PFC #4 - Holiday Party

The fourth Petite Fashion Challenge is being hosted by Elaine of Curls and Pearls!

The Challenge: 

Create a holiday party look using festive colors and/or holiday pieces without looking like a greeting card.

It doesn't sound too hard, right?  Except I've never been to a holiday party and don't really have any holiday pieces in my wardrobe!  But here's something I could possibly wear to a friends or family gathering:

Top:  Ann Taylor    Skirt:  Banana Republic    Cardigan:  American Eagle
Shoes:  TB Classic Reva Ballerina Flat in Black with Silver Logo, size 5.5
Necklace:  Nordstrom    Pin:  LOFT    Belt: Gift    Tights:  Simple Vera

I bought this skirt around this time last year, so it had always felt like a holiday piece to me.  I added the flower pin, which is a recent LOFT acquisition, so I'd have some green to complement my red to represent the quintessential holiday colors :)

Speaking of recent buys, I got pair of suede OTK boots from LOFT a while back when there were on sale for ~$60.  Initially I thought the fit was not great as the shaft was loose overall and had planned on returning... but I tried them on with this outfit and now I'm having second thoughts:

Hubby was less than helpful so I figured I'd ask my wonderful blog readers for opinions/feedback.  I like how they look from the front, but here are some side views:

The cuffs can be folded down, but I don't really like how that looks because then you can really see how my scrawny my thighs and calves are by comparison.  The price isn't too bad at all for boots, but I never would've thought I could do OTK boots.  What do you think... to keep or not to keep?

Sorry for all the headless pics.  Wish I had time to get all holiday-glam on ya (well, it'd also help if I actually knew how!), but I'm working nights this month and had literally just rolled out of bed at 4 pm and had to be back at work in an hour, and looked frightful in every single shot.  Serves me right for procrastinating until the last minute, but I'm glad I was still able to participate in this PFC... now to go see what everyone is wearing for their holiday parties! :)

The Amazing Angela & Other TLBC Bras

After my last post about how to find your correct bra size, I've been on the lookout for bras that fit right, and on the top of my list to try was The Little Bra Company (TLBC).  They specialize in making bras specifically designed for women with smaller band (28-36) and smaller cup (A-B) sizes.  They've been featured and loved by great petite bloggers like ExtraPetite and AlterationsNeeded.  So imagine my surprise when TLBC recently contacted me and offered to send me some sample bras to try!  I was more than delighted to take them up on their offer, since I had failed in my last attempt to find them at a local store. 

When I received their package, it was literally like Christmas in July... and boy, they did not disappoint!  Now keep in mind, I'm definitely not as genetically blessed with great proportions like PAG and others.  But for what I've got to work with, trust me when I say that this is as good as it gets! :)

My absolute favorite in terms of push-up potential is definitely Angela, which is one of their bestsellers:

I don't know how they figured out the perfect cup placement, but I was pretty surprised at the difference it made:

Left: Lily of France True Match in 32A

Right: TLBC Angela in 30A

AE dress in size 00

Having cleavage was never one of my aspirations, but I do like how this makes me look less, well, bony in front.  And to date, no other department store or Victoria Secret bra has managed this feat!  But the best part about Angela (other than the push-up of course) is absolutely NO GAPS.  Not even I tried to make it gap by hunching my shoulders and leaning forward, it doesn't!  I think it was AN who once said that putting on a well-fitting (and flattering) bra for the first time is almost like a religious experience, and I couldn't agree more!  As soon as I put this on, I seriously wanted to throw out all my other bras and start over.

In addition to a good push-up bra, another essential undergarment that was missing in my wardrobe was a good strapless.  Like many other petites, I don't own a single one that doesn't slip and slide like it's nobody's business.  This is another area that I think TLBC shines in.  Their strapless Sascha comes in band sizes that go down to a tiny 28, which may even be equivalent to a 26 in regular non-petite bra sizing.  It feels super tight and secure on, no silicone strips needed!

But in addition to staying up, it's also important that a strapless doesn't flatten me out like many that I've tried.  Although it doesn't have as much push-up as Angela, the Sascha is still padded enough to give me a nice shape under clothes:

Left: Lily of France True Match in 32A

Right: TLBC Sascha in 28A

TLBC had also sent me the Lucia to try, but I'd already ordered my own during the recent ideeli 50% off sale.  I think it's such a gorgeous bra, and I love that they make not just functional push-ups but pretty lingerie-worthy styles as well.

The Lucia in 30A fits me pretty well with no gaps, but in comparison to Angela in the same size, I'd say that the band is not as tight (I could probably go down a band size).  The cups are also not as angled and close-set, therefore the amount of push-up is not as impressive.  But it looks very pretty on, and comes in ivory which I think would be great as bridal or honeymoon lingerie.

Their price point is a little higher than I'm used to, but comparable to Victoria Secret bras at retail and definitely worth it to me because they fit so well.  If possible, I really recommend trying on their bras in different sizes to find what fits you.  Even special petite bras won't fit if you don't try the right size... and once you do, I think you'll be amazed too!  If you're not sure where to start, try this bra size calculator (measure in cm).  And since TLBC offers free shipping for orders $100+, it's easy to order the style(s) you want in different sizes, and returns shouldn't be too bad since bras are light.  Alternatively, they're also sold by other online retailers and carried in select stores - the full listing can be found here.

They have an ongoing 15% off promotion with the code ANBRIDE15, which expires on 10/10/10.  But that's not all!  TLBC has graciously offered to sponsor a giveaway for readers... so stay tuned to see how you can win a free TLBC bra of your own!!

Last but not least, don't forget to scoop! :)

Disclosure: Sample bras were provided for review purposes only and they will be sent back.  TLBC has offered for me to keep one as a courtesy.