Hello there! Thanks for coming!
My reason for starting the bra-dyssey is two fold. Firstly, everyone I know is sick to death of hearing me talk about my boobs and the problems I have finding bras and I would like to keep my friends (and my poor, poor husband). I'm hoping that maybe, just maybe, if I put it on the internet for all to see, I can shut up about it.
The second reason for starting the bra-dyssey (which is my attempt at being clever: bra+odyssey=bra-dyssey) is very simple: I cannot find a bra that fits me in a physical store in my region. Plenty exist online, but you can't know if a bra will fit you without trying it on, which means a lot of returns and a lot of time. It also means a lot of money, because, so far, I have yet to find an online bra retailer who provides free shipping on exchanges that will let you exchange more than one item on an order. Now, while I am girding my loins for this particular hell (because shopping for bras in person isn't bad enough), I am also working on another solution: building a better bra. This is the long term solution. Can we create something better to hold up our boobs? There has to be a better solution, even if we lack antigravity technology on a small enough scale to do it. Failing all else, there at least has to be a better way to size bra, one that actually takes into account measurements and is slightly less arbitrary. Oh, and while we're at it--let's make it pretty. And maybe even affordable. And in America, so we don't have to import from England or Poland.
Is there a way to design a bra for boobs outside the "normal" range that will provide consistent sizing? There has to be.
For reference, we'll be defining the normal range as band sizes 30-40 and cup sizes AA-DDD, as these are the most common sizes that most manufacturers make. I'll also be using as a secondary normal scale the size range offered by Cacique, the only widely available line that caters to girls outside the normal range. The secondary scale provides band sizes 36-50 and cups from B-H; not all cups are available in all sizes. There are some pretty obvious gaps in here, as far too many ladies are aware. My ultimate goal is to address those gaps so that girls who fall outside of these ranges will have somewhere to go. I plan to address the smaller band size/larger cup size group first, as that is the one I fall into.
So let's get started. Join me on my bra-dyssey for the better bra.
Haha! You said "girding my loins" in a post about bras. Nice!
ReplyDeleteI think the first thing to do would be to find a proper fit. I went to Lane Bryant and they measured for free.
ReplyDeleteLane Bryant is one of the better places to go for a fitting. They do a straight measurement for the underbust, none of this adding four or five inches that some places do (or measuring above the breasts for the band size, like Victoria's Secret recommends). The fundamental problem is that so many places don't stock bras in odd sizes, so even if you do get measured properly, you still may not be able to find anything in your new size.
ReplyDeleteGood luck on your bra-dyssey! I have so much trouble finding them for myself and I'm usually stuck having just one good bra at a time. Sometimes I get a bra thats a pretty good fit but not great and I wear a Genie bra over it (they are super thin, there's no way you could wear one alone if you have a full bust no matter what those infomercials say). The combination provides pretty good support and stops the bra lines from showing through the shirt, but it adds bulk. I don't know, it's not great solution but I just don't have the time and money to go searching for that mythical perfect bra. Sorry for ranting, but I can really relate to this blog.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by! It always make me cry a little when I hear about girls who have to wear two bras to get the support they need. No one should have to do that. I firmly believe that every woman has a right to a bra that provides adequate support that is also pretty. I don't know if I'll be able to come up with a solution (I may die trying), but maybe if there's enough bloggers going on about the problem, the bra industry will take notice and at least start making an effort to help us out.
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