Designer’s Circus is hosting a “Ladies Night Out” shopping benefit for St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church of Boston. 5% of sale proceeds will be donated to help cover the cost of finishing touches of the church hall renovation project. With their kind permission, the ladies of the parish have agreed we can open the doors to all Designers Circus shoppers. Come in and add to the fun.

Wednesday June 27, 2007 from 6 to 9 PM
Designers Circus Showroom
20 Franklin Street
Allston, MA 02134

Friday morning Julie, Maia and I hopped on a plane to Chicago and began running around to prepare for the festival. Building shelves, folding shirts, unpacking suitcases and trying to map our way through the gigantic McCormick Place convention center. We had never gone to a Green Festival before and didn’t know what to expect, but everyone we met was really helpful and showed us the loops.

Bright and early Saturday morning the doors to the festival opened and thousands of people began pouring in from all over the country. It was great to see some of the attendees wearing Cottonfield clothes! The zen shirts were definitely a big hit.

Below are a few of the customers who stopped by our booth wearing Cottonfield clothes!

The girls and I were able to walk around the festival for a bit and explore some of the other booth which was great. Lots of great speakers (Dennis Kucinich, Amy Goodman, etc) and fun music to listen to. The food was also great, we especially liked the Temptation ice cream booth! We are very upset that we didn’t get to meet Jason Mraz and Oprah though!!

After a looooong (but fun and informative) weekend, we packed up the car and headed back home to Boston. We all learned so much, and will be even more prepared for the next trade show we attend. Thanks to everyone that came and said ‘Hi’ to us, it was great meeting some of our customers in person.

Friday, May 04, 2007

REVIEW: Bras and camis

While we’re on the subject of mammos and breast cancer, I’d might as well reprise the possibility that wearing a tight, sexy, underwire, pushup Wonderbra or whatever might not be doing your breast health the biggest favor.

Why? The mammary glands are filled with lymphatic vessels, and this is how the breast drains toxins (and when the lymph poops out, you end up wtih lymphoma). Lymph is a fairly dense liquid, and to get it pumping you need movement (e.g., exercise moves muscles, which squeezes the lymph along), and, unattractive as this may be to us in the West, the free-swingin’ National Geographic type braless breast naturally keeps the lymph moving as well.

If something impedes the cleansing process, an imbalance occurs and the sex hormone by-products become destructive molecules called free radicals that begin cellular damage (called lipid peroxidation) which could lead to breast cancer. Plus, smearing on the aluminum chlorhydrate right on top of your lympph glands (and, also blocking your sweat, another detoxification defense in the body)…doesn’t sound so hot.

Interesting facts: Olga, the designer of Olga bras herself died of BREAST CANCER, and her daughter, while not overtly saying anything about the bra’s role in her demise, invented a new kind of “lymph massaging” bra that basically tries to undo the lymph restriction that bras cause. Read more here and here.

Some natural health advocates suggest breast cancer as a “culturogenic” disease (i.e., a disease occuring only in cultures where people wear bra), read more here.

On the other side, I did read a story once where a woman’s underwire bra saved her life because it stopped a bullet, or something.

And, okay, the bra is not going to go away. I understand that it’s a little difficult, especially in the warmer weather, to go without support. Soooooo….

I really like Cottonfield’s bra top; soft princess seams, organic cotton, not too tight, could use this as a top as well. It also comes in an undyed color (and lighter fabric) that works well with lighter tops. Supportive but not too restrictive, a nice wide band at the botton.

(image courtesy of Cottonfield USA)

You know how sometimes something such as a watch or bracelet can make a small circle light reflection on a ceiling or wall? I was taught that those were invisible faeries. It still makes me smile whenever I see one of those little reflections, and think about how excited I used to get at the idea that one was nearby.

The transition to public school was a little bit of a shock. No more dancing? No more making dolls out of crab apples? Where was my favorite doll house made out of a tree stump? My mother recalls taking a walk with me one day soon after, when we passed a neighbor’s house with a big mossy garden and having me sigh and say, “Oh, I miss the fairies and the gnomes.” (I had always called the homeowner ‘the faerie lady’ because of her garden)

I went back a few years ago for a fundraiser for the Sheldrick Forest (the woods around the campus), and fell in love with the school all over again. I hope to send my children there as well, despite the big commute. At least to experience the early childhood program, which is a great alternative to most children’s everyday video game routine.