athletic” or that I can wear super low-cut tops without looking like I’m advertising. We are sexy even without hours spent in front of a mirror, especially when we get who we are and we stop trying to be something we aren’t.
   This acceptance doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try a new lipstick, or go to the salon for a blow-out or a wax. But if life gets in the way of “perfection”, be ok with that, too.
   If you’re a Too Much, stop trying so hard. Give yourself and your partner space and let those beautiful imperfections shine. Forgetting perfume or mascara one day won’t result in a break-up the next.

Just Right

    Both Too Little and Too Much have hope to get things Just Right. It’s simply a matter of tweaking your attitude. If you feel you’ve given up because life is crazy (new baby, new job, lost job, etc.) look at the cause and motive of your Too Little. Too Little is ok for awhile if life demands other priorities, but if it’s been months or years of Too Little, you may need to check your attitude.
    If you feel like you will be less beautiful without Too Much, check what factors are causing that mindset. Maybe take a belly dancing class or go to a pin-up workshop. Examine your perceived imperfections and find the beauty in them. And by all means, if there is someone in your life feeding you little vampiric lies that you’d be prettier this way or that way…fuq that noise.
    Be a Goldilocks…go for the Just Right, and you’ll end up resting happily at the end of your day. Just beware of when the bears come home.

--- The Naked Redhead

Photo by *Tiny Dancer*

The Practical Guide To Maintaining And Giving Space In A Relationship

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:17:13 GMT

I can't decide what makes a woman more attractive and lastingly desirable to a man: her having her own life and paths, or her letting him keep his. All this while being in love and having a together life, of course. To learn how to juggle all this and how to balance it out with togetherness and love, read my How-To Guide On Space In A Relationship on The Naked Redhead.
And while you are there, check out the rest of the The Naked Redhead blog for delicious sarcasm, and advice on dating and a little boning down.

Ok, that was in my nice blogging public-announcement voice. Actually I've been going all day like "my article rocks, 'cause the Naked Readhead told me so !"

Photo of cuddly racoons by Eternal*Voyageur

You might also want to read:

* Why do we cling to pain and suffering ?
* Getting your daily dose of real joy ?
* How to fake looking like you've got your shizz together
*more*