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Bras and drama: BFFs
If you haven't heard, some women are claiming Victoria's Secret bras made them break out into rashes and red welts. Though Vicki's has denied it, the gals claim their bras contain formaldehyde, which is used in some fabrics to decrease wrinkling.
I haven't had any welts from VS, thankfully. But I do have another problem that makes me break out -- the hot models plastered on the walls in the store.
A while ago, I freaked in the VS dressing room when, mid-bra, I saw a picture of Adriana Lima (left) staring back at me. I was SO MAD. Seriously, WTF? Dressing rooms are the 9th ring of self esteem hell. It's ALLL out there. Your back fat. Your winter shaving situation. The blueberry pie you ate straight from the tin during a VH1 Rock of Love marathon. Who wants to disrobe next to a Brazilian supermodel?
After my traumatic bra-buying moment, I took to my personal diary to let out my feelings, channeling the fury by devising a list of people I'd rather see in the dressing room at Victoria's Secret. What with the recent Vicki's press, I thought I'd dig into the archives and share it with you. Here are my suggested replacements for Adriana and friends:
Mandy Moore
She's so cute, so real! Sure, she's stunning, but it's not the kind of stunning that makes you want to adopt 18 cats and live forever in solitude. She's your best girlfriend. Her arm isn't the size of a Red Vine. And after you both buy size 36 bras on clearance, she'll go grab some Dippin' Dots with you in the food court and laugh at people wearing Crocs. Love her.
Oprah
Oprah would encourage you to journal your feelings about the perils of bra shopping. Just a mere glance up at her, and you'd realize that "THIS IS THE YEAR TO TAKE CONTROL!" You'd know that if you don't love yourself, you can't possibly offer your gifts of love to the important people in your life. Then, BOOM! She'd toss a pair of Ugg boots through the picture and say "EVERYONE IS GETTING A PAIR!"
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly: "You feeling chubby today? Me too. Sucks, doesn't it? Let's go drink Jack and Coke and write boy-bashing songs. Let's burn our bras. But only for a couple months. Then, let's totally diet together. Kay?"
George Clooney
Hi, here's a thought. Instead of a hot model we want to slap, how about a hot
dude? George: "Nothing is sexier than an average-looking woman whose feet are swollen from shopping all day. Hey, is that a Goody plastic tortoise shell claw clip? I love those. You should really get into modeling. Oh, and totally buy that bra. But maybe try it in nude. White tends to show through dark tops. Just a tip. Now kiss me."
~ Deal Diva Stephanie
(Photos: AP/Getty)
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THE AUTHORS
Stephanie Hayes came out of the womb wearing high heels. While other kids were reciting multiplication tables, she was learning to calculate an extra third off the half-price discount during buy-one-get-one week. She loves animal prints, black mascara and anything that sparkles. She objects to visible panty lines, Crocs and anything that costs more than a car payment. And she doesn't drive a nice car. She can be reached at (727) 893-8857 or shayes@tampabay.com.
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Kameel Stanley has never encountered a thrift store she didn’t like. Her
mother taught her that the true value of clothes isn’t how much they cost,
but how many outfits one can create from them. Having grown up in Michigan,
she was delighted to learn upon moving to Florida that she almost never
needed to wear socks or boots again. There’s a lot of turnover in her
closet, and she’s obsessed with dresses, necklaces and wedge heels. She can
be reached at (727) 893-8643 or kstanley@tampabay.com.
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A disciple of the little black dress classics school, Letitia Stein stretches her budget by looking for styles with staying power. She lives for 80 percent off shoes at DSW, floral sundresses and bohemian chic tops. She confesses to being a bit of a snob when it comes to handbags and jewelry. She can be reached at (813) 226-3400 or lstein@tampabay.com.
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Coming from a long line of fashionable women, Kim Wilmath considers herself lucky to fit into their hand-me-downs. Her wardrobe staples include her grandma's vintage blouses and her mom's funky jewelry. When she's in the market for "new" items, Kim hits her favorite thrift stores -- a habit she also picked up from mom. But when circumstances require a visit to the shiny stores in the mall, you'll find Kim at the sale rack like a good little diva. She can be reached at (813) 661-2442 or kwilmath@tampabay.com.
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Kameel Stanley has never encountered a thrift store she didn’t like. Her
mother taught her that the true value of clothes isn’t how much they cost,
but how many outfits one can create from them. Having grown up in Michigan,
she was delighted to learn upon moving to Florida that she almost never
needed to wear socks or boots again. There’s a lot of turnover in her
closet, and she’s obsessed with dresses, necklaces and wedge heels. She can
be reached at (727) 893-8643 or
A disciple of the little black dress classics school, Letitia Stein stretches her budget by looking for styles with staying power. She lives for 80 percent off shoes at DSW, floral sundresses and bohemian chic tops. She confesses to being a bit of a snob when it comes to handbags and jewelry. She can be reached at (813) 226-3400 or
Coming from a long line of fashionable women, Kim Wilmath considers herself lucky to fit into their hand-me-downs. Her wardrobe staples include her grandma's vintage blouses and her mom's funky jewelry. When she's in the market for "new" items, Kim hits her favorite thrift stores -- a habit she also picked up from mom. But when circumstances require a visit to the shiny stores in the mall, you'll find Kim at the sale rack like a good little diva. She can be reached at (813) 661-2442 or