The Elomi Portrait Project Helps Women Break Barriers + Top Tips T0 Fit a Bra
By Alison Blackman
Do you make judgments about people by their appearance? 
If you do, The a unique art exhibit called “The Elomi Portrait Project” will open your eyes to new ways of thinking.
The Elomi Portrait Project:
Elomi is a fuller figure lingerie and swimwear brand, just one of five brands by Eveden Inc in the USA, a division of the parent company Wacoal Europe.
Elomi bras, in particular, are engineered to provide a perfect fit no matter what your bra size, to give you a better shape and more comfort under your clothes.
But they’ve done more than just offer great looking, chic bras to women.
They have recently launched The Elomi Portrait Project a perception-altering experience combining art, fashion, and data meant to help shift society’s view of plus-sized women beyond how they look.
The photos above are just three of the artworks I spent time gazing at by artists Zoe Buckman, Sam Cannon, Suma Jane Dark, Jordan Sondler, Camila Rosa featuring five full figured women role models and entrepreneurs.
After a bra fitting with an ELOMI expert (read my top tips for getting a great fitting bra, below the “Read More” break), the assembled media heard the stories of unique and inspiring “large and in charge” women: Nicolette Mason, Chastity Valentine, Essie Golden, Chanté Burkett, and Kristine Thompson.
Ironically perhaps, the (rather thin) Uli Beutter Cohen of OKREAL (far left in photo) was the moderator.
From feeling confident in a bathing suit, to creating clothing curvy women really want to wear, to blogging and more, each woman had an inspiring and highly personal take on body image.
But the real takeaway of the evening was of confidence and self-worth and the message that curvy women shouldn’t just be defined by their size.
These accomplished women are all positive role models and advocates who prove that women of any size and shape can find happiness, and success if they have confidence and believe in their abilities.
Armed with a body positive attitude they are breaking barriers and changing perceptions of what a woman should look like.
Good Bras, Help!
Part of that confidence, each woman confided, was wearing Elomi bras that fit well and are comfortable as well as stylish.
Elomi bras are important to this confidence because the average bust size (in America) continues to grow due to mother nature, or perhaps, a little help from implants.
a few of the Elomi Bras on display at the event
At the media event, there were a lot of beautiful styles from Elomi to try but at my bra fitting I was matched with a Freya Fancies Underwire Plunge Bra (srp. $55-$65).
Freya Fancies Underwire Plunge Bra is available in a variety of colors
I was surprised to discover that my cup size (at least in Elomi bras) was three sizes larger than what I’d normally wear.
The Freya Fancies bra is unlined, but it supports you and the nylon/elastane bra features a “gated” back. That means it has an extra, diagonal elastic band for additional support ( Sizes GG-K do not have a keyhole or gated back.).
Learn More About The Elomi Portrait Project
Learn more about The Elomi Portrait Project by following @elomilingerie on Instagram and @elomiusa on Facebook and visit http://www.elomilingerie.com/all-you/elomi-portrait-project.aspx to meet the artists and see all of the artworks.
Now, Learn Top Tips To Find Your Best Fitting Bra Ever! [read more=”Read more” less=”Read less”]
How to Fit a Bra
this bra just doesn’t fit!
Most women really do wear bras that don’t fit them, and mostly, they are too small or the wrong shape.
To get the right fit, it really helps to be fitted by a pro, and forget about what size you think you are (as with Elomi, all bra companies and styles can be very different).
Bras “101”
Size Matters: Bra sizes are made up of back size (32, 34, 36, etc.) and cup size (A, B, C, etc.). If you’re between sizes if you go up a cup size go down in band size. If you go up in band size come down in cup size. European sizing may have different letters for cup size.
Strap Placement Matters. Many bras place the straps close to your armpits but if you’re slope-shouldered, look for a bra where the straps are placed closer to the middle.
The Band Test: to determine whether or not a bra will fit and support you, with the bra hooked on the middle setting: ask someone to put two fingers between your back and the back of your bra, then to turn their hand 90 degrees.
Their fingers should now be very firmly wedged and they shouldn’t be able to pull the bra further away from your back.
A new bra should be able to pass this test with the clasp on the middle fitting – this allows you to tighten the bra as it stretches with wear and washing.
New bras should fit on the loosest or the middle hook, never the last one and an older bra that can’t past this test on any hook won’t support you –ditch it.
Styles (more than you think)! Once you know your general size the style of bra you choose is determined by what you’ll be wearing over it.
Here are some of the most popular types of styles: Demi: ‘barely there’ coverage offering less coverage than a full cup and more than a balconette.
Balconette: little to no coverage, but balconettes create dramatic uplift and cleavage
Bralette: an unlined, soft cup bra, which resembles a crop top but without much support
Contour: these have shaped cups, which are always padded or lined. They often have an underwire
Convertible: basically describes any bra with straps that detach and can be worn in a variety of ways including – criss-cross, halter, strapless or one shouldered.
Full Cup: these bras completely cover most of the breast, offering both more coverage and more support than a demi cup bra
Minimizer: A minimizer bra reduces the appearance of the bust by up to one cup size
Foam Lined: these have a thinner lining than a padded bra which doesn’t add size but provides additional shaping as well as more modesty
Molded: these bras have machine molded cups that mirror the natural shape of a woman. They are generally unlined, either soft cup or underwire
Padded: these have some type of padding lining the cups that is thicker at the base of the cups to create the appearance of increased cleavage
Plunge: these create the appearance of increased cleavage thanks to a deep front, angled cups, and thin center gore;
Push-Up: these create the appearance of increased cleavage using angled cups that are usually with underwires and may have different types of padding including graduated and cookies, and demi cups
Racerback: for a no-show fit under tank tops these may be unlined, padded or lined, but never have underwires.
Sports Bra: designed to offer the appropriate amount of support during moderate to intense physical activity
T-Shirt Bra: seamless, contoured, and generally made of microfiber to create an ultra smooth look under knits, sweaters or clingy tops;
Underwire: a bra with a thin, flexible wire, which offers added support to the cups of bras, bustiers, and shapewear.
Try Try Try!
No matter which styles you choose, you must try them on as no two styles will ever fit the same way, even within the same company’s line.
Resist any bra that looks pinches in the store no matter how adorable. Like shoes, if the bra bothers you in the store, just wait until you have to be tortured by it all day or evening long!
Dressing Room Check List: Check these things when you’re in the dressing room:
If you are spilling out of the bra, it’s the wrong cup size, or perhaps the wrong shape.
Gaps or puckering of the cups may mean that the cups are too large, but breast tissue is soft and you may need to push yours up towards the middle of the bra to fill in the cups properly.
The straps should be adjusted to support comfortably without pressure or cutting. If the straps fall off your shoulders or feel itchy or are digging into your skin, ditch that style or try another size.
Elomi bras are available in more than 5,000 retailers and in more than 30 countries. For more information on Elomi visit: http://www.elomilingerie.com/
For more information about Eveden and to find locations in North America visit http://www.eveden.com/
social tags: @elomilingerie, #ElomiAllYou, #bra, #Bras, #selfworth, #selfconfidence, #ElomiProject, @zoebuckman, @essiegolden, @SumaJanedark, @NicoletteMason, @SamCannon, @Garnerstyle, @camixvx, @MSKristine , @JordanSondler, @Everything CurvyAndChic :
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