Get your sexy on!

I love lingerie. I love lacy bras, sexy camis, bustiers—basically, I love all things lingerie that are cute spiced with a little naughty!

When I received an e-mail about Alicia Vianga—the owner and certified bra fitter of Premier Jour Lingerie, I quickly perused her website. I was overwhelmed. Visions of sizzling hot lingerie danced on screen! Victoria’s Secret has nothing on her! I decided then and there that I must meet her. After a few e-mails, that became a reality.

I set out to meet her on a blistery, snowy afternoon. I walked into her quaint lingerie boutique located in the heart of Little Italy, and was greeted with the biggest smile and the cheeriest hello. We introduced ourselves and she graciously took my coat and told me that I was going to have a bra fitting.

I’ve been fitted in the past (well according to Alicia, it wasn’t a REAL bra fitting!), but Alicia insisted that I go through the whole bra fitting experience for the interview.

Okay grrls, I’m not going to lie, I really wasn’t in the mood to get fitted. I am shy at times, and I felt a little nervous showing my girls to a total stranger. Lame, I know!

Alicia walked me over to a very spacious and glamorous fitting room adorned with sky high stilettos, some peek-a-boo negligees and an ornate chandelier. The room wasn’t intimidating at all. It was designed to let your inner sex kitten escape!

Alicia and her staff brought me a multitude of bras to try on. It was at this time that Alicia informed me of my real bra size, and she even showed me how to properly put on a bra. For years I was not only wearing the wrong size, but I’ve been putting it on incorrectly! Yes, I am soooo very grateful for this bra fitting.

After I tried on beautiful bra after beautiful bra, I began to feel sexier and I loved the way I looked. I kept staring at myself in the floor length mirror. Damn, I looked and felt hot!

Once I was able to tear myself away from the mirror, I was more than happy to interview the woman who made my girls look so damn good!

What inspired you to open a lingerie boutique?

I was inspired years ago. One day a friend of mine came to my workplace saying, “Alicia, I have to show you this! I have to show you this!”

We went to this fantastic lingerie boutique and I was shocked to see that lingerie came in colours other than black, beige and white. I was awestruck over the beautiful pieces. I wanted to purchase the boutique but decided against that and decided to open my own.

I spent a good 8 years studying and researching. I travelled to Paris… London.

I believe that women need to have fantastic foundation pieces. I, like most women, wore beige, black and white and nothing of quality. I wanted my boutique to be different, and I wanted women to have different bras, and to feel really good when they are wearing it. It was all about quality.

Your pieces are like works of art. How do you choose which pieces you want to sell in your shop?

When I look at the bra or feel the bra, it’s more about something that I would want to wear for myself. I sometimes think about my clients. “She would love this!” It also has to be something that is different. Something that will make a woman feel sexy and beautiful.

I think about the body shape, the colour of the skin, I think about what they are going to wear with it. Like you said, they are works of art. They are pieces that you want to show!

What type of shopping experience do you want your clients to encounter?

It is really important to me that they feel at home…they feel welcomed. I want my clients to feel comfortable with her clothes on and when her clothes are off. I want a woman to feel like a woman.

What services are available at Premier Jour?

It’s mainly a personal bra fitting boutique. It’s not a service that you pick up something and walk out. We try to make sure that everything is tried on and make sure it’s the piece that you want. Anyone who walks out of here is pretty much fitted.

We also do gift wrap, bridal registry, gift suggestions and a girls’ night out.

What’s the girls’ night out?

It’s where you bring a couple of your friends and everyone is fitted. The boutique is closed for a couple of hours and everyone tries on various bras. You see the shy girls become bolder when they are wearing sexy lingerie!

How important is it to get a bra fitting?

It’s essential because every bra is different. Every body type is different. Our bodies change through age, weight gain, weight loss, babies, stress. It is essential to get a bra fitting every 6 months. Your bra doesn’t stay the same.

How long should you keep a bra?

It depends on how many bras you own. I believe that women should have at least 6 bras in their wardrobe. Six good bras! Six will last you about a year. Don’t hang on to them. Send them to bra heaven! They don’t last forever.

Why should a woman buy lingerie for herself?

Why shouldn’t she?

It was such a pleasure meeting Alicia. She’s sooo right about women buying good quality lingerie. I loved all of the bras that I tried on that afternoon, but I was only able to pick up two. I guess I’ll have to make another trip to her boutique to get some more!

To view her lingerie ranging in sizes from 28-48 and cups A-H, visit Premier Jour Lingerie at 1288 St. Clair Avenue West, Toronto, Ontario. Also, check out her website at www.pjlingerie.com.

-Michelle

Happy Chinese New Year!

Chinese New Year officially kicks off on January 26, 2009, but I thought that I would send you a sneak peek look at how our friends at Lush plan on celebrating this holiday.

To commemorate Chinese New Year, Lush has created a limited edition emotibomb called Double Fast Luck . (psst…Emotibombs are a new creation fresh from the LUSH lab and a fascinating way to have fun in the shower. Essentially, they’re like bath bombs for the shower with the same fragrant fizz.)

Using an emotibomb is quite simple. All you have to do is place it under the shower, and let the warm water hit it. This creates a steamy aromatherapy experience.

When I got my hands on the limited edition “lucky” bath product (BTW it looks like a cross between a giant wafer and a coin), I frantically scrubbed my bathtub so that I could use it immediately. I placed the emotibomb directly under the shower and watched with anticipation as it started to bubble up (yes, I’m easily fascinated!). It emitted a pleasantly clean patchouli and orange scent. (*For the Lush devotes, you will recognize the scent as Karma)

What I liked most about this product was that even after I came out of the shower I could still smell the light fragrance on my skin.

If you are looking to relax and have an at home spa-day this Chinese New Year, why not pick up Double Fast Luck? But do so soon, while quantities last!

-Michelle

Congratulations, Obama!!

We at happygrrls are excited to have witnessed this monumental inauguration. It's something that will stay with us for the rest of our lives. Congratulations, Obama!

Best And Worst Singles of 2008

I’m passionate about a few things in life, and music is definitely one of them. I love the excitement that I feel when I hear a hot new song, or when I learn about a talented artist new to the scene.

2008 saw tons of music from heavy hitters like Lil Wayne and T-Pain. Honestly, if there was a song on the radio, chances were that either T-Pain or Lil Wayne was featured. However, we can’t forget about the cutest dynamic duo ever – Rihanna and Chris Brown – showed everyone what Generation Y can do by throwing down and releasing single after single.

Although we got our fair share of ear candy over the past 365 days, there was an equal amount of crap, for lack of a better word (ahem, Jonas Brothers and Britney) – songs that left me scratching my head and contemplating to never ever listen to the radio…again!

So without further adieu, we present you with the long-awaited official list of happygrrls' “Singles of the Year.” Let us know if you agree, disagree or think we’re just plain crazy! Enjoy!

MICHELLE'S BEST
Everything from Lil Wayne
This was Lil Wayne’s year! He owned the charts with the release of his monster hit, The Carter III. If the man had anything to do with a song, it would immediately shoot to number one. I was not a Lil Wayne fan before 2008, but after all of his tracks flooded BET, the airwaves and iTunes, I inevitably came to love the lil’ dreadlocked wonder. I was hypnotized by the salaciousness of “Lollipop,” the arrogant swagger of “A Milli” and found his freaky adolescent behaviour on “Mrs. Officer” very funny. Even when he spit a few verses on “Got Money” and “Can’t Believe It” (both performed by T-Pain featuring Lil Wayne), I gave in and declared my love for Lil Wayne. It’s safe to say that he was music in 2008. Click for the video.

“Need U Bad,” Jazmine Sullivan
This track totally reminds me of the summer of 2008. I remember playing it about a million times a day. Its hot, spicy reggae sexiness is what initially drew me to the song. It also didn’t hurt that Jazmine’s soulful, raspy voice satisfied my Lauryn Hill fix. (She sounds like her, no?) Thanks for becoming my fave new artist! Click for the video.

“Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It),” Beyoncé
Beyoncé may not be as cool as she once was, but she is still very relevant. She had a good year in 2008. She got married, starred in the movie Cadillac Records and released her third solo effort, I Am...Sasha Fierce. (I love the fact that she has an alter ego. Who doesn’t have one?) This song appeals to me for its dance-friendly sensibility. It’s sooo much more fun to dance to than listen to. I practically know every dance move from the video, and proudly perform it whenever I hear the song. Okay, you know you do too! Click for the video.

“Magic,” Robin Thicke
I am so biased when it comes to Robin Thicke. The man could read the user's guide for a toaster and I would still swoon over him. Just like his other songs, “Magic” oozed sex appeal, sensuality and romance. He is the consummate soul singer. Click for the video.

“Calabria 2008,” Enur featuring Natasja & MIMS
Technically this song was released in 2007, but the remix got tons of radio play in ’08. It’s a mishmash of dance, reggae, reggaeton and hip-hop. This has everything that I could possibly want! Click for the video.

CHRISTINE'S BEST

"Just Dance," Lady GaGa
Arguably the biggest dance song of the summer, “Just Dance” became an overnight hit and precariously close to overplays beyond annoyance. (The same can be said of Lady GaGa’s wardrobe.) Still, the catchy, upbeat dance track, reminiscent of Ace of Base all grown up, is infectious. True, the song essentially lacks point or coherence, but you’ve got to love the missive of just dancing your troubles away. Click for the video.

"Violet Hill," Coldplay
If there’s one thing Coldplay knows, it’s how to write songs that can lull people into a coma. That’s why “Violet Hill,” the first single from Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, is such a pleasant surprise: it neither induces spontaneous naps nor does it (thankfully) feature Martin’s infamous tinkling piano of emotions. Instead, “Violet Hill” is an up-tempo song with persistent drumming similar to a march, and a decidedly different rock slant for the band. Granted, the single is probably the most vague anti-war song to be ever written, but it does possess a beguiling melody and points to a long awaited new direction for the band. Click for the video.

"Let It Rock," Kevin Rudolf featuring Lil Wayne
As artists increasingly step out of their comfort zone to try out new genres or amalgamations of genres, there’s bound to be some hit-and-miss. And then there’s Kevin Rudolf, a relative unknown previously working behind the scenes, who turned the rock and hip-hop worlds on their heads with “Let It Rock.” The single is curious for its genre-swapping, and has been referred to everything from rock-pop to electropop to emo hip-hop. If there were any symbol for the song, a giant middle finger would be it (the opening lyrics alone are an effective damnation to anyone who’s ever wronged him). And yet, even as Rudolf spits out his incensed lyrics, you can’t help but tap your foot to it. Click for the video.

"American Boy," Estelle featuring Kanye West
Why is “American Boy” such a likable song? For starters, this elegy to the allure of American boys is sung by super cute British R&B artist Estelle, whose light-as-feather voice matches the playful lyrics to a tee. Secondly, it features Kanye West, who, for once, actually seems to be having fun guesting on the song. Thirdly, it’s produced by will.i.am, who deserves kudos for finally getting a clue and dropping the pretenses. And lastly, it’s the danceable backing track that makes this song so damn irresistible. Click for the video.

"Keeps Gettin' Better," Christina Aguilera
Poor Christina. Try as she might, she never seems to get a break on the charts, especially as far as Britney Spears is concerned. But regardless of chart hits, Aguilera is no stranger on how to write a good pop hit, and she gets it right with “Keeps Gettin’ Better.” This dance-pop tune is seeping with richly deserved attitude, and Aguilera reigns in her powerhouse voice just enough to complement the buoyant, electronic tempo. The single not only serves as a swan song to Aguilera’s career, but also as a reminder that she’s only getting better with time. Click for the video.

MICHELLE'S WORST

“Bird Walk,” Soulja Boy
Why is this kid still making music? Please make him stop! Click for the video.

“Yaa Yaa Yaa!,” Souljah Boy
Read the comment above! Click for the video.

“Womanizer,” Britney Spears
I have never been a fan of Britney’s music, but this song goes down as one of her worst to date. Believe me, there are tons to choose from! This poorly sung song drove me insane. Honestly, how many times can she use the word "womanizer" in one song? Click for the video.

“Marco Polo,” Bow Wow featuring Soulja Boy
Bow Wow and Soulja Boy actually had the audacity to use a childhood game as inspiration for this song? Yes, this song is worst than you think! Click for the video.

Everything from the Jonas Brothers
Yes, they are cute and have amazingly coiffed hair, but they cannot sing!! Click for the video.

CHRISTINE'S WORST
"The Time of My Life," David Cook
Very seldom does an “American Idol” winner get a swan song that’s good. And in David Cook’s case, he seems to have gotten the worst of the lot. Saccharine, boring, and countering most of Cook’s own musical sensibilities, “The Time of My Life” is nothing more than a gaping hole in an otherwise decent resume. Click for the video.

"So What," Pink
I’ve always loved Pink’s ability to turn anger into art, but her first single from Funhouse, “So What,” seems to be pushing the envelope of bitterness in a very deliberate way. Gone is the introspection from Missundaztood. Instead, we get loud, obnoxious, and somewhat juvenile. As the first outing from her album, “So What” is less masterpiece than it is a caricature of Pink’s former self. Click for the video.

“Burnin' Up,” Jonas Brothers
I’m not sure what perplexes me more: the tinny, sharp voices of these barely pubescent boys as they reach the climax of this pop song, the clichéd lyrics that read like bad pick-up lines (“baby, who turned the temperature hotter, ‘cause I'm burnin' up, burnin' up for you baby”), the gratuitous rap interlude by their bodyguard (who’s next, the dog walker?), or the fact that Time Magazine named this as one of the best songs of 2008. But what isn’t perplexing is the Jonas’ commercial appeal, which is sorely inflated when compared to their songwriting prowess. Click for the video.

“Never Too Late,” Hedley
The sentiment is commendable, but the execution is all wrong – from the sing-song melody to the affected vocal stylings of lead singer Jacob Hoggard (seriously, is he set on anything else besides “whiny”?) to the random laughing at the end of the track, “Never Too Late” is like nails on a chalkboard. And to top it all off, the video’s parody of Duran Duran’s “Rio” is admirable but ultimately not as funny as the band would like to think. Click for the video.

“Gotta Be Somebody,” Nickelback
Nickelback is like the Coke of rock music: you can change the packaging, but the contents remain the same. Unfortunately for Nickelback, the music is not quite as yummy as Coke, but it does often regurgitate itself. “Gotta Be Somebody” sounds exactly like every other song Nickelback’s released since 2003. If there’s one thing that the band is good at, it’s at aiming for mediocre consistency. Click for the video.

Psst! Like what you see? For our complete list, click here.