Monday, March 26, 2007

Bra-lgebra

I ordered new pants for DH the other day. He fussed a little bit....he understands that he needs a larger waist size. The change mysteriously sucked up his inseam size. When we got married, he wore a 32X36; suddenly, I order 36X32 for him.

I've noticed this same phenomena in bra shopping. In my 20s and 30s, I looked for a small but mighty size...little band, respectable cup. The bra itself didn't really matter, because I wore BDUs all the time. When I hit my 40s and retired, DD#1 took a manager's position with Victoria's Secret. Suddenly, I had to make the breasticles look presentable under business attire, and I had to support DD's career choices. Those bras were uncomfortable, and the girls never looked all that good!

I am up 3 dress sizes from the size I was 20 years ago, but I just didn't think to adjust my bra size accordingly. I adjusted it, but not properly. Apparently, 85% of us wear the wrong size. One of my friends had her own Oprah-style bra intervention last summer, and said she was really glad she'd done it.

I noticed that Sierra Trading Post had Oprah's Bra on sale at half off regular retail, so I finally got out the tape measure, and had my own little intervention. (You know that I am a cheapskate, don't look surprised that I waited til the bra was on sale! Regular retail is a lot of yarn money.)

Gasp. I want to run away. (We all know that a 32C is roughly similar to a 34B, cup-wise. Using the same formula, my 3 extra dress sizes have me wondering if they make plus-sized AAAs!) Sob. I don't feel skinnier, I don't feel sexier. I have a deflated ego, but the girls are organized, and my bra is a heck of a lot more comfortable!

13 comments:

CatBookMom said...

This is a hoot! This is the description at the link you provided. Do they have other models for those who are not women?? I do realize some other genders do wear them....
"Le Mystere Tisha Seamless Bra (For Women)"

Some years ago when I put on a lot of weight in a short time, I went from my old 34 Nearly A to considerably larger, and had to make the dreaded trip to the lingerie dept. A kindly saleswoman found me crying over the problem, and took me under her wing. So I learned the tricks. Now if they could all just learn to cut off that top half inch of the damnded underwire!! Bali makes one, for sale via One Hanes Place.

junior_goddess said...

Barbara-try some bralgebra yourself. Go down a cup size, and up a band size, and see if that doesn't stop that infernal poking. I know all about that, because I almost choked Victoria's Secret right out of her.

Anonymous said...

AHHHH - I used to work in Ladies Lingerie at a chain owned by Macy's. It is very hard for a cheapskate like me to say this, but the girls in Big Girl Knits agree with me - buy a good, properly fitted bra, it will make every rag you own look better.

Handknit sweaters look better with the puppie sin the right place... So good for you, Bets!

T

CatBookMom said...

Right now I think it's more due to upper- and under-arm pudge than anything else. I have a good stock of the Bali bras that I like; I'm just hoping that any few pounds I lose in the next few months (yeah, I'm trying) don't all come out of my top and not the bigger bottom.

Anonymous said...

Bets, It's about quality of life, and I am glad you joined us with your self-visit to the boobologist. We'll have to be looking for sales. Now that you've bitten the forbidden fruit there is no going back! MAWAHAHAHA.bri

Having a Knit Fitt said...

ROFLMAO!
Cate

smariek said...

Too funny. I've worn Victoria's Secret bras before, they weren't all that comfy and I didn't feel like I got the "impact" that they like to advertise.

I was 34B before baby; wore stretchy sport bras during pregnancy; wore omigosh-i-can't-believe-i'm-this-large nursing bras after baby; went back to the loose sport bras after nursing was over (after DD turned 1yr); and it was only a few months ago when I decided to go get fitted for a regular bra (got a hint when DH asked me when I was going to wear a bra again). So I went to Nordstrom, got measured, and the lady told me I was a 32D (or 34C). What?! No wonder I couldn't fit into my old 34Bs...

Anyhows, after getting 3 different Wacoal bras in 32D, I have to say that I have a much happier profile, and the girls are doing fine. Now that I have a brand that works, I'm sticking with it...

Anonymous said...

This need for fitting does, of course, presume that one actually NEEDS a bra. ;-}

Anonymous said...

I'm with Benne - $56. or even $30 just blows my mind! I have never had one fit in my entire life, expert saleslady help, and all, so now, I just don't worry about it. Can you say, "Free as a bird"?

LisaW. said...

hahaahha......i tell folks that before I became a mom, I was a 36C....now I'm just a 36 long...hahahahah

junior_goddess said...

HAHAHAHA! THAT's funny stuff!

Trish, I am pretty sure I don't even have PANTS that cost 30.00, so a 30.00 bra is a lot for me. I am pitching a whole drawerful of VS sale bras (15.00) to make room for my two expensive (and lonely) bras. Do I get to use the drawer space for more yarn???

Anonymous said...

yes. less bra more yarn. that's exactly what happened here. bri

smariek said...

You really should have 3 bras ... one to wear, one in the wash, and one in the drawer.

LOL, about the drawer space. I'd use our suitcases for yarn storage, except that it would be a real PITA to pull those things out every time I want to pet my yarn...