Discover feminine mastectomy bras and swimwear

Christmas glamour

2011-12-13T12:10:00.009Z

Christmas is a time for celebrations, but in this winter weather finding an outfit that still makes you feel fabulous and not feeling like you will catch your death is a tricky task! We have found some wonderful full length gowns and jump-suits that will keep you looking gorgeously feminine and ready for any thing, rain, wind or snow!

We have looked at some high street stores and online collections and picked out our favourite piece for you all to experiment with, enjoy!

This black satin dress is a timeless piece, the cut brings out your waist and the flared skirt adds the classic touch of elegance. With perfect coverage around the bust detailed with the over sized bow this is a very up to date Audrey Hepburn-esq!

This Jumpsuit by Ted Baker is one of the most easiest outfits to dress up, taking the glamour from Dior's Sheath dress from the 1950's, The double breasted front gives the suit a bold touch and is a great piece for anyone wanting to conceal their bust. Make this look more glamorous by adding gloves (the cap sleeve's will disguise the top of a lymphedema sleeve) and fabulous heels, to finish off this stylish piece, add a clutch bag and a delicate waist belt for a soft touch and don't forget to drop some pearls in too!

Another simple yet gorgeous outfit! This Jumpsuit from Next is perfect for a lymphedema sleeve hidden at the shoulder by the loose sleeve's and you can easily decorate your wrist with a few bracelets of your choice, fabulous coverage! and the round neck line is a great cut for woman who don't want their chest exposed. Slip on a pair of your favourite heels and a thin patent belt around your waist and you'll be ready in no time! The classic white and black fabrics has a timeless appeal.

2011-12-06T10:57:00.012Z

So we have shown you the fabulous Tux outfit's and given you a peek at our beautiful Lace styles we have loved. Now its time for the piece every woman should have in their fabulous wardrobes, the little black dress! Perfect for any occasion and a timeless piece you can wear over and over again, simple, feminine and always bang on trend! Why not try a hot little number with long sleeves for that all important arm coverage, and look for strategically placed mesh or voile panels to add interest and give the appearance of a less covered look whilst keeping your modesty intact.

Take inspiration from Helen, Lisa, Michelle and Tilda who work the look to the max.

From top to bottom- Helen Mirren, Lisa Kudrow (Friends), Michelle Obama and Tilda Swinton

These are the celebrities we thought were fabulous, classically feminine and bang on trend!

Below are the similar dresses we have searched for and found perfect!

From Top to Bottom- Damsel in a dress sparkle maxi by Next, Wrap dress by Phase Eight, Tiered Dress by Reiss and Damsel in a dress cut work sleeves by next and Mesh Tape Work dress by Phase Eight

Your Christmas party wardrobe.... continued!

2011-11-30T11:05:00.010Z

From the perfect Little Black Dress to something a little more eye catching, we have made a little collection of fabulous dresses to help you through your Christmas celebrations with style and confidence, all from the high-street stores, so effortless style right on your doorstep!

We absolutely love lace! bang up to date, perfect, easy and feminine. A great investment piece, lace has timeless appeal and reveals just enough for a sexy Christmas outfit. Long sleeved lace styles are a perfect cover up for a lymphoedema sleeve. Choose styles that are lined or with an under slip for discrete bra wearing. High neck styles work really well, giving coverage with a seductive hint of exposure.

Scarlett Johansson and Felicity Jones on the Red Carpet, looking sophisticated and beautifully eye catching.

Take a look at the gorgeous lace piece's we have discovered for your fabulous look.

Left to Right, Asos flocked mesh midi dress.

Oasis 3/4 sleeved dream dress.

Left to Right- Tesco's Flutter sleeve dress. Debenhams mid length floral lace.

Your Christmas party wardrobe!

2011-11-29T14:47:00.015Z

Welcome to our latest post ladies, it’s that time of year again! Celebrations, presents and lots of family and work gatherings! So we’re here to help you out with your Christmas party wardrobe.

Gathering ideas from the Catwalk, red carpet and High street and twisting them into our own styles, to bring back your confidence after your treatment and surgeries. Take a look at what we picked out from the online stores and what we adored on the red carpet, all to bring out the best of your feminine beautiful shapes just in time for Christmas! FABULOUS!

Lets start with the Christmas party and evening wear

THE TUX-

This look will always be a winner, the powerful well fitted blazer is a strong feature. Dressed with the perfect heels and a bold lipstick, it says confident, feminine woman.

You can team this with a pencil skirt or cropped or peg leg trousers. Or why not be bang up to date with dressy shorts and sheer tights as a great alternative that will draw attention to your fabulous legs and away from your upper body, Having a well tailored crisp white shirt or a sexy silk blouse is perfect coverage for those of us who want to avoid bearing our upper bodies, and the soft bow gives a feminine elegance to this look!

below are a few celebrities who have added a twist to the Tux look!

splash of colour and sparkle!

polka-dots and mini shorts

Or a cheeky bit of stocking!

About the Girl’s Bra Bank: The Uplifting Recycling Scheme

2011-06-13T16:25:00.010+01:00

About the Girl’s Bra Bank: The Uplifting Recycling Scheme

Here at About the Girl, we understand how difficult it is dispose of your old bras after breast cancer treatment, but we definitely don’t like to see a good bra go to waste.

With this in mind we’ve teamed up with BCR Against Breast Cancer’s, Bra Bank Recycling Project:

http://bit.ly/jwzM5R

Their joint aim is to ‘help raise vital funds, for their dedicated research to improve detection and survival.

The campaign urges you to give all your old bras a new lease of life and help raise money for breast cancer research. By depositing no longer needed but wearable bras, in the Bra Bank and they will be whisked away to Africa, where there is a short supply of affordable bras. Against Breast Cancer will receive a donation based on the weight of bras we collect – so every bra counts.’

We thought this was a great idea to cut down on waste and benefit the global environment. However, we felt the Bra Bank would be specifically appropriate for About the Girls customers. Amy recalls:

“It was after my lumpectomy and mastectomy, during the grueling chemotherapy and radiotherapy, that I felt at my lowest ebb. I remember taking out all of my beautiful bras from the drawer and dumping them in a plastic bag. There was no point in keeping them”

This, (combined with the lack of pretty feminine and comfortable post surgery lingerie) were the inspiration behind About the Girl. So we really understand how offering a Bra Bank would be especially therapeutic for our customers; to know when they visit At Forty One, for their new mastectomy wear, there old bra’s weren’t being disregarded in vein.

That’s much better.

Brighton Fashion Week Earns About the Girl Recognition as an Innovative New Lingerie Designer

2011-06-08T19:53:00.008+01:00

Brighton Fashion Week Earns About the Girl Recognition as an Innovative New Lingerie Designer

Brighton Fashion Weeks Ready to Wear show proved a huge success for About the Girl, where we stood out as the only lingerie brand in the show.

The models looked stunning as they glide down the catwalk in About the Girls bold yet elegant creations, which comprised of bras, knickers matching camisoles and slips.

The vintage music and sophisticated styling transported the audience back another era reminiscent of old style glamour and iconic silver screen idols.

The fashionable audience and industry professionals alike, loved About the Girls new designs. Following this positive attention About the Girl has been nominated for New Designer of the Year at this years UK Lingerie Awards. But we need your votes, all you have to do is enter the link:

http://www.uklingerieawards.com/new-designer-of-the-year/

Type our brand name: About the Girl

Plus a short 20 words explaining why we deserve the title ‘New Designer of the Year’ (as far as we’re aware there are no other mastectomy designers in the category this year).

Thank you.

About the Girl Hits Brighton Fashion Week

2011-05-31T14:50:00.009+01:00

About the Girl Hits Brighton Fashion Week

We are very excited that About the Girl is set to showcase our latest creations at Brighton Fashion Week’s Ready to Wear show.

Lead by our head designer Amy Bath, our talented team of garment technologists and machinists, have been working hard at the showroom and workshop, At Forty One, to devise and produce 9 more silk lingerie looks. These outfits will be added to our silk collection that is already 3 designs strong. Whilst Amy’s original brief was to design for women who have been affected by breast cancer, her new styles will appeal to all women looking for lovely non-wired bras and intimate apparel.

Popular blogger, Kelly Short, of TV’s How to Look Good Naked (@kelly_talks U.K., on twitter) has modeled the first three pieces that will inspire the rest of this lingerie collection. In a photo-shot that earned About the Girl a reputation for bold but elegant lingerie designs, we hope the rest of our collection will live up to this.

Brighton Fashion Week will be the perfect opportunity to compare ideas from other local up and coming designers, and see what elements of the general fashion industry as a whole, could be utilized in our more specific lingerie sector. About the Girl will also be closing the Ready to Wear Show in a lively finale of our collection.

We will also be running a promotion where customers who buy a silk bra on the day will receive a free bespoke fitting and the opportunity to visit At Forty One, where we will make up and fit their favourite silk bra design to their exact measurements for no extra charge. So if you’re local to Brighton and want to take advantage of this fabulous promotion, pop in and see us.

Here is the link to Brighton Fashion Weeks page for details of our of tickets to the event:

http://www.brightonfashionweek.co.uk/digital-schedule#itemId=662

And we will be of course blogging post catwalk, to let you know how it went and so you can see the pictures.

Wish us luck.

About the Girl Counts Down the Top Ten Celebrity Beach Trends this Summer

2011-05-23T21:06:00.016+01:00

About the Girl Counts Down the Top Ten Celebrity Beach Trends this Summer

Can you spot the difference?

10. Tankini’s:

Just as the nations sweetheart jet’s off to LA, she’ll be in need to her pink tankini on her days off lounging by the pool. Here’s our version of Cheryl Cole’s Pink Tankini.

9. Mix and Match:

Demonstrating how to make your beach wardrobe stretch further, Miley Cyrus show’s us how to mix and match different plain bottoms with a more distinctive bikini top.

8. Kaftans:

Kim Kardashian shows us how to frolic glamourously on the beach whilst wearing a kaftan, a great compromise when not wanting to reveal to much when having fun in the sun.

7. Maxi Dresses:

Gorgeous post-mastectomy lady, Christina Applegate, rocking a maxi dress with nice coverage on the beach.

6. Black Slimming Maillots:

Doesn’t Blake Lively’s slimming black Mailott look familiar? Well we think our Spanx version, with it’s slimming technology, will make ladies look just as flattering.

5. Sarongs:

Don’t want to show too much thigh when strolling up and down the beach? Neither does Paris Hilton, we match her sarong style.

4. Big Hats:

Ok so maybe Kim Cattrel’s fictional character Samantha Jones, of Sex and the City fame, has taken the big hat beach-side trend one step beyond in this picture, but we rate toned big hat on the beach to protect you face from those strong rays.

3. Prints:

The busier the better, from Aztec – tribal, from floral to paisley. Curvy Kelly illustrates how to work this feminine flowery bikini, not unlike About the Girls, spring Carnival design.

2. Bandeaus:

Almost 40 and still looks knock out in a bikini, Cameron Diaz is a Patron for the Bandeaus still, and so are we.

1. Cut Out Maillots:

Fellow fabulous breast cancer survivor Kylie, looks stunning in this black cut out maillots, here’s our slightly less risqué homage to ‘beach babeness’.

All the About the Girl styles are available from our website: http://www.aboutthegirl.co.uk, or from our showroom, At Forty One, Sussex, UK.

At Forty One Launch Party

2011-05-17T11:19:00.014+01:00

At Forty One’s Launch

Hello readers, hope you’re well. If you didn’t make it down yourselves, I suppose you’re wondering how At Forty One’s launch went?

Well, it was buzzing, the Thursday 12^th May 2011 event was packed, with ladies desperate to see At Forty One’s own brand, About the Girl’s, exclusive silk designed lingerie sets and much more.

Not only were there women who had been affected by breast cancer in attendance, there was a much wider spectrum of customer, from those who were looking for a lingerie specialist to the maternity fashionista’s. All ladies were united in their delight at seeing the fashionable, stylish swimwear lines (with matching beach dresses, kaftans and cover-ups) including a wide range of Seafolly designs.

About the Girls beautiful own brand non-wired bras were also popular and the range of accessories produced by local artists, such as hats, antique candles and stunning hand-made jewellery complimented with apparel perfectly.

The ribbon was cut by Breast Cancer Care’s director, Diana Jupp, who spoke about the importance of retailers like At Forty One, for raising women’s self esteem. She also mentioned how much she was looking forward to the showroom being utilized within the local community around Sussex and by the wider breast cancer community, as a venue that will be available for charity coffee mornings, lingerie evenings and support group events.

Popular breast cancer bloggers, such as Kelly Short (from TV’s How to Look Good Naked), were also in attendance, and commented on how crucial it is for women to go to an environment where post-mastectomy is the norm, and where staff are equipped to deal with measuring and fittings after surgery in a sensitive and caring way. Whilst other ladies popped by, not realising the links to breast surgery, just to purchase some beautiful underwear.

Amy’s mission is to provide a haven for women who had been through a similar experience to herself,

‘It was very important for me to feel confident and attractive after my surgery and I was determined to be able to dress as I always had – in pretty and delicate French underwear. I soon realised that there is very little choice on the market and became resolute to fill that gap with lingerie that makes women who have had cancer feel like the beautiful and courageous women they are.’

Nevertheless in doing this she has reached out to all women who desire beautiful lingerie or swimwear, whatever their needs are.

Mastectomy Swimwear Latest News

2011-04-11T15:54:00.006+01:00

Latest News

Sorry this blog’s been quiet for a while, it’s not that I’ve forgotten you readers; it’s been a really busy and exciting time here.

We’ve not only moved premises (and home!) but have been renovating our fantastic new show room, called At Forty-One. You’ll now be able to visit us, see and try on all the website styles and find new exclusive designs before they go online. We can offer a professional fitting service or just stop by for tea and a chat, (there may even be cake if I’ve been baking!) Just give us a call before travelling to check our opening times, please book for a fitting.

New Swimwear Lines

It feels like summer is on its way with all the lovely sunshine we’ve been getting. Breakfast alfresco has been a great treat! The warmer whether has put me in a holiday mood and we have some fantastic new swimwear styles just gone on line.

The new 2011 designs from Seafolly really hit the spot for beautiful stylish beach wear, and the fabulous Spanx maillot has us all drooling, classic styling with all the Spanx control technology, perfect.

Have a look, it’s at http://www.aboutthegirl.co.uk/swimwear .

We pre-viewed the new styles at the Brighton Macmillan Fashion show on Friday and everyone loved them. Here’s a picture of the fabulous Sophie Corbett, who hosted the event modelling our Spanx Suit.

Professional Models VS Real Life Models: Have Your Say

Here at About the Girl, we understand that customer feedback is our most important sounding board for market research. We know some people love to see lingerie on a gorgeous professional model:

But we also understand that our most of our customers have been through a mastectomy and would probably like our designs on an equally gorgeous mastectomy model. So we hope you like some of our new images. We wanted to show the swimwear on real women as well.

At the moment, the website has some pictures of pro models, and others of real women – but which do you prefer?

Do you think we should follow classic lingerie companies and only use the press pictures of pro models?

Should we do away with tradition and use only real women?

Or would you prefer a healthy mix of both?

Please get in touch and let us know – we’d love to hear from you.

New Styles Just In

2011-02-02T22:29:00.002Z

New styles have just arrived and will be online very soon.

Reveal

2010-09-28T10:26:00.003+01:00

I'm on a mission to make the post mastectomy body more acceptable and reduce the shock of seeing a mastectomy for the first time. So being a shy and retiring person (yes really!) I took my clothes off and revealed all in Reveal Magazine and this is the result.

When I had my mastectomy I had not seen even a photo of one and it was hard to imagine how I would look. I really hope the photo makes a difference.

Stop Press

2010-09-03T07:20:00.008+01:00

New exclusive styles coming to the our website soon

Tips to get a Perfect Mastectomy Bra Fit

2010-06-25T13:22:00.005+01:00

With more than 70% of the adult female population wearing the wrong size bra, the chances are that unless you have been professionally fitted you are not wearing the best-sized bra for you. Add to that the fact that your prosthesis was probably fitted to your own bra, there is also a possibility that the prosthesis is not quite right either.
When choosing new lingerie it is important to know your correct size. So starting at the beginning; this is my guide to mastectomy bra fitting.

First things first, the band measurement is the starting point. This is the measurement around the back and chest measured just under the breast. The measuring tape needs to be level at the back, fit snugly under the breast and be level on the mastectomy side. It should feel tight without causing discomfort. Obviously after surgery and/or radiotherapy, the area may be tender so find a tightness that is comfortable for you.

Things then get more complicated. If you are using a metric measurement then the tape measurement in cm becomes the metric band size to the nearest 5 cm eg 85, 90, 95. However in the UK we are more used to the imperial measurement system. This imperial system dates to a time before cup sizing was developed so it is not as simple as taking the measurement and this being the band size.

Traditionally the idea is to add 4” to an even band measurement ie tape measurement =30” Band size 34”
And to add 5” to an odd number eg;
Tape measurement =31” Band size would be 36”

However, in my experience (and from consulting other bra fitters) this gives a band size that will be too loose to support the breast adequately and the band rides up the back as the shoulder straps are tightened in an attempt to try to give the support that is lacking. The shoulder straps then dig in and neck and shoulder problems can occur.

In practise, adding 2” to an even number and 3” to an odd result gives a much more realistic result. Ideally, when the bra is being worn it should feel tight but allow two fingers to be able to fit behind the back clasp.

Next a cup measurement is needed. This is not the easiest measurement to take after a mastectomy and in practise, trial and error seems to be the only method. But the principle is this: measure around the body at breast level and compare the result with the band size, to take this measurement after a mastectomy, the only sensible way I have found is to measure from the centre-front to the centre-back on the side of the remaining breast and double the result).
Once you have this measurement you can then calculate your cup size as follows;

Difference between the band measurement and the measurement around the bust in inches
Cup Size inches cm
A 0 10-12
B 1 13-15
C 2 15-17
D 3 18-20
DD 4 20-22
E 5 23-25
F 6 26-28

Therefore, as a guide, an A cup has the same measurement around the breasts as the band size (remember to add the 2 or 3”to the actual bra measurement). The B cup is 1’’ larger, C cup 2”, D cup 3” etc.

That’s the science! But as different manufacturers and styles can vary quite considerably and because we are all different shapes, there is no better way than to try on various bras in different sizes to get a better idea of the correct fit.

fitting bra should look and feel;
• The band should be tight enough that the bra fits comfortably across the lower back and will not ride up
• The breast should be well contained within the cup
• The bra should fit well under the root of the breast
• The centre-front sits flat against the breast bone
• There are no wrinkles in the cup

Have a look at yourself in your current bra (make sure you jiggle yourself into it correctly). Is it sitting at the correct height across the back? If not, is this because you have not done it up tightly enough? If it is still too loose on the tightest setting then the band size is too big (remember that just like a pair of shoes, the bra will give gradually over time so a new bra needs to be fitted tight on the loosest hook setting and tightened as the elastic relaxes).

Once you are happy with the band size, have a look at the cups. Fit the bra to your breast rather than the prosthesis, as your prosthesis might not be the right size for you Is your breast spilling over the top of the cup? If the answer is yes then you are wearing the wrong cup size for that bra and need a larger cup.

Finally, the perfect mastectomy bra will also have the following features;
• Ideally a mastectomy bra should be non-wired
• The shoulder straps should be central rather than balconette style
• The centre front should be deeper than a standard bra
• The bra should be wide under the arms to give good support
• A full cup bra is usually a necessity
• Most mastectomy bras will have pockets to hold a breast form.

I think I've just written War and Peace! Hope it helps you to choose the right bra.

Happy fitting!

A Partner's View

2010-04-22T09:23:00.000+01:00

When my partner was going through her breast cancer treatment and whenever she had a scare and had to go back to hospital for bloods and scans, I would inwardly panic. What if she dies? What if they didn’t get all of the cancer and it gets past the lymph nodes? Lots and lots of questions, but the answers came slowly; a week to get the results of a scan. During that time I lost sleep, I was really stressed and worried and it wasn’t even my illness! I have been affected more by my partner’s breast cancer than any illness I have ever had. I used to look at her standing in front of the mirror trying to raise her arm a centimetre more than she did the day before and think “how am I supposed to help support her when she has more determination and strength than I do?”

This is a pretty tricky one as we guys are generally useless at asking for help. There are lots of anecdotes to support this comment. For example, when a man’s driving, why does he never ask the way when he’s lost? Society conditions us to be strong, masculine and supportive of the ‘fairer sex’. All the old caveman instincts come rushing to the fore, regardless of the changes affecting society.

Going to one’s GP is for wimps, which presumably is one of the reasons prostate cancer is often only discovered in the latter stages. Contrast that to women who are used to going to their GP, for gynae problems, contraception, childbirth, the children’s illnesses etc.

We seem to think that inner strength means we can’t discuss our worries and concerns, so we bottle it up. I survived of course. Mainly because it wasn’t me that had the life threatening disease, but my concerns about the lack of support for partners of breast cancer patients, stayed with me.

I shared these thoughts, whenever appropriate, which wasn’t often. Not the sort of thing you talk about at work, watching a rugby international or shopping at Tesco.

Two years later, I finally ‘got off my backside’ and volunteered for Partner Support at Breast Cancer Care. I’m halfway through the training, so should anyone be interested, I’ll let you know how I get on. The idea is that I (and others of course) provide telephone support for any partner that wants to ‘just talk to someone’ about their concerns.

And therein lies the rub; you realise that you’re going to have to find the number, dial it and put the phone in his hand don’t you?

How To Find The Perfect Mastectomy Swimwear

2010-04-16T17:48:00.005+01:00

If you are like me, you will be facing the annual swimwear dilemma in the next couple of months. A dilemma made much more difficult following a mastectomy.

But just because I have had a mastectomy doesn’t mean that I no-longer want to find something to wear that accentuates my good points and flatters those body areas I am less keen on. I want something stylish and fashionable but it also has to accommodate a swim form and still allow me to feel confident, “normal’ and attractive. Not any easy find but not impossible. The question is where to start.

Choosing the right colours, accessories, styles and shapes that work together to highlight your assets and flatter is key and a good place to start is to identify your body shape and the style of swimwear that suits this shape. You may already have swimwear to suit your shape that you love which may be suitable to adapt to mastectomy swimwear by adding a pocket for a breast form.

I’m still the same shape as I always have been, though a heavier version thanks to Tamoxifen, I am definitely pear shaped so the same ‘rules’ apply now as they did before my surgery;

Those of us who are pear shaped, i.e. hips are wider than bust measurement, are advised to choose bikinis or tankinis with a pretty top with detailing to draw the eye to the top rather than the hips or bottom. For example beads, loops, or knots, and a frill can give a curvy look. A halter neck style emphasises the bust and the shoulders. Low-rise, hip-skimming bikini bottoms that cut across the widest part of the hips look good and tie-side hipsters can look great on larger hips.

Conversely, bigger busted women may wish to find bikini bottoms that have some interesting details to draw the eye away from the bust. If you’ve got an apple-shaped body and you wish to slim down your fabulous curves a little then darker colours can have a slimming effect.

Always try to emphasis your best assets; if you have great legs but want to disguise your tummy, a tankini is a good solution. To elongate your body, try a halter-top bikini and hipster bottoms. To lengthen the legs, go for a style with high cut legs. If you want to disguise your legs, a sarong is a great cover up.

Think about the colour and remember that dark colours are slimming and distract. Soft blues, aqua’s and charcoal are flattering to pale skin and bright colours look great on tanned or dark skin.

The next consideration is your personal preference for coverage. I’m of the opinion that I prefer mastectomy swimwear that has less coverage and looks more fashionable than what is traditionally available. I feel less self-conscious in a smaller style even if that means that I might reveal a small amount of scar. But this really is a personal decision and only you know how you feel about this. Whatever your choice, you need to make sure that your swimwear will work with your choice of swim form, ensuring that it has pockets to keep the swim form in place.

A variety of swim forms are available which vary in price and suitability. I love my beanie which is great in my bikini. The micro bean filling doesn’t absorb any water so it doesn’t get heavy and is quick to dry out when I have removed it from the bikini and rinsed it. It is also a good economical choice (our swimwear comes with a free beanie).

It is important that your swimwear fits snugly enough so that when you lean forward, your prosthesis continues to hug the chest wall. Remember that when your costume gets wet it will enlarge slightly, so make sure that it is not too large when you choose it. Bikinis and Tankinis that can be bought as separates, so that you can buy different top and bottom sizes, makes getting the fit right much easier.

Remember too that, although budget is always a consideration, finding swimwear that gives you confidence is priceless and that often, cheaper ranges are made from poor quality fabrics that are thin and may not disguise any unevenness of the swim form as well as better quality brands.

Finding mastectomy swimwear is often a difficult and emotional task. Always remember that regardless of our body shapes we are beautiful courageous women.

Check out the fantastic mastectomy swimwear on our website www.aboutthegirl.co.uk

Top Tips To Get Through

2010-03-28T21:13:00.003+01:00

One of the things that would have been great when I was going through all the treatments for breast cancer was a resource which had tips from other women who had been through it all and found things to help.

The things that aren't found in the medical literature, the things that your best friend might tell you if she had been through it all.

Things like; A pashmina is great to take with you when you go to a radiotherapy session because the room is always so cold and you can cover the areas not being treated and being thin it doesn't get in the way.

Or; Take sweets with you to suck during chemo to take away any bad tastes ( even now I can't eat Werthers Originals so maybe don't take your favourite sweets).

So if any of you have tips that worked for you that you think would help others please add them.

It would be great to put together lots of help.

Amy

New Multi Currency Website

2010-03-08T07:24:00.003Z

Our new website is now live.

The new, improved website now allows purchases in dollars and euros. It has a new 'girl talk' section, where visitors can add comments and the opportunity to add product reviews on the product pages. The blog is now accessible from the site and our media page will be added very soon.

The new website is easier to use and the payment system is totally updated.

Let us know what you think.

2010-02-08T14:46:00.004Z

Not long now; the new mastectomy swimwear range will arrive mid March. Here's a quick peak

2010-01-14T14:16:00.001Z

Aboutthegirl to Launch Stylish Mastectomy Swimwear Range

As a breast cancer survivor, I understand from experience how easy it is to lose confidence as a woman after suffering the trauma of a mastectomy. Why should women who have had any type of breast surgery be made to feel different on the beach or around the pool by the choice of mastectomy swimwear available.

From March 2010, www.aboutthegirl.co.uk will offer a new range of post mastectomy swimwear with pockets to hold breast forms that are stylish, flattering and fun. There are great ranges of bandeau style bikinis available for post mastectomy women as well as colourful tankinis that are feminine and charming.

“I trialled the goddess bikini last summer and felt fabulous. I felt confident and secure without feeling conspicuous that I was wearing mastectomy swimwear. Most post surgery swimwear seems to me to compromise style for coverage and I believe women should be able to choose to wear more stylish items”.

Choosing a post mastectomy swimsuit is part dependent on what type of breast surgery a women has had and not all women want to wear the very high coverage swimwear currently available. The styles at aboutthegirl.co.uk have been chosen with this in mind. The designs have pocketed formed cups, which are designed to disguise any unevenness caused by a breast form whilst maintaining a beautiful cut of material. Non slip tape provides a secure fit.

Hot vibrant colours are very fashionable so why not be adventurous and steer away from that safe black number, but remember to choose a colour that brings out the best in your skin tone. About the girl has swimwear in hot pink, blue polka dot, soft duckegg blue and black.

Remember to compliment your look with some trendy sandals, a sarong, and a floppy sun hat. You will feel ready to embrace the sunshine and feel like a sexy, confident lady with a smile on your face and a shine in your eyes.

Changing the world of mastectomy bras and mastectomy lingerie.

2009-12-10T16:52:00.002Z

Breast cancer survivor launches specialist website after being dismayed with poor choice of mastectomy underwear available.

AboutTheGirl, is committed to providing sexy, pretty and feminine mastectomy underwear.

Set up by Amy Bath after breast cancer, www.aboutthegirl.co.uk sells lingerie designed to restore confidence and make women feel attractive again.Of course the post-mastectomy period is difficult for any woman.

There may be a feeling that an essential part of femininity has been lost forever and it may take some time to fully come to terms with those feelings.

The story of Amy should ring true with most ladies in the same situation: Two years ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer. In October 2007 she had a lumpectomy followed by a mastectomy and then chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy. Amy found dealing with the sickness during chemo and the soreness from the radiotherapy difficult.

However, in some ways the worst was the lack of self-confidence and the feeling of being unattractive. All of which, of course, will be common knowledge to other breast cancer sufferers, but there were times when she really struggled to cope and stay positive.

Before breast cancer Amy always wore pretty, feminine lingerie. She was really dismayed to find, at the very time that confidence in my appearance was at its lowest, that the choice available to me was very disappointing. When she was made redundant from her job working for a regional charity, Amy decided that if she was going to do something about the situation it was 'now or never.'

After searching everywhere to find underwear that would appeal to young and younger-minded breast cancer patients like herself, it took Amy quite some time to find and negotiate deals with suppliers. You should understand what it means to a breast cancer patient to be able to wear soft, comfortable, pretty and feminine lingerie.

Some of the underwear sourced will be adapted and sometime next year, the plan is to start manufacturing her own exclusive designs, to introduce a number of new ranges of bras, lingerie and to add swimwear to the website early in the New Year ready for Summer 2010.

Visit www.aboutthegirl.co.uk for advice about fitting, and view the full range of pretty mastectomy bra sets, lingerie and mastectomy swimwear.