Let's Keep Those Assets On The Up & Up - Bra Buying

It's not every Saturday I get felt up by a woman twice my age with a Spanish accent.


I mentioned in an earlier post that I had several boxes of clothes ready for Salvation Army donation pickup. These boxes are full of things I will not wear, haven't worn or shouldn't wear and I'll be happy to have a little more space for the items that have a worthy place in my modestly sized abode. After rifling through my clothes, I thought it was time to move on to the smaller things - sifting though all of my undergarments and seeing what fit, what didn't and what needed replacing. An hour later, and a woeful glance at my 'this no longer fits' pile sitting on the bed, it was that time again to go bra shopping.

Ever worry about drowning in Puget Sound? Just
 remember to wear the bra with floating action!

It had been about two years since I was properly measured, and in the interest of gathering good post content, off I went to the stores to have a stranger cop a feel and provide some sage advance about my assets.

I approached a woman in her 50s, let's call her Rosie, and requested she help measure me and provide some suggestions for new bras.  A quick measure around the rib cage and above the fullest part of my bust, and off she went to pull a armful of bras that needed trying on.

Rosie - "Ok Miss, here you are. These should be a good place to start knowing your correct size."


I flipped over the tag on the first bra.

Wait, this isn't my size. This is an whole cup size different than what I have worn for the entire time bras have been on my body. Rosie gave me a reassuring nod that yes, that was my actual size, and yes, I had been wearing the wrong size for years.

Now knowing that my weight hasn't been all that different over the last 5 years or so I found this a hard fact to deal with. Ok, I'll ignore what those little tags tell me and try on what the nice lady has gathered for me. With an almost certain belief not one in the pile was going to fit, I stood in the mirror, examined the first and against my initial assumptions - Rosie put me in the right bra size. No bumps, lumps or spillage and the girls looked happily situated. I picked up a few more in the same size and Rosie informed I had to try them on before considering purchasing as sizes and fit can differ from brand to brand.

Well done Rosie, I'm sold. With three new bras, I happily went up the counter glad to have had some help from expert saleswomen and confident that I wasn't going to make a purchase that would later have to be returned.

But wait. I wanted to know, how could I have been wrong on my size all these years? Like a bad boyfriend who appeared to be pretty great, only to find out he didn't fit - I had more questions.

So at the risk of being the awkward girl at the store asking things we all should have figured out by now, I pressed the intimates saleswomen for answers to those lingering questions. If there are other women's breasts trapped in a state of ill fitting complacency, they deserve to know the truth.

How many women come in are wearing the wrong bra size? 


The saleswomen all answered with certainty that at least 6 out of 10 woman coming in to shop for bras are wearing/intending to purchase a size that isn't right for them.

In fact, I've spent some time today looking for these stats online and that sounds like the consensus (my Google search history gets more interesting by the minute.)

Wow, all that wasted money on a poor fit!


Do you often encourage woman to get fitted when you notice they are wearing or about to buy a size that's incorrect?

These saleswomen can spot a spillover or lumpy bumps from across the sales floor, and with a gentle nudge, try to advise their customers to be measured before making purchases. The ladies said often women think the size they have been wearing for years is still right for them, or are too embarrassed about getting measured.


How often do you recommend women get measured?

Rosie and her team of perfect fit bra gurus suggested women be measured every two years or so - or when they have lost or gained a significant amount of weight or have had a child.


And Rosie's last piece of advice before I left the store...

Just like clothing, the size you normally associate with fitting you can change by brand or type. Try everything on to not risk having to make returns.

Ladies, studies say we spend on average $4,000 in a lifetime on bras. Let's make sure they fit.

DailyCandy cares about you having the right lady lift, too. Check out this video on how to find a perfect fit.

Linda might be the snarky fairy godmother of ta tas. I imagine her running around the streets of New York telling women their breasts are too close to their elbow.

So after you've made the purchase, what are some options for caring for your new found bras?

One simple suggestion is with a newly purchased bra, use the hooks on longest part of the strap, and work your way to the tightest hooks as your bra gets a little older.

Some lingerie experts also suggest not wearing the same bra for more than two days in a row. Lycra needs 24 hours to fully cool, so the break between wear allows the bra to keep a better shape and avoid permanent stretch.

Hand wash in luke warm water with a mild detergent. Woolite is a great, trusted option for all those delicates, but specialty detergents just for your undergarments are available that promise to clean and play nice with your bras, panties and stockings.

The Laundress Delicate Wash, $19 for 16oz.

Wash on gentle/delicates in a wash bag, Woolite Bra Wash Bag

Fancy new contraptions that ensure shape wont be lost in the wash, BraBABY Washing System

So, as always, before you spend - ask questions, try things on, ask salespeople totally uncomfortable questions in order to be a better educated consumer!

Hoping your next bra is the one.

Cheers,

BR