Wine for winter nights

Rich, white wines and silky, lush, velvety reds make perfect drinking on winter nights. Here is a selection of my favourites. 

Chacra '55' Pinot Noir 2012 Bodega Chacra, £34.50, Lea & Sanderman (leaandsandeman.co.uk)
You normally associate Argentina with malbec not pinot noir but this number is rather impressive. Elegant and classy, this opulent wine crams strawberry and raspberry flavours with a spicy kick into the bottle. Subtle and delicate, this is an interesting and most enjoyable pinot noir.

Bandol 2012 Cuvée Classique Domaine Tempier, £29.95, Lea & Sanderman, (leaandsandeman.co.uk)
Deep ruby red, this alluring wine, with a damson and plum core warmed with a hint of vanilla, is incredibly smooth and lingers long on the palette. A true classic, you will not be able to resist a top-up. 

Lugana 2015 Felugan Feliciana, £14.25, Lea & Sanderman, (leaandsandeman.co.uk)
A taste of Italy in a glass. This scrumptious Lugana, made from trebbiano di Lugana, which you may know as verdicchio, comes from the shores of Lake Garda. The perfect accompaniment to fish, this crisp and dry wine with a smattering of pear is complex yet refreshing. 

Seifried Estate Nelson Lighter Sauvignon Blanc 2015, £10, Marks & Spencer, (marksandspencer.com)
Fans of sauvignon blanc can have a low alcohol wine and also cut back on the calories with this delightful version. It may only contain 9.5 alcohol but it does not compromise on flavour. Loaded with citrus fruit and gooseberries, this aromatic sauvignon goes down a treat.   

Les Gendrines Côtes du Rhône 2015, Domaine Pierre Gaillard, £21.75, Lea & Sanderman (leaandsandeman.co.uk)

Enveloped with piercing apricots and peaches softened with a dash of honey, this viognier has a lovely floral scent. It is rich and creamy on the palate with just the right amount of acidity. A pleasure to drink. 

By Daralyn Danns

In search of the perfect bra

According to recent research about 70 per cent of women are not wearing the right size of bra. Il-fitting underwear can lead to sagging breasts,neck, shoulder and back pain as well as pinched nerves.

Thanks to Julia Mercer, technical manager and Marks & Spencer’s bra guru, I am not one of them. A year ago, bemoaning the fact that I found it extremely difficult to find bras in a 30 back in small cup sizes I asked Julia to help me. She was horrified to find that I had had to resort to teenage bras.

Marks & Spencer had just launched the Sumptuously Soft Plunge T-shirt Bra (£18, which comes in a plunge and full cup) and low and behold I found the perfect fit bra. Thanks to its clever design, smooth back “bagged out” (no back fat shows) stretchy hook and eye and oh so comfortable, this bra has become one of its best sellers. 

Perfect Fit Memory Foam Lace Padded Push-Up Plunge Bra, £22.50

I am still buying the bra that she chose for me but I wanted to see if I could find something different, especially as Julia thinks that women should have a wardrobe of bras. M&S, apparently, stock 113 sizes. I recently caught up with Julia to see if she yet again could help me.

Having just been into John Lewis  and also visited bra specialist Rigby & Peller, both of whom could not find even one to fit me, I was not optimistic at the outcome. 

Julia told me that M&S listens to their customers and she listened to my problems when we met last year and wanted to come up with a solution. It added a lot more bras in a 30 back to the range. I was impressed. Julia found me two other ones which fitted me perfectly.

The first one was the Perfect Fit Memory Foam Lace Padded Push-Up Plunge Bra (Sizes A-DD, £22.50). This gives a rounded fuller shape and having the lace makes it look so pretty. This is a super bra.

I also got a silk and rose lace bra (£25) and matching briefs (£12.50) from Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s Rosie for Autograph range. This is so sexy!  To be able to have underwear like this is a miracle.

Rose lace bra (£25) and matching briefs (£12.50) from Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s Rosie for Autograph range.

Bras have to be comfy. An interesting fact which I learned from Julia is that the body height contracts 3cm during the day. “So it has to go somewhere,” she says. "This is why your waistband always feels tighter after midday. So you want your bra to move with you.” Watch out for more bras with soft touch

It t is always best to get fitted every six months. Ensure that you have confidence in the person that is going to fit you. According to Julia, 23 per cent of women won’t go and have a professional fitting. If you are one of these there is an app on the M&S site to help you pick the right size. Besides picking the right size, you also take in consideration your body shape.

An advantage of buying one brand bras is that theoretically all bras the same shape, for example a plunge, should suit you. This worked for me. 

Another great plus of the lingerie department is the choice of knickers. What style you choose boils down to personal preference. If you like to expose your bum, then the Brazilian will work for you. If your body shape is triangular, then opt for a high rise brief. If you are an inverted triangle any cut will suit you. High-cut briefs can make legs look longer, while midis are an option for women who like shorts but are not as low cut on the leg.

I am thrilled now owning three bras in three different designs. I have never had a wardrobe of bras before. I am absolutely delighted. Marks & Spencer say they cater for every market and they do!

By Daralyn Danns 

Finding the perfect bra

The right bra can not only make you look better, it can also make you feel sexier and more feminine as I found out on a recent visit to Marks & Spencer, Marble Arch, London.

Being small (30 back and a C cup), I find it hard to get bras to fit as the choice is so limited. More often than not I have one option and that may not be perfect. As women are tending to get bigger, it has become a mammoth task to find a pretty bra that works.

I explained my dilemma to Julia Mercer, technical manager and Marks & Spencer’s bra guru who stared at me in disbelief when I told her that I had even had to resort to the teenage bra ranges. “You should not be wearing those as the straps will not offer you enough support!” she retorted.

She told me that I have an inverted sternum and narrow shoulders plus a cleavage that kisses. “A plunge is the perfect shape for you,” she explained. “It supports the bust from the side, pushing it inwards creating a cleavage effect. 

The Sumptuously Soft Plunge T-shirt Bra

Apparently, most bras can be divided into two main styles: plunge or balcony. The latter has wider cup straps and suits those with pigeon chests – that is more up the top. They lift from the bottom of the cup giving you an uplifted effect. Full cups suit all women.

Julia put me in a new M&S creation, the Sumptuously Soft Plunge T-shirt Bra (£18, which comes in black, white and fawn). I couldn’t believe the difference. I had a good bust, which made if feel more womanly and even though the bras had an underwire, it was incredibly comfortable.

The Sumptuously Soft Full-Cup T-shirt Bra

The straps were perfectly secure and not too tight. The under band was sitting comfortably against the middle of my back and not riding up – If it does your bra is not right for you – and the wires were not digging into any breast tissue. The centre front of the bra was also sitting flat against the chest which it should do. It also fitted perfectly on the first hook so that as it stretches you can adjust it. The bust was also contained fully within the cup – another mark of a good fitting bra.

It is recommended to have a bra fitting approximately every six months as you can change shape.

Julia believes women should have a wardrobe of bras that are suitable for day, evening and sports as well as a strapless one. If you want to buy a bra that goes with a special outfit, she recommends taking it with you.

As for me, well a wardrobe of bras seems a long way off. I’m just thrilled to find one that fits perfectly and to discover that M&S are catering for petite women and are introducing more 30 backs into its ranges. 

However, when I told Julia I had never had a strapless bra, she thinks it won’t be long before that situation is rectified. You can always rely on good old M&S to be inventing something new. 

By Daralyn Danns

For more information on bra fittings at M&S visit www.marksandspencer.com