I have a love/hate thing happening with shapewear. I love how good shapewear can make my dresses fit…but I hate the way wearing shapewear makes me feel. And after trying many different brands of shapewear, I was convinced that there simply wasn’t a way to avoid those oh so typical shapewear issues. Rolling up around the legs, rolling down around the waist, feeling constricted in my movements in general — that’s par for the course, right? WRONG, bellas. Apparently the issue was entirely with the kind of shapewear I was trying. I learned all about the RIGHT kind when I attended the Bali Style Summit, which allowed me time to meet the movers and shakers behind the brand and spend time with the fabulous bloggers who were also invited on this special trip to NYC. It was such a pleasure to meet the bloggers behind Addicted 2 Etsy, Already Pretty, Prior Fat Girl, The Budget Fashionista, Intimate Guide, Miss Vaughn from YouTube, Look Linger Love, Mom Trends, She Takes on the World, and Rainy Day Diva. And so wonderful to spend time with my homegirls The Curvy Fashionista Marie Denee, Kristin of Fashion Style Beauty, and Nichelle of Stylemom.com!
Pretty Bali bras all in a row
So what did I learn at the Bali Style Summit? Quite a bit! I learned new terminology in the world of undies — bellas, avoid the perils of VPL (Visible Panty Lines) and “underboob.” Bali execs educated us on the history of the brand (Bali bras have been around since 1927!) as well as their charitable initiatives and best selling products. Truth be told, Bali was one of those brands I viewed as having an older demographic. Turns out that Bali does make classic styles for longtime fans, but they ALSO make really chic, cute, great fitting undies for bellas like me. Check out the fun colors! The colors and patterns used by Bali are directly influenced by what their consumers want. And we the people are apparently tired of boring, beige bras!
Bali's bolder, brighter colors
If you’re plus size, Bali’s underwear comes in sizes up to 3X. If you’ve got a bigger cup size and haven’t tried a Bali bra before, their largest sizes come in 48 DDD and their bras are available on BaliCompany.com and at stores like Sears and Kohls. As it turns out, most women are currently wearing the wrong size of bra, and going to get properly fitted at the department store can make the world of difference in the weight on your shoulders and your posture. Wearing the right fitting bra just FEELS better and makes a huge difference. And I can say this as a woman who walked into the Bali Style Summit wearing the wrong size of bra. Yikes!
See me listening intently? Jen Rade is the truth!
Celebrity stylist Jen Rade spoke to us about style and shapewear, and she is both adorable and hilarious. Jen has worked with some of the biggest names in showbiz, but she says she has no interest in going to another New York Fashion Week, and hasn’t read Vogue in “like seven years.” Why? “I’m into reality and acceptance,” she explained. “Everybody has something that’s fabulous about them, that should be admired and enhanced. You have to love yourself and be comfortable in your own skin,” she said — and that message resonated so much in the room. All of the bloggers there came in different shapes and sizes and Jen truly blessed us with humor and words of inspiration.
What else did we learn from Jen?
— you should buy a lingerie bag and wash your bras and shapewear in cold water. Never dry items like these in the dryer, as harsh heat can affect the elastic. Lay items flat to dry to maintain their shape.
— If you buy a clothing item and don’t wear it for like three days…you may never wear it. It’s better to have less items of clothing that you DO wear than “a bunch of crap you never wear.” Jen’s words, not mine — but agreed. I came home and cleaned out my closet after listening to Jen!
— Layering is about different textures. You can layer with necklaces, camisoles, cardigans.
— “As a stylist, everything is about shape and proportion,” Jen said. So even on her most slender clients, Jen recommends they wear items like Bali’s Powershape shapewear.
As luck would have it, we were gifted with samples of Bali’s Powershape shapewear, and I can now speak from experience and tell you, that Hi-Waist Thigh Slimmer was exactly what I couldn’t previously find in a shapewear item. It’s got a wide waistband that prevents rolling down, and does the job comfortably without making me feel immobilized in swaddling bands of unforgiving elastic. Their No Lines. No Slip panties also completely live up to the hype and hopefully indicate an end to the scourge of VPL.
Bali bloggers go to Broadway!
The whole experience was wonderful and it ended with a bang! Thanks to Bali, the Style Summit attendees all went to a Broadway show. We went to see Cole Porter’s Anything Goes, and Broadway legend and Academy Award winner Joel Grey was one of the stars. Lead actress Sutton Foster had JUST won the Tony Award. If you’ve never been to Broadway and you have the opportunity, GO! It was such a magical experience.
For a more detailed review of the Bali Style Experience, click here to read Intimate Guide, and check out our photos on the Bali Facebook page. If you’re looking for bras and panties and shapewear of your own, definitely check out what Bali has to offer. I was so pleasantly surprised!
What are you looking for in shapewear, bellas? Have you tried anything by Bali before?
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