When you go away for a weekend, does it look like you’ve packed for a week? Don’t worry, it happens to us, too! We seem to pack “a little” too much each time we travel, because, you know, we’d rather be prepared, just in case…

In an effort to curb our ways ever so slightly, we found these great travel accessories that help keep things protected and organized. And some are just plain cool.

The CupCase
We have to start with the CupCase because, well, it IS the perfect travel accessory and it does it all. We designed it to protect your fine bras and lingerie when you’re on the go. The cups of your bra fit perfectly inside the cups of the CupCase, which helps protect the shape of your bra, even when you have to sit on your suitcase to try to zip it up! CupCase comes in six styles: Pretty Purple, Charming Cheetah, Spot on Leopard, Hot Pink, Red Hot and Little Black Dress. And right now, the animal prints are on sale for just $19.95 (through 9/21/12). Buy one for yourself and as a gift! When it comes to packing bras, CupCase is the answer!

TravelSmith Smart Packs
These packing “cubes” are pretty cool. If you limit yourself to what you can pack in these tubes, you just might take the things you actually need. TravelSmith makes a set of three nylon cubes (large, medium and small) that are perfect for packing shirts, underwear and socks. They’re flexible so you can stuff them down into your duffle or suitcase, but they keep everything organized and together. You also can pull them out of your suitcase and drop them into a drawer at the hotel room.

Personalized Luggage Tag Set
Let’s face it, almost everyone out there has a black suitcase. But not everyone has a cool personalized luggage tag! Think about it, a tag with a pretty paisley background with your initials on one side and your contact information on the other. It’s the perfect accessory to a sleek and fashionable black bag. 6 Designs has some great choices. They also make perfect gifts with a CupCase!

Quilted, Washable Carry-on
Break the mold of the black carry-on with a colorful quilted Vera Bradley one! The bright colors and patterns make it easy to keep your bag in your line of sight. It holds a lot and it’s so soft, you can squish and squeeze the bag into an overhead bin or under the seat in front of you. When it’s empty, it also folds flat so you can stow it inside your big suitcase. And, if it gets dirty, you just throw it in the washing machine when you return home from your travels!

Battery Pack for Your iPhone
If your layover gets way-laid and you checked (or even worse, forgot!) your phone charger, Mophie Juice makes a cool phone case/rechargeable battery pack that will keep you connected with friends, family and the Internet! The capacity more than doubles the life of your battery. Plus it comes in cool juicy colors like magenta, purple, as well as cyan, black and yellow.

Wherever your travels take you, try out some of these travel accessories  — especially the CupCase – and let us know what you think!  What’s your favorite travel accessory?

Some of us here at CupCase love coffee. It’s not only a delicious treat; it also keeps us awake during the day! J When it comes to coffee, we don’t think less is more. That’s why we loved hearing about a few beauty products that include coffee and/or caffeine as an ingredient.

The Pacifica Kona Coffee & Sugar Detox Whole Body Scrub sounds luxurious, right? It smells heavenly and is a great way to wake up your skin in the morning. Its ingredients include sea salt and sugar to exfoliate your skin, as well as coconut oil to soften and moisturize. And the coffee? The caffeine stimulates, brightens and detoxes your skin.

You may have heard about caffeine and its effect on cellulite. As we noted above, caffeine stimulates your skin, so it’s being used in a growing number of products to help reduce the appearance of cellulite. Bliss Fat Girl Slim is one such product. The product says it’s a “lean, mean skin firming cream,” claiming to visibly reduce the appearance of excess fluid retention in skin layers. Independent studies showed 87% of testers saw a firming effect; 85% felt a slimming effect and 73% saw a reduction in the appearance of cellulite!

The company 100% Pure makes an Organic Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream using green tea and coffee. This sounds like the double shot our tired eyes need some days! Testers said they saw a reduction in puffiness and dark circles around the eye and that it reduced the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and improved skin hydration!

We also found this little instructional video on how to make your own cellulite scrub with coffee! Plus, it will give you something to do with your coffee grounds. J

Have you ever tried products with caffeine as an active ingredient? Did it work for you? Share your story and tips with CupCase!

The weather will be turning chilly soon and shorts and sundresses will head to the back of the closet with jeans and turtlenecks moving upfront. This is the perfect time to attack that closet and get it in order before the seasons change! With these 8 closet organization tips, you’ll be in great shape:

1. Take everything out of your closet. Everything! Vacuum the closet floor, wipe down the walls and dust the shelves. This should be done at least twice a year.

2. Before you even think about putting clothes back in the closet, purge! We know you’ve all heard the rule: If you haven’t worn it in a year, toss it. Those are holy words when it comes to organizing a closet.

Next, trash anything faded, soiled, torn (you aren’t going to ever get around to sewing it, we promise.) or doesn’t fit properly. What’s left are the items you love, want to wear and feel great in.

3. As you put clothes back in the closet, organize them by type and then by color. Putting together your outfits will be so much easier this way. And it makes it impossible to ignore the fact that you do not need another black shirt (because you can see that you own 35 of them), but you need some more tops in red. Items that stack, like sweaters and jeans, should be on easy-to-reach shelves. And again, organize by color. To fold your clothes like they do in department stores, check out this video.

4. Hang clothes on the same kind of hangers. Clothes should also be placed on the hanger facing the same direction and tops should be buttoned and skirts zipped so clothing looks neat and tidy. Always remove dry cleaning bags immediately. They will damage your clothing.

5. For panties, use drawer dividers with 6-inch-wide sections. Drawer dividers make it impossible NOT to keep that drawer of delicates organized. We suggest storing bras, especially expensive ones, in a CupCase to protect them in the drawer and keep them in tip top shape for that next evening out.

6. Trees keep boots from slouching and toppling over, which will damage the leather. Women’s boot shapers are perfect for keeping boots upright. Or try our solution: empty Pringles cans!

7. Purses should be on a shelf and organized by size and color. Hanging them on hooks will damage the straps.

8.  Martha Stewart suggests installing a peg board in the closet. We love this idea! It’s great for organizing belts, scarves, hats and even some pictures of your favorite fashion inspiration!

Have we inspired you to get started on some closet organization? Let’s see some before and after pics! Please share on our Facebook page, Pinterest or Twitter. We’d love to see your success.

Ladies, Vogue’s fall fashion issue is calling this season’s fashion styles “adult and polished.” The colors are deep and daring, patterns are bold and show up on everything from sweaters to handbags, and statement coats are a must. It’s going to be a fun, grown-up fall!

With help from Glamour, Refinery 29 and Fabsugar , CupCase is going to help get you ready for the autumn season, looking your finest.

1. Wear it bright! Bold colors in dresses, tops and skirts balanced with black are in. Don’t forget to stock up on black tights.

2. Peacoats never really go out of style, but this year they will be a staple. Look for fun colors, over-sized buttons and exaggerated collars.

3. Military jackets  are around for another fall season! They’re cropped and fitted and designed with four utility pockets. Look for neutral hues and interesting details.

4. Get cozy with sweaters. Knits are in! All knits – from fitted to over-sized. All colors and patterns will look great paired with fitted skirts (leather!) and silky, printed skirts.

5. Wine is fine. Dark red and deep purple shades are in. Mixing wine shades with neutrals and fall colors like mustard, cobalt and emerald are fall fashion musts.

6. Pointy pumps! Do wear these sexy shoes with cropped pants. We love that look for work and going out on the town. Don’t wear them with wide-leg jeans.

7. Handbags  are keeping in line with the rest of this season’s fashion choices. Bags in beautiful, deep colors and patterns while mixing unlikely combinations of hardware and material are an accessory you can’t go without. Clutches are in and can be fun for night or day. Remember, you can also carry your CupCase as a day or evening handbag.

Don’t forget to order a CupCase for packing bras and protecting them in the lingerie drawer in this season’s hippest colors. Get a Pretty Purple or Red Hot Cupcase today! And for just a little while longer, the Charming Cheetah and Spot on Leopard CupCases are $5 off. Buy here. Have a great fall!

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“Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.” – Russell Baker, newspaper columnist and Pulitzer Prize winner

Summertime always comes with lots o’ heat and humidity, and it seems like we’ve gotten a double dose of everything this year. While exposure to the sun’s summer rays, sky-high temperatures and major humidity don’t always leave us looking our best, with a little prep work we can still look fabulous while enjoying every last day of this glorious season!

Hair to There

Beauty.About.com tells us to give up the humidity fight. You’ll never win. Instead, with the right products, you can learn to love what humidity will do to your ‘do. One of the best tips is to just add an anti-frizz product to your hair and let it dry naturally. Put away the flat iron and embrace your hair’s natural assets. You can do it!

Sun + chlorine + hair color = Not what you paid your stylist for! Real Beauty says to make sure you protect your color-treated hair from all that summer throws at you with a color protector. If you’re in a pinch, sunscreen works for hair, too!

If your highlights are brassy, ask your stylist to add lowlights or highlights to brighten up your summer locks.

Whether you color your hair or not, summer sun and lots of time in the pool can dull/fade the color of your hair. Return your hair’s healthy glow with a gloss treatment that can give hair tone and shine. Plus, it can enhance the hue for those with color-treated hair. Ask your stylist which treatment is best for you.

Skin to Win!

For the best luminous, healthy summer skin, Real Beauty has some easy tips:

Replace your foundation with a tinted sunscreen, which will add a little moisture to your face without being too heavy. Plus (and this is a huge plus!) it protects your skin from the damaging rays.

Don’t dry out in this heat! Exfoliating is a great way to soften dry skin. Follow up with a rejuvenating mask twice a week.

Those crow’s feet on our faces are from squinting, not sun damage. Wear some chic sunglasses with UV protection – even in the winter!

CupCase hopes these tips have helped prevent your hair and skin from suffering this summer. Now your electric bill … we can’t do much about that! J What are your best summer beauty tip

Many times, people make a statement or pay tribute by wearing a T-shirt or a hat with a certain color, design, phrase or photo. But this year, a number of Olympic athletes used their fingernails and toenails as tiny billboards!

That’s right: nail art took the Olympics by storm and we loved it. So many athletes painted their nails with the color and design of their country’s flag or the Olympic rings. We thought it was pretty cool and wanted to find out more.

It turns out there were nail artists in the Olympic Village who catered to the athletes! Nail booths were also inside Procter & Gamble’s “Home” for the athletes and their families (a place they could go relax and socialize together).

We also found out the nail art craze was perfected by British “nail queen” Sophy Robson. Her team of nail artists provided services to athletes and their guests in “grooming salons” in the Olympic Village, according to an article on CNN.

“It was such fun working with the athletes,” Robson told CNN. She designed a menu of 207 country flags to choose from in a partnership with corporate sponsor P&G. “There are no egos involved and they are just excited to have something represent their country on their nails.”

But why do fingernails or toenails make the perfect bilboard? And why didn’t we see any of the gymnasts sporting the trend?

One nail artist told CNN that nail art is a great way to make a statement because “It’s not as permanent as a haircut and having 10 fingers means the opportunity to sport various themes.”

As for the gymnasts, we found out official gymnastics competition rules say competitors cannot wear nail polish and if they do, they can get points deducted for doing so. We definitely can’t have that!

Let CupCase know what you think of this trend. Want to get in on it? Here are some fabulous nail art designs as seen on Glamour’s website. We’ve also got a great nail polish board on our Pinterest. Be sure to “follow” us there!

Attention shoppers! Your mood may have a direct effect on what you buy. The emptier your heart, the fuller your cart.

ABC News reports that sad people feel empty inside and so they are looking for something to fill them up. Behaviors such as eating too much, drinking too much or spending too much help them forget their troubles.

Shopping, in particular, allows us to buy things that bring us joy. And when we are down, joy is just what we need. Had a bad day at work? Break up with your boyfriend? A quick stop at the mall may be all you need to turn that frown upside down.

Huffington Post reports that people spend an average of $59.18 to lift their spirits (well, that’s an inexpensive mood-lifter, if you ask us!). People buy: clothing (26.1%), food (20.3%), electronics (17.4%), entertainment products (17.4%), accessories (e.g., jewelry and shoes) (12%) and other miscellaneous items (6.8%) as a quick remedy for their blues.

And ladies, here’s the real kicker. What we already knew has now been proven in studies: Buying a little something for ourselves actually does improve our moods! Huffington Post also reports that 82% were totally happy post-purchase and almost no one had buyer’s remorse. We bet that other 18% just didn’t buy enough.

Retail therapy can certainly lead to problems. Overspending when you are not financially secure will only lead to more sadness so let’s not do that. Make sure you can afford that remedy before you head to the checkout line!

No matter what the comfort item, thank goodness there’s a quick cure for all the downers that life throws at us. And CupCase is here to help you through any bouts of sadness. No matter what the issue, a fun, hot pink or leopard print CupCase brings out a smile every time!

Women began competing in the Olympic Games more than 100 years ago, and this year women set a record for competing in more events than ever before – go girls!! After pressure from human rights groups and the International Olympic Committee, Saudi Arabia finally allowed two women  to compete Wojdan Shehrkani in judo and Sarah Attar in the 800-meter race. What amazing accomplishments for women all over the world. So why are their outfits even an issue? Or really, why should we be surprised?

Uniform rules are strict in the Olympics. There is no room for personal preferences. International committees decide these very important matters. In order to accommodate other countries’ cultural beliefs, the Washington Post reported that spectators of beach volleyball would be seeing less of the Olympic competitors. For the first time, Olympic beach volleyball players would be allowed to trade bikinis for shorts and sleeved shirts. Men everywhere shuttered, but all was not lost. The players claim bikinis are more comfortable while playing in the sand so bikinis remain.

The changes didn’t stop there. Women’s boxing is making a debut in London this year and the Amateur International Boxing Association feared that while women beat each other with their fists, they may not look feminine enough in shorts. They also thought viewers may not be able to distinguish the women from the men so instead they should wear skirts!

Badminton’s international governing body tried to enforce the same idea. In order to attract more fans, the new dress code would require the females to wear skirts. Both boxing and badminton competitors protested. As a compromise, skirts were made optional. Thank goodness!

Who’s seen “A League of Their Own”? This 1992 movie with Tom Hanks, Geena Davis and Rosie O’Donnell is based on the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League that was created during World War II. The women’s uniforms were short skirts, not ideal for sliding into home plate. In the movie, talented women playing baseball wasn’t enough to draw the crowds. Men didn’t want to just see a good game. They wanted to see good looking women play a game.

It seems the Olympic Games are no different in 2012, unfortunately. The Boston Globe reports that as insulted and angry as females may be, the numbers don’t lie. Smaller uniforms attract a bigger audience – especially in men ages 18 to 34. Women’s beach volleyball was introduced during the Atlanta games and today, it’s one of the most popular tickets.

The Olympics are epic events that highlight the world’s best athletes. Uniforms should serve as practical clothing to enhance their performances, not serve as seductive ensembles to attract male attention and improve ratings.

CupCase wants to know what you think. Weigh in!

Every year communities all over the country hold annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life runs. Relay for Life is a fundraiser that supports those who have fought cancer and won, remembers the ones that lost, and raises money for further cancer research.

According to The Wausau Business Directory the town of Merrill, Wis., is showing extra “support” for this year’s Relay for Life. Merrill is baring bras – hundreds of them – in support of the run. The city has a goal to hang 1,000 bras on the Center Avenue Bridge that crosses the Wisconsin River. Stringing 1,000 bras on a bridge isn’t something we see every day and can cause quite a stir, which is just what organizers are hoping. Not only are organizers wanting to attract more donations to the cause, but they’re also looking forward to showing off their revitalized downtown area. Amazing what the power of women’s lingerie can do, isn’t it?

You can support the Merrill’s Bras Across the Bridge and Race for the Cure by running the relay race, donating bras or stopping by the town’s Ye Old Sweet Shoppe on Main Street to take a guess at how many bras will be collected for $1 per guess. The closest guess wins a gift basket full of items donated by many of the town’s shops.

The Bras Across the Bridge display is Merrill’s way of focusing on breast cancer. Downtown businesses have decorated their front windows with bras and even messages about their personal cancer stories.

FOTO News reported that breast cancer survivor Sarah Litzer of Merrill had a double mastectomy and donated all of her bras to the cause. “I donated every single one of them,” she said. “It was kind of cathartic almost.”

According to FOTO News, the bras will be hung on the bridge July 29 and on display during the Relay for Life race on Aug. 3 and Aug. 4. After the race, the bras will go to the The Bra Recyclers, a company that distributes bras to women and girls in need. As if Merrill hasn’t given enough, what a perfect idea!

Merrill, CupCase Your Bras travel accessory supports your cause! What an inspirational town you are and we wish you success!