IN FORM®

By Marcy Montgomery Jones
Naomi & Nicole®

Have you ever taken the time to notice the differences among women’s bodies?  Not in a “hot-or-not” sense, but in the way women are really shaped.  Thanks to current fashion trends, like fitted waists and skinny pants, people-watching affords everyone a front row seat for the display of female body silhouettes.  Consistent patterns of weight distribution across all women allows us to group these feminine figures into a few distinct categories.  I’ve previously written articles about pear-shaped and apple-shaped women, but today’s post is about those lucky ladies who have hourglass-shaped bodies.  Hourglasses have balanced bust-to-hip ratios with narrower, defined waists.  Their weight is somewhat evenly distributed throughout both their upper and lower bodies.  When weight is gained, increased fat is stored in the hips, buttocks, arms, and chest before other areas, like the upper abdomen and waist.  A majority of our society’s iconic beauties, including Marilyn Monroe, Brigitte Bardot, and Sophia Loren, have had hourglass figures.  And the heads of men and women today continue to be turned by Venuses such as Scarlett Johansson and Sofia Vergara.

(more…)

By Adam Welsch
Naomi & Nicole®

More than 100 million Americans (and countless others from around the world) tuned in Sunday night to watch the Green Bay Packers defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV.  As everyone knows, the Super Bowl is the world’s premier American football event.  But how many people know it’s also a global stage for the presentation of the latest in women’s intimate apparel?  No, I’m not talking about the costumes donned by the dancers during the halftime show (electrifying as they were).  Nor am I referring to the outfits worn by the Steelers’ or Packers’ cheerleaders (since neither team even has a cheerleading squad).  Rather, I’m talking about what more than a few of the female Wisconsin faithful in attendance were sporting: cheese bras. (more…)

By Adam Welsch
Naomi & Nicole®

If various media outlets are to be believed, the worst winter storm in the history of humankind just swept across the United States.  Coincidentally, sixty-four years ago today the record-low temperature for North America – 81 degrees below zero Fahrenheit (-63 degrees Celsius) was recorded in Snag, a village located in Canada’s Yukon Territory.  Despite Punxatawney Phil’s prediction yesterday of an early-arriving spring, all of us in the Northern Hemisphere find ourselves in February’s usual cold embrace.  So what’s a woman to do to stay warm?  A quick, easy, and relative inexpensive strategy is to wear some shapewear. (more…)

By Adam Welsch
Naomi & Nicole®

Last month, it was the Golden Globe®, People’s Choice, and Screen Actors Guild Awards®.  Later this month, it’ll be the Academy Awards®.  But tonight all eyes of the intimate apparel industry will be focused on Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City for the 2011 Femmy Gala.  Presented by the Underfashion Club, Inc., the Femmy Awards recognize the achievements of members of the intimate apparel industry. (more…)