Models from the AnaOno MetaVivor Fashion Show, words like fearless and ambitious written on their screen

All the feelings with AnaOno and Metavivor

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(This blog was originally written on February 10th, 2019, on my way home from the city)

Today Beth and I went to the 3rd Annual New York Fashion Week Fundraiser Metavivor fashion show featuring AnaOno. Being on the fringes of both the lingerie and the breast cancer awareness worlds, we only found out about it at the last minute. I snagged two tickets. It was going to be an afternoon out, a treat for a long year of hard work. I don’t know if it was the busy week or just general lack of foresight, but I did not have an inkling of what I was about to encounter. Maybe it’s better that way, maybe I experienced it more deeply. Maybe the surprise was what lead me to feel ALL of the feelings.

Anger: I think everyone feels this. Why? Why is this happening? Why are we losing these beautiful men and women? Why isn’t there more funding? How can we let 1 out of 3 women who are diagnosed, die? It’s our mothers, sisters, wives, girlfriends daughters… and fathers, brothers, boyfriends and son. It falls into the category of NOT FAIR.

Sad: Metavivor is about raising money and awareness for stage 4 breast cancer. Stage 4 is the kind that kills. My mom’s second diagnosis was at stage 4. It was a huge blow to find that we were already that far in the process right at the start. I wanted to hug every man and woman in the room. Everyone in the world. I wanted to infuse them with my strength. I knew I could not. Did I mention NOT FAIR?

Lonely: In early March, it will be 4 years since I lost my mom. I miss her every single day. It’s my new normal and while I’ve (mostly) gotten used to it, but it doesn’t mean that I like it. So much discussion about metastatic breast cancer brought back so many of the bad memories. It was such an awful, frustrating time. She should still be here. There are so many daughters around the world that probably say the same thing. I know my mother said it about her mother.

Frustration: Why is there so little research for something that kills so many? We’ve made great strides in so many other diseases, and with stage 0 and 1. Why have we, as a society, thrown in the towel at stage 4? These men and women deserve every moment of their lives as much as someone at Stage 1.

Amazement: These folks have Stage 4 Metastatic breast cancer. They’re out in the world, not only fighting for their own survival, but working to raise money and secure grants for those that are not yet diagnosed. At a time when they could and should be focused on themselves, they chose to make contributions that will leave a lasting legacy.

Happy: The women in the fashion show were having a great time. They were beautiful. They were powerful. They owned that catwalk. Everyone in the audience was under their spell. I doubt most people will know how that kind of adoration feels, not that it is the reason that they participated – but I’m sure it didn’t hurt.

Dana, waiving from back stage

Hopeful: The room was buzzing with the energy of people who were there to help. From the corporate sponsors to the folks like us, who bought standing room only tickets because it was the best that they could do. The men and women on the stage were out there because they had hope that there could be a better future – one with a treatment and maybe even a cure. We were all united by hope.

I decided to honor my mom and her attitude towards life and take hope home with me. We donate part of our sales to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation because we know that things will get better. When I think about what my grandmother went through in the mid-1980s and compare it to today’s treatments, it’s a whole different world. Hopefully, in another few years we’ll be saying the same about now.

We had the pleasure of meeting Dana of AnaOno a few years ago. If we were impressed with her before, it pales in comparison to the amazing things that we saw at the fashion show. Please check out AnaOno for some amazing fashions, built for women designed specifically for those affected by breast cancer and breast surgeries. (but wonderful for everyone!)

purple background with text that reads once upon a time and an alarm clock where the face says making it count

Let’s Do the Time Warp Again!

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We’re at the end of 2017 and the cycle begins again. Lose weight! Makeover your finances! Get rid of your clutter! Buy better stuff that will help you drop unwanted pounds, balance your budget, and organize your existing stuff! It’s no secret that I think that all of these things are ruses to take our money. I think resolutions, in general, are a setup for failure. You can see my thoughts on here, here, and here.

I am, however, a big fan of self-improvement. Every year I try to pick something in my life that is frustrating me and work on it throughout the year. Two years ago, I removed items and habits that I no longer needed. Last year, I found more stability and routine. (consider this foreshadowing for the next blog in my tax series!  riveting stuff, I promise!) I want to build on these successes.

This year, I want to improve my relationship with time. I constantly feel rushed and pressured to move faster. I know I take on a lot. I have a full-time job and freelance (although not weekly). I am working towards a graduate certificate in digital marketing while attending to many aspects of The Strap Saver. I also try to take care of my health, travel, and have a life. It can feel overwhelming.

After careful consideration, I think that may be the key: it feels overwhelming. Some people seem to move through their to do lists with ease, despite the same obstacles. Maybe it’s about perspective as much as it is about process?

A few years ago I won a coaching session at an entrepreneurship event. I confided my concerns about feeling rushed and less productive than I wanted to be. She suggested that I keep a log of my activities so I could learn where I might unintentionally waste time. It was an eye-opening exercise. How many hours pass without us even realizing? (and not in the good, sit on the beach and watch the waves come in and go out kind of way!)

Now that I’m finding time, the next problem is being overwhelmed by the size of my to do list. Another obstacle is deciding where to start. Sometimes, I end up procrastinating rather than face what needs to be done. I have become better about picking the first thing on the list and taking care of it, even if I don’t want to. (some days the mantra is: suck it up, buttercup!)

This dance results in a lot of stress and wasted energy. It adds an unnecessary layer that changes nothing. I am not the type that works harder/faster/better under pressure. Instead, I end up more tired and make careless mistakes. I prefer to be methodical and unrushed.

I think that if I change a few things, I’ll be able to do what must be done, with less stress, and have more down time. I’ll also probably be a healthier person, too. I’ll no longer look at the clock wondering where the time has gone, but maybe see all the hours left to relax and watch the clouds float by.

How can I adjust my attitude so that the thought of tasks do not hold me back? How can I become better prepared so that less time is wasted on deciding? I’ve almost mastered the art of “no” and asking for help. (maybe?)  What else can I do to be more efficient?  Here are some thoughts:

  • Make lists (always a winner with me!) and revisit the lists – it’s ok to decide that something is no longer a priority or even worth doing.
  • Try to make a plan for the next day.  It will help me to start the day with purpose. (With less waffling, unless that’s the plan. Waffles! Yum!)
  • When having trouble prioritizing, or trouble in general, ask for help. An outside perspective can be useful.
  • Remember that being kind is more important than being productive.
  • Put things away when I am done with them. I have a bad habit of leaving items wherever I last used them – and then I waste time searching for them. (It’s not that I’m lazy, it’s that I’m not mindful. Once I’m done with something, I’m on to the next task and simply forget. Mindfulness, in general, is not my strong suit.)
  • Sometimes it’s ok to call in sick and hit the beach, even to your own to do list.

As I mentioned, I juggle a lot of projects. Is this the right way to spend my time? All of this takes away from my time with Marc and my friends. Does anyone look back at their life and wish that they had worked more?

Marc and I have discussed this many times. The freelance work doesn’t take up a significant amount of time and gives me some financial freedom to travel. I’m learning useful things in my graduate classes that are helping me in my day job and have led to improvements in our site. If our customer has a better experience, it helps us to raise more money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. I have specific goals and am making progress towards them.
I hope that by improving my relationship with time, by spending it carefully, mindful, I will have more opportunities to relax while still achieving my goals. I’ll report back in a year!

What did you improve in 2017? Do you have any plans for 2018?

GREAT NEWS!  For first three months of 2018, donations from The Strap Saver to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation will be matched, up to $5000. This means that we will raise $1.50 for the first Strap Saver in every purchase and $1.00 for each additional Strap Saver.  We have a chance to make a big contribution in a short period of time, so let’s get shopping!  Offer expires March 31, 2018

Breast cancer research foundation logo

Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Choices & a Cure

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Breast cancer research foundationAbout 2 months ago, Cancer Research UK published a study stating that breast cancer can recur up to 20 years after the initial diagnosis. According to the results, the probability of a metastasis occurring later directly correlates to the size of the original tumors and if cancer was found in the lymph nodes. The researchers were surprised that the cancer could remain dormant for so long.

When my mother was first treated for breast cancer in 1998, we were told by her doctors that 7 years was “cured”. In 2005, I remember having a small celebration via telephone. She was free! According to this new study – and what they found in her 16 years later, she was not. The doctors were making the best decisions that they could with the information that they had at the time.

I don’t know if she would have done anything differently if this study had come out 5 years earlier. My mom was already doing everything that was recommended. She went for her yearly mammograms and performed monthly self-exams. Would she have had more detailed scans? I believe she was part of the trials for tamoxifen but had to stop it due to complications from other medical issues. (which I do not have, should I ever need to try a similar drug therapy) At the time, the doctors just didn’t realize that they should be looking deeper.

Beth and I have decided that we want to do our part. We’re hoping to help overcome the lack of funding for research. Starting in November, The Strap Saver joined forces with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation to help raise awareness and money for research. Stage IV (the stage that takes so many women from us) is underfunded and the BCRF has pledged 30% of their grants (almost $18 million) for advancements in this area. In addition, BCRF has established the Evelyn H. Lauder Founder’s Fund, the first large-scale and largest privately funded multi-year international program dedicated to understanding the biology of metastasis (in addition to funding other important research).

We’re hoping to help be the light in this otherwise dark subject. Five percent of all sales, retail and wholesale, will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. (So, if you haven’t, it’s a great time to pick up some Strap Savers!) If you already have all of the Strap Savers that you need, but love Amazon, go to smile.amazon.com and pick BCRF as your charity. Amazon will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible items. If you’re like us, you’re shopping there already and the prices are exactly the same so it’s an easy way to help. Maybe next year BCRF will be able to donate more to Stage IV research. We’ll be one step closer to never again losing another person to this awful disease.

We also know that you are trusting us with your money, so we have vetted the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Ninety-one cents of every dollar is donated to research. Charity Navigator gave them an A+ and Charity Watch gave them 4 out of 4 stars. BCRF has the highest rating of any breast cancer charity. In addition, I had the opportunity to meet with Dr. Susan Domcheck, a member of the Scientific Advisory Board, personally. She was my doctor for the DNA study at University of Pennsylvania. She was both capable and kind. From my interactions with her, it’s clear that she wants to make a difference.

Shop with us, shop with Amazon, or donate directly – do whatever you can to help this great organization find a cure.

one woman in four different phases in a dressing room with the text searching for your perfect fit

The More Things Change…

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Lately I’ve noticed that my clothes haven’t been fitting quite right.  I couldn’t  put my finger on it, but they were looking a bit…  frumpy.  I have one friend who insists that I’ve been losing weight. Although my posture had been better since my back problems, the number on the scale hasn’t moved more than a pound in either direction. I finally narrowed it down to my bras. They weren’t giving me the same support that they once did. The bands were loose. Maybe this was the result of the mythical weight loss that my friend kept insisting was eluding the scale?!?

As luck would have it, during that very same week, I got an email from my favorite bra store, Sweetest Sin advertising that they were having a BIG SALE.  Who doesn’t love a BIG SALE? Angela, the owner, had done a wonderful job of fitting me the last time I’d gone bra shopping. She helped me through the process of accepting my new body, 40 lbs lighter.  Taking a trip to her store is always something special – it is beautiful, feminine and full of possibilities.

Angela’s first step was to measure me. Zero change! The mythical weight loss that I thought had translated to loose bras turned out to be simple wear. I hadn’t realized how long it had been since I’d last shopped, so I check the blog.  It was September, 2015, almost exactly two years ago. Bras do not last forever, even with Strap Savers.

It turned out I was in same spot almost exactly two years later.  Except – HURRAH! – this time, I hit the BIG SALE! Unfortunately, I was in a rush and didn’t have time to browse.  I relied on Angela’s picks based on my previous choices and she delivered quite nicely.  Thanks to her, I probably tried on some things I might not have normally considered. (ask your sales associate, you never know what you might find!)  I have 4 new bras – including a sports bra, now that my back is healthy enough for more exercise! – and I’m marking this weekend on the calendar.  I have a feeling they do this sale at this time every year. I’m not missing it again.

And – an added bonus is that Sweetest Sin accepts bra donations for domestic violence shelters, so I did many good deeds – gave some help to women in need (arguably the most important), cleared space at home, shopped locally, and did something to take care of myself.  Woo hoo!

So how long do bras last?

According to my bra guru, Erica of A Sophisticated Pair, a bra should last approximately 130 wears (I like this much better than an irrelvant time period. The demise a bra is directly related to how many times you wear it – and how you wash it, of course).  I have 7 bras, but 5 get worn most often and those appear to be less resistant to gravity. After doing the math: (365X2)/130=5.6153846154. I basically should have worn out somewhere between 5 and 6 bras. That sounds about right.  One is complete toast and I’m on the last hook with 3 of them.  The other 3 are definitely showing wear.  Ladies, do not fall into the same rut that I did.  Keep an eye on your support, you  deserve to look your best!

The Golden Gate bridge of San Francisco with a small cross section showing the cables tightened with Strap Savers

The Strap Saver Rescues San Francisco

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Supoort San Francsico With The Strap SaverOne of my favorite symbols the left coast (in addition to the Space Needle) is the Golden Gate Bridge. Some say it represents the entire country and our success from east to west. Although I’ve only been to San Francisco once, it was a wonderful trip. I have great memories of a beautiful city and sourdough bread, which is why I didn’t hesitate when Mayor Lee called and asked for our help.  

Construction on the Golden Gate Bridge began in 1933 and it opened in 1937, 80 years ago.  It was completed ahead of schedule and $1.3 million under budget.  (It’s possible that money could have been used for better materials?) It has a cable-suspension design and, although elegant against the San Francisco skyline, it has begun to wear. Decades of weather, seismic activity and pollution are taking its toll.  The support cables are stretching.  If they fall much further, it could cause permanent damage to the structure. There could be injuries and the 100,000+ cars that cross it every day could be stranded.  The city and the country would lose a treasure.

They needed a quick fix. After a consultation with our engineers, we suggested that Mayor Lee used the Double Saver Solution.  After all, the cables on the bridge do not come with adjusters! They sent us measurements and we made parts to their specifications.  We even commissioned an extra-large pink bag for safe transport across the country.

We worked with the Army Corps of Engineers, showing them the installation videos and demonstrating on tank top straps.  Once they were confident that they understood the process, they got to work.  As we’ve explained, it takes mere minutes to install (although, we’re not working with a cable made of 27,572 strands of wire).  Once the gear was in place, they tightened the stretched suspension cable with ease. The Strap Saver saved their stretched suspension wires* and the Golden Gate Bridge. The best part was the adjustability  If the cable stretches further, the city would be able use The Strap Savers to adjust the cables the desired length. The bridge was once again safe for all San Franciscans and there was much rejoicing.

When we started The Strap Saver, we had no idea how far it might go.  It’s exceeded our wildest expectations!  Mayor Lee is going to be presenting us a key to the city next week.  Don’t worry, we’ll post pictures!

*DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME.  We can neither confirm nor deny if the Golden Gate bridge is in trouble…  simply because we don’t know.  We sell lingerie accessories.  And, The Strap Saver does not save bridges.  It cannot carry more than 10 lbs each in it’s present EXTRA-STRENGTH form.  This may change in the future, but not yet. We’ll let you know if it does! Happy April 1st!

A woman hugging herself with the text "how do you look at yourself"

When Will You Embrace You?

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Learn to embrace yourselfWhen Beth and I were at the Monmouth County Fair, we met Darlene Campbell of Campbell and Kate. They make custom-sized button-down tops for large-busted women. After I stopped kvelling over the beautiful shirts, the topic turned to our blogs (this one and hers, Hourglassy) and our mutual passion for spreading the word about body positivity. She introduced me to the documentary Embrace. It’s about the worldwide culture of body loathing and shaming and how it’s reached epic proportions – and why it needs to be stopped.

As soon as we watched the trailer, we knew we had to be part of this. Check it out: (it’s only 2 minutes!)

Did it resonate with you like it did with me? I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. “This body of mine, it’s not an ornament, it’s a vehicle.”

How would you describe your body? Right now, I think I’d say that mine was ok – but a few years ago, I might’ve said exactly what Taryn said. I hated my body. I hated that my clothes didn’t fit. I hated that I’d had big boobs since I was 11 and, as a result, my posture was (is?) terrible.  I was frustrated with my migraines, lack of coordination and overall… unremarkable appearance, except for my height. Even my mousey brown hair started to turn gray at 25.

About 5 years ago, I made a concentrated effort to be kinder to myself. (If I wasn’t going to do it, who was?) I don’t know what made me change my mind (could be all the therapy…) but I do know things changed after. Life became a little easier.  Instead of hating my clothes, I sought out ones that fit – even though it took extra effort (clothes come in tall, who knew!). I ran a 5K (v e r y  s l o w l y). I took up yoga (which I have since dropped and I miss, but that’s another blog). Things aren’t perfect, but they are better.

But, until I watched this trailer, I never considered that this is the body that graduated from a 5-year program in 4 years from Syracuse University. Or that moved to NYC without a job and became a success. This is the body that hugged my mom and brought her comfort. My body helped to start this company and will hopefully someday help women like her with Jill’s Wish*. I need to celebrate that. Someday, I plan for this body to bring change to this world.  If you’re reading these words and maybe wondering about how you treat yourself, maybe I already am.

I don’t know why it’s so much easier to hate our bodies or why we say things about ourselves to ourselves that we would never say to another human being. We call ourselves all kinds of nasty, hurtful names. If someone said something like that to our friend, we’d never stand for it. Yet, so many women live with awful, negative self-talk.

I can barely digest the idea that 91% of women hate their bodies. Even if that’s an exaggeration, isn’t that a lot of wasted energy when we’re all so beautiful? And even if we weren’t (but we are), we’re so much more than our looks.

I haven’t seen the full film yet but I’m anxious to see the answers that she finds. Is there a way to fix this? How would we feel if we woke up every day loving ourselves instead? How much brighter and kinder would the world be? What if we didn’t pass this on to our daughters? What would that mean for our future?

I have so many questions – ones that I hope are answered in this documentary. After all, this is our life, aren’t we entitled to control how we feel about our own bodies?  Why do we give that gift to others?

There are many screenings of Embrace around the country, find one near you. Bring your sisters and your daughters – it appears that we have a lot to learn.

What would you do with all of that extra energy if you weren’t worried about your appearance?

*As of 11/30/2017, 5% of all sales are donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

A One Time Only Disclaimer

A One-Time Only* Disclaimer

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A One Time Only DisclaimerLast week I wrote a blog about tank tops and talked about the problem of strap length. I took issue with this, like I always do, because while this a real, tangible problem, its seems small in the grand scheme of things. It’s not likely that anyone is going to die or be harmed from a strap being too long. (should I pause for the choruses of “but what about….?” I said likely!)

I made my usual joke of this being a “first world problem” but according to Beth, my copy editor, I’ve made this point (too) many times before. And yet, I still had problems putting the sentence down without it. What if someone read it wrong and thought that I was making light of all of the suffering in the world? I could practically feel her rolling her eyes through the computer chat screen. Apparently it is obvious that I’m not that kind of person. Clearly this is a me problem. (although I’ve seen writers get reamed in the comments for the most innocent statements, so that doesn’t help my anxiety!) But because this is a compulsion and I’m learning to embrace my flaws, I thought I’d state it once and for all, so I could refer back to it whenever I was feeling squeamish.

When I talk about strap problems (brablems?), I know that this is minor when it comes to those that experience real fear/hunger/pain every day. One has absolutely nothing to do with the other. There are problems and there are Problems. This is a problem. We hope you know that and take a moment to enjoy the humor.

The only way this becomes a Problem is when being unable to find the right bra causes serious self-esteem issues. That’s just not cool. How we look contributes so much (too much?) to how we feel about ourselves. If we don’t feel good about ourselves, we’re not out making the world a better place and that’s a Problem. If we can contribute to solving that in any small way, it’s more than we’d hoped.

As we talk about solving problems, we doing our best to address Problems, too – which is another reason we’re donating 5% of all sales to Jill’s Wish**. No woman should have to worry about losing the roof over her head or paying her utility bills while undergoing breast cancer treatment. The sooner we fix this Problem the better.

We’ll continue on at this site and in this blog, talking about problems and Problems until we’ve solved them all. (take a seat, it’s going to be a while!)

*We reserve the right to make another disclaimer. Just because we say so. It’s our blog, after all!

**As of 11/30/2017, 5% of all sales are donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

The Strap Saver and Jill's Wish Join Forces

We Got Hitched!

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The Strap Saver and Jill's Wish Join Forces

EDIT: As of 11/30/2017, 5% of all sales will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

We’re very proud to announce a new partnership and the fulfillment of a goal for us: 5% of all sales will be donated to The Jill’s Wish Foundation. Jill’s Wish helps women who are undergoing breast cancer treatment (either newly diagnosed or terminal) to pay their household bills. Each fulfilled “wish” is a grant of up to $1500 for household bills and living expenses.

We all know someone who has been touched by this disease and how awful it can be – I cannot imagine having to worry about paying rent and utilities in addition to coordinating doctors visits and combating the side effects of treatment. Jill’s Wish looks to help alleviate that burden.

A little history – Jill’s Wish was founded by Jill and Bart Conelly in 2013. Jill was diagnosed with Stage IIIB breast cancer at age 31 and the Conellys had their own financial struggles during her treatment. They started Jill’s Wish to provide assistance to others so that they would not face the same problems at such a difficult time. Instead, this time should be about focusing on being with family, friends, treatment and recovery. Unfortunately, Jill passed away earlier this year and we never had the opportunity to meet her but we want to help her mission live on.

One of the original reasons we started The Strap Saver was to give back. As many of you know, I have a family history of breast cancer, but none of my relatives had to worry about a roof over their head or food on the table as they fought valiantly against this awful disease. I’ve always considered us lucky that we were able to concentrate on more important things.

I’ve been looking for a partner for us for a while and hadn’t found a good fit.  I was inspired to look into Jill’s Wish after reading Dana Donofree’s tribute to Jill in February. We met Dana, of AnaOno Intimates, a few months ago and some of the story felt familiar. I also reached out to Dana because I saw her on the Today Show, although it only took one email to get a response – and she invited Beth and myself into her studio. We had a wonderful afternoon and we left feeling inspired. Dana had been through treatment that had changed her body chemistry forever and she was still moving forward with energy, grace and success. She was honest and open with us and it was refreshing in a world where everyone likes to pretend things are perfect. (except me, of course, as you can tell by reading this blog.)  Authenticity is rare and beautiful – and it poured off of Dana in waves.

As for why we chose Jill’s Wish – it’s their mission and their method. So much attention is paid to treatment but less to what happens after the women leave the hospital. We think this is an under-served area and probably causes more stress and setbacks than we’ll ever understand.

Even though I trust Dana, I did my own research. I have a responsibility to you – our customer! Charities can be fishy business (we’ve all read about The Wounded Warrior Project) and I wanted to make sure that our money was going to the right place. The requirements for a grant are strict to ensure that they go to those that need it the most. The charity also pays the money directly to the housing lender, utility company/etc so that they know it’s serving the intended purpose.

Business can also be shady when it comes to charitable giving – with unpublicized caps (up to $10,000 and they run the promotion long after they’ve reached their maximum) or offering a percentage of the profits and profits never materialize. We’re going to give 5% of sales. So if you buy a $15 Strap Saver, we’ll donate $.75. If you buy 2 for $25, we’ll donate $1.25. If you buy 100, we’ll donate $50.25. So, buy 100! It’s for a good cause! There’s no limit and no number games. If you have any more questions, just ask. We are going to be completely transparent about this.

If you’re inclined to give more, head over to their website and donate directly or grab one of those awesome Rock What You Got tees (Jill’s favorite saying – I so need one of these). If you shop Amazon, you can contribute a percentage of your purchases without changing your experience by using their Amazon Smile page. We’ll have some updates on Jill’s Wish and all of the good things that they’ll do in the coming year – thank you for supporting us so that we can support them.

We hope that you approve of our choice – let us know!

A woman getting ready to spring clean but claims "My idea of housowkr is to sweep the room with a glance"

Spring Cleaning for a Good Cause

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A woman is ready for spring cleaning but claims "My idea of housowkr is to sweep the room with a glance"It’s April, so that must mean it’s time for spring cleaning!  Oh boy!  Can I?  Can I REALLY?  If you’re on trend, it means you’re taking the minimalist route. (which, I must admit, I like, since studies show that clutter leads to nothing good) If you’re like most, you’re simply opening up the windows and airing out your home – it’s finally warm! (although it was a mild winter in Jersey!  Woo hoo!)

While you’re on your cleaning kick, or just thinking about it if you’re me, we have a suggestion for you.  No, really, this is a good one.  How about spring cleaning your bra drawer? Most of us have one or two bras in the back of our drawer that we barely wear. Maybe we like them but they don’t fit right or they show under all of our clothes or whatever the reason, they just don’t get a spot in the rotation. Is that really fair to you, the bra or the other bras in your drawer?  Bras deserve to be worn!  And other bras deserve lots of comfy space in the drawer!  You don’t want your regular bras teasing the lonely bra “she doesn’t like you!” – do you?  Do you want that on your conscience?

Ok – on a more serious note – the real suggestion is to donate your bras.  Think of how hard it is to find the right bra when most of us have at least some resources at our disposal. Unfortunately, there are a lot of women in homeless and domestic violence shelters that aren’t as fortunate.  Many are trying to get their lives back together and they’re often relying on the kindness of others. One thing that we can do for each other is to donate those rarely used bras and give these struggling women a better selection. We all know the difference that a good bra makes. So, when you’re spring cleaning, take a walk past your underwear drawer, check if you have one that you rarely/never wear, and pass it along to someone who might need it more than you.

 

Bra donation suggestions:

Soma Boutique: partnered with the National Network to End Domestic Violence, they do a drive twice a year, but you can bring them any time

Breast Oasis: providing bras to women who may not be able to afford them, several locations across the country

Bra Recyclers: A list of independent stores across the US, Canada and Puerto Rico that will donate bras to local charities

Call your local independent bra store and ask for a suggestion.

Call your township and ask for a suggestion.

Send them to us!  PO Box 81, Englishtown, NJ 07726.  We’ll donate them to our local shelter.

 

Happy cleaning!

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