Simply Gok Wan Lingerie Blog

As promised…

Do you think as a society we are becoming more accepting of different female body shapes?

I think the move is starting. I think the revolution has started but we still have a long way to go. I think with the programmes like ‘How to Look Good Naked’ and with campaigns like Dove and Special K, seeing real bodies is now an everyday thing and I think our mindset has shifted but we have got a long way to go.

Do you feel like you have helped make a difference?

I hope so. I get told every day about 700 times I have made a difference and I do hope so. I do believe in what we do. I think the ethos is great and I wouldn’t say I was an activist but I definitely am all about empowerment.

So do you think we will ever see a complete turnaround from the magazines where every inch of a woman’s body is scrutinised and criticised?

I hope so. In my lifetime I think it will happen - I have worked hard enough at it! I think people are now willing to support the cause. It was very, very new a few years ago. Now it isn’t, now it’s very ordinary. People talk it about now and I think if we can make a difference at the younger ages now, at the schools, I think we will see a knock on effect in maybe 20 years time.

I have come across a wave of bad press recently towards larger sized celebrities. When Beth Ditto first came on the scene everything was very positive about her but there now seem to be some people are saying that she is a bad role model for people and that we shouldn’t be praising or idolising celebrities that are a bit bigger.

I don’t er, er  what f***ing s*** basically!  OK all I can say is look at her peers. Compare Amy Winehouse, who I absolutely love, to Beth Ditto. Because Beth is bigger it doesn’t make her a worse role model.  It’s just a ridiculous notion.  At the end of the day, young people aspire to be people because of a million different reasons not just because of what they look like. If anything Beth Ditto is inspiring kids because she can turn round and say I am a big girl I may be overweight but she is clearly healthier than most of us and fitter because she gets on stage and f***ing dances a lot!  I am seeing her tonight actually. She does of all that, but you know she is also out there of being proud of who she is as well. You know the cover of Love Magazine was absolutely phenomenal, and she pushes the fact that she is a real person with a real body and with an exceptional talent and she realises she doesn’t have to fit into the role to be recognised for her craft. I think she’s brilliant. 

I think what they are suggesting is that bigger celebs are actually encouraging people to become bigger. 

But you know what, the biggest criticism I get is that I encourage big women to eat more which is complete s***. If I was walking around with a big bowl of dunkin’ doughnuts I could understand that. I am telling people to look in the mirror, and it does, it really makes me angry.

It’s a small-minded mentality. People still don’t understand the concept that people might like themselves. You should like yourself for yourself not because a man’s magazine or because a man out there, you know, some big fat overweight guy in a big office wearing a horrible cheap grey suit is turning round and telling women what they should look like. I mean it is ridiculous. Women should feel, at this day and age, 2009, that they should be equal at work, equal in the home place and also equal when it comes to body issues as well and they shouldn’t have to be forced in a certain way.

Well said Gok!

So here it is… the first part of my interview with Gok Wan!  There I was, armed with my dictaphone in a swanky hotel suite at the Hilton Manchester. I was very nervous beforehand but as soon as I met Gok he put me compeltely at ease. Trust me he is just as wonderful as he comes across on the TV. This part of the interview focusses on the the importance of the right underwear, and the Gok Wan lingerie range from Simply Yours.

Why is wearing the right sized bra so important?

Obviously the silhouette is the main reason and because clothes are always going to fit better on a cleaner silhouette. Also health reasons as well - helping you with your back ache and that kind of thing. If you’ve got quite big boobs, which the women that buy my stuff have, if they wearing the right kind of underwear it is always going to help them with their back and back problems. And also a confidence thing as well you know… a proper fitting bra will push your breasts the way they should be which instantly gives you more confidence.

What would you say are the essential lingerie items every woman should have in their knicker drawer?

It depends on her body shape. I would say probably as a generic the slip dresses that we do (Divine Outline, Sassy Slip). They fit most body shapes - whether you are a pear shape, top heavy or apple shape they will always give you a good silhouette. A good fitting bra and a pair of power shorts as well.  The other pieces, even though they are brilliant, they are more bespoke to body shape but the power shorts are great for creating a clean silhouette for all seasons which is why I like them. So for spring/ summer or autumn/ winter if you are going to wear clothes that are tight you always want to give yourself a seamless finish and that is what they are really good at.

What would you say about different styles of bra, are there any key styles you recommend?

Again, it depends on what size breasts you have and also how big you are on the back. My favourite cut is a balcony bra because I think they are quite sexy and you get a really good cleavage. I quite like breasts to be revealed and on show and balcony bras give you that. Anything with a deep plunge as well. I think cleavages are really important. A cleavage will give you not only more confidence because it looks in its place but it is easier to wear clothes as well with a cleavage.

Which is your favourite piece of your lingerie range?

I’ve got two. I have to say two! I love this piece here, the Sassy Slip. I think it’s really sexy and I think it depicts a really sexy era of fashion as well, you know the 40s. This style of underwear - it’s nice, it’s empowering and it’s a cover up. I think it’s great but I also think Divine Outline is absolutely brilliant. 

I like it because it is clever and it’s very, very simple at the same time. Also the fact that I think women probably get their money’s worth with that because if they do have a bra at home that fits them perfectly they can wear it with this piece that also gives them support.

Why did you choice the 40s style look for your lingerie?

The 50s has become very on trend, it’s very en vogue - people like Dita Von Teese and Marilyn Monroe are icons, they have made the 50s very important for women, but the 40s were in fact more important. It was post-war; it was the year women were finding their confidence with their clothes, they were starting to go out there, they were now working and I just think it’s a really very sexy era. It was about karma for women and even though the 50s was really glamorous the 40s seem to be slightly more glamorous underneath the clothing, a far more personal era.

Check back tomorrow for part 2 of the interview, where Gok talks about his work helping women with body confidence issues and public attitudes towards women’s bodies.

Cosmopolitan came down to the Simply Yours ‘above average underwear party’ bra fitting event last week and got lots of great video footage including a quick catch up with Gok Wan.

Our video from the event is still a work in progress so in the meantime, check out the video over at Cosmo!

Well I can safely say that all my nerves at interviewing Gok Wan were all for nothing - he is such a fabulous person and he put me right at ease! I managed to ask him a few questions - watch this space for the full interview!

Yesterday’s event went so well - all the Simply Yours team’s planning paid off! All the Key 103 winners had a wonderful time, drinking their ‘Goktails’, enjoying their goodie bags and discovering what their real bra size is thanks to the help of the Simply Yours bra fitting team. And what’s more, the event raised at least £2,500 for CLIC Sargent, the charity that cares for children and young people with cancer.

I’ll be doing some follow up posts with the Gok interview, interviews with some of the winners and a couple of surprise celebrities we weren’t expecting to see, plus some fab video footage of the event.

For now though, I’ll just share with you some of the photos from the event:

The Simply Yours team get ready for the bra fittings

The gorgeous Gok Wan goodie bags

The gorgeous 'Goktails'

 

A selection of sexy Simply Yours lingerie

 

Everybody having a wonderful time

 

A few more 'Goktails' later...

 

Gok Wan and Chelsea from Key 103

 

We’re all very excited here at Simply Yours because this afternoon we’re off to meet Gok Wan again! We’ve arranged a fabulous bra-fitting event at Manchester’s prestigious Hilton hotel for 50 lucky winners and their friends who won via a competition at Key 103. It’s so important to wear the right sized bra- and nobody knows it better than Gok Wan - and Simply Yours!

One winner will even get to have a one-on-one style consultation with Gok Wan himself and get to wear some of Gok Wan’s shapewear collection!

I’m feeling pretty nervous as I may even get to ask Gok Wan a few questions myself – eek! I’ve got my outfit sorted and I’m hoping that gets the Gok seal of approval. Soon find out though…

Don’t worry; I’ll be back tomorrow to keep you updated with all of the Gok Wan goss from the event. There’ll be photos and videos – and hopefully a mini Gok Wan interview if I get the chance.

Wish me luck!