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?

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!

Ladies, it’s hot out there — make-up-melting-from-your-face hot! MSNBC reported that over the past six months we’ve seen the highest temperatures on record. And according to climate models, there’s no end in sight.

Stifling temperatures can’t ruin all the summer fun. Plan a pool or beach get together and mix up some refreshing drinks to help keep you and your guests cool. Just remember to pack sunscreen and lots and lots of ice!

Beat the heat with these cocktails:

Spicy Skinnygirl Margarita

Real Housewife of New York Bethenny Frankel started Skinnygirl in 2009. Her low calorie, pre-mixed flavored vodkas have become the fastest growing liquor product in the country.

Ingredients:
4 1/4-inch Slices jalapeño (seeds removed)
1.5 ounces Skinnygirl Margarita
Handful of ice

How to mix:
In a cocktail shaker, muddle jalapeño slices
Pour Skinnygirl Margarita over the jalapeños
Add ice and shake
Pour into glass with ice

Citrus Splash

When life hands you lemons, make a pitcher of drinks with them … and invite several friends over because this recipe makes a 10-cup pitcher!

Ingredients:
2 Lemons
2 Oranges
2 Limes
1 Kiwi, peeled and sliced
1 Nectarine, sliced into wedges
1/4 cup Fresh blueberries
3/4 cup Regular simple syrup
3 cups Ice
2-3 cup Club soda
Fresh strawberries for garnish
How to Mix:

• Slice half of one of the oranges, lemons and limes into thin slices and put in a large pitcher.
• Juice the remaining one and a half orange, lime and lemon and pour into pitcher.
• Add simple syrup, kiwi, nectarine and blueberries and stir to combine.
• Add club soda.
• To serve, pour into individual glasses including a bit of fruit. Make a small slit in the pointed end of a strawberry and wedge it onto the rim of the glass.

Caipirissima

Pour this cocktail into a martini glass. No matter how much you’re sweating through your sundress, a martini glass can still make you feel cool and refined.

Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Oronoco® Rum
5 Lime wedges
1 Twist
Sugar
3 oz. Freshly squeezed lime juice
Crushed ice

How to Mix:
In a shaker, muddle 4 lime wedges and sugar.
Add Oronoco® Rum, lime juice and ice.
Shake vigorously.
Strain contents into a chilled martini glass and garnish with lime wedge.

Stay cool! Cheers!

Pregnancy is one of the most exciting times in a woman’s life. To prepare for the arrival of your newborn, there’s an endless amount of to-dos and to-don’ts to learn. One of the last to-dos before the baby is born is to pack a bag for the hospital.

We attended a baby shower recently and the poor mom-to-be hadn’t even thought about her hospital bag. To help this gal out, we thought we’d make a checklist for her and other pregnant ladies out there who have yet to pack their bag.

We love The Bump for all things baby, and it has some of the following suggestions for packing the hospital bag:

1.) Paperwork like insurance information, hospital registration forms and birth plan.

2.) Nightgowns, robe, slippers and a few pair of socks for walking the hall when in labor – or walking anywhere in the hospital. Who knows what those floors have seen.

3.) Lip balm, hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, face wash (or a few of those handy facial wipes), makeup (got to look good for all those pictures!), shampoo, conditioner, lotion, hair dryer, contacts, eyeglasses and a headband or hair ties.

4.) Journal or notepad and pen.

5.) Cell phone, charger and a list of phone numbers and email addresses for spreading the new baby news.

6.) Camera, film, extra memory card, battery or charger.

7.) Clothes and shoes for wearing home. And don’t even kid yourself; pack maternity clothes, not pre-pregnancy clothes.

8.) Breast pump and nursing pads.

9.) Nursing bra. Breasts go through so many changes when pregnant and nursing. It’s important that the nursing bra provide proper support, fits in the cups and around the ribs, and is comfortable for you and the baby who will be trying to latch on. It’s a good idea to get fitted by an expert to avoid buying bras that don’t fit or aren’t practical when trying to nurse. It can’t hurt and might save you lots of time and money – two things new moms are often short on! Some hospitals have a lactation center and will fit as well as sell nursing bras there.

10.) CupCase Your Bras – Honey, if you’ve just shelled out a lot of cash on those expensive nursing bras, you might as well make sure they arrive at the hospital in style, as well as safe and sound! The CupCase will hold at least a couple of your nursing bras and protect them from getting crushed or snagged in your hospital bag. There will probably be a little room left over for your hair ties and jewelry!

Feel free to share this checklist with any pregnant ladies you know! And if you’re heading to any baby showers this summer, a CupCase makes a great gift, wink-wink. J

Recently, some overzealous fans at the One Direction concert in Los Angeles threw bras on stage. The British-Irish five member boy band should be getting used to it because the ladies are making this a habit.

Other teen sensations are getting the same treatment. Justin Bieber, the Grammy Award winning18-year-old pop sensation also gets panties thrown at him. His fans are thorough, as they also write their phone numbers in the panties. Girls, we have some bad news – Justin’s momma apparently doesn’t like it!

Where and why did this ritual begin? Let’s face it, emotional outpourings at concerts are not new. Remember the Beatles? And Elvis? Concert audiences were filled with frantic women screaming, jumping and fainting at just a mere glimpse of their favorite star. That same overwhelming feeling of emotion moves women to shed their panties or bra, whip them overhead to gain some momentum, and release, hoping their undergarments land strategically at the feet of their loves.

In the 60s and 70s, Tom Jones concerts were known for flying panties. One of the first times a stranger’s panties landed at his feet, he picked them up and wiped his sweaty forehead with them. Way to feed the fire, Mr. Jones because women are still giving up their intimates. Still! Now that the Welch singer is in his 70s, he doesn’t seem as flattered by the practice. Jones even said in an interview with the The Telegraph that he wanted the panty-tossing to stop.

Bottom line, the stars don’t actually seem to enjoy being the recipient of stranger’s lingerie. Undergarments are personal, not to mention expensive. So girls/ladies, please rethink this practice. Plus, dodging underwear can get tiresome and performers need their strength. They know you love them or you wouldn’t be at the concert. Use the money on another ticket instead of replenishing your underwear drawer – or even better, buy a CupCase! And lastly, no one wants to be on Mrs. Bieber’s bad side!

CupCase is curious. Anyone out there been so moved by a performer that you found yourself throwing your unmentionables on stage in an effort to show your love?

CupCase has noticed that body chains are the newest fashion trend this summer. Rihanna and Beyonce have recently been spotted wearing these sexy and affordable accessories that can be worn with everything from swim suits to evening attire.

Body chains have many different looks and styles. Rihanna and Beyonce were seen wearing chains that go around the neck to the waist like the Harem Keira Body Chain which costs $230 (a little expensive for our tastes!). The Labradorite Stone Body Harness Chain found on Etsy is a bit more elaborate with a large labradorite drop. This chain can be converted into a necklace for multiple looks and it’s priced at $89, a bit cheaper. For an even less expensive look, Etsy also has the Body Harness with a thin gold chain for $28. For those of you that need a little more bling, Discount Women’s Dress Shoes  features a multi-layered rhinestone body chain for $19.99.

Another style that has less chain is the neck to shoulder chain or shoulder chain. VH1’s reality star Everlyn Lozada wore a neck to shoulder chain in an episode on Basketball Wives. This look adds instant style to any outfit. The Deja by Chains of Love is a light weight shoulder chain priced at $50. eCrater has three different styles that are super affordable. The chains range in price from $12.99 – $15.99!

For ideas and inspiration on how to wear body chains with your favorite outfits this season, check out Chictopia.

CupCase wants to know. Would you wear a body chain?

What could breasts that need to be enhanced and chicken parmesan possibly have in common? They both need chicken cutlets, of course.

Miss Oops Chicken Cutlets are silicon inserts that give your boobs a nonsurgical boost. And not just a little boost – these miracle workers add an entire cup size. The cutlet is placed inside any size bra (best in sizes A to DD!) and can be worn under any garment. They fit just below the breasts for immediate cleavage and the cutlet’s curved shape allows the insert to fit snuggly so it looks natural.

It’s no mystery why these miracle inserts were named for raw poultry. They look exactly like what your butcher sells. There’s nothing sexy about their look outside of your bra, but it’s a different story when they’re in!  The cutlets are washable and can be worn over and over so the $29.95 price is a bargain. Chicken Cutlets come with a plastic travel case to ensure their safety at home and away. We bet they’d fit perfectly inside a CupCase, too!

Actress and Oscar winner Charlize Theron disclosed her use of Chicken Cutlets in an interview with W magazine. The 36-year-old South African star said that she, like many other women, relies on the inserts for enhancing her cleavage. They were also spotted in the car of actress Emma Roberts as well.

Miss Oops specializes in all beauty problems. In addition to helping us put our best breast forward, she covers our cracks, minimizes our muffin tops, and even has products for moms-to-be and nursing mothers.

What do you think about Chicken Cutlets? Love ‘em or hate ‘em?

According to the results from a quiz in Seventeen magazine, a few of us should wear a “Diva Bra.” Apparently, if you wear a Diva Bra, “You have a lot of oomph and you know it. Part of what gives you that kick is your glam underclothes. You’re bold and beautiful, so anything padded, pinched and pleather looks great in your book.” At least that’s what the quiz results said!

The quiz was quick and painless and it took us back to the days where we answered all kinds of questions to receive “official guidance” on: What type of guy should we date? How do we tell if the guy we like likes us? What is our college personality?

Here’s a sample of the questions on the What’s Your Bra Personality quiz:

1. On your birthday, your sweetie surprised you with the best gift ever! What was it?

a. A candlelit gourmet dinner out.

b. A first edition of your fave book.

c. Courtside seats at the NCAA tourney!

d. A box of chocolates and jewelry! (our pick!)

2. Your crush was selected to be your chemistry lab partner! You get him to notice you by:

a. Batting your eyelashes at him.

b. Telling him he should ask you out.

c. Challenging him to a thumb war.

d. Impressing him with your smarts. (our pick!)

If you’re intrigued and want to know your bra personality, go ahead and take the quiz. And if you wind up taking another one, like Who’s Your Celeb Prom Date? or Which Justin Bieber Song Describes Your Life? … we won’t judge. J

Tell us, what did your bra personality come out to be?

P.S. Whatever your bra personality, don’t forget to protect it with a CupCase when you travel!

Where to begin? We caught wind that images from the first Victoria’s Secret catalog have resurfaced on a site called Retronaut. We found them and alternated between cracking up, furrowing our brows and shaking our heads at the old images. See for yourself.

The first catalog was distributed in 1979 … a time before every image was Photoshopped and before so many models opted for enhancements. And while we did snicker a bit at the dated images, the furry slippers and the silly poses, the photos contained real ladies with real bodies. As one article said, “The catalog actually showed what many real women would look like wearing the lingerie.” Unlike these days when catalog images seem to be over airbrushed, all breasts are perky, and many models, while very beautiful, are often waif-like and not very realistic looking at all.

One thing that hasn’t changed in the last 33 years is that women love pretty lingerie. One retail expert says more than $30 billion worth of lingerie is purchased annually in the U.S. alone. That’s a lot of bras, underwear and nighties. Oh, and furry slippers, too. J And something tells us Victoria’s Secret, starting with its first catalog in 1979, is a big reason this industry continues to grow.

CupCase is the perfect way to protect those billions of dollars worth of lingerie. Now available in Red Hot!, it’s a great case for those super sexy lingerie sets. Not only is CupCase a great travel accessory, it protects those fancy undergarments and keeps them looking good for years to come. Heck, it might have even kept some of those items from 1979 still in pristine shape had it been around!