Thermal tights a must!

Fact, it is very cold and frosty outside. Fact if you have to travel on South West trains into Waterloo anywhere between Dorking and Waterloo, think Epsom, Wimbledon, Clapham Junction and you'll know they are clonky old trains which of a morn are freezing. Biting cold in fact especially when the doors open.

I'm sure wherever you are there is a need for thermal tights at the moment and do tell me your worst cold travel issues, we can all bond over it. Luckily, despite persisting with their Per Una range, M&S have brilliant thermal tights which look like opaques but have a secret layer of ...wait for it... cosy fleece on the inside.

Toasty toes is all I have to say.

M&S 140 Denier Thermal Fleece Opaque Tights £9.50 product code T60 2193 available in store or online

High Street Pick of the Week - The 2011 Style File

The devil is in the detail. When it comes to 30s and 70s style clothes the cut and fluidity of the garments requires good underwear. Those 40s and 50s fancy pants won't cut the mustard and as for the most modern of undies - nah!

All hail the dependable M&S with these light control high rise floral lace full briefs. Get them while you can as they are currently on sale in stores and have sold out on line.

For Good Measure

I spent a lot of time last week randomly measuring women's bust measurements! It started because I noted one of the nursery nurses was wearing an ill fitting bra and as she is pregnant I was on the case immediately. The only way I could remember to bring my tape measure when picking up petit garcon was to wear it round my neck, draped in a good old fashioned dressmaker way. Invariable I conducted a few at nursery, a couple in the park and one for the neighbour in her drive.

The tape measure prompted a dialogue and it reminds me of the poster on the 3rd floor in Selfridges bra department '90% of women are wearing the wrong bra'. Shocking as that statistic is, it's true. I can tell at ten paces that someone is wearing the wrong bra, even when I see posted photos on your blogs, I'll always make a mental measurement and conclude 9 times out of 10 - wrong bra size!

Then Susie Bubble posted a great piece on flaming bras and I love the treatment and experimentation with lace bras. However, Susie made a remark about endowment and not always needing to wear a bra. Now even when I was flat chested I always wore a bra - okay 28AA isn't a size to remark upon but from an early age I was obsessed with the bust area. I noted shapes, stretch marks and how the bust looked in clothes. I made sure I found out which exercises improved the bust, splashed cold water on in a daily ritual and bought special cream. If I wasn't so busy and currently surviving on a paltry income, I'd be using the present tense. I intend to draw up a fitness routine soon to get me focused again as I've been slacking of late.

The point of detailing my obsession is ...I can say that I've survived the ravages of pregnancy, age and lifestyle abuse (I was a bit rock and roll once!) with firm breasts in tack, although I still fondly look back at 28AA now I'm a 30E.

E cup sounds dramatic but if my back was broader then my cup size would be smaller. Also cup size is dependent on the measurement from breast bone to under the armpit. I'm wider at front so a DD would cut in, to soon. I tend to assess correct bra size by tape measurement, (only ever a guidance) the eye and of course fit with differing bras. And it is the correct fitting plus support of your breast tissue that helps keep the bust area in good shape. Unless you are pancake flat like a boy then you do need to wear a bra because after a while the elasticity of the skin alters. What was once a pert pair of small breast becomes sock like and downward pointing. Keep 'em contained!

Last year I touched upon this obsession after treating myself to a fitting and new bras. My favourite purchase was a purple number with matching knickers by Sexy Panties and Naughty Knickers - imagine Mr MDS's joy when S.P.A.N.K was written on my underwear. And guess what I hadn't figured it out when I bought them.

Nice brightly coloured bras and in a range of cup sizes are hard to come by, so I was very pleased when S.P.A.N.K sent me their new collection and was particularly taken with a bright blue offering.

Nancy Bra and Pants

I love bras being on display and share a Patricia Field need to flaunt bra wearing. I don't see bras as unobtrusive numbers unless you need to create that look. I watch Mad Men for Joan's perfectly positioned pair in under garment upholstery that I adore. Equally I'm a fan of that French boudoir, louche, almost courtesan underwear apparel.

Viva Nighty Knickers

The softness of Sexy Panties bras is second to none and their hot pink bra is on my wish list. Stocked in Selfridges, Topshop and Figleaves in the UK plus Barneys and Bendels in the US - in A to FF cups. Make sure you get yourself a good bra fitting soon!

Does your underwear determine your style?

I got to thinking that, is what you wear under your clothes, as defining as the image you portray to the world? Only a few weeks ago a friend remarked how she didn't understand why people didn't have matching underwear.

I nearly choked on my calamari and muttered something incomprehensible, gesticulating my mouth was full. I used the nodding head and wide eyes in agreement look to disguise my bra and pants were of the non matching kind.

In my world a proper fitting bra is paramount and yes, at times, I do wear black pants with black bra, white pants to white bra etc. However, they are not necessarily a matching set and I'll quite happily wear any colour knickers with my bras. My pants draw consists of one purple pair of pants that match my recently purchased purple bra, the rest are a white, black, flesh, red, blue, pink mix of boy shorts. I love boy short/camisole knicker cut. They are all mostly pretty with lace or lacy in design. I love cotton and tend to buy them in M&S.

I do think that I fall into the Amy Winehouse/Patricia Field camp when it comes to underwear - ok now someone is going to tell me Ms Field wouldn't be seen dead without her matching pure silk undies - ditto for Amy. Basically I prefer my bras to pants. I worry about bras and like to wear brightly coloured ones that show - hence purple number - with the right outfit.

When it comes to underwear I'm a tomboy that occasionally plays tiger. How about you?

Focus

After a little flurry of giddyness, it is back to the reality of hard work and being focused.

Today I popped in to the wonderful bra fitting area of Selfridges to have my 6 monthly bra fitting. Now I can measure and fit, but I always like to have a second opinion. The team at Selfridges are very good and very helpful. It is often the best stocked, with nice and airy changing rooms to be fitted in. Since my little boy (who is now 2 and a half) my rib cage has slowly but surely gone back in to place and today was the day to acknowledge that return! Finally I can buy some nice numbers instead of my make do ones from John Lewis.

Nothing wrong with John Lewis lingerie department- it's just I wasn't prepared to buy above a certain price whilst my body was still changing. John Lewis is the best place for maternity, non wire, reasonable priced bras and generally useful for all manner of bust things.

Undergarments are very important to make your clothes look nice and fit well. They can also make you feel a million dollars in a t-shirt and jeans. Which is why I'm obsessed with being properly fitted. After road testing everywhere (including Rigby & Peller) I place Selfridges first, John Lewis and R&P joint second. It does depend on the person fitting so consistency is my benchmark. The team at Selfridges are the most consistent.

So it was with complete joy I discovered the Fantasie Helena Balconette bra - it truly is a divine number. A best seller to boot for those in the know. In fact Selfridges only had one in my size as someone had stocked up on this style*. The Fantasie range also gets my top vote even over the fav USA Victoria Secrets store.

Two bras later I was hooked - literally. I can not tell you what a fantastic feeling my new adornments have given me. With some top tips from the girls in Selfridges I bought the required missing bras from Figleaves and indulged in one other purple number, see photo above (plus matching briefs as not many purple ones around!) by Sexy Panties and Naughty Knickers. I don't make these names up! My staples are black, white and nude but I always like to have one bright colourful number.

Having a decent under carriage is an investment and well worth it. I'd forgo all other manner of items just to be enveloped in the most perfect bra. Sadly, I did stand at the counter practically fondling my own 'bangers' ( a la Gok Wan) because it felt so damn good!

*Not too pricey either at £24.00