Haven’t you heard? When Madonna kicked off her ninth world tour in Tel Aviv, the 53-year-old singer showed off her muscular biceps, numerous costumes (including a cheerleading outfit) and the infamous cone bra. This bra is an updated version of the first cone bra she wore during her 1990 “Blonde Ambition” tour. We’ll never forget that!

What creative magic must happen to update a cone bra? Well, French designer Jean Paul Gaultier made a few adjustments to his original design to update the Material Girl. The new version includes black wiring over a cabaret-style white collared shirt along with suspenders. The 2012 design was inspired by combining masculine and feminine qualities.

“We played with the ideas of a suit and a corset. But the corset is now like a cage,” Gaultier says. “What I have done this time is a nod to the conical bra corset of the Blond Ambition tour but reinterpreted in 3D, in patent leather on the outside with metallic leather on the inside.”

Gaultier is also the mastermind behind the wardrobe for the entire MDNA tour and MDNA herself has praised him saying “He’s a genius.”

The tour, which will play at least 65 cities around the world, has already sold $240 million in tickets. That, along with sponsorship deals and other income, will probably earn Madonna and her cone bra about $500 million.

We can’t help but wonder, as Madonna’s updated cone bra makes its way around the world, what does it travel in? A CupCase, perhaps?

Bam. Just like that. We can sit down to look at a couple things on Pinterest, and an hour is gone. Apparently we are not alone in loving this cool site where you can collect and post ideas for just about anything from decorating your home and favorite recipes to style and DIY crafts. Time magazine listed it as one of the top 50 most useful websites for 2011.

Now, you can find CupCase on Pinterest! Woohoo! And, because we want to be on as many Pinterest boards as possible, everyone who repins our post by March 15 will score a code for 20% off the purchase of a CupCase. AND you can enter to win two free CupCases – one for you and one for a friend. That’s right, TWO FREE CUPCASES!

Everyone out there who wears a bra needs a CupCase, especially with Spring Break and summer vacations coming up. You need to be able to protect your bras – and your swimwear – from getting crushed, smooshed, bent or worse inside your travel bag. As they said recently in Brides magazine, we go through extra precautions and spend extra money to protect our shampoos and lotions when we travel, why not protect our bras, swimwear and other delicates?

We invite you to take us up on this Pinterest-ing deal to buy CupCase at 20% off and register for two free CupCases while you’re at it! Happy Pinning!

Do you have a birthday coming up? Well, why not celebrate with a mammogram! While this may not seem like a very fun way to celebrate, scheduling your mammogram during your birthday month is a very easy way to remember to get this very important screening every single year.

For most women, a mammogram is the most effective tool used to detect breast cancer. A mammogram uses low-dose X-rays to create an image of the breast tissue and can usually detect lumps that are too small to be felt.

If you’ve never had a mammogram before, it’s recommended that women have an annual mammogram beginning at the age of 40.

If you’re a newbie to mammograms, here is what several experts say you can expect:

• Prior to menopause, you may want to schedule your mammogram for the week following your menstrual period, since your breasts may be less tender.
• You may want to schedule your mammogram early in the day since you cannot wear deodorant, powder, cream or ointment on or in the chest area.
• A mammographer, a skilled radiologic technician in mammographic positioning and techniques, will perform your mammogram. He or she will use a special X-ray machine that delivers low-dose X-rays to the breast and has special platforms or paddles used to compress the breast.
• Is it painful? It depends. Your breasts are being compressed – flattened like a pancake, if you will. Some women say it’s painful, while others say it’s not. We love this video by a mammography center in South Carolina that humorously addresses the pain issue. Regardless, it’s still very important because by spreading and flattening the breast tissue, this ensures a clear view of the breast tissue and reduces the amount of radiation needed to make an image. Your breast will be only compressed for 20 to 30 seconds.
• The entire mammogram procedure takes about 30 minutes.
• A radiologist will then review your X-rays and send a report to your health care provider, who will likely go over it with you.

We admit, the whole mammogram-for-your-birthday thing isn’t like spending a day at the spa or opening a box from Tiffany’s. But, if it saves your life, that’s worth a HUGE party and many more birthdays to come.

When you buy a chicken or turkey breast, the price is based on how much the breast(s) weigh.

This, of course, led us to wonder how much our breasts weigh. This, of course, led to hysterical laughing after envisioning ourselves laying on the floor trying to get each breast on the digital scale and then trying to read the number.

As it happens, we’re not the only ones to wonder about breast weight. (Thank goodness!). And some people actually think weighing your breasts is a more accurate way to find a suitable bra, as opposed to traditional measuring methods. And there actually IS a way to do it! Who knew?

If you’re interested, celebrity stylists Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine suggest following these steps to weigh your breasts:

Equipment needed: Kitchen scales, baking tray and a bowl.

• Weigh baking tray and record weight. Fill bowl with lukewarm water to brim and place on tray. Place one breast into the bowl until totally immersed.
• Water will be displaced into baking tray.
• Weigh tray and displaced water. Subtract weight of tray. You will be left with weight of displaced water.
• One litre of water weighs 1kg. To convert to weight of breast, multiply figure by 0.9.
• A breast that displaced one litre of water, weighs around 0.9kg and is on average the size of a 36C.

Seems kind of complicated, but we asked, didn’t we? J Would you consider going through the trouble to weigh your breasts, or are you going to stick to old-fashioned measuring tape?

Let’s get real. How old is the bra you’re wearing? Does it fit? Do the straps slip? Do you get pinched? Do you feel like you’re being supported at all?

We at CupCase are making it our New Year’s resolution to get fitted for a new bra. Statistics show 8 out of 10 women are wearing the wrong bra and we should be fitted at least once a year because our breast size can change depending on age, hormones, weight loss or gain and pregnancy.

So, where can you get fitted for a bra? Here are a few tips from eHow.com about finding a fit specialist.

• Most department stores will have a bra fitting specialist on staff in the Intimate Apparel section. Lingerie shops also will have a specialist on staff.
• Ask the specialist to fit you for the size of bra you should be wearing. She will go with you into a dressing room and take your measurements. You can be measured over your clothing, but make sure it isn’t bulky.
• The bra fitting specialist measures you above your bust, under your armpits. She also measures you at the fullest part of your breasts and just under your breasts.

Oprah’s bra guru Sandra Saffle, a top bra fitter at Nordstrom’s, once asked Oprah’s audience, “Are you in cup denial?”A few of us at CupCase have been in denial before, but now understand the importance of the right fit. As Sandra said, most women don’t like to accept their true size, but if you’re wearing the proper bra, you’ll feel more comfortable and confident.

A great resource on finding a proper fitting bra is The Bra Book by our friend Jene Luciani, which Oprah declared is “so important for women”. The book gives you expert sizing tips, tells you what to wear under each item in your closet, offers suggestions on choosing a bra in every stage of life and even a buying guy you can give to your “significant other”!

Be sure to let us know how your bra fitting went! How does your new bra make you feel? Don’t forget to purchase a CupCase for your new bra to help maintain its shape when you travel!

Happy New Brassier from all of us at CupCase!

Pretty much everyone’s seen a woman jogging on the side of the road who very obviously lacked proper support for her breasts. It looks painful, doesn’t it? We found some great tips on the importance of wearing the right exercise bra, as we head into that time of year when everyone thinks about getting in shape!

For starters, selecting a fitness bra depends on the type of exercise you want to do and your cup size. Doing yoga? You just need to keep them from falling out. Running? You need to keep your breasts well supported so you don’t damage them – yes DAMAGE THEM!

Here are some pretty interesting facts:

• Without the proper support, women risk damage to their breasts. Women’s breasts lack any major muscles, so for support, women rely solely on a fitness bra, and the Cooper’s ligament (the supportive ligament of the breast).
• A fitness bra that’s worn three times a week will only last 6-12 months. The process of washing and drying a fitness bra manipulates the support and elasticity of the fabric.
• Size changes due to weight loss or weight gain, hormonal changes and especially after pregnancy. Don’t we know it Make sure you get a fitting once a year.

Here’s a sample of the fitness bras suggested by About.com:

Moving Comfort Calli Sports Bra
If you normally have to wear two sports bras to get the support you need, this may be the bra for you. Made for women with C-E cup sizes, this bra offers support, separation and comfort with a padded underwire and wide, adjustable straps. It also offers great sweat-wicking fabric to keep you comfortable and dry. Best for: Curvy women, High-impact activities.

Nike Determination Sports Bra
This is another high-quality sports bra that will fit a variety of women, depending on what kind of support you want. Small-chested women will get high-impact support, while fuller-figured women will find this bra is perfect for medium or lower-impact exercise. It also keeps sweat away from your body, keeping you cool and dry. Best for: Medium-curvy women, Medium- to high-impact activities

North Face Celestial Sports Tank
This sports tank is just downright pretty and so comfortable that you’ll want to wear it all day. It’s fitted, but the fabric is stretchy and designed to wick sweat away from your body. The scoop neck is flattering and it’s a little longer in the back for more coverage. This top is great for lower-impact activities like yoga, bike riding or weight training. Best for: Small-medium women, Lower impact activities

Saucony Motion Sensor Bra
This sports bra is great for medium-curvy women looking for support without feeling too constricted. The criss-cross straps provide comfortable support and the fabric is breathable so sweat is wicked away from your body. You’ll also find you have great support for high impact exercises if you’re a C-D cup, and the hook-and-eye clasp makes this one easy to get on and off.  Best for: Medium-curvy women, Medium-to high-impact activities

When you’re shopping for fitness bras, be sure to try them on and maybe do a couple jumping jacks, jog around the dressing room or strike a yoga pose to see if the bra will do the job. And remember, your CupCase makes a great way to transport your bras to and from your workout.

Now, go work up a sweat!

While perusing eonline.com recently, we had to LOL because of the headline: “Cleavage Alert!” The story was about Madonna’s new fragrance called Truth or Dare, and the pictured advertisement for the fragrance had, well, a lot of cleavage in it.

Madonna has never been afraid to flaunt it and we have come to expect nothing less. When you see the Material Girl, chances are you’ll see her bra too. During her Like a Virgin tour, she wore a lace wedding dress with a bustier that showed off her ample assets. Then she wore those cone bras during her Blonde Ambition tour in the 1990s. She’s pretty much worn it all and showed it to us. She’s even designed a line of bras for her Material Girl collection, a junior’s line she created with her daughter Lourdes.

As you may know, Madonna will perform at the halftime show for Super Bowl XLVI at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis (where CupCase is based!) Feb. 5, 2012. There’s all kinds of speculation swirling around about what she’ll sing and of course what she’ll wear during her 15-ish minutes on stage.

We’re going to bet that she’ll be wearing a bra that everyone can see! Maybe we need to send her a CupCase…

For centuries, women have been wearing garments that were designed to retain, shape or support their breasts. Some did the job, some didn’t. And if you look at sketches of the contraptions our ancestors wore, you will quickly become thankful for the options we have today.

The Uncomfortable Corset

The bra as we know it has evolved from corsets stiffened with whale backbones and steel rods that were tightened with laces and pulleys. These devices not only restrained or enhanced breasts, depending on the era, they also were known to simultaneously squeeze the size of an adult woman’s waist to an unnatural and unhealthy 13 inches or less. Yikes!

We must all give thanks to a woman named Mary Phelps Jacob, who in 1913 was headed to a social event. She bought a silky, sheer evening gown to wear, but the lines of her whale-bone corset were visible through the dress. So, as the story goes, “two silk handkerchiefs and some pink ribbon later,” Mary had designed an alternative to the corset.

The Rise of the Brassiere

Mary’s new design for the brassiere (derived from the French word for upper arm) was a hit and complemented the fashions at the time. She had the design patented in 1914, but the socialite did not enjoy running a business, so she sold her patent for a light weight, soft garment to the Warner Brothers Corset Co. in Bridgeport, Conn., for $1,500. During the next 30 years, Warner Brothers Corset Co. reportedly made more than $15 million from the patent.

In the early 1930s, designers began creating bras with “cups,” and in the mid-1930s, U.S. designers introduced bras with different cup sizes A, B, C and D. Starting to sound familiar?

It’s worth noting that there was an actual shortage of bras in the 1940s, due to the wars. Women had to order bras and wait until manufacturers could get fabric to make them. If they couldn’t wait, women often made their own bras using parachute silk or satin taken from their wedding dress.

Bras Today

It’s hard to believe how far we’ve come. Bras are now available in any style, shape and color you can imagine, and you can buy them at almost any store you enter. Kinder, gentler corset-style bras are still available and popular for brides and special occasions, like prom.

We’re lucky in so many ways, and we often take things for granted. That’s why we must remember that even though we still “suffer for fashion,” at least we don’t have to use laces and pulleys to tighten a whale-bone corset every day before we head out the door. And we can thank Mary Phelps Jacob for that one.