I spend a lot of time talking to women about the importance of correctly fitting underwear, mostly bras to be precise. It really is where the start of looking and feeling good really begins and the power of the right size bra should never be underestimated.... but it so often is!

In over 6 years I've helped many women with their style yet can count on one hand the number who were wearing the correct size. Almost always the cup is too small and the band is too big making your boobs look droopy, adding pounds to your overall size and any definition that you may have in your waistline, well it's gone....

When was the last time you prioritised bra shopping over a new top or pair of jeans or specifically went out to be fitted for a new one??? I'd be willing to put money on you saying "not very often". So why not set yourself a task for this month which I guarantee will help to make you look and feel fabulous in your clothes. I was once told by a client who'd been fitted after our wardrobe consultation that she looked like she'd been for a boob job but without the cost!

For extra feel good factor you can then send your old but still in good condition bras to the Smalls for All charity based in Scotland who in their own words are "a Scottish Charity which collects and distributes underwear to help women and children in Africa. We help those living in orphanages, slums, IDP camps and schools, as well as providing underwear to hospitals to help those suffering from medical conditions like obstetric fistula.

Please check out this fantastic charity and do something positive with your unwanted bras or even make a small donation to support their work: www.smallsforall.org and if you want share with all of your female friends - you'd be doing them a favour too!

I listened to this really inspiring Ted talk earlier from Mindy Scheier, a fashion designer, who has a child born with a degenerative disorder and the difficulties he faced not being able to dress himself. As a result his parents, to make it easier for him, bought jogging bottoms which he began to wear every day, for school and parties and everything else in between. He felt that these singled him as all the other kids were wearing 'cool' jeans and he just wanted to fit in. He said that his joggers were making him feel more disabled. And so started the journey for his mum of how to adapt fashionable clothes to not only make him feel good and give him confidence but also allowed him to be "just like everybody else". 
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I'm in agreement with so much of what she says about the power of clothes, how they can give you confidence, empower you, make you happier, and learnt that scientists have given this a name, Enclothes Cognition. This relates to the symbolic meaning of clothing and the physical experience of wearing the clothes both of which have a direct correlation to how you feel about yourself. I often discuss this with clients and during talks and quote the same fashion pyschologist used in this talk, Dr Karen Pine and how "when you put clothes on you adapt the characteristics of what you are wearing". That's why when you wear your favourite dress or item of clothing that you know you look good in, you feel amazing. 

It's such an interesting talk and for anyone that enjoys clothes and fashion, or even for those of you who think fashion is irrelevant and unnecessary, although I don't know why you'd be following me if you did!!, I highly recommend listening to this engaging and emotional talk whether you have a child with a disability or not.

Please watch and if you do I'd love to hear your thoughts. 
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