The Shopping Maven

JoAnn Roberts

The Shopping Maven can't help herself. She shops to live and lives to shop. You get the benefit of her shopping. So, here's what's cool and what's not.

Jump to Breast Form review or Slip

More Best Kept Secrets of the Big Cities

We look at some of the great cosmetics shops and stores of Chicago, the windy city.

Carnegie Drug, Inc., 140 East Waltron Place. Phone: 312-787-3046
If you're into perfumes and fragrances, this is the place for you. Check out the ten-foot-high wall of fragrances. The store also specializes in hard-to-find products like Italy's Korf cosmetics.

Che Sguardo, 716 North Wells. Phone: 312-440-1616
Model-owner Kathy Schmalen opened Che for the beauty pros, but amateurs are welcome here too. Here, you can buy not only your warpaint, but a case to carry it in as well. The shop offers services like facials, body waxing, manicures and customer makeovers.

Custom Wigs Limited, 4065 North Milwaukee. Phone: 312-777-0222 or 800-USA-WIGS
There's nothing "limited" about this store that covers an entire city block. We're talking serious wigs here, like 50,000 pieces. Prices range from $30 for a synthetic to $500 for human hair, but the majority fall in the range of $60 to $150. The store is open seven days a week. Noted Chicago impersonator Chili Pepper is known to shop here and if it's good enough for her, it's good enough for the rest of us.

Breast Form Review

Product: Realistic Breast Forms
Source: RBF Industries, PO Box 4951, Naperville, IL 60567-4951
Cost: $30 per pair
Rating: "B"

Ask any crossdresser what is the ultimate sign of femininity and almost to a person they will say breasts. It is no wonder then that so many crossdressers seem to be preoccupied with breasts and consequently breast forms.
There are a wide variety of breast forms available ranging from home-made baggies filled with water to exquisite prosthetic reproductions. Each type has its pluses and minuses from fragility to extreme cost.
The RBF breast forms seem to overcome the very high costs of other prosthetic breast forms yet they are not perfect. RBF graciously sent a pair to ITS for review. My immediate impression was that the forms were a bit too solid and heavy. Out of curiosity, I weighed several forms and found the RBF forms to weigh almost one pound apiece (15.9 ounces). This was compared to Camp forms weighing 14.6 oz. each, Illusion forms (small) at 8.9 oz. each, and baggies filled with water at 5.9 oz. each. So my initial reaction was confirmed. It also means that you will need a good, firm bra, probably with underwires.
As for firmness, I consider the Illusion forms to be extra-firm and not all that realistic to the touch. The RBF forms were even more firm than the Illusion forms. I made no attempt to measure firmness and this is a purely subjective evaluation.
The RBF forms are made from a soft vinyl material which seemed to have an oily feel. Since vinyl is a rigid plastic, the oily feeling is probably the plasticizer used to soften the plastic. This material, according to RBF, will not stain clothing although they recommend powdering the forms before use. Eventually, when the forms lose enough plasticizer they will start to become stiff and brittle. This may, however, take a very long time and in view of the extremely low cost of the form, who cares?
The color was a pale skin tone a little lighter than my normal skin. However, according to RBF, and unlike the Illusion forms, the RBF forms can be colored with makeup. The nipples on the forms I reviewed were very large, too large for my tastes. Again, according to RBF, since the forms are solid, they can be trimmed and reshaped without damage. The texture of the forms seemed to show both skin texture and some fabric texture although both textures are not very noticeable. The shape of the forms left something to be desired. Most forms have a teardrop shape. The RBF forms are more domelike. If you like "pointers" over "setters," you'll like the way these sit up in a bra. One last point, the backs of the forms are flat which contributes to the high "ride" in a bra.
RBF says they're working continuously on improvements to the forms. One improvement is a scooped back. Another is a way to take a cast from the buyer's chest to accommodate a near perfect fit. And, finally, they're working with a vinyl formulation that will allow the forms to be glued to the chest, much like the Illusion forms.
Overall, I gave the RBF forms a "B" rating mostly on cost. The price is just too low to knock and offsets any of the technical minuses. Other forms may feel more like real breasts and other forms may look more like real breasts, but until there is a form that both looks and feels real at a very low price, the RBF forms may well be the best bargain around.

Wonder Slip Review

Product: Under-Wonder Fashion Shaper
Source: by Flexees, available at most upscale department stores
Cost: $36 to $39
Rating: "A+"

Without a doubt, we, more than a genetic female, need all the help we can get when trying to create a feminine figure. All but the most shapely woman's figure is taxed by the profusion of skin-tight dresses made with Lycra or Spandex.
Flexees has come to the rescue with a one piece garment that molds and shapes without feeling like one is wearing an iron corset. This little jewel is called the Under•Wonder and is related to the Hip-Slip reviewed last issue. Like the Hip-Slip the bottom of this shaper is a Lycra/satin slip with a lace hem. The hem has little rubber grippers to keep it from riding up the leg. The slip is sufficiently short to accommodate all but the shortest dresses or skirts.
Attached to the slip portion is a stretch lace long line bra. And while the stretch lace does not afford extra-firm support, there is enough support to hold up a pair of breast forms without underwires. The shoulder straps are adjustable.
The garment is very comfortable and I have worn mine for hours at a stretch (pun intended). I purchased my garment at a large local department store on sale for $36, but the latest Victoria's Secret catalog shows the same garment for $39. The Under•Wonder is available in black and white.
I want to mention that the latest Frederick of Hollywood catalog also shows a similar body slip which I ordered for $48. Compared to the Under•Wonder, the Frederick's Slimmer Slip was nowhere near the quality nor the firm support at the higher price. Save your money.
If you like the new clothes made with Lycra and you have a less than perfect body (don't most of us) then the Under-Wonder may just be that little extra help you need.

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