Shapewear talk with Bubbles Bodywear: exclusive interview with Karen E. Jones

Love My Bubbles is one of the hautest secrets to achieving a flawless figure. Offering an extensive selection of shapewear, this brand is a pioneer in the world of curve-enhancing. Since 2003, the Bubbles Bodywear brand has not only changed the way women and men look, but feel too. Recently, I had the chance to speak with Karen E. Jones, the founder and CEO of the Bubbles Bodywear brand. Here is what she had to tell me…

Sarah Afshar: Hello Karen. How are you? Tell me a little more about the Love My Bubbles Brand…

Karen E. Jones: The Bubbles Bodywear brand offers innovative underthings that not only boost the figure, but more importantly, our self-esteem. We strive to create high-quality, effective shapewear designs at affordable prices for women (and men) who want to boost their backside. Throughout the history of women’s foundation garments for the bottom half of our bodies, the primary focus has been on slimming, but without discretion (flattening everything including our natural backside curves). In contrast, Bubbles’ focus from day one has been to flatter, boost and flaunt those female curves. We believe that when we look great, we feel great. When we feel confident, we put ourselves in more challenging situations, we experience more and we become stronger people. We know from listening to our customers that our shapewear can be a small but important part of this process.

SA: What inspired you to create this amazing shapewear brand? Tell me a little more about the inspiration behind Love My Bubbles…

KJ: I started Bubbles Bodywear in 2003. I launched our website with 3 patented “booty lifting” shapers that I invented to boost my own curve-deficient figure. My timing was great! Heroin chic was out and J-Lo and Beyonce were in. I listened to customers’ style requests over the years, and began developing and designing more padded and lifting shapewear. Making our own original products gave me control over the style, quality and sizing of our product offerings as well as our supply chain. As a result, Bubbles Bodywear has evolved from a “house brand” on our website LoveMyBubbles.com to our primary focus. Regarding this, we have some exciting news! As of January 2016 we now offer women’s shapewear only designed and made by Bubbles Bodywear!

SA: Is it true you are offering new seamless additions to the Love My Bubbles (Bubbles Bodywear) brand? Tell me a little more about the new seamless essentials…

KJ: In 2015 our design and manufacturing focus shifted to seamless shapewear. It’s a popular category in the shapewear industry and an area where we were lacking. Finding a manufacturing partner was key which is why we had not launched a seamless collection in previous years. Italy was my primary target as they are known worldwide and throughout history for their superior quality. In 2014 we began working with a “mom and pop” operation in Italy to create our first seamless booty-lifting shapers that we call our “High End” Collection. In just one year we grew this category from zero to eleven new, beautiful, innovative and comfortable seamless body shapers that I’m very proud to offer our customers.

SA: Diversity is definitely in your forte, but I have to ask, what are your thoughts about the diversity in the lingerie industry?

KJ: We have an incredibly diverse customer base! This is both a challenge and an opportunity for us to create products for everyone who comes to Bubbles looking for problem-solving shapewear. At trade shows and throughout the industry I have seen a shift in the past 13+ years from the basics (bras and underwear for the masses) to more focused product offerings. For example, since our inception we have focused on increasing curves – people thought I was crazy in the beginning, but I thought “if I need it, there are other people out there who also need it”. I think this is the prevailing attitude with entrepreneurs in the industry, meaning that you don’t have to create a brand that will take over the world…just focus on satisfying an untapped market. If there are more companies like Bubbles, everyone will be able to find the products they want or need in the marketplace.

SA: When a woman thinks they need more control of an area, do you think they should go up or down a size?

KJ: Definitely not! This is a great question because the fact is that, especially when shopping online, people often do exactly this. Wearing the wrong size shapewear may result in the garment not functioning properly, an extremely uncomfortable fit, or product damage. Instead, look for a product that is described to do specifically what you need (ie: cinch the waist, slim the thighs, etc). And at LoveMyBubbles.com we encourage customers to follow on our size charts and customer comments about fit and sizing.

SA: What is the most common mistake women make when trying to find the right shapewear?

KJ: Buying the “bestseller” rather than buying what is right for them. Bubbles pioneered the industry of booty-defining shapewear and in doing so we have spent these 13 years educating our customers on how to buy our shapewear. Not only choosing a garment size but choosing the type, thickness and width of booty padding can be a big challenge. This is why we produce product videos, offer an extensive FAQ on our website and offer very detailed descriptions of our products. Many of our customers study our website for ages before they finally buy! When in doubt, we encourage customers to call. Currently all of our Customer Service operators have 18 months up to 10 years experience advising customers on the right Bubbles for their needs.

SA: Is it true that men are wearing shapewear now days?

KJ: Yes! We’ve heard them called “mirdles” which is my personal favorite. But our specialty is padded underwear for men. They are a very popular item for a wide demographic of men. The fact is that anatomically men have fewer fat cells on the gluteus maximus. So technically, they need padded underwear more than women do! We have a regular male customer who’s a doctor. He wears our “Jackpot!” padded boxer brief at work because he feels self-conscious about his sagging scrubs as his residents walk behind him during rounds.

SA: Who can benefit from using Love My Bubbles?

KJ: After 13 years I still hear about new and creative uses for our products. It’s not just about looking better in a pair of jeans. It’s also about self-esteem or even comfort. We supply movie sets, photo shoots, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, plastic surgery offices, cancer centers, the theater, costumers, fashion designers, stylists, new moms, people who have experienced weight loss (intentionally or as a result of illness, medication, etc) and people sitting for long periods of time. I could go on and on!

Many years ago we received a note from a customer thanking us. She had lost a dangerous amount of weight as a result of stress during her mother’s bout with an illness. After her mother passed she was not going to attend the services for fear of what people would think of her appearance. She told us that wearing our products (to help her look as if she was a healthier weight), gave her the confidence to stand up in front of family and friends to give the eulogy. I never anticipated that our products would have this type of benefit or effect when we started out. But I’m so happy to know that we help people in so many different and unexpected ways.

SA: For all of those shape wear enthusiasts reading this interview, what would you like them to know? What is next for the Love My Bubbles brand?

KJ: More original and creative shapewear solutions from Bubbles Bodywear! As our fiercely loyal brand ambassadors already know, Bubbles is a different kind of company. We’re not here to make and sell typical shapewear styles. We pride ourselves on innovation. We strive to serve markets that are otherwise ignored by bigger companies who require huge margins and a massive customer base to justify product development. Instead, we focus on our customer and a very different kind of bottom line!

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Undergarments can make or break wedding looks

As guests’ eyes are trained on couples come their wedding days, it is no surprise that both the bride and groom want to look flawless on their big days. Men and women will spend thousands of dollars on clothing, hairstyling, makeup, teeth whitening, fitness classes, and more to ensure they look their best. While couples may be particularly concerned with their wedding day appearance, what they wear under their clothing—particularly for women—can impact how clothes fit and look.

Choosing the right bra or supportive undergarments can play a crucial role in how a gown fits and whether or not brides achieve that picture-perfect look. Wearing the wrong undergarments can negatively affect a bride’s appearance and make her extremely uncomfortable. According to a study done by Swiss lingerie company Triumph, a large number of women are choosing their bras incorrectly. The international survey of 10,000 women found that 64 percent of them are wearing the wrong size bras. If women are wearing the wrong undergarments for everyday looks, it stands to reason that their wedding choices may not be spot on, either.

Undergarments should be purchased and brought to all fittings as soon as a gown is selected. In fact, it often is a good idea to ask the bridal store employees to suggest a bra or corset that will complement the gown and remain invisible beneath the dress. Some shops will make bras available when trying on gowns. Brides are not obligated to purchase undergarments where they purchase their gowns, but take note of the brand and style and find a similar one elsewhere that fits with your budget if you don’t want to buy at the store.

Pay attention to the gown’s fabric and how dense it is. Certain shapewear, including bras, that have a lot of boning in them to shape and support the body can show under bridal dresses without a lot of layers. Always try on the bra with the gown to gauge the finished look. You may opt for simpler and plain lingerie styles so that you will be guaranteed a seamless appearance. Nude-colored bras tend to be less noticeable than white. You always can purchase something with more pizazz to change into for the wedding night. Some dresses with plunging necklines or backless designs may necessitate other options. Sew-in bra cups are another option that can lend invisible support.

Women with more ample busts may want to select gowns that will allow for bras with supportive straps to be worn. This way there is no worry about strapless bras or other style lingerie slipping down.

In addition to bras, other types of shapewear can enhance certain areas of the body or downplay perceived flaws. Shapewear can smooth and pull in stomachs. Choose boy shorts or thong-style cuts for a seamless finish. Shapers can smooth out bulges on the back, legs and hips, too. There also are special shorts that have some padding in the rear to create a curvier look.

Bras and other shapewear can make a world of difference in how wedding attire looks and feels. Invest in some quality pieces that will highlight wardrobes to their fullest.

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