I Take Bra Shopping Seriously...

[blas]

I'm not a pervert, quit watching me feel up the bras!

Every time I shop for bras, I openly admit to feeling the cups and padding to feel what kind of "lift" the bra could offer me to keep these puppies up where they belong so that I don't need a breast lift until my 30s.

I also like to feel for the underwire in certain bras to see if any of them are defective (as in, I can tell from experience which ones are going to fall out of the bra in the washing machine and I can feel to see if they were properly placed inside the bra and always inspect to make sure it isn't already poking out of the bra).

I have to feel up a bra before I try it on or buy it.

I am not a pervert.

Stop staring at me.

[iradney]

I can totally relate. I'm not going to bother taking a bra into the fitting room until I know it's one I actually like...

[Pagan]

Were other women actually staring at you doing this? Especially if you happened to be in a lingerie store, I would think that would be a normal thing to do!

Hell, I was doing that this morning at Wally World. Actually found a nice, good quality one for $10.

[aniwahya]

It always, *always* feels that way to me. Either someone makes you really uncomfortable, or else they look as uncomfortable as you and avoid eye contact and crowded ailes.
Which is really stupid since you need to feel it, and no one is wearing it while you do or anything. ><

Heh, a good hidden camera experience would be hiring women to feel up how bras fit on mannequins with observers watching and taking notes for them (so the person feels watched). Then have men do it and note the differences.

[gaspode]

I'm no expert but if anybody needs any help!

[Andara Bledin]

Ugh. I officially blame this thread for the underwire on the bra I'm wearing to poke itself out of the bra today.

^-.-^

[Mnemjian]

It seems like a really good idea to examine the bras closely, especially in a place like Ross where there are about 500 different brands. How else are you supposed to find out if it is good quality? Blas, you're just a smart shopper I agree that it always seems like people stare at you when you are looking at the bras, especially guys. When I am in the bra aisle, I notice that people walking by will often turn and stare. Am I just uncomfortable to be seen with my possible future underwear? Perhaps

Ugh. I officially blame this thread for the underwire on the bra I'm wearing to poke itself out of the bra today.

Oh geez I HATE that!!! *comfort*

[Cats]

Stories like these make me glad I have small boobs and that I switched to weaing those tank tops with the built-in sports bra things about a year and a half ago. SO much more comfy! That, if I get hot, I can just wear that.

Man I hate boobs. Why do they have to be so damn difficult? Shopping for bras is a nightmare!

[The Last to Know]

lol - I LOVE BOOBS - my own & my girlfriends. but on the subject of bras - I've always had a hard time buying bras. Even though I lost 170lbs - I'm still very much a DD. Just recently I went into the mall & was looking for a victoria secret & ended up in another store for large women (forget the name) & the bras were very expensive, but the sales lady talked me into at least fitting me & trying one on - in the end I ended up getting two - she gave me a SUPER deal & they are so fantastic. Comfortable, pretty & fit perfectly. One of them even has changeable straps, something I've never been able to find in 39 years. All in all I'm happy & the sales lady was fantastic & definitely an asset to her store.

[Ree]

I just ordered online from Lane Bryant. I got 4 bras for $60 on a buy 2 get 2 with a whole lot of other discounts so, with shipping, the 4 bras were a total of $90, delivered to my door.

I have to say, the one I'm wearing now is the most comfortable bra I have had on in a long time.

I hate underwire, and even though I need support, I refuse to buy a bra if it has any underwire or side boning at all.

[NightWatch]

Oh how I loathe bra shopping!! And my mom is no help. She used to come with me cuz she thought she was some expert. She kept grabbing B cup bras and insisting that was my bra size. She still to this day does not believe that I'm a C cup. I am not the Dalai Lama of boobies, but I do know that B cup bras= much muffin top and nipple pinchy and C cup equals = comfy.

[Shpepper]

Can all you wonderful bra shoppers recommend a good place for getting measured??? The last time I got measured, I went to three places and all three were different.

Macy's was a 44DD, victoria Secret was a 46DD and Lane Bryant was a 46 F. So now what do I do?

Any good recommendations? Preferably with locations on the West Coast?

[CaroPhoenix]

Shpepper - Not sure if they're on the west coast (they might be though), but I'd go to either J. C. Penney's or Nordstrom. (Nordstrom is where Oprah and her show recommends you get measured at).

At Torrid I was a 48 DD and at Lane Bryant I'm a 44 DD and I fit the 44DD bras perfectly. I'm happy with them.

I like underwire bras. My mom hates them 'cos they make my boobs look like Dolly Parton's, but hey! I say if you got them, flaunt them!

The only thing I don't like are bras that are lacy with no thin layer of fabric between skin & lace. Pure lace bras, at least for me, are way too itchy to be comfy.

[Andara Bledin]

I hate underwire, and even though I need support, I refuse to buy a bra if it has any underwire or side boning at all.

I haven't been able to find a non-underwire bra in my size for a while, now. Then again, I can't actually afford a really nice bra. Thankfully, the local Target has mostly-decent ones that fit well enough.

A note on bra sizing: most people don't know how to do it.

The quick and dirty is that you size the cups based on how you fill them. In my case, I'm an E cup (more commonly called a DD). Then, to determine the band size, you do it based mostly on the distance between the cups. Don't worry about how the band fits around you; if it's overly tight or loose, you should alter it to fit properly. At least, that was how it was explained to me by a friend of a friend who worked at one of those high end lingerie boutiques.

She also told me that you should get fitted at a place that specializes in lingerie and can't be found in a typical mall. I've never actually had myself fitted. *shrug*

^-.-^

[jnd4rusty]

I detest bra shopping, I can NEVER find a bra that is comfortable or affordable. I finally decided to try a sports bra and man am I ever sold on them!! I have big boobs, I am not sure what the size actually is but I am also overweight and there are the "love handles" on the side of the boobs to consider. Every time I bought a regular bra, my "handles" would overflow and make me look weird plus I could never get a bra that would not cut into my skin, either around the band or the straps. Anyways, the sports bras are big enough to keep the "love handles" in place and smooth, keeps the boobs in place and not floppy and they are ultra comfortable.