November 26, 2006 12:20 pm

Public Service Announcement: Get Fitted For A Bra

:note: Storm – “Villemann”

In a continuing bra theme, I am writing today to urge all you ladies out there to go get a professional bra fitting. I don’t care if you just had it done last year, go do it again. And please try to get it done somewhere like Nordstrom’s or its equivalent – Victoria’s Secret will work if you are truly desperate and can’t find anything else, but Nordstrom’s is far, far better.

Why? Eight out of 10 women wear the wrong bra size. You should be fitted every year. So what if it’s the same measurement year after year? At least you know you’re not part of the 80% that wear the wrong size.

I myself got fitted at a VS in high school sometime because I had just purchased yet another bra that didn’t fit. I was in denial that my boobs were as big as they really were so I’d buy bras at the size I hoped I was, not the size I figured I was. After being told my real size, I left VS that day in a funk, saddened that I probably wouldn’t ever be able to shop for bras at “normal stores” anymore. I’d been wearing that same size bra since then, apparently figuring that once you discover the holy grail that is your true bra size, you never have to do it again. I was wrong.

I finally got the guts the other day to go in and get fitted by someone in Nordstrom’s, and LET ME TELL YOU, it was an experience. The saleslady measured me and quickly declared me a size I dare not say here, but let it be known that the words “triple” or “quadruple” were uttered and I nearly had a heart attack in the dressing room. I have since resigned myself to buying expensive European bras since apparently manufacturers in the States do not realize that some people are, ah, well-endowed.

BUT! At least I know my size now. And I know that I will never, ever be able to buy a cute, matching bra-and-undies set from Target for $20. *sigh*

They say that ignorance is bliss, and I think in some ways, that’s true. Before I got fitted the other day, I probably would have continued to buy ill-fitting bras, happy that I could at least find my size at JC Penney’s stores. Now that I know, I can’t continue buying the wrong size – that would be stupid! I will probably have to exclusively shop at Nordstrom’s and spend upwards of $50 to get a good bra now, but I suppose at least it fits nicely and things sit where they should.

If you’re interested in more information, or curious about what sparked these bra posts, please read Bitch Ph.D‘s Ultimate Bra Post I and Ultimate Bra Post II. They’re terribly informative, and shed a lot of light on how stupid and arbitrary women’s bra sizes are.

Now get thee to a Nordstrom’s!

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2 Comments

  • Claire says:

    I can really sympathise with you not being able to find cute bra-and-undies sets/underwear that fits at “regular” shops – I have the exact same problem, only for the opposite reasons! (I’m a AA cup, which is a size most catalogues/brands/manufacturers don’t cater for at all.)

    It’s a nightmare trying to buy decent underwear, nothing fits EVER. It’s ridiculous as I’m positive I can’t be the only fully-grown, post-pubescent woman with a bra size below an A cup. (There’s my similarly-built sister to consider, for a start…) I can’t help the way I’m built, I’m naturally petite all over – even if I had B cup boobs, they’d look massively out of proportion with the rest of my body. I’m just a *tiny* person. :(

    It’s no wonder so many women built like me want surgery, it’s hard to accept the idea that you may be “normal” if the only underwear marketed in your size is aimed at children that haven’t even started their periods yet.

    If I’m strapped for cash, I’m usually stuck in the “pre-teen” section trying to find underwear that doesn’t have cartoons on it. :mad:

    The other alternative available (when I do have money) is Little Women. It’s a UK bra specialist for AAA, AA and A cup women (but they deliver worldwide and they do matching sets, sports bras and bikinis/swimwear – bras might be a struggle to buy, but swimwear is damn near impossible!) They also provide a very accurate bra size calculator for smaller women (most, if not all charts found in lingerie shops and catalogues pretend that AA and AAA cup sizes don’t even exist, so for years I wore an ill-fitting bra until I found Little Women. :o

    Best of luck in your quest for a great-fitting bra :)

  • Rose says:

    I’ve been measured for my bra size by a pro, and they still don’t fit all that well.

    I’ve never owned a bra that actually fits me.
    Poop.