Soma, You Depress Me

On my recent trip to Sarasota, Florida, I had to stop in to the Soma lingerie boutique and try a bra fitting. I had done one bra fitting before, at Intimacy in Chicago, with unpleasant results, but that was several years ago, and tempted by the desire to have a perfectly fitting bra, I decided to go for it again.


Well, it was even worse than the last time! It was really depressing and kind of insulting. When I tried Intimacy, (on the suggestion and recommendation of Oprah, by the way), the parts that were disappointing were that (1) they told me I wasn't the same size in every bra company bra, so that kind of defeats the purpose of getting a bra fitting, and finding out YOUR size, because you still have to try on a bunch of different sizes to find one that works for you. And (2), the salesperson only showed me certain bras that she picked out for me. I couldn't just look around and pick out the ones I liked. The salesperson would bring a handful of bras to my dressing room, where I was trapped, topless, and then I would try them all on and say "yes" or "no." And (3) the bras were extremely expensive - like $150 each, expensive!  Obviously, I guilt-bought a couple of bras out of a sense of obligation from having used the salesperson's time, and never went back.


Anyway, on to Soma. I had high hopes because my aunt shops there and loves the store. BUT - my aunt is small chested and slim. I, however, am a 40" band, and either an F,G, or H cup, depending on the brand. But I liked that Soma just sold Soma bras, so hopefully, once they figured out my size, I could just pick any bra I liked and get it in my correct size.


Well, the first thing that I didn't like about the fitting was that their only way of measuring you was to measure underbust and full bust, and then subtract. Well, I can do that on my own! What do I need a Professional Bra Fitter for? Even the HerRoom website's bra finder (which is wonderful, BTW!) does a more comprehensive job, involving fullness, shape, etc.)

So on to the depressing part: The (very young, gorgeous, tall and model-slim) salesperson that measured me told me I was a 40G in their sizes, and then told me they had the 1" and the 3" minimizers in my size. (Sad face) Minimizers?! My boobs are one of my favorite things about my body, and something I am proud of, and Soma wants to MINIMIZE them? Seriously, those were my only choices in bras in my size. (Please note, that there is ONE pretty balconet bra available in my size from Soma, but only online). I was offended. Big girls don't always want, or need, to be Minimized. And you should have seen the ugly, pre-formed, can-stand-up-on-their-own, heavily padded, matronly, bland bras she brought me. Just two choices, and they both looked sad, and not at all sexy.


When I responded less-than-enthusiastically that I didn't want those heavy duty, old lady, cow-like bras, but wanted something colorful, lightweight, sheer, lacy, and sexy, the salesperson's eyes clouded over as she realized she had nothing for me, and was not going to make a sale. She basically shrugged and left my dressing room in annoyance.

To be fair, another salesperson, (who I took to possibly be the store manager, due to her air of authority) was more sympathetic; acknowledging the company's lack of choice for larger busted ladies, and suggested I try Sea Cup and Up for a better selection. But anyway, I left the store feeling shunned for my size, and insulted that Soma - a company that specializes in lingerie and should be in touch with women's needs in that department - was basically telling me "Yeah, you're not the kind of customer we want." I promptly returned home and purchased four beautiful, unlined, lacy, pretty bras, that fit wonderfully -  in purple, yellow, cafe au lait, and red - from HerRoom. I love you HerRoom, and all the other lingerie companies that GET IT, and embraces their customers of all sizes and shapes.

Illinois Flea Markets: Kane County vs. Grayslake

This fall I did something I've been wanting to do for a long time, which is to do a side by side comparison of the two biggest flea markets in my area of Northeastern Illinois, the Kane County Flea Market (sometimes know as the St. Charles Flea Market) and the Grayslake Antique Market. The first one is year round (no market in January) on the first Sunday/preceding Saturday of every month. There is a $5 entrance fee, but parking is free. The Grayslake Antique Market is year round on the second Sunday and preceding Saturday, monthly, and charges a $7 entrance fee, with free parking. Because the dates are staggered, there is some overlap of the vendors, but not too much.

Typical outdoor stall at the Kane County Flea Market in St. Charles, Illinois

Antique marble sink for $300 at Kane County

Vintage wicker rocking chair at Kane County

Barn-type interior stalls at Kane County

Vintage frosted glass $1 at Kane County

Vintage copper Moscow Mule mug $5 at Kane County

Vintage Avon cologne decanter at Kane County $5

Vintage rubber toy at Grayslake $30

Indian head at Grayslake

Bin of faucet knobs at Grayslake

Quirky clock at Grayslake

Midcentury Lamp/table at Grayslake

Interior stalls at Grayslake

Antique wicker rocker for $35 at Kane County.

Cute metal table, spray painted pink. $12 at Grayslake

Vintage abalone shell in resin table; $8 Grayslake

Kane Country Flea Market in the fall.

Purse for a dollar! May not be vintage, but it's adorable!!!!

Comparisons: Both locations have both outdoor stalls and indoor stalls. The indoor ones at Grayslake tend to be slightly more pricey. You can find fantastic bargains at both flea markets. I bought several purses for $1 each at Grayslake, and I got some really cute stuff, all for less than $5 at Kane County (vintage glassware).

Stylish vintage vanity table $150 and vintage bamboo purse $5; Grayslake

The Kane County market is much bigger than Grayslake, has a more traditional flea market appearance (i.e. stalls spread out on dirt paths in a county fairgrounds, or under the open-air roofs of stalls labeled "Pigs" or "Cows.").

Kane County Funnel Cakes!

The Kane Country flea market also has slightly better food options. Both have rather depressing but typical Midwestern fast food counters offering hot dogs, burgers, etc. But at Kane County, at least in the summer and fall when people can mill about out of doors, they also have stands offering hot buttered ears of corn, funnel cakes (my and my mom's favorite!), and spiced nuts. The only other available treats at the Grayslake Antique Market were some delicious baked goods baked by a local organization of nuns for their charitable organization, and it was not clear whether they are there all the time, or just once in a while.

Amazing vintage velvet skirt. Too long for me so I made it into a throw blanket $1 at Grayslake!!!! And a shot of the interior of Grayslake.

Vintage carved plastic bangles in ivory from Grayslake; $8 each. Vintage satin pillows in Perfect Condition $5 each.

I would also say that the Kane County flea market is better for furniture, as far as the amount of pieces offered and the prices, but on the negative side, it also has more "junk" vendors selling lame stuff like tube socks, baseball caps, cheap sunglasses, knock-off purses and the like.

Vintage bookend $3; vintage daisy brooches $5 each. At Grayslake Antique Market

As far as handmade items or crafts, neither flea market has very much to offer in that way: only a handful of stalls selling those items. The great majority of vendors sold vintage/antique items and collectibles, and predominantly household items. There were relatively few vendors selling vintage clothing or fabrics. I think places in Chicago would be better sources for vintage clothing lovers.

And one final note about comparisons: having been to the Brooklyn Flea Market in September, it really struck me how stereotypically Midwestern everyone looked at the two markets. The Brooklyn Flea is not only fun to shop and eat, but a place to "see and be seen" where vendors and shoppers alike are stylishly and funkily dressed, and there are so many attractive hipster type people there. The attendees at these two Illinois markets were mostly in "mom" or "dad" jeans, sweatshirts, or sports team shirts. Everyone looked very plain and unremarkable. As a Midwesterner, it was a little embarrassing.

Typical attire for a Midwestern flea market is pretty drab and utilitarian.

 So - the verdict? Both flea markets are worth the trip. Prices are generally good, and everyone is down with negotiation and bargaining. You might not find exactly what you were looking for, but you will probably find plenty to love - and spend money on!

Fewer words: Will it equal my posting more?

I don't post as often as I'd like on this blog and one of the reasons is that it is kind of daunting to do all that writing. So I am going to experiment with writing many fewer words per blog post and see if that helps me post more often. Here is my latest sewing project. Made this for myself - I have a life long love of yellow summer dresses, pintucks and flutter sleeves. This is made of a really pretty 100% cotton pale yellow dotted swiss. It's the Real Dotted Swiss with woven-in cotton tufted "dots", not the crappy modern version with synthetic flocked dots printed on.

I used this pattern from New Look.

I chose the size 16, and then did my usual alteration to the pattern of making it an A-line for my extra large bottom half.

I love the way this turned out. I had to double the fabric for the body because the fabric is so sheer, and that took a little of the flowy-ness away from it, but it does make it more wearable. It would have been too see-through if left unlined, for me to feel comfortable wearing. Can't wait for warmer weather to wear it!

Just a Few of My Favorite (and Not-So-Favorite) Things

I love to try new products and hot products. Newness always attracts me. Some of the products below are new and some are just new-to-me. I hope my experiences will help you figure out if theses products are right for you.

Stuff That's Great:

I jumped on the bandwagon at my last outing to Sephora and picked up some of these BeautyBlender brand make-up sponges. They are not very new, but for the longest time, I was hesitant because I thought, "How are they any better than the cheap drugstore make-up sponges?" But I now use them every day and wouldn't want to be without them. You can buy the large (or original size) in pink, black, (which is called the BeautyBlender Pro), or white, (which is called BeautyBlender Pure). You can also purchase a pair of small ones, called Micro Mini. The larger size is really all you need. It has the pointed end that fits perfectly in the corners of your eyes, nose, etc, so the small ones are really not necessary and in fact, are harder to use because they are so tiny and "fiddly." The large pink one is better than the drugstore cheapies because it is more dense and holds up better. It can be washed many times over and still retain its shape and use-ability. It's less floppy, so it's easier to handle and manipulate. Oh, and it's cuter, which to me is important in a beauty product. I don't wear make-up to please other people; I wear it because it's fun and playful and colorful, so that whole experience, and the appeal to all my senses, is important to me in making purchase decisions.

Another product I'm addicted to is Marula Oil. Face oils are all the rage, and I'm a big fan. I prefer them to face creams because, especially under the eyes, they improve the look of skin instantly, and don't contribute to puffiness. Not all face oils are created equal, of course, but Marula Oil stands out for me, for a few reasons. First, the smell is amazing! It's warm and spicy-smelling. I just love it. The consistency is lovely, as well. It absorbs very nicely, and I have not had any breakouts from it. The container holds a lot, (at least as far as face oils go), and the dispenser (like an eye dropper) works well, too. It is pricey like most face oils, at around $78 a bottle, but you only use a tiny bit at a time, so it lasts a long time, and doesn't go rancid.

Stuff to Skip:

Oscar Blandi Pronto Colore Root Touch-up and Highlighting Pen is a waste of money. I am always trying to figure out a way to deal with my grey roots. There's always that period of time, about 2 weeks after my last coloring, where the roots are definitely distinct but I don't really want to color again. I mean, who wants to color their hair more than once a month? So, yeah, grey roots! Ugh. Anyway, this product is a bust. It goes on like shoe polish: dull in finish, fakey color that would fool no one, and a pasty texture. I'm also kind of bummed by how much money I spent on it ($23) and how it immediately went in the trash. So keep looking - this is not the product to save those grey roots.

And speaking of expensive, another bummer is Oribe Supershine Light Moisturing Cream. I actually purchased this from Amazon by mistake, (and then used it by mistake - so I couldn't return it!). I meant to buy more of the Conditioner for Brilliance and Shine, which you use in the shower and rinse out, and to which I am absolutely devoted. But the Moisturizing Cream is a leave-in conditioner, and while it wasn't horrible, it just wasn't anything. It did absolutely nothing for my hair: no shine added, not anymore manageable than without it; just nothing.... By contrast, the Oribe Shampoo for Brilliance and Shine and Oribe Conditioner for Brilliance and Shine are absolutely worth the money. They actually change my hair in a way that is phenomenal. They make it more silky and better behaved. They are pretty pricey, though, so I actually save them for when I really want to look my best.

On to sneakers: I have feet issues. My "issues" are that I am middle-aged, heavyset, have fallen arches, Achilles tendonitis, and heel spurs. In my effort to be active with bad feet, I buy and try a lot of sneakers. You have to buy them because just slipping them on and taking a few steps in the store tells you very little about how your feet will react to the shoes after spending all day in them. I currently have a pair of sneakers that I love: the Nike Air Pegasus 30. They are like walking on clouds! Very cushy and supportive. Of course, they are discontinued! So in a few months when I need to replace them .... well, the search goes on...

These shoes, Asics Gel-Venture 4, however, were a disappointment. This shoe was reasonably cute, with a sporty black, grey, silver and hot pink design.

And it received a respectable 4 out of 5 stars on Zappos. But they just did not work for me, and I am sending them off to Goodwill. I bought them at the end of June, and I had high hopes. They feel sturdy and heavy on my feet, and fit snugly. The shoelaces are super short though, which is always annoying. I can just barely make a bow with them. What's the deal, Asics? I have only worn these shoes for running errands, and they have always let me down. Several times, at the end of running errands, which usually only lasts 3 -4 hours, and much of it sitting in my car, my feet are invariably tired and aching. Not Good! That's not even really exercise! Imagine if I had used them for a fitness walk or sightseeing, which may last 7 - 8 hours. In short, these bad boys don't have the necessary cushioning and support. I don't really understand why that is the case. Looking at the sole, it seems plenty thick, but no luck. Buh-bye, Asics!

Sew Cute! Sew Comfy! Foxy Mini Dress (or Tunic)

I just can't get enough of cute fabric, and when I saw this fox print knit, (in either grey or blue background, from GirlCharlee.com), I knew I had to have it asap! I find sewing with knits both easy and challenging at the same time. They are easy because you don't have to worry about finishing seams or any unraveling, but they are hard because the fabric can stretch out of shape so easily, both when cutting and when stitching them up. Because of that, I try to keep the lines of any garment I sew with knits very simple and plain. Lots of straight-line sewing.

Beautiful medium-weight cotton jersey and adorable foxes!

When I received this fabric in the mail, I washed it up in hot water and dried it on "normal" setting to get as much shrinkage out before I cut it. I was a little nervous to cut into it because I liked it so much, and there is always that fear in the back of my mind that I might make a mistake while sewing, and "ruin" it. But with a deep breath, I forged ahead and decided to use this Burda Style pattern 7354 from my stash. I actually created a "Frankenpattern" by using the higher-waisted design of View B, but adding a casing like in View A. I look best in high or empire waistlines, and look dreadful in low or dropped-waist designs. But I didn't want to use a straight View B because it doesn't really have a waist: that's just a self-fabric belt tied under the bust, which looks sloppy to me. And View A has the casing on the inside of the garment, and then you create buttonholes in the top and the drawstring is threaded out through the buttonholes. Well, I hate making buttonholes, so I switched that up, too.

I don't know what it is, but I love designs with fabric gathered by drawstrings. I decided to make it tunic length. I wear yoga pants or leggings constantly and am always in need of tunic length tops to go with them. It is long enough, though, that if I wore opaque tights, it could also be a mini dress (because I am that short).

This is the first double-needle hem that I have ever tried on knitwear.

I did not have to do my normal Full Bust Adjustment with this pattern because of the large amount of design ease built in to the top, so I went with my high bust measurement of 40" and made it a size 18. Another alteration I did to the pattern was to make the skirt part of the tunic an A-line shape by pivoting the pattern outward from the waist. I do this to almost all skirt patterns I work with because I am so pear shaped, with a waist that is usually 3-4 sizes smaller than my hips.

The double-needle stitching on the hem makes it look really professional!

Here is the gathering on the shoulder seam, using a self-fabric drawstring that I made.

Here is the casing that I created and sewed to the waistline.

Another pattern change I made was to creating a casing with the fabric, and pin it to the waistline on the outside. This was tricky because since there was no waist seam, figuring out exactly where to pin the casing was challenging. I tried measuring up from the hem to keep it consistent, and then tried it on and adjusted it a little bit to suit my body shape. 

In my messy sewing room. This even fits my size 12 dress form! The drawstrings make it very size-adjustable.

And here is the finished tunic! I am in love with how it has turned out and I have worn it several times already, though it probably won't get much wear this winter. The sleeve and shoulder gathering make it only a three-season (spring, summer, fall) top because it is basically sleeveless, and the voluminous fabric would not fit, or be all bunched up, if I tried to wear a cardigan with it. Regardless, I am really pleased with how this turned out.