Have a big day ahead? Major hearing? Big trial? The presentation of your life? Gonna be at a conference with that ex? Whatever it happens to be, these are the fashion weapons that get me to the confidence level that I need to be at.

In the immortal words of Midge Maisel, “Tits up.”  Not hanging on for dear life in an old bra with wilted elastic.  Not resting comfortably in a wire-free option.  Not off to the side.  Up front, lights up, ready for war.  This bra from Amazon gives you a balconette and a racerback in one affordable style.  And, trust me, this girl lifts and separates (because there should be two).  

If you struggle with visible nipple, you may also need a nipple cover.  These ones do their job well.

Today’s post is about the foundational elements of a confidence-boosting look, and in that world, I need shape wear.  But I do not, under any circumstances, want to be pinched, poked, squeezed or suffocated.  All I want, all I need, is to be smoothed.  My body, but streamlined.

These Spanx Seamless EcoSculpt briefs are my number one choice.  Now, they’re sold as strong compression.  I find them to be more of a medium compression, but your mileage may vary.  My one recommendation, however, is that if you are between sizes or the top end of a size, size up.  This is not a time to care about the letter on the tag, this is a time to care about not being uncomfortable. 

I wear Lume deodorant every day.  However, if I have a BIG day, I use Duradry for a few days prior to ensure that I don’t stress sweat.  This is not just a deodorant, it is a treatment for excessive sweating, so I use it only when necessary.  I cannot afford to sweat through my suit.  My dry cleaner isn’t that good.

This is not a perfume.  No, really, it’s called Not a Perfume.  This fragrance is made with Cetalox, a synthetic form of ambergris.  The product smells different on everyone because it uses your body’s chemistry to make a clean, slightly musky scent.  It’s a good choice when you want to wear scent, but you want something subtle.

Another favorite scent is I Don’t Know What.  To me, it smells like Earl Grey tea.  But it can also be used to enhance the scent of other perfumes, in case you have a fragrance you love that lacks sticking power.

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