It’s time to pour out your plastic surgery piggy banks ladies because scientists say a better bra is all you need.

Scientists from Manchester University have finally proven what Stacey and Clinton taught me years ago—there is a connection between what you wear and how you feel. In a video study of 60 women aged 20 to 55, the women were filmed wearing push up bras and then their own, everyday bras.

The researchers monitored three behaviors that indicate confidence. When giving their girls an extra lift, women smiled at least 73 percent more, avoided eye contact less, and also touched their face less. The study showed that the participants acted more confident with more cleavage.

Gossard, a lingerie company, independently commissioned the study, for the launch of it’s latest boosting bra. The companies head designer said, “It just shows that you don’t have to go under the knife to achieve confidence-boosting killer cleavage.”

So there you have it. For the cost of one operation you could buy a life’s supply of cleavage boosting bras. If you’re worried some guy will complain when you take it off, I fully encourage using said bra to slingshot water balloons, tomatoes, or some other soft object at his head.

I’m going to give you a clue for anyone who’s ever wondered what my secret identity really is: I’m not Josh Hartnett. I’m not even a fan of his, but I am a fan of 40 Days/40 Nights and since Ash Wednesday was oh, so, recent, I felt inspired to re-watch that rom-com romp. In case you’ve never seen it, it’s about a heartbroken Hartnett who is socially and emotionally crippled from being dumped by his long-term girlfriend that he takes a vow: no sexual gratification for Lent and thus freeing himself from her…influence? I don’t know, the logic takes some selling, I’m sure Sarah Palin could make sense of it. Being as this is the season of Lent, when good Catholic boys and girls are sacrificing one of their favorite luxuries for 40 days, I started to wonder, how productive an idea is this for the 21st century? I’m all for penance, don’t get me wrong, love me some BDSM, but while you can give up certain things, are their ones that you shouldn’t give up? I mean, Josh Hartnett becomes unable to work, have friendships, or eat pancakes. Is that healthy? Isn’t that going a bit too far? So, after some extensive research, I’ve come up with a list of 11 things that women should not give up for Lent, for the good of mankind.

initiating the gallery...

There you have it, ladies. 11 things you shouldn’t sacrifice for Lent. Some of these might be shocking. Some of these might be bewildering. But that’s the way it goes sometimes. What did I miss? What couldn’t you live without for 40 days and 40 nights? Before you even ask in the comments, don’t worry, this is just part one. Next time, we’re going to tackle the boys…figuratively speaking.

Fire in the hole!

The Dude

Dear Tuffy Luv,

Valentine’s Day was awesome. But now I’m sad. Why you ask? Because my boyfriend got me a really cute lingerie set.

I know, I know. I should be happy right? But the problem is that the bra is a size 36-DD. I wear a 36-F. He was shocked. And then he was excited. But still, I was bummed. It’s so difficult to find cute, sexy bras in my size. Do they even exist? Do they?? Tuffy, help a girl out!

Big Bust

Dear Big Bust,

Sho they do!!

Okay, Tuffy did some research for you, girl. And here’s what I found: There are lots of super cute bras in your super cute size.

First of all, I found THIS awesome site. Um, take a look, it’s amazing. You put in your size (and it has, like, every size) and it finds you stuff. Definitely some gorgeous options on there. Another great resource is HerRoom.com. It has a similar search option that yields great results that are both practical and sexy. Other sites worth mentioning are FigLeaves.com, BareNecessities.com.

You sexy, Girl!!!

Hearts & Skulls,

Tuffy Luv

Question?! Answer: Ask Tuffy Luv. Eating faces since 2008.

[Lead image via CRM/Shutterstock]

When I was a kid, my friends and I would make jokes about Victoria’s Secret: the bra cups are infused with chemicals that will permanently make your boobs bigger, any male who buys gifts there actually gets an amazing discount, the mysterious “Victoria” is actually a man who is selling his personal lingerie collection.

Well, earlier this week, Victoria’s Secret finally got out. It’s not pretty, it has nothing to do with being sexy, and it’s not even the least bit funny.

On Wednesday, Bloomberg Markets Magazine released an investigative report linking the lingerie company to child labor practices in West Africa: Victoria’s Secret manufactures its cotton underwear in Sri Lanka, using textiles made in factories in India; a portion of those fabrics use cotton picked in the country of Burkina Faso, a landlocked country that was supposed to produce organic, fair trade cotton. Victoria’s Secret originally entered into the production deal in 2007 with the goal of ”improving the lives of some of the world’s poorest women and children through the responsible sourcing of cotton,” yet was unknowingly exploiting children and endorsing the practices they aimed to fight.

The article follows Clarisse, a 13-year-old child laborer who was pulled out of school to work in cotton fields, doing everything from carving plots that span the size of four football fields to fighting away harmful bugs usually controlled by inorganic pesticides, all while barefoot and susceptible to 100-degree heat during the summer planting season. And what happens if Clarisse gets tired and slows down? Let the farmer himself share his genius technique: “I sometimes beat her…This is when I give her work and she doesn’t deliver.”

The parent company Limited Brands released a statement:

“If this allegation is true, it describes behavior that is contrary to our company’s values and the code of labor and sourcing standards that we require all of our suppliers to meet,” the statement said. “These standards expressly prohibit child labor.” CNN reported that the company claimed to have immediately “began working with key stakeholders internally and externally to fully investigate this matter…we are prepared to take swift action to prevent the illegal use of child labor in the fields where we source Fairtrade-certified organic cotton in Burkina Faso.”

Though the news is shocking to those at VS headquarters, the practices are nothing new to farmers and regulators in Burkina Faso. The U.S. Labor Department has repeatedly cited the country for the worst forms of child labor, while the State Department has done the same regarding child trafficking to conventional cotton fields there. Somehow, this flew under the radar; even Fairtrade International, the world’s largest group of its kind, certified that Burkina Faso’s organic crop met its standards.

Some people are saying that though not all of VS’ cotton supply comes from Burkina Faso, the company should be boycotted; Victoria’s Secret should’ve been more aware of their own contracted labor practices, even if fair trade officials weren’t. However, others argue that it’s just another part of American consumerism that we customers blindly support.

For example, if you wear jeans, use eye shadow, or own a pair of gold earrings, you have at least 8.3 slaves working for you — according to Slavery Footprint, a new online campaign launched in collaboration with the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, created to raise awareness of modern day slavery. Here’s another not-so-fun fact: there are more slaves in the world today – an estimated 27 million people – than at any other time in history.

After taking the interactive, online lifestyle survey, it’s clear that it isn’t just our overpriced cotton underwear that’s supporting modern day slavery: it’s everything. Daily essentials like cars and coffee, college staples like smartphones and laptops. Oranges, cocktail shrimp, mascara and mouthwash, the list goes on.

Find out your Slavery Footprint now — college students can enter the Slavery Footprint Campus Challenge for a chance to win a trip for two to the 2012 mtvU Woodie Awards!

Read the full Bloomberg article here and watch the video coverage online.

What’s your Slavery Footprint? Will you continue to shop at Victoria’s Secret? What companies are endorsing these practices, unknowingly or otherwise?

Ashley is a UC San Diego grad who is holding on way too tightly to a potential career in magazines and goes to Vegas all too often. She’s fascinated with celebrities and strawberry beer and doubles as a pathological texter/emailer/blogger. Feed the addiction with tweets @cashleelee. Thanks in advance.

It’s the end of the year and as you start packing up your stuff to head home for the summer, you might notice the effect the dryer has had on your undies. Yes, after a year of industrial dryers your delicates are probably looking a little frayed and a lot tattered.

What better way to refresh your spring wardrobe than with some pretty new underthings?

Underwear is an easy way to incorporate new trends into your wardrobe with minimal expense. You can add stripes and florals, and lots of colors and patterns without breaking the bank. While you might not be showing off your undies to the world, knowing you have pretty things underneath will make you feel prettier, sexier, and overall just better. (And chances are, you are showing them off to somebody, so don’t you want to put your best….ahem….’foot’ forward?)

If I’ve got you convinced that you need to refresh your collection of underwear, I’ve got 15 items to get you thinking, each more beautiful than the one before!

[Click on any item to shop!]

I still can’t figure out why a store like Victoria’s Secret, who base all their advertising on women with luscious big breasts, doesn’t carry most lingerie in their stores above a C. Am I missing something here?

It’s all routed in a vicious cycle of girls wanting what they can’t have. I’ve always heard my smaller-chested friends whining about wanting bigger boobs when I and my more endowed friends begged for smaller ones. And I’m not even one of those poor girls that has to shop above the A-D range (bless your heavy-chested hearts), so why has it always been so hard? Well, thanks to online shopping and places like BareNecessities.com, we can find beautiful bras, like this one from Felina, for a fantastic price in a wide range of sizes, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Honestly, the first thing I noticed about this bra was the price. Almost half of what Victoria’s Secret charges for their bras and the sizes range from a B-DDD. Am I the only one who didn’t know a triple D existed? Things get a little fuzzy for me after the D mark, but this bra is perfect if you hover around that size. And for a bonus – if the size you picked doesn’t fit just right, the site will pay for your shipping to exchange it. Both ways.

This bra manages to be both gorgeous and sexy, without being too cutesy. The pink is a wonderful Valentine option (order 2-day shipping to get it in time!) and it’s not too frilly to wear on a day-to-day basis. The demi-cup style (meaning it’s really only the lower half of a cup) gives great lift and shows off just the right amount of the amazing shape it creates, which also makes it perfect for giving you just a hint of cleavage in clothes without a risqué plunging neckline. This is a bra that’s working for you under you clothes and working for him without any, and gives you the confidence to navigate from one to the other. There’s a bra that’s worth way more than $32.

Even though I may still need to work out with two sports bras (and women get boob jobs why??) at least I won’t be shedding any more tears in department stores any time soon. Unless I find something wonderful that’s out of my price range, which is all the more reason to continue shopping online where no one can hear the sobs.

See what else Julia’s jonesing for right here.

[It's pretty obvious that the average CollegeCandy reader has some very strong opinions. Opinions that she likes to share with everyone on the site. We love a strong woman (unless she happens to be charging at us with her fists raised), so we thought we'd give her a real forum to discuss her thoughts, feelings, and perspectives. Every Friday I'll be featuring a hot topic (like Valentine's Day!) and leaving it up to you, the readers, to duke it out. So, read it and get your debate on in the comments section below!]

I really thought that this trend was going to die last year, but apparently, I really missed it on that call. From what I have seen so far from the runways and red carpets, sheer is back for spring. And I’m not just talking sheer here – I’m talking “hello world, here’s my bra” no tank top, sheer. I give it up to models, they can strut down the runway in just about anything and make it seem like an OK idea, but in the real world, can anybody make this work?

On the one hand, I kinda like the idea of sheer – it’s sexy and, let’s face it, this is probably the only time in my life I’m going to have a body that can come anywhere close to being OK that uncovered. Plus, I have a lot of pretty bras that I never really wear because they show under clothes, so sheer could definitely help get my money’s worth on that front (and the boy toy gives a thumbs up to anything that involves seeing bras). While I might not be as bold with it as some of the celebs I’ve seen (holy crap, Leighton!) a sheer top + cute bra + jacket could totally be cute for grabbing a drink with the girls. Hey, as long as we’ve got youth on our side, we might as well embrace it, right?

But like it or not, from the time I first started wearing a bra I was taught to make sure that it didn’t show through my clothes. For almost every life situation I’ve been in it’s good advice – showing up to an interview flashing your lacy underthings = not a good idea – which means that this sheer look would only work in very specific circumstances. And let’s face it, this is a look that’s going to get you a lot of attention whether you like it or not, so you have to go in prepared to fend off the catcalls and unavoidable drunken stares at the bar.

I admit, I’ve had my little forays with sheer, but at the end of the day, that mom voice inside my head keeps whispering “people can see your bra” and I end up spending the whole day with my arms folded across my chest. Am I just being a prude, or is this look a little too fashion-forward for the real world? Will you rock out with your, um, bra out this spring? Or is this a look best left to the runways?

Duke it out ladies!

If I know one thing it’s that girls who only shop at Victoria’s Secret for the bras/panties/sexy lingerie are really missing out. That Vicki has a lot more to offer than lacy underthings that make your boobs look huge; Victoria’s Secret is also an awesome place to stock up on clothes, shoes and beauty products. They even have jeans that give your butt some lift!

VS is truly a one-stop-shop for all your girlie needs and the best news is, you can find things within your college gal budget (i.e. under $20). Shop on, ladies. Shop on!

Henley sweaters are a casual and comfy way to keep cozy this season, and not only is this on sale for $19, but you get a free scarf with your purchase as well! Score!

Ok, so technically this set of bras isn’t under $20, but it’s 2 bras for $32, which brings each down to only $16 a pop. (That’s only $8 a boob!) Where can you find a deal like that on good quality comfy bras? Nowhere.

Lip gloss should always be in your purse and with a 5 for $20 deal on all Victoria’s Secret makeup, you can stock up on a whole bunch of items that’ll help ya look lovely. Seriously, the VS makeup is really great quality stuff and I highly recommend loading up.

Leggings are my go-to during winter months; they tuck into boots fabulously, look adorable with oversized sweaters, and for those really cold days, you can put them under your jeans.  VS has these that are 2/$20 and come in a wide array of colors. I definitely plan on stocking up (no pun intended).

No, I don’t know why this girl is wearing pajamas to go bike riding in a prairie, but I do know that when you’re looking for comfort, the Pink collection is the way to go. These pants are great for lounging in your dorm, at home during the holidays, or when you need to run out to get a Gatorade on a Saturday morning.

I happen to think that sweaters are totes cute and I always look forward to sweater weather. And this sweater is one of the reasons why. I love the turtleneck, sleeve length and button details, and at $15, you can’t go wrong.

These panties manage to pull off sweet & sexy at the same time, and the hipster and cheeky cut will do wonders for your tush. With so many cute prints/colors to choose from, I’d be hard-pressed to find a reason not to grab up multiple pairs…

Wrap tops are flattering on every figure and do a great job of accentuating your curves. Mix that perk with the fact that this cotton top will be comfortable enough to wear to lecture and sexy enough to wear for a girls’ night out and you’ve got yourself the perfect addition to your fall/winter wardrobe!

P.S. If you shop today, you can take an extra 20% off one item! Let’s all give thanks to our new BFF, Victoria!

America has more name brands than Law and Order reruns and while you may want to go unload your entire check at GAP or Abercrombie, you don’t want to buy something that you thought was cute and unique and later have buyer’s remorse when you see something identical for less.

I’m not encouraging you to start buying knock off Jimmy Choos from Payless and wanna-be BCBG dresses at Walmart (although, just throwing it out there, you may find some very GOOD knock offs). All I’m saying is you should know that EVERY store is competing with another store and when you shop competitively, you save money. Money that you can use to stimulate the economy…or your wardrobe.

So I thought I’d help you sift through the proverbial mall and figure out which stores are best for your budget. Each week I’ll be comparing apples to apples (or undies to undies) to give you the real deal and arm you with the knowledge you need to make the wisest wardrobe choices. Ready. Set. SHOP.

Aerie vs. Victoria Secret Pink
Whoa, didn’t see that one coming did you? In fact, some of you are sitting on your bed thinking, “Are you serious, there is no competition!”or “Those two aren’t even the same.” Well, ladies, think again.

PINK
You know Victoria’s Secret Pink.

History
You’ve been to Pink before so I’m not going to bore you with a description of the store, but here is a little info on that brightly lit store blinding you on your way to Starbucks.

* Since its creation, Pink has been hailed the #1 Loungewear brand in the World (well at least, according to LimitedBrands, the parent company of Victoria’s Secret and Pink).
* In 2008, VS launched their “Exclusive Collegiate Co-branded Collection” and they currently own the rights to more than 33 colleges and universities in the country.
* They are best known for their loose fitting, extra soft sweatpants boasting giant peace signs.
* Some of their most popular items are their PINK tote bags and new, trendy college hoodies.

Pricing
Thong: $9.50 (or 5 for $25)
Bra: (about) $30
T-shirt: $15
Sweatpants: $30 (or 2 for $50)
“Frilly” panties: $9.50 (or 5 for $25)
“Plain” panties: $7.50 (or 5 for $25)
Shoes: $35
Other adorable stuff: $20 (except for that adorable mascot puppy; he’s usually free!)

Now for the competition:

Aerie
It’s new, it’s cute and, YES, it’s competing with VS Pink.

History
* In 2006, American Eagle Outfitters Inc., the parent company of American Eagle Outfitters, launched their “intimates sub-brand,” Aerie.
* They take a more pastel approach to the “dorm-wear” fad
* Their simplistic, yet dainty color schemes of light blues and pinks makes them appeal to less brazen crowd.
* On October 13, 2009, Aerie’s Customer Loyalty Pass (aka their A-List Pass that some of you currently own) surpassed over 1 million in a little over a year, which is pretty big deal for a newer store.
* The ambiance of the store is enough to pull even the most timid shopper in.

Pricing
Thong: $7.50 (or 5 for $25), $10.50 (or 4 for $25) and $12.50 (or 3 for $25). The most expensive individual thong you can buy is $14.50.
Bra: $24
T-shirt: $20 (or BOGO)
Sweatpants: $34.50
“Frilly” panties: $10.50 (or 4 for $25)
“Plain” panties: $7.50 (or 5 for $25)
Shoes: No shoes, they cut those about 6 months ago, but they sell booties and slipper socks that’ll run you about $29.50 each
Other adorable stuff: $ 20

You be the Judge
So, what did YOU guys think? According to survey of 30 girls or so, this is what you guys said:

- 81.8% of you guys said you prefer Pink to Aerie
- Every month, 50% of you girls spend between $25-$75 in Aerie or Pink
- 82.6% of you guys shop at Victoria ‘sSecret more than you do American Eagle.

When asked what you hated or loved about Aerie OR Pink, this is what you said:

“I love Pink because it offers me a variety of retail and it’s fun, flirty, and fresh.”
“Aerie just doesnt appeal to me. Something about it seems rugged and not sexy enough.”
“Sweatpants should never cost $70. Too expensive”
“Aerie is boring”
“I don’t like the way PINK bras fit, they’re too low cut for me and I feel like I’m falling out of them all day.”

At the end of the day, neither store is traditional nor is either store “cheap,” but in both, you can expect to find something that will make you smile and something super comfy to wear to class. Or maybe something you can take off for your male friend later…

What do you have to say? Which do you prefer?

With Halloween on the way, thing are getting sexed up, so it only seems right that we get down to discussing the bare minimum of sexy coverings – lingerie.

On one side, practically every woman I know owns at least a couple of sets of racy underpinnings, and there’s a good reason for it. Completely aside from the obvious “look sexy for sex” aspect of lingerie (let’s face it, if clothes are coming off, guys care less about the undies than what’s under them) there’s a certain mental boost that comes from wearing pretty things – even if no one else gets to see them. Like putting on a great set of heels, the right underwear can change your mood, maybe even make you want to be ballsier/flirtier/whateverer and pump up your game. And in turn, that feeling can lead to all sorts of good things, including sex.

Another bonus on the lingerie side is that brands like Victoria’s Secret and websites like figleaves have brought sexy (and wearable) lingerie into reasonable prices, so now we can all afford to have a little more “badda-bing” in our lives.  And yeah, the average guy probably couldn’t tell La Perla from Fruit of the Loom, but pretty underthings are still probably going to get his heart pounding better than the rose-printed cotton ones your grandma bought you in high school. When you look sexy, you feel sexy, and do any of us really wake up in the morning and say “I just wish I weren’t so damn sexy!” (well, maybe on a good day).

But, there are a lot of downsides to lingerie too. There’s still a pretty big disconnect between the sexy stuff and stuff you can really wear – with all the bumps and lacy bits, it almost inevitably shows under your clothes – not to mention all of the itchy-itchy, pokey-pokey. And, again like shoes, despite the meager amount of fabric involved, the really good stuff is nigh unreachable for those of us on a student budget. More than all of that though, are the implications from lingerie. For the sake of time, I’m going to ignore the “lingerie is sexist” part of the argument; it’s pretty easy to figure out and has been made other places. To me, the biggest problem comes from the lingerie industry itself – an industry that in many ways is more “size-ist” than any other segment of fashion.

I have long heard my chesty friends lament about how there just aren’t pretty bras made in their sizes, or how those that are don’t give them what they need in the support and comfort category. Meanwhile, those of us whose cups do not runneth over are faced with an overwhelming quantity of push-ups and cup additions that practically scream “you’re boobs aren’t big enough!” And all of the really high end stuff? Most of it seems to be made for girls who have so little body fat, they could practically go bra-less anyway.

What do you say? Is lingerie just the little ego boost you need? Or will you be sticking to the flesh toned undies that keep you in place and in comfort?