Women's Health and Wireless Bras

I was honored and thrilled to have my naturopath, Dr. Jen Stanley, collaborate with me on a video explaining the benefits of switching to wireless bras.

Underwire bras restrict the lymph system, which is key part to our immune system.

Our lymphatic system carries toxins out of the body and when that "highway" (as Jen describes it :), is blocked, those toxins can build up and cause inflammation, fibrocystic breast, create anxiety from a build up of fluid on the chest and more.

Underwire bras can also act as antennas for all the wifi networks circling around.

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UPDATE (December 2020): One of my favvvvvorite options is Nuudii System! Nuudii describes it as the option between bra and braless and they are beyond comfortable!

Now, as of 2020, Nuudii is all I wear!

CLICK HERE to shop with my link where you can enjoy 10% off Nuudii System! And please note - you may want to go up a “cup size” (Nuudii doesn’t call them cups), but several friends have mentioned wanting to get a bigger size. I wear about a 36B and I bought Nuudii in a MM — any bigger and I would have opted for the ML.

Here are some brands that sell wireless bras:
* Wacoal (this is the brand I show in the video and I'm wearing their molded cup one, which is soooo comfortable and they have a ton of styles and sizes available)
* Natori
* Chantelle
* Curvy Couture (plus size)
* Yummy by Heather Thompson
* Cosabella
* Body bra by Victoria's Secret
* Elomi (plus size)
* Calvin Klein
* Soma

This site, http://www.faeriesdance.com/?SID=jc39..., sells wireless bras made from bamboo and organic cotton.

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Switching to a non-toxic (aluminum-free) deodorant is also a good idea since traditional deodorants and anti-perspirants, which contain toxic chemicals, can get trapped in the body when we shave, apply deodorant and then put on an underwire bra.

This is my deodorant recipe (which I can eat! :), http://www.blogthestyleacademy.com/th...

To connect with Jen and read more about her story (how she cured herself of fibromyalgia and got into natural medicine after working as an award-winning chef), please visit, www.fromscratchwellness.com

Please feel free to share with the women in your life!

Shorts Are Not My Friend (And Other Summer Style Tips for Men & Women)

Shorts are not my friend.  Finding shorts that are comfortable, flattering and don't make you look dumpy can be hard, but here are a few other tips to keep in mind for your summer wardrobe.

WOMEN
*  Metallic Bag and or Sandals - Metallics are ideal because they go with all of the neutrals (black, brown, navy, tan, white, off-white), but they also work great with prints.  If you have a printed skirt or dress, just pair it with a metallic heel or sandal! 

A metallic bag means you'll never have to change your handbag when transitioning to fall.  This makes life so much easier.  It also means you'll never have to fear being too matchy, matchy (which can happen if you're wearing a orange dress and you have an orange bag!). 


*  "Stylized" White T-Shirt - What I mean by "stylized" is something more than just a v or crewneck t-shirt.  A white tee that has rusching (gathering) at the sides, one with a fun sleeve, or one with an interesting hemline, will be your go-to for summer.  Summer outfits are usually very simple so the few pieces that we do have should be fabulous!

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MEN
*  Colored Shorts - Just like women, colored shorts are an easy way to make simple, neutral tees (or polos) pop!  Every man has a white, gray or navy polo, which would look great with a pair of colored shorts.  You don't have to pick something wild or super preppy, but try tangerine, red, yellow or light purple. 

*  Belt NOT Matching Your Shoes - Ideally, a man's belt should be in the same color family as his shoes (brown shoes, brown belt), but the summer is when we can bend that rule. 

Most men opt for a brown belt for the summer, but belts can change the vibe and feel of an outfit in an instant.  I recommend a woven canvas belt for the summer.  Opt for one in a fun color, which will make plain t-shirts, polos and khakis really pop!  (Here's an example of a canvas belt from another blog post.)

If you're not sure about the mismatch idea, then opt for a softer and more casual color like gray.  There are lots of gray gym shoes and gray belts, which look smashing with shorts, tees, polos and yes, even sport coats! 

*  Rubber Flip Flops - A flip flop is fine, but rubber ones need to stay at the beach and pool. 

The shoe always, always, always, set the tone of an outfit and nothing makes you look more like a college kid (and fashion-newbie) than rubber flip flops.  Personally, I don't want to run into my financial advisor, hair stylist or whoever wearing rubber flip flops on the city streets! 

If you're looking for a new pair for the beach, then check out Ecoalf, which pays fisherman to pick up garbage in the ocean.  Ecoalf then reuses the plastic, rubber and nylon to make very stylish bags, puffy coats, gym shoes, and yes, flip flops!  Affordable, stylish and sustainable - now that's a win-win :)

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Summer fashion can be tricky, but the key is to stay cool by keeping the clothes to a minimum, but to up the "style factor" of each piece -- colored canvas belt for men, a stylized t-shirt for women or colored shorts for either gender. 

What's your summer fashion go-to?  How do you keep cool in the heat?  I'd love to hear your style questions and comments!

Where to Donate

We wear 20% of our wardrobe, 80% of the time.  This means we reach for the same 1-2 pairs of black pants, our favorite pair of jeans, or our go-to blazer or sport coat while the other items just sit there. 

The first step towards being your most stylish self is being able to see and KNOW what you have in your wardrobe.  It's time to get rid of that 80%, but what do you do with it?

While it's tempting to just throw everything away, there are many items that can be recycled and put to good use.

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Shoes
Shoes are tricky because they take FOREVER to decompose.  Thankfully, Nike has a recycling program that allows you to bring up to 10 gym shoes (of any brand) to a Nike or Converse retail store. 

You can also mail them to the recycling facility, listed on the website, NikeReUseAShoe.com.  (The rubber, foam and fabric are ground up and used in new Nike products or for sports fields and playgrounds.)  For other shoes, see below.  :)

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Old Clothing
Good condition or not, there are several places to donate your old clothes.  H&M, The North Face and Levi's will let you bring in old clothing, shoes and accessories (from any store), in exchange for a discount on current items.  The best part - your donated items are reused or recycled. 

Earth911.com is an extremely comprehensive site that enables you to search by categories (paint, batteries, beauty products, tools and more). 

I typed in "textiles" and my city and it gave me a list of several organizations (complete with addresses and telephone numbers!), where I could donate old clothes.  A "Sheer No Nonsense Pantyhose Recycling Program" also popped up!  Am I such a geek that seeing that excites me?!  I love knowing everything can go somewhere instead of just sitting in a landfill.  It makes me feel like I'm doing my part.  :)

PlanetAid.org is another great resource for donating old clothes.  You can search their website for the location of one of their yellow donation bins. 

This nonprofit makes recycling clothes and shoes easy as these items are re-purposed or sold in developing countries.  The proceeds go towards development projects like Teacher Training, Child Aid, and Farmer's Clubs in Africa, Asia and Latin America. 

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Jeans
I always help a client get rid of jeans that never fit right or simply are out of date (super wide leg, lots of whiskering (those white horizontal lines across the top of the thigh), pockets that are too low in the back, which makes you look like you have a saggy butt!).  These can be recycled, too! 

The Blue Jeans Go Green program organizes denim drives with different retailers.  Once again, donating mean you will get a discount to buy a new pair.  What goes around comes around! 

Jeans are recycled and many of the old jeans will be used as insulation for needy communities.  Visit their site, bluejeansgogreen.com, for the next donation drive. 

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Wedding Gowns and Formal Dresses
While it would be easy to take these items to a resale shop, any of these pieces are a nice opportunity to give back. 

BridesAcrossAmerica.com helps give wedding dresses to military brides.  Any other dresses and formal accessories (jewelry, bags), can be mailed to Project GLAM in New Jersey, which helps girls whose families can't afford these items for prom.

If you're in Chicago, then check out the GlassSlipperProject.org, which also supplies dresses and accessories for young women attending prom. 

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Bras
Bras are another item you don't want to throw away because many of the pieces can be reused (the underwire, hooks). 

You can donate old bras at a Soma store or mail them to their recycling location listed on their website. 

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To resale or not?
Luxury goods are a big deal in consignment shops, but the biggest money maker (and easiest to resell), are handbags.  Of course you can also resell jewelry, sunglasses, and clothing, but again shoes are tricky. 

Some stores will only accept new shoes, while other ones will take shoes that are gently worn.  Basically, wearing used shoes kind of grosses people out.  :)  Something to think about next time you are considering a designer purchase. 

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Throwing things in the trash is never the way to go.  It costs us money and our health!  (Taxpayers are spending up to $1.1 billion EVERY year by throwing textile waste in landfills, which is based on the average charge for dumping items in a landfill of $100 per ton.)

And, let's not forget that when textiles are dumped in a landfill, they can contaminate the earth, groundwater and emit greenhouse gases, which contributes to global warming (and we all know we don't need any more of that!).  Thankfully, these organizations have stepped up and have made it easier than ever to reuse, recycle and move on!