SomeUseful Blog

Did you know that 80 percent of American women are wearing the wrong bra size? Besides looking less perky than you’d like, an ill-fitting bra can lead to pain in the back, neck and shoulders. Use the guide below to get a great fit every time.

Find the right size bra

1. Find your band size: Measure around your rib cage right below breasts. Round up to the nearest half-inch. Add 4 or 5 to that number (whichever makes the result an even number) to get the band size.

2. Find your cup size: Measure the fullest part of your bust. Subtract the band size from this number to get the cup size. See the chart, below:

1-inch A
2-inch B
3-inch C
4-inch D
5-inch DD or E
6-inch DDD or E or F
7-inch F or G

Note: Sizes will vary depending on the manufacturer.

Make sure your bra fits

1. Lean over and place the underwire under your breasts; the bra should fit against your rib-cage. It should be snug so you feel well supported.

2. Adjust the bra band so it is level across your back. If it slips up high, the bra is too big and could cause back and shoulder pains. Remember: The bra strap should not be carrying the weight of your breasts. Ninety percent of the weight should be carried by the underwire.

Argentina’s soccer player Lionel Messi (L) and his girlfriend Antonella Roccuzzo are seen on Grumari beach in Rio de Janeiro July 9, 2010.

Spain defender Carles Puyol believes Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi will be crowned the world’s best footballer despite the talents of World Cup finalists Wesley Sneijder and Xavi.

Messi had a disappointing World Cup as Argentina were knocked out of the tournament by Germany in the quarter-finals.

In contrast, both Sneijder and Xavi have played crucial roles as Holland and Spain reached Sunday’s World Cup final.

“Sneijder is one of the best players, yes, but to decide on who is the best, it’s difficult,” said Puyol.

“He is an important player, all the attacks pass through him, he scores goals and provides crucial passes, so you always have to watch him.

“As far as the Ballon d’Or is concerned, both Sneijder and Xavi have been good all year and they would deserve it. But, for me, Leo Messi is the favourite.”

Jerseylicious makeup artist Alexa Prisco knows a thing or two about looking good, and now she’s sharing that insider info with you! Read on for the Glam Fairy’s must-have products…

1. An amazing moisturizer is a must; you have to make sure your canvas is prepped and ready for makeup. My personal favorite is La Mer.

2. A great mascara always opens up the eyes. I like the new Givenchy Phenomen’Eyes ball mascara—it’s great because it gives you that Twiggy look, which is one of my faves.

3. Always keep blot powder and a great fluff brush on hand to tone down any sheen throughout the day.

4. Baked mineral blush! A lot of companies produce it now—it’s half liquid and half powder and baked for 24 hours in most cases. It can be used wet or dry and really delivers prominent color.

5. Concealer is key. If you want to look fresh and awake, always dab a couple drops of a pink-based concealer underneath your eyes to counteract any darkness. Dark circles are usually composed of blues and purples; orange is opposite on the color wheel, so anything with an orange base will counteract the blues and purples and leave you looking totally rejuvenated.

This week, celebs channeled their inner Grecian goddess with one-shoulder dresses. At the I Heart Ronson JCPenney event, Brittany Snow made waves with her ocean-inspired Nicole Miller dress. The onscreen siren’s sleek hair lets her colorful dress take center stage. We love how she highlighted the yellow in her dress with a matching clutch. In true Kardashian form, Khloé Kardashian Odom went for short and tight, and we wouldn’t have it any other way! After all, she was promoting TrimSpa at a local CVS, so a body-flaunting dress feels just right. Jessica Simpson was all about the drama in an attention-grabbing Carolina Herrera maxi that she wore to a charity gala. And finally, Ellen Pompeo looked sweet and age appropriate in a looser-fitting denim frock from Lanvin at an American Cancer Society benefit.

The naked woman: We’ve been seeing a lot of her lately. And we don’t mean the unclothed kind.

Back in 2002, actress Jamie Lee Curtis shook up the glossy, smug, magazine-fashionable complex by appearing in More without any kind of retouching.

“There’s a reality to the way I look without my clothes on,” she said at the time. “I don’t have great thighs. I have very big breasts and a soft, fatty little tummy. And I’ve got back fat. People assume that I’m walking around in little spaghetti-strap dresses. It’s insidious—Glam Jamie, the Perfect Jamie, the great figure, blah, blah, blah. And I don’t want the unsuspecting 40-year-old women of the world to think that I’ve got it going on. It’s such a fraud. And I’m the one perpetuating it.”

Folks loved her shoot. Pundits wondered whether more actresses might do the same things.

But they didn’t, not really. The Photoshopping continued, of course—legs, cleavage, even the whites of an actress’s eyeballs still, generally, weren’t safe from the reverse ravages of an editor’s retouching software. The occasional actress still complained, of course.

“I hate that, when your legs are three times the length they actually are,” Emily Blunt told me back in January. “I heard they they could raise your nipples up if you have a slightly see-through top, lift your bum, they can do everything. I can understand there are things like shadows they need to fix after a shoot, but I think it’s unfair to represent an image of yourself if it’s not true. They’re gonna see what you look like on film. Why would you try to cover it up in a photo, all your wobbly bits?”

But for the most part, celebrities still looked like aliens on every magazine cover.

Finally, eight years after Jamie made her stand, other famous women are starting to actually follow through on their desires for more realistic presentation. Jessica Simpson went first this month, posing for a closeup for Marie Claire wearing zero makeup and aided by not a single pixel of computer retouching. (See our story here.) Jess did appear to have her hair done, but editors insisted it was air-dried. Britney Spears reportedly launched her own minirebellion by releasing before-and-after shots of her latest Candies campaign. And most recently, Kim Kardashian did a nude shoot for Bazaar in which she, too, claims to go unretouched.

The media, of course, had leaped up to celebrate this as some sort of revolutionary new trend. We here at mystyle tend to doubt that—until more women come forward to do the same thing, this all feels more like a stunt than a shift in tone—but it’s welcome, nonetheless. Anything that uses the media to actually portray what it’s supposed to portray—the truth—is always a step in the right direction.

With everything military being all the rage, it was only a matter of time before combat boots stomped onto the style scene. Worn with all black, à la Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, the trend is too imitating. We like how Miley Cyrus bedazzled her boots, but the sequined shorts were overkill. Emma Roberts got it right with skinny jeans and a long hoodie—but we’ll probably still stick to our riding boots when it comes to flats.

We don’t know about you, but 2010 is flying by fast! Reason No. 1 why we’re not complaining? The new Sex and the City 2 movie will be here before we know it! May 27, to be exact. That’s just six weeks away!

The latest poster for the flick (shown) has reignited our girl crushes on Carrie Bradshaw, Samantha Jones, Miranda Hobbes and Charlotte York. It shows the fabulous Sarah Jessica Parker strutting her stuff in a to-die-for designer gown and fierce strappy gladiators with the deserts of Abu Dhabi as her runway. We likey!

But what’s up with the glasses? Is the star hinting that the sequel will be in 3-D? Wouldn’t that be something!

Preview more SATC 2 fashions in our Shop Their Style gallery! Then keep reading to see SJP looking stunning in a sapphire Calvin Klein dress on the May cover of Vogue. She spills deets on the movie inside!

Get anything you want on www.SomeUseful.com .

TREND: Red sheaths

WHO’S WEARING IT: Jessica Simpson (Giambattista Valli), Tyra Banks, Kim Kardashian (Gripp)

HOW TO WEAR IT: A red sheath is the best of both worlds. It has the ladylike feel of a classic little black dress, but the bright color demands attention. Turn it up a notch further with “crayon color” accessories like Tyra’s. Or keep it simple with nude pumps and neutral makeup like Kim does. Just remember, the fit of the dress is key. The reality star’s shoulder pads were a tad too reminiscent of her footballer ex. And as much as we love how Jess went with unexpected crimson pumps and a bright lip, we couldn’t get past the unflattering hemline.

When we see runway makeup we love — and NARS always falls into that category — we try to recreate it, but usually fail miserably. If only we could watch a tutorial video showing us exactly which products, brushes, and techniques to use and how.

Our wish has been granted!

NARS is launching a “Runway, Real Way, Nars Way” project that will be released on YouTube and Facebook, WWD reports.

“Created backstage at the designers’ New York shows in February, the 40-second videos are intended to show consumers how to create wearable versions of each of the looks in three steps apiece. NARS makeup artists Jenny Smith, Uzo and Jane Richardson demonstrate the techniques on women from the NARS marketing department, using the brand’s products available in stores and online.”

Hopefully, this project will extend to looks from other shows and seasons, so we can really hone our skills.

Want to stand out in shimmer makeup this spring? Click here for pro tips on how to wear it without going overboard!

Tommy Hilfiger has bagged two of the most beautiful women in the world for a charitable campaign.

Supermodel Helena Christensen photographed Milla Jovovich for the 2010 Tommy Hilfiger for Breast Health International campaign, which features a stylish red limited-edition handbag designed by Hilfiger.

The handbag — Hilfiger’s fourth for the charity — goes on sale in Europe today, with 50% of the proceeds benefiting the Fund For Living campaign, which supports those dealing with breast cancer, according to a company statement.

“I am excited to work with Milla Jovovich and Helena Christensen in our continued support of the Breast Health International,” Hilfiger says in a press release.

“With the limited-edition bag series we’ve been able to contribute to building breast cancer awareness, and offer our customers an opportunity to make their contribution as well.”

“To be a part of such an inspirational initiative is an incredible honor, and I hope that through our partnership we can help make a difference in the thousands of lives touched by the horrible disease,” adds Jovovich.

It’s not the first time Christensen has joined the cause; she modeled in the 2009 campaign, while French First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy starred in the 2008 campaign.

Available for 279 euros (about $378), the bag will be sold in Tommy Hilfiger flagships and select retailers in Europe.

Carry on!