5 Reasons I'm thrilled to be a Vanity Fair Ambassador! #WomenWhoDo #IC #AD

I participated in an Ambassador Program on behalf of Influence Central for Vanity Fair. I received product samples to facilitate my review and compensation to thank me for my participation.

A few months ago, I sat at my computer reading about Vanity Fair and their new ambassador program. I was already familiar with Vanity Fair and the fact that they make style and comfort effortless for every woman, but after reading about their unwavering commitment to supporting women in all of their many roles as part of their Women Who Do initiative, I felt inspired and excited about the possibility of working with them. Then, I learned about their partnership with Dress for Success and I knew, without a doubt or hesitation, that I really, really wanted to work with them. I anxiously waited to hear from Vanity Fair and just hoped they’d see how much I wanted to be part of this initiative. A few weeks later I found out I was selected to be one of 25 ambassadors to share their message! I was elated, humbled, and honored to be chosen to represent such a powerful movement. Although I could go on and on (and on!) about why I'm so excited to be a part of this program, here are the top 5 reasons I'm thrilled to be a Vanity Fair ambassador.

1.) A new foundation (that fits!). Within the past four  years I got pregnant and gained 45 pounds, had a baby, lost 55 pounds, got pregnant again and gained 40 pounds, had another baby, then lost 25 pounds. I'm currently 11 weeks postpartum and 15 pounds away from my normal body weight. To say that my body has changed a lot would be an understatement… but, guess what? Throughout it all, I was still wearing bras that I'd bought 8 years earlier (yes, I said EIGHT years). Did they fit? Maybe... depending on my weight. Did that stop me? Heck no! While I was busy being a mom and running a small business, I completely put myself on the back burner. Unfortunately, that included shopping for appropriately fitting undergarments. I just “made do” with what I had.

I think most women understand that wearing a well-fitting bra is extremely important, yet 8 out of 10 women are wearing the incorrect bra size. Having a properly fitting bra literally lays the foundation for your clothing and affects how you look and feel about yourself. After having two children and just ignoring my changing body, I was looking forward to embracing the change and getting some undergarments that could accentuate my body so I could look my best.

2.) Vanity Fair's Women Who Do initiative. Vanity Fair's amazing "Women Who Do" campaign was created to recognize women for the many hats they wear. Today, women are doing absolutely amazing things. Raising families, running businesses, running government, volunteering their time and creativity - you name it, women are doing it! Vanity Fair knows that women want to connect and support other women. They wanted to celebrate that collective power to praise the everyday triumphs of women everywhere. Vanity Fair has been creating supportive and elegant lingerie at an affordable price point for almost 100 years, so it seemed only natural that they’d want to support not only women’s bodies, but also their confidence and emotional well-being. Vanity Fair knows the importance of slipping on a high quality, well-fitting bra as we prepare take on the world, and thanks to them we don't have to sacrifice beauty for function. This initiative is definitely something I want to share with every woman I know. Let's celebrate and support one another!

Talking with fellow ambassadors Hollie from Baby Gizmo and Shannon from The Simple Moms.
(photo courtesy of The Simple Moms)

3.) Fellowship with other women. As part of the Vanity Fair ambassador program, I'm among a group of 25 women influencers who are bright, successful, and super talented. If you've ever been surrounded by the best in your field, you know this can be intimidating yet extremely empowering. From my past experiences in ambassadorships, I know that team members are usually supportive of one another and uplift each other. This aligns perfectly with the ideals behind Women Who Do. Honestly, I could not wait to connect with the other members of the Vanity Fair ambassador team.

4.) Women Who Do Ambassador Summit in NYC. Speaking of fellowship, Vanity Fair arranged a blogger summit for their new ambassadors in New York City. This would give us the chance to learn about Vanity Fair’s rich history, core values, beautiful products, and affiliation with Dress for Success. We had 36 hours to be immersed in the brand and to get to know each other. In a nutshell, it was a whirlwind. A supremely fabulous whirlwind.

I was lucky enough to arrive in NYC very early on the first day of the summit. I shared a car to the gorgeous Refinery Hotel with fellow ambassador Ashely from Simply Designing. As soon as we dropped our things off, we decided we would be “Women Who Do” and we’d maximize every second of our time in the city. We walked over to Shake Shack and indulged in their famous burgers and shakes. I can see what all the hype is about! As we walked back towards Times Square we couldn’t help but be drawn towards the lights of Broadway. At 1:55 PM, we popped into one of the theaters to see if there were any extra tickets to the 2 PM matinee of Jersey Boys and we were able to score awesome seats! Yes, we were definitely women who were doing!

That night, we got to meet our fellow bloggers and some members of the Vanity Fair team at the famed ABC Kitchen. We had a delicious meal and discussed inspiring women in our lives. JoAnna Beddingfield, Vice President of Brand Management for Vanity Fair Brands, spoke to us about the past, present, and future of Vanity Fair. For nearly 100 years, Vanity Fair lingerie has been the brand that women look to for undeniable support, lift and elegance. Even though they have such a remarkable past, JoAnna told us that Vanity Fair's future is even brighter - especially with their innovative new products (more to come on those!) and philanthropic partnership with Dress for Success.

The next day we started bright and early with breakfast and bra talk. This was one of the highlights of the summit for me. Kristen Supulksi, Director of Merchandising for Vanity Fair Brands, showcased several of the products in the Vanity Fair line-up and also dispelled some "bra myths" along the way. Did you know that when choosing a bra, you should try it on with the hooks on the MIDDLE closure setting? I always thought you should choose the last (loosest) setting so that as the bra wears over time you can tighten it to accommodate the stretch.

Before I left for the summit, I analyzed my collection of bras and panties. I realized that I'd hardly bought anything new in the past several years. A few things here and there, but nothing remarkable (or very beautiful for that matter). When I saw the displays of Vanity Fair products I realized that I'd been missing out! Vanity Fair offers feminine and beautiful lingerie available in styles that are on-trend yet incredibly functional. We got a sneak peek at some of the new fashions and styles and I was definitely impressed.

To ensure that we weren't part of the 80% of women that are wearing the wrong bra size, Vanity Fair arranged for us to have a bra fitting at Macy's Herald Square. I'm happy to report that although I was part of the 80%, I'm not now! The experience was enlightening and I can see now that my previous bras had not held up well over time (quite literally!).

I was able to take home a Vanity Fair Women's Beauty Back Back Smoother Full Coverage Underwire Bra and a Beauty Back Strapless Underwire Bra. The comfort and fit of these bras is unparalleled, and I can't get over the smoothing effect that virtually eliminates back bulge. I also brought home 3 pairs of their Body Shine Illumination String Bikinis. I am totally paranoid about my underwear digging into my sides and giving me unsightly "love handle" bulge, but these panties offer an amazing fit. They don't dig in and they don't ride up, plus they feel luxuriously soft. From my experience so far, I can't wait to explore more of their products!

5.) Dress for Success partnership. Dress for Success is an organization that is dedicated to promoting the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing them with professional attire, career development tools, and a network of support. Due to a need for more intimate apparel to help these women lay an appropriate foundation for their new business attire, Vanity Fair partnered with Dress for Success in 2014 and donated over 5,000 bras to their organization. This year it's going to be BIGGER and BETTER... and I get to be a part of it!

Vanity Fair plans to donate up to 50,000 bras to Dress for Success in 2015. Over the next few months I'll be helping to spread the word about Vanity Fair's upcoming events, like the opportunity to find a proper fitting bra AND you'll have the chance to score an amazing deal while helping the clients of Dress for Success. See those little cards with the uplifting messages in the first photo? When you visit participating locations during fitting events you'll have the opportunity to write an inspiring note to a client of Dress for Success. It's a "little lift" that can do wonders to boost a woman's confidence! This partnership is a major win-win and I'm so excited to be able to use this platform to help share the news. It's really an incredible feeling!

For the latest news and event dates, be sure to connect with Vanity Fair on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and Instagram, and check out the Vanity Fair Women Who Do website. You can also follow along with the conversation on social media using the #WomenWhoDo hashtag.

When is the last time you got fitted for a bra?
Do you think you're wearing the right size?