One plus size model from Worcester is hoping to be an inspiration to other larger-proportioned girls who fancy a career on the catwalk.

Lucy Shropshall, who wears size 14 to 16, started her career as a model when she was a teenager and quickly developed a curvaceous figure. Unlike other models who struggle to keep their weight down, Lucy has embraced her curves and made a successful career for herself.

She has featured in Italy’s edition of Vogue and will shortly be modelling for a range of high street stores in Birmingham.

Read Lucy’s full story in Worcester News.

UpperCup offers a range of plus size lingerie, plus size swimwear and shapewear at its online store.

There’s still time to snap up a bargain in our February special offer, too.

Make substantial savings on the Ulla range.

It’s been a good week for plus size models in the media, as size 16 girls have taken to the runway at London Fashion Week, while a leading highstreet chain has installed size 16 mannequins in its store.

Crystal Renn, a gorgeously curvaceous model from the USA, modelled a low-cut red dress by designer Mark Fast.

Meanwhile, a day earlier Debenhams debuted size 16 mannequins in its shops, aiming to show they offered a choice of clothing for a wide variety of women, while TV guru Tyra Banks has begun rolling out her search for America’s first top plus size model.

We at UpperCup think these are all great ideas and it’s nice to see plus size women being celebrated as the curvy, buxom beauties that they are. We still have a special offer running for blog readers to treat yourself to discounted products from the Ulla and Plie ranges. You could save up to 85% off the RRP!

By picking up some Plie shapewear or gorgeous Ulla lingerie, you’ll be ready to stage a fashion show of your own!

Just enter the code BGULLA or BGPLIE at the checkout to make your saving!

Save up to 85% on the luxurious Ulla range.

As promised last week, we have some very exciting special offers for UpperCup blog readers, to show how much we love you.

Everyone loves a spot of retail therapy, and buying some super sexy new lingerie is guaranteed to boost your spirits, even on a rainy February afternoon.

We have a special February offer on all in-stock products in the Ulla lingerie range. Ulla is a brand that’s particularly popular in the USA, and we’re sure you’ll agree is one of the most sumptuous plus-size lingerie ranges.

Made from the highest quality fabrics, Ulla combines extreme luxury with a high level of comfort. This sexy lingerie features exquisite detail, such as the fine Spanish embroidery on the Ulla Gracia Lace Thong.

Ulla Gracia Lace Thong.

UpperCup already offer substantial discounts on all Ulla products, but this month we are offering a further discount that could result in saving up to 85% off the RRP! We think you’ll agree that’s an offer not to be missed.

Just enter the code BGULLA at the checkout to make your saving!

But that’s not that only special offer we’ve got for you. We’re also offering our blog readers substantial discounts on the popular Plie Shapewear range.

The Plie Slimming Tube.

The Brazilian shapewear is ideal for getting an amazing figure for that special occasion. The range of bras, pants and full body control products, including the famous Plie Slimming Tube, will lift your bum, flatten your tummy and support your boobs, all the while feeling extremely comfortable because of their seam-free design.

UpperCup already offer a discount of up to 33% on all currently stocked Plie shapewear garments, but now blog readers can save a further 15% by entering a code at the checkout.

To make your saving on Plie products, just enter FBPLIE at the checkout when prompted.

We’ll have more special offers for blog readers very soon, so be sure to check back regularly. And when you’ve made your purchase, don’t forget to leave us some feedback – we love to hear from you!

Those codes again:

Save up to 85% on Ulla: BGULLA

Save a further 15% on Plie: BGPLIE

We can’t give you too many details just yet, but be sure to follow us on Twitter or Facebook to get your hands on these special deals!

In the meantime, a very happy Valentine’s Day to all of our customers from everyone at UpperCup.

The Masquerade Polka Plunge Bra.

Looking to spice up your love life with some sexy plus size lingerie but unsure where to start?

Never fear – follow the UpperCup guide to lingerie shopping and you’ll soon be kitted out with some gorgeous plus size underwear.

First and foremost, choose something you will actually want to wear. Be bold, be daring and be sensual, but make sure to be comfortable, too!  Sexy is all about the feeling and it’s hard to feel that way if you are uncomfortable.

Secondly, make sure you buy the correct size. That’s a comfort thing again and it may seem like stating the obvious, but it’s surprising how many women have bras that don’t fit them properly. Sensual plus size underwear designed for your size will accentuate your curves and make you look beautiful. Refer to the UpperCup sizing guide if you are unsure of what size you should be wearing, and be sure to check as sizes do vary between brands.

Bear these things in mind when you’re shopping and you’ll be well on your way to choosing the perfect sexy underwear to spice up your life.

Now, let’s look at some of the styles of spicy plus size lingerie available.

Basques are very sensual and guaranteed to set your partner’s heart aflutter. This Panache Venus basque is not only gorgeously detailed and super-sexy, but also offers superb shape and control.

The Gossard Tresor Camisole offers a subtler sensuality and has angelic undertones  – though how much of an angel you are when you wear it is up to you!

If you’re aiming for the “Wow!” factor, a plunge bra such as the Masquerade Polka Plunge Bra might be just what you’re looking for. It has a lush lace edge and daisy detailing on the straps and a pretty bow embellishment at the centre, plus a plunging neckline to really catch the eye.

Like basques, corsets are also a sure-fire sexy hit. This Esbelt Corset is very fashionable and also helps to hold your tummy in to ensure you feel your most sensual.

There are a huge range of plus size styles available online at UpperCup, so whatever you feel sexy in, you’re sure to find it here.

Aviana provide comfort and style.

Valentine’s Day is just a few sleeps away and we hope to hear the sound of a card or two dropping through the letterbox – accompanied by some tokens of affection (ie presents!) too.

Lots of men in-the-know are aware that some sensual lingerie makes the perfect present for their beloved – but they’re not quite so savvy when it comes to actually choosing the perfect underwear gift for their partner.

So here at UpperCup, we thought we’d offer the men out there a helping hand in choosing the perfect lingerie for the lady in your life.

First of all, size matters: if your beloved is a 40F cup she won’t thank you for buying a 36DD or 44J. If you don’t know her size make sure you double check before ordering. UpperCup offers a wide range of bra sizes, from DD to L cup – be sure to get your lady’s dimensions right.

Secondly, what’s her style? Does she love super-sexy lingerie, like the super-hot Princess Balconette Bra from Curvy Kate? Or would she prefer something elegant, such as Ulla’s Gracia bra?

If your lady is pregnant or nursing, she might find it harder to feel sexy as her body changes. But you can reassure her how lovely you think she is with something sensual from the Hot Milk nursing and maternity range.

When you want to get her something comfortable for everyday wear, the Aviana range has lots to offer, and manufactures bras in a wide range of sizes. Knowing what your partner would want to buy is the key to choosing a perfect lingerie gift.

Colour choice matters a lot too. If your lady wouldn’t be seen dead in red, that’s probably not the best choice. Luckily, many UpperCup products, including this shimmery range from Goddess, come in dark and light colours so you can choose the perfect match (take a look at the clothes she wears, to get an idea here!)

If you really can’t make up your mind, let your lovely lady have a look at the UpperCup website and she’ll be able to choose exactly what she wants. What’s more, there’s a great sale on at the moment, so you could have a very happy girl on your arm!

Feel sexy and heroic in a Curvy Kate bra.

Fans of curvaceous ladies are being challenged to get creative in a new writing contest for US publishers Accomplice Press.

The competition is running to coincide with the launch of the independent book publisher’s latest romance book line, fantastically named Curvalicious. These anthologies will feature love stories featuring confident, sexy plus size heroines, and have been designed to inspire confidence in their readers, featuring leading ladies that readers can relate to.

There are two categories of story being accepted for the competition: sweet and spicy, and two winning entries will be contracted and published.

Speaking to The First Reporter, DJ Alling of Accomplice Press said: “The leading terms to describe a heroine are slender, thin, lithe, small and tiny. I happen to know that men love women of all sizes. Sexy comes from within.”

We couldn’t agree more with that! Here at UpperCup, we know that if you feel sexy then you are sexy, and having some gorgeous plus size lingerie can make you feel very sexy indeed.

We have some incredibly sensual ranges in stock in time for Valentine’s Day, including some gorgeous bras and pants from Fantasie, Curvy Kate and Panache.

The creative writing competition opens on Valentine’s Day and runs until May 14 2010.

Read more about Curvalicious here

and enter the competition here.

The contest, based in the US, is aimed at teenagers who are an American size 12 (UK size 14) to 20 (UK 22) – although we’re not sure we’d classify a size 14 as ‘plus size’, this is nevertheless a welcome move and another sign that attitudes to what is ‘fashionable’ and ‘beautiful’ are changing for the better.

Contestants should be between 5′9″ and 6′1″ tall, and will need a parent or guardian’s permission if they are under 18 years old. The winner will get a year-long modelling contract with a top agency and photos by Tyra herself for MagaLine.

Read more about the competition at ExtraTV.com. Link here: http://extratv.warnerbros.com/2010/01/tyras_fiercely_real_model_search.php

And don’t forget to check out our own gorgeous plus size lingerie here.

Panache tankini

We’ve known for a long time that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. Here at UpperCup, we love celebrating the curvy loveliness of bigger boobed beauties, and it seems at last the fashion world is catching up.

We came across an interesting article in the Irish Independent by Victoria Mary Clarke, who talks about her lifelong battle between wanting to eat what she likes without feeling guilty and wanting to be as thin as a traditional petite sized catwalk model.

Victoria recently discovered that fashion mag editors with their finger on the pulse were increasingly using beautiful, voluptuous, plus size women in their magazines and designers were more and more keen to use plus size models to promote their products – meaning they sell more!

And it seems the demand for plus size models is spreading worldwide. Over in Australia, Gold Coast website reports there’s a shortage of larger ladies to model sexy swimwear.

Kerryn Anker tells of a swimwear designer who had to comb half of Australia to find an agency that can supply plus-size models, despite the fact that women like seeing models they can relate to.

So if you’re looking for a modelling career, perhaps Australia’s the place to start! And even if you’re just looking for some super-sexy plus size swimwear to wear on the beach or at the local pool, we’ve got some gorgeous Panache and Fantasie goodies to choose from.

To read the full Irish Independent article, follow this link:

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/news-gossip/heres-the-skinny-on-being-a-lifesized-mortal-of-a-woman-2041254.html

And to find out more about the plus size model shortage in Australia, click this link:

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2010/01/31/183705_gold-coast-news.html