To those of you (and you know who you are) who threaten/promise to one day get fitted, though you haven't yet had the opportunity, let me say this: It will change your life. Don't take my word for it. Everyone I've ever
If I could, I would invite you for a fantastic shopping day, complete with an excellent lunch and cocktails. It would start in the morning with a bra fitting (btw, I'm veritably an expert - trust me!) and then move on to shopping for clothes. Regardless of your breast size and shape, once wearing the right size bra, you would be amazed by how much more gorgeously all of your new clothes fit - how, maybe even, your clothing size would change. And, when you took off those clothes, and looked perfect in a bra that hugs to your shape in the most beautiful way - and matches with some terrific undies, natch - you would be transformed.
This experience is not shallow. It goes to the core of identity. And it changes the outside from the inside.
Admittedly, I'm religious about this. When people have the bra experience with me it is perhaps, in part, affecting because I'm a cult of one :-) Also, there's booze and dessert! But it's an awesome thing to watch someone uncover a new sense of herself.
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Although we've never met so I can't say you bullied/coerced me into a bra fitting, I am here to testify that you are entirely correct that a bra fitting will change one's life!!
ReplyDeleteI went many years ago after seeing an episode of Oprah where she said most women are wearing the wrong bra size. I had been a 36C my whole life - measured at Eaton's (Canadian department store for US readers) as a teenager and wore that size into my early 30s. I was also the woman who couldn't wait to get home and rip off her bra as I found every one I ever owned/tried on so incredibly uncomfortable.
I called a local specialty bra store and asked if they did measurements and booked a free appointment for a sizing. Well lo and behold I found out I was a 32FF/G and the second they put a bra that actually fit on me the pain and poking wires and sore shoulders all vanished!!
As a result I too became a crusader for bra fittings and have "coerced" many friends/colleagues and aquaintances to go for a bra fitting. I am also incredibly grateful for you introducing me to figleaves.com as specialty sizes means specialty pricing here in Canada and I was forced to pay well over $100 per bra to get my size in local retain stores. I am now ordering my favourite brands online at figleaves and I'm paying about 1/4 of the cost including duty and shipping!!
You are not a cult of one - rest assured I'm covering the Canadian Prairies in the crusade for happy boobs!!
Of course it's not shallow! Proper bra fit is essential to comfort, self confidence, and proper drape. Seriously.
ReplyDeleteLinda: I love your story! I remember when Eaton's was the place to go :-) And I'm so thrilled that Figleaves works for you. It's an awesome resource for those of us who need non-dept. store sizes and who don't want to spend a zillion bucks. If we lived in the UK, we'd have all the access to this stuff and at totally reasonable cost.
ReplyDeleteE: I knew you'd be on my page :-)
Hee! Ok, I just tried the US Playtex bra-size calculator the B4J article links to, and it told me I'm a 34AA! >_< Owie! Even I know that that's insane...
ReplyDeleteYour bra-fitting day sounds exquisite. Kind of like a pilgrimage. Actually, that life-altering experience you describe reminds my of my first belly dance class...
I just tried it and, no joke, they put me at a 38AA?! OK, you've seen my photos, right? Is that the highest thing on drugs you've ever heard?
DeleteOk I must be in the minority here since I've been hearing my whole life how women are all wearing the wrong size bra, so I went and got fitted at a speciality store like then years ago...
ReplyDeleteAnd they said I should wear the exact same size that I already wear. The lady even looked disappointed to tell me that, and pained that she couldn't find even one thing I was doing wrong in order to sell me some new bras.
So yeah. Not everyone wears the wrong size!
Hey, it's bound to happen to someone! Rock on.
DeleteThey put me at 38AA also! I haven't fit into an AA since I was about 12.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your series lately on this topic. First, to address your question about posting pics online... OMG, I am really embarrassed to even print my bra size here, let alone photos. I live in a smallish city, and I don't need colleagues knowing that information. But I need help, so here goes. I just had a fitting a few days ago and feel much better. Band is the same, but cups are bigger b/c I have gained 20 pounds in the last few years. She measured me between 32 and 34 for the band, D to DDD in cup, depending on bra/style/band size. I am having a hard time finding anything pretty at all, or finding bras in my size. I live in the US. I don't think I want to make my own, but I'm nervous about the whole mail order thing, seeing as how I tried on 20 (matronly) bras at Macy's and came home with 2 that fit. Some 32's were spot on, but I needed a DDD which the store did not have. Some 32's I could close but they were so tight it hurt, and some 32's I could not close. Some 34s were perfect, but some rode up. Some 34DD's had too much fabric and some I was spilling out of. Is this experience normal? Where can I shop? And online, do you just order something in 3 sizes and see which fits? I am afraid of ordering $500 worth of stuff just to get one bra and then returning the rest... Any advice?
ReplyDeleteAnon: For starters, fear not - the perfect bra is waiting for you. US dept stores are perhaps the WORST place in the world to try to find a bra with a back size that's less than a 34 back and greater than a DD cup. I'm going to suggest that you take the plunge and buy (at much more reasonable cost than dept. store, generally) via Bravissimo or Figleaves (my fave) or Bra Stop (from UK but super well priced). It makes sense that the smaller the back size you wear, the larger the cup size you'll need. I suggest you find the styles you actually love (not dowdy) and get each one in 3 sizes: 32E, 34DD and 34E. Note: I think the 32 back size will be the best fit, but I could be wrong. US DDD cup is equivalent to European E cup. Feel free to email me if you want to talk styles or best shapes of cups for the shape of your own body.
DeleteThe truth is that, just as with RTW clothing, RTW bras are a sizing crap shoot. Line to line the sizing generally runs consistently (but not always) but from one brand to another you might have issues i.e. Charnos fits large, Cleo fits better for a less heavy chest, Freya tends to have good balconettes for chests that have a lot of volume at the top. Fantasie backs tend to be quite loose compared to others of the same size.
Just throw caution to the wind and order online. You can return whatever doesn't work. Figleaves will even ship out a new order of different sizes at no extra size (though you will have to pay postage on what you return).
Anon: One other thing: 32E is one of my fave sizes. It's neither small nor large. Just right for fitting into many great brands and styles. And, to put it into perspective, if you had a broader back, 32E would translate into 34D, 36C or 38B. No need to feel any embarrassment.
DeleteAnd note to all: no bra size is reason to feel any embarrassment. A 30H is as "normal" as a 34A. People have to get with the modern era.
Thanks very much for your thoughtful response. I ordered from Figleaves and am eagerly awaiting a fun box of pretty things. I hope I didn't come across as judgy with my comments about embarrassment. I love my size and am fine with my body, I just don't need random other people knowing my size. With my luck, a future employer would find a photo of me in my skivvies, or the neighbor kid would read my bra size. It's just not information other people need to know. The interwebs makes the world a very small place indeed! Thanks again very much for your informative series and for your guidance. I appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear it! You have to comment again and tell us how it goes. BTW, even if all of the sizing doesn't work first time out, don't sweat it. It may be a slightly pricey initial experiment (from a sending things back point of view), but once you know what you're looking for, the sales on Figleaves are awesome and you'll more than save that in the future. Furthermore, this is an adventure designed to see if you're on the mark, sizing wise, or if you need to try some other sizes and styles. Not implying you won't have excellent results first time out - my first time online shopping every bra I bought fit perfectly (later experiences, though, have not all been like that :-)) Just trying to say, it's all good.
DeleteAnd so glad to hear you are happy with your size and shape - I misunderstood your comment. I totally know what you mean about not wanting to give out those deets on the web. I mean, really, I get it!
I'd love to go on one of your 'days out' - I've lost some weight, and think it might be time to resize.
ReplyDeleteAnd I have a funny story about a bra place in T.O. (I think it was Change? On Queen?). I'm usually about a 38F. The 'fitter' put me in a 34H, I think. The front view was nice, but apparently the girl had never encountered someone with back fat. I could have worn a C cup on the back cleavage that bra created!
Ha! I really don't understand the fit of those Change bras. They seriously don't work for me. In that size, and on Queen Street, that's where it must have been...
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