I’ve emailed the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer site asking them whether their bikinis can be worn by women who have had mastectomies. I’ve yet to receive a reply. Perhaps you’d like to email them too.
Well done you - perhaps if I can get it together I will email them too - I loathe the fact that they use bc to advertise their own products which are in fact mostly unsuitable for people with bc.
Am still looking forward to watching Kelly’s prog but feeling too emotional today, having a bit of a regress.
Also, agree it would be nice to know how she contrived to wear revealing clothes - I had a minor success with a strapless top under which I wore an M &S thin strap postsurgery bra, black, to which I stitched some glamorous glitter brastraps and then pinned the strapless top to the bra to keep it in place, wore it to a ball and it was great. Don’t think it would have worked with a strapless bra - perhaps with bodytape, anyway, I did feel good and I don’t know why it is so important, it never was to me before, but now I have to feel I’m as good as the rest - I think disabled people have this.
snowwhite
Hi SnowWhite and Supersue,
I tried to email them last night, a bit of a rant really, but it bounced. I kept it all, so I shall try again. If we all keep nagging… you never know!
It’s programmes like this that utilise the real power of TV! It was so inspirational. Kelly was so strong, beautiful and ultimately NORMAL. Something some of us have felt we are not at some point. I wish her all the luck in the world. Both with her health,and her love life! I love Gok too!
Irene
Hello this is Kelly from How To Look Good Naked. I have not used these forums before as I am a bit of a technophobe but I just had to respond to all your fantastic and complimentary comments. My reasons for getting involved with the programme were two fold. I obviously hoped to benefit personally and have got so much more out of it than I could have ever imagined. I also hoped that it would go just a small way to raise awareness of this terrible disease and the impacts that it has, particularly with regards to younger women. I have had so much feedback through a number of different routes, much of which is from complete strangers and all the lovely comments have confirmed that it was a good decision to take part.
Anyway down to business:
The bikini was an off the peg bikini from Jet. I understand both Fenwicks, Selfridges, and Figleaves stock this brand. The fashion team working on the show had a pocket sewn into it for me and I wore it with a regular prosthesis. I must admit it was stuck down securely with tape though for the catwalk. I have worn it since but have not yet ventured into the water with it as when I was in Cyprus recently it was far too cold to be getting your kit off… much to my disappointment! However it does feel very secure and am sure it would be ok for a quick dip but perhaps not for an olympic swim or aqua park.
The swimsuit was also a real hit. It is a miracle suit from Rigby and Peller. A bit pricey at £125 but in my opinion worth every penny. Miracle suits are designed to make you look slimmer and as a result are very figure hugging and therefore secure. Again the team had a pocket sewn in. I had been warned that when swimming with a prosthesis the water might mean that it moves away from your body. But in that swimsuit it did not move a bit. It felt really secure in the water and I was as pleased as punch.
The wedding dress: You are right I was not wearing a bra. I had a stick on prosthesis and padded cups were sewn into the inside of the dress for extra security and to ensure that I didn’t get that one nipple thing going on. Again the dress was taped into place and it actually felt very good.
One thing I can say is that I now look at clothes totally differently. I would never have believed that I could wear these things. I would have dismissed them out of hand as a ridiculous suggestion for someone in my position but I now know that you can often make things work with a little effort and often a sewing needle.
I hope that my comments are helpful. Thanks once again for all your lovely comments. You are all an inspiration to me.
Let me know if you have any more questions and I will see what I can do.
Kelly
Hi Kelly
You are the inspiration, my hubby was worried as I cried so much watching you.You put it all into perspective about our feminiity.I was dx the day before our wedding last Oct had chemo straight away and a quarter of my breast removed in April so feel really odd as I am 38dd so there is a definate difference.I now need to face up to this, but watching the prog has given me some hope
Thank you
Mary
xx
Kelly
I watched this on my own - my choice because I wasnt sure how I was going to handle it. You eliquently put into words my exact feelings - I had my mastectomy only 11 days ago.
Kelly - what can I say - you took my heart!
Thank you
Lisa X
Thank you so much Kelly. This was the programme so many of us wanted Gok to make. You looked terrific. I couldn’t stop smiling for you.
Lizx
Hi - just a catchup - thanks Kelly for doing the programme (still haven’t watched, can’t take it just now, I’m working from the ‘rave reviews’ on this forum) - guts, I’m awestruck - you have provided enormous encouragement and comfort to those of us having to live with changed bodies, more important in my view than breast awareness, because, after all, breast awareness can’t stop this happening, it leads to this. Thank you also for technical tips.
Supersue and silversue - I emailed M & S specifically, since Topshop seems to be just doing bags, requesting they spare a thought for our tender feelings because using bikinis we can’t wear to promote fundraising for bc is, I suggested, tactless and insensitive. Wonder if they’ll reply.
Hi Girls,
Thanks, Kelly, for the info, I shall start putting the roll of “tit tape” my daughter bought me to good use!
Snowwhite, I emailed Fashion Targets BC and so far have got no reply, which I think is downright rude! Even if they just said thanks for your comments or something. We obviously all need to shout louder!
Silversue
Haven’t heard from M & S yet either but it is bank hol so I’m giving it time. Won’t hold my breath though. I would shout louder if I knew how best to go about it.
Sometimes I think it can have an effect. Only recently, weeks I think, I seem to remember reading somewhere on this website that they had had comments from users re. the photos they used and were responding by trying to use more - I think they said realistic, not sure - pics. I was thrilled to hear that although I am not quite sure what they actually mean or what people were objecting to - I imagine it was ‘shiny happy people’ smiling their way through bc, and also possibly, the one I commented to them on, which was the breast awareness pic which was a head and shoulders so that you could see the ladies obviously had two of what breast awareness can lead to one or none of, and how acutely painful it is to see pics of smiling people who have what I have lost and am not smiling about and have a long way to go to come to terms with if ever. They replied at the time with a hardened heart but perhaps they have relented if others have also commented, or perhaps they’re still proud of that, I don’t know.
Did anyone else see that on hear, I mean that they said they’d take notice about the photos, or did I dream it?
i am full of admiration for you Kelly… Well done.
I have been in town today… and determined to look at normal clothes. I had a mastectomy 14 days ago.
I bought a dress from Wallis - very nice and looks fab. It will need some slight adjustment to bring it up a little higher.
I also bought some shoes! (My sister is 40 in a couple of weeks).
There are some really lovely girlie things out there at the moment and the ‘Sex in the City’ look is very in!
On the downside, I looked at bikinis - absolutely no chance! I dont know whether you have noticed that a lot have some sort of pocket inside already which have a removable padding. If it wasnt for the fact that the gap for the cleavage wasnt so wide, i am sure that I could get one to fit and use the pocket for a prostthesis. Anyway, after seeing Kelly, I am determined to find swimwear that I can wear - and not restrict myself to the normal mast swimwear. However, I am a D cup and may need to work hard to make it work!!
lisa
Has anyone noticed that pictures of mast bras and swimwear are all modelled by women with cleavages!
That really hacks me off!
Lisa
Yes Ruby, I have noticed this too. I did not realise how much I would ‘mourn’ my cleavage after my mast. I was never into plunging necklines when I could have them. Now I can’t, I want them!
Irene
I am in tears reading this site. It is the first time I have been on it. I have been through 7 chemos and had a mastectomy 4 wks ago and I finally cracked after the op and am really having trouble dealing with things. Reading all the comments is like someone is reading my mind. One of the worst parts at the moment for self-esteem is not knowing what to wear. Finding the right clothes is a nightmare. I’ve only just started wearing a bra again and t-shirts (couldn’t raise my arm high enough until last week) but now I’m finding everything is the wrong shape/fit, plus my “comfie” keeps coming out of my bra.
I love Gok too and think Kelly was amazing - a real inspiration.
Shazza. Sorry you feel cr*p, but we are here for you and will listen and give advice. Use 2 safety pins bottom and at side to keep your ‘comfie’ in place.
Chin up kid
Irene
Hi Snowwhite,
I’ve heard from the Breakthrough people, suggesting I contact M&S directly. Quite a long reply, but finishing saying M&S designs have to have general appeal to “normal women”, since when does not having a plunging neckline limit the appeal of an outfit!! We really do need to shout louder.
Cheer up Shazza, things do get better, honestly, I’m 3 years down the road, still here, still shouting…you’re every right to feel down, we have wide shoulders for weeping on here when the need arises,
Silversue
Anyone interested in the Miraclesuit swimwear they are a fraction of the price from the US (try some Ebay shops) but be careful of sizing if buying US sizes, it’s worth emailing the seller to be sure what size you need as it’s a pain trying to change something from abroad.
Kelly, way to go, you looked fab. My uncle whos man of few words and hasnt spoekn about my cancer just said “god did you watch that programme, how lovely was that lady”!!
Good for you
Lisa
x