Don't have time to diet before my holiday event!

One comfortable, lightweight garment that seamlessly eliminates "back fat" as well as "muffin top" - it is no longer too good to be true.

Imagine adding the finishing touches to your hair and makeup, then effortlessly stepping into an Unbelievabra which takes away any blemishes on your silhouette.

This product includes underwire, molded cups on a silky smooth tank style foundation.  Designed by a woman (obviously,) this is the bra plus shaper replacement we have all been waiting for.




Before

After

The Alternative to Spanx Shapers

As the holidays arrive, we pay more attention to our outfits for that special party or holiday photo. We are all worried about "back fat," panty lines, stomach rolls, etc. The best way to rock your event is to feel comfortable in your own skin - or an upgrade!

Shapewear has a long and fascinating history, but the newest styles are unique in that they offer comfort as well as flattering support. The most important aspect of any shapewear is its ability to be worn effortlessly. We certainly stock an assortment of bustiers, Shapeez, iPants. Sassybax (future blog post subjects!) but the far and away bestseller is Curves by Berkshire.

Curves is made to be worn with your own bra, and it controls, shapes and smooths your entire torso all the way down to mid-thigh. Curves takes away all lines at your midsection and is absolutely ideal for thin or tight styles due to its smooth nature. The best part about Curves is how it feels very natural but looks so good!

Curves by Berkshire comes in Black or Nude, and two different styles. The Above The Waist Smoother starts right at your bra line and smooths all the way down to midthigh - leaving a lovely clean foundation for your dress to fall against. The Waist Smoother with its Tummy Toning Panel is ideal for skirts - it boasts well engineered flattening exactly where all women want it.



For best results, bring in your holiday outfit or special dress when you visit Jo Karen. There's nothing more magical than the foundation garment transformation!

See you soon,

Jaye
Assistant Manager

Hanky Panky Thongs still going strong and getting better after all these years !

If you have not heard of, or tried these thongs you are really missing out on a phenomenon!
Gail Epstin and Lida Orzeck started their collaboration in 1978.  Two women friends from college, became business partners, and Hanky Panky was born. They created samples and personally tested each one.

It is about the "fit" and their  "Signature Lace".

 

This is the "Original Thong" # 4811.  

It's Pretty!

The wide lace at the hip and the soft "V" in the back make this a very comfortable thong.

Only two women who actually wear the garment could have come up with such a perfect design.

One size fits most people.

More colors than you can imagine, the must haves are nude and black.

Lace that is incredibly soft and lays flat, no pinching, no muffin top, and a cotton crotch liner.

No panty line, invisible under clothes.

  

 Evolution of the garment has taken place over the years the "Low Rise Thong" #4911. was next.

On June 18, 2004 the Wall Street Journal printed a article about  "The Perfect Thong" and Hanky Panky took off. 

They have added more styles using the same formula  of comfort and style.
The " Boy Short" this item is sized XS-L.

 The "Retro Thong" this item is one size.

Anyone who wants to look pretty and be comfortable can find a style that works for them!
 Hanky Panky now produces; a wide variety of panty styles, Cami's, sleepwear, and many different speciality lingerie items.  Each item is designed with style and comfort in mind.

Karen
Partner/Buyer

You can e-mail questions  to personal_service@jokaren.com or post on our wall: www.facebook.comjokarenpersonalservice

Hot flashes or Night Sweats can happen all day long.These panties can help!!

KnockOut panties are made in America of Supima cotton. 
The liner of the panty is very thin, dye-free and comfortable.
 It is their patented   "NO TRACE" technology designed to wick moisture away from the body, and control odor with  breathable cotton fabric.
These properties remain effective for the life of the garment.
They are easy care, machine wash and dry although we recommend hang to dry.

Not only are they function able, but they are pretty!

This is the mid rise bikini.  It has a wide lace band to for a smooth fit under clothes...no muffin top!
This group is size S,M,L and available in three colors, nude lilac, slate. There is also a Combo thong, and a boy short.

They lacy panty is also another standout.  With a wide lace band it is smooth and very comfortable.
This design also minimizes panty lines.
The Lacy Collection is mid rise and  has three styles;
The thong sized S,M,L
The panty sized XS,S,M,L,XL
The brief sized XS,S,M,L,XL,1X,2X,3X
Colors Nude, Lilac, Slate, White, Black

It is great to find a garment that  helps with a problem we all experience and is pretty. There are more items being developed with the same technology for 2013 release. Cami, sleepwear etc.
Can't wait to see what is new!

Karen
Partner/Buyer

You can e-mail questions to personal_service@jokaren.com or post on our wall: www.facebook.comjokarenpersonalservice

How Do I know when My Bra needs to be replaced?

What is the life expectancy of a bra?  Well the industry standard is 6 months to 1 year!
The more bras you have in your rotation the longer they will all last.
If you are like me you have bras in your lingerie drawer that are any were from ......brand new to more than 5-10 yrs old (maybe older than that!!!)

 Now,  I am also hear to tell you that most of them are tired, old, and no longer fit properly. They should be thrown out.......how do you know?  Well there are several things to check ......

Does the back ride up and  "the girls slide down " ?
The straps slip off your shoulders?
Does the center of the bra pull away from your rib cage?
Is everything loose wiggly and bouncy?
Are you looking for a bra extender?
Does your lingerie drawer look like this?

If you answer yes to any of these questions your bra is done ............and you need a bra fitting!



There are some things you can do to extend the life of your bra....
Hand wash, cold water mild detergent, hang to dry....this is the best !....now I also know we are all very busy...and we do some adaptation of this....
Next Best ....do you have a lingerie bag?....hook the back put it in the bag .... use cold water, gentle cycle, mild detergent and remove  it from machine ASAP, hang to dry. This will help to assure that your bra can live its full life.
Never the dryer .....it cooks anything with stretch.
Tools!

The traditional lingerie bag works well and the newer version is a cylinder shape meant to accommodate a contour bra. The mild detergent is Soak it will help maintain the shape and the stretch of your bra, to meet the life expectancy 6 months to 1 year.

Now that you know how to determine if your bra is done, go home and throw out ALL THE EXPIRED BRAS IN YOUR DRAWER.
 We tend to think we will ...Garden in them.....Exercise in them.....etc.
There are so many beautiful garments out there  lets make room for them in our lingerie drawers!

Karen
Partner/Buyer

You can E-Mail questions to personal_service@jokaren.com  or post on our wall: www.facebook.comjokarenpersonalservice

What you can expect from our Speciality Store Bra Fitting.

When we started this business almost 9 years ago, we knew one thing ......we are committed to "Customer Service." What we didn't know was exactly how we were going to apply Customer Service to a bra fitting experience. Over the years we always have put our customer first, and the rest has fallen into place over time.

We enjoy each and every one of our customers....... we know how busy everyone is.    You may walk in at your convenience or if you feel more comfortable make an appointment. There is always a professional Bra Fitter in the store with many years’ experience. We are here for you.

You can expect to be greeted promptly ....if you want to shop undisturbed, fine, but if you are on a mission we are here to help!

You will be asked a few questions.....

The last time you purchased a bra what size did you buy?

Wire or no-wire?

Maybe one or two more....

Now at this point most of us can tell where to start...........  but we want to hear how you feel and what you expect.  This is a partnership; we want to hear all of your concerns. This is the beginning of your "bra fitting" experience.

To determine your size we will select one or two bras for you to try on. Our fitting rooms are spacious, comfortable and private.

Now at this point some people ask about measuring.........

If you wish to be measured this is done with your bra on and every step will be explained to you. Measuring gives us a place to start and is not always necessary. We are Bra Fitters ......we will check every bra on you, and discuss its features and benefits. We will point out the factors we use to determine if this is the correct bra for you.

The fitting processes is important, as we all know just as in clothing, no 2 size 10 jeans fit exactly the same just as no 2 size 36D bras fit the same way. We will also explain how bra sizing works and discuss companion bra sizes.

 We want your feedback.  Does the bra meet you expectation?  Will you wear it?  Just because we tell you it is the correct size for you.....you have to agree to wear it.  We are not finished until you are happy.

With an extensive assortment of bras from such well known manufactures as Warners, Calvin Klein, Anita, Chantelle, Wacoal, B.Tempted, Panache, Curvy Kate, and many more.......with band sizes that start at 28" and go to 50"and then some.....as well as cup sizes from AA to J, K and what ever it takes to fit our customer ......we will find it.

We love it when people call us problem solvers .......  bring us your prom dress, wedding dress, special dress or top. No problem is too big or too small and we welcome the challenge to help.  

This is the level of Customer Service and Professional Bra Fitting can expect to experience at our specialty store.

Karen

Partner/Buyer

Email questions to    personal_service@jokaren.com or www.facebook.com/jokarenpersonalservice

Night Sweats we can Help!

I  am often asked, "do you carry cotton sleepwear"?  Well, of course we do.
 I agree that cotton is comfortable and breathable, however if you perspire it gets wet and stays wet.  I also explain we have come across a line that our customers love. There are now man-made fabrics that are much more efficient at keeping you cool and dry. This is a technology that remains for the life of the garment and doesn't wash out.

 Wild Bleu, a lounge/sleepwear company from Sequim, WA, has a very practical line of separates, you can mix and match color and size. Short sleeve, long sleeve tees, boxer shorts, capris, long pants, sleep shirts, nightgowns - the list goes on! This is great if you are one size on the top and another on the bottom, you can absolutely find the combination that suits you.
They have a Good, Better, Best program so it is very easy to find a price point that works for you.  First  "The coolBLEU Collection" it is a 60/40 cotton/poly blend. The prints are fun with cartoon dog graphics.

The Better is the next step-up. This collection uses a cotton /poly Heat Release Technology, Wild Bleu has patented this blend of natural and synthetic fibers.  As I understand this, the natural fiber absorb the moisture from your skin, while the synthetic fibers push the moisture away from your body and assure that it evaporates quickly.   They say 4 times faster than cotton!    There are soft pastel prints and pointelle fabrics.

  The Best is the most popular with our customers. The collection is a beautiful bamboo blend ...... It is so soft and silky and the fabric is naturally absorbent, it speeds up moisture transfer. It also resists odor and pilling. They have a nice selection of prints, and solids to mix and match.  They also have solid black tops and bottoms that can mix and match to break up the prints. 

The items are sized Small to Extra large, as well 1X, 2X, 3X.

We are all interested in being cool and comfortable and I am always on the lookout for other manufactures that address this problem.

Karen
Partner/Buyer

you can E-Mail questions to personal_service@jokaren.com or
post on our Wall: www.facebook.com/jokarenpersonalservice

Strapless Bras at Jo Karen

 I have heard from many of you that Strapless bras prove to be a real challenge especially for those of you that are larger than a "D" cup no matter the band size. With the holidays coming and special occasion dressing becoming more important, I thought you might be interested in 2 of our best selling problem solving strapless bras.
The first is Va Bien's  "ultra lift " strapless it is totally seamless and convertible to a halter,
criss-cross, and one -shoulder strap stylings. This is a " magic"  bra in our assortment. There are three light weight, just about invisible plastic stays sealed between the layers of foam. They keep the cup up  against the body.....there is no droop forward or sliding down it is amazing. The cups are deep and the coverage is smooth and it keeps even the F,G,H,I girls contained!! Sizes 34-46 "B", 32-46C-D,
32-44E, 32-42F, 32-40G, 32-38H, 32-36I, bring your dress or top and come try it on you will not be disappointed.

This is the side view and the front view of the Va bien on a 32 "D" no droop, no roll, very smooth,

no pop out!! magic!!

The second strapless is also a best seller for us it is just a little bit less bra than the Va Bien. Wacoal's "Red Carpet" It is also a great option for the larger bust ......34-38"B", 32-40"C", 32-42"D,DD,DDD", 34-40"G". It is a little bit lower in the bridge and the cup is not quite as deep.

Same model 32 "D" just a little less bra. It works just as well just a different shape and alittle less bra.  If you are a A, B or C girl don't feel leftout we have lots of options for you !!

I am getting better at this blog thing .....I love your questions ......Talk to you soon!

Look for us on Facebook, and twitter!!
Karen
Partner/Buyer

Welcome to our new blog!

Welcome to our new blog!
We are so excited to have this format to have a conversation with you. If you would like to suggest topics for posts that would be great, we love a challenge!
There is a lot of new merchandise coming in for holiday. 
I will be in touch soon with all the details.
Look for us on Facebook, and Twitter.
Karen
Partner/Buyer

Professional Bra Fitting Tips

Professional Bra Fitting Tips:

• Get fit at least once a year, or after any weight gain/loss. A good bra fitter will talk to you about your specific shape and proportion - not just your size.
• The band of your bra should provide most of the support for your breasts. If you feel most of the pressure on your shoulders or the back of your bra is riding up then your bra is probably too big around your back.
• For a smooth look under a Tshirt you should look for a bra that envelopes all of your breast tissue, with the underwire tacking to your skin all the way under your breast.
• There is a big difference between padding and molding. A molded cup bra gives you a lift from the structure. Padding is what adds to your cup size.
• Wash your bras by hand and please keep them out of the dryer. Your bras should last from six months to a year, and they will wear the best if they are treated nicely.

At Jo Karen, we can not only help you to find the right bras to make the most of your wardrobe, but also advise you on sports bras to maximize your comfort while you're active.