The 6.99 Boob job and Other Fabulous Adventure

Yeah so I've been thinking (for about the last seven years or so) that my bra size wasn't just right, but I've never done very much about that...I mean, in the last ten years I've been anything from 7.5 stone to 8.5 stone. And through it all I've stuck doggedly to the same bra size I started wearing when I was a fresher in Trinity. 'Sure it fits well enough' I'd think. 'And don't I have a huge bloody collection of this size' I'd think to myself. Be a fortune to throw them out and start again...

But last week a friend of mine got fitted properly for a bra and raved about how fab it was to have a bra that fits, and how fab that makes your boobs look. So off I went to find myself a tape measure and to measure myself up.

So. Calculating your bra size. I remember years ago magazines like Jackie and Blue Jeans used to devote acres of coverage to calculating your bra size. It always seemed to involve a friend measuring you for accuracy, then complicated calculations on a piece of paper, which never seemed to make sense...you know, measure the bit around your rib cage. Then measure the 'fullest' part of your chest. Then if one's an odd number add four. And if it's an even number add five. Then the difference is your cup size.

Holy Frig. I wasn't about to faff around with that system again, so I googled bra calculators...and found this one. I inputted my 3 measurements (apparently you need to know what you are under your oxters too...) and got my bra size in UK, Europe, and the US...

The results surprised me...I thought I needed to go up a cup size or so. But instead it turns out I seem to have made a mistake in my teens with my basic measurement, which has meant I've been wearing the wrong size bra forever...it's not just that my cup size was wrong...but I'd got my actual size wrong. I was wearing 2 cup sizes too small and had got my basic size wrong. I've spent half my adult life wearing The Wrong Bra (wonder will Nick Park make that animation?).

So. What's the difference between wearing The Wrong bra and The Right Bra? It's like having a boob job. Seriously. Oh. My. God. Not only is it more comfortable (funny that). It looks soooooooo much better. I couldn't believe the difference in the shop. And I rushed home and put my new bra on and then put on a red top and strutted up the Ormeau road for lunch in Soul Food, feeling like a woman who's just put on the right-sized bra for the first time in her life. And for anyone who doesn't know how that feels, let me tell you that it feels Good...

So. I took my new boobs out for a walk all day yesterday. They visited my friend JAG's studio, where they looked fabulous in several jackets from her amazing new collection (www.curioustales.com - she's launching her new site and photoshoot soon). They visited the new shiny apple store which is full of reflective surfaces where one might be able to catch a glimpse of one's boobs. Then me and my new cleavage went for a walk along the Lagan, after which we dropped in to see my brother and his girlfriend, where we all enjoyed the Goonies with some people Too Young to quote large chunks of the dialogue 10 seconds before it happened on-screen.

Tell youse. Get bra calculating. It could Change Your Boobs :)

Irish Blogger Awards 2008

Wow...just back...and wrecked (yes, it's not even 9pm and I'm already in bed...but I only got 4 hour's sleep last night)...just had a fantastic weekend down in Dublin! Caught up with my friends, then attended the lady blogger's tea party...then got v v drunk at the Irish blogger awards. It seems I was the only person who thought it would be hilarious to boo the nominees as they were announced. Which wasn't the reason why I didn't win, but has probably ensured I don't get nominated next year...

I think I might be the only blogger to have committed a criminal act on the night, although I'm not sure anyone's noticed my crime yet so shussssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhh chelle...

Julie-Anne's fabulous free moustaches were a huge hit - the lady can do such STYLISH guerilla marketing...2FM's Rick O'Shea is now a fan of her t-shirts and she's got some pretty amazing tee-shots too - including a most fabulous shot of Grandad! check out her blog at www.curioustales.com and go buy yourself a t-shirt in her newly-launched shop :)

Oh yeah. I was there for my e-learning blog - www.liquidelearning.com - nominated for the best technology blog (which is weird for me coz according to Google Analytics, practically no-one in Ireland reads my blog - I have a bigger readership in Germany than Down South).

So there I was, sitting at the lady blogger's tea party, surrounded by all these creative and humorous ladies, I felt like the most boring person in the world. It didn't occur to me to tell people I also blog here. Ummm. Like that would make me more interesting?

Time I cuddled up to me laptop for the night methinks...

Curious Tales

My friend Julie-anne Graham has launched her new blog site for her eco-friendly fashion label, Curious Tales...now she's busy putting her online store together. When it's live you'll be able to buy her organic cotton t-shirts and unique vintage pieces (LOVE Julie-anne's jackets). For now can check out her blogs here :)

ps Julie-anne is also restoring a 1930s velvet ballgown I have, which my granny left me...it's so fab and I love it, but the seams are beginning to give...when it's all finished I'll post a photo here!

Belfast Vintage Unfair

Sigh. So I went to the Belfast Vintage Fair last Sunday. And after queuing for like HOURS (and trying to reassure the BF that yes there were men inside and no they're not all gay) I got to squeeze my way into the Ormeau Baths gallery, and joined the heaving throng of expensively perfumed ladies and gaily dressed gentlemen.

Think it's fair to say the Belfast Vintage Fair was a success. Not sure if the organisers expected the sheer volume of people...every beautifully arranged stall glittered with diamante, shimmered with sequins and swirled with vintage loveliness. Not that I could get near any of it.

Ladies who like vintage are vicious. Wow. Even when I dropped up to Julie-anne's Curious Tales stall (am LOVING JAG's new collection!!! Can't wait until she puts it online so's everyone can see) the vibe was very much 'Please can you stop hugging the stall owner, I'm like TOTALLY trying to buy this t-shirt'. Sigh.

Then when I got home, exhausted, I was on the receiving end of emails and texts from friends in Dublin who couldn't believe I hadn't told them the vintage fair was on this weekend, and that they missed it.

Hmmm. Michelle realises she does not have a large readership in Dublin...

Anyway. Guys, if you're organising this again next year, some advice:

- make it happen over two days
- be prepared for crowds or get a bigger venue
- charge less in - £8 entrance??? I wanted to spend that on the gear, not getting in!
- don't close at 4.30pm...God - who was that to suit?
- have somewhere where people can sit down, grab a cup of coffee/tea, then go back to stalls to buy more stuff
- don't make it so flaming hard to leave for a breath of air and then return
- don't fast-track entrance for people with tickets...it's not like ticket holders paid more...but they were fast-tracked in when the gig was at capacity, leaving us poor mugs standing EVEN LONGER to try and pay our way in!
- get a better website. Lads...no-one but no-one nowadays has a 2MB image on the front page of their website, that takes about 9 hours to download, and has been resized by code, not photoshop...or maybe this was a vintage web design joke? Web design from the mid 90s?

Belfast Vintage Fair - Go Buy Some Curious Tales :)

Curious Tales - the eco-friendly fashion label by local designer Julie-Anne Graham - launches at the Belfast Vintage Fair on Sunday, 4 November...

I love Julie-Anne's clothes coz they're a magical mix of fairy tale, vintage and fashion. Every piece is absolutely unique, and comes with its own special story...

So go to the fair and meet Julie-Anne...then try on fabulous creations, previously loved by owners such as:

Darcy McGlade a philanderer from Orchardville who would woo his subjects with multiple mirrors and iridescent champagne.

Gwendolyn McCann who likes to trampoline in her garden at midnight, in the nude, eating stolen strawberries.

Bernie McWhatsit who once planted fireworks in his garden to see if they would grow, and who loves the smell of orange nail varnish.

Or check out www.curioustales.com right now if you can't wait!