Anyone found a great bra?

I spent an hour yesterday in the department store trying on bras. I am a 36D and no bra fits me right!! Just wondering if anyone has found "the perfect bra". Thanks!!

Wed. Aug 29, 9:57am

There is no one perfect bra that fits everyone. If you haven't done so already, have one of the employees in that area take your measurements and have them help you pick several options.

I also recommend going to Oprah's website. She had a whole show on this issue once and information from the show is still there.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 10:29 AM

I can't believe I'm gonna RAVE about this, but since you asked...

For a LONG time I was buying dept. store bras too. Then I heard about this store in NYC called the Town Shop. It is one of those stores that you think if old lady lingere, and when you go in this woman looks at you and says "oh honey, you aren't a size X, you are totally a size Y." and then she asks you if you want lace, padding, front closure, etc., gets a bunch for you to try on, and follows you right into the dressing room to make sure they fit you right.

I made a special trip to this store just to have this experience this past year, and though I spent $250 on 4 bras, and one pair of underwear, I can totally tell you that this experienced changed my life. I am not kidding. Suddenly, I felt supported in a way that I never had before. I had *thought* that I was a 36C, but all the bras I bought were a 36D, comfortable, nice looking, functional bras. They have fancy stuff too, and cute sets, also bathing suits.

What I realized was that places like Victoria's Secret are for small chested women who want to appear larger. If you already have an admirable chest, go someplace that specializes and talk to a woman about it. Yes, it is a bit like getting your first bra with your mom, but I do not regret that shopping trip one bit!

I know there are other places like this...there is one in Brookline, MA called Lady Grace, and I've heard there is another in Warwick, RI, but I don't know the name. There are old lady lingere shops out there, don't be afraid of them.

Link

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 10:30 AM

Love the 10:30 response...live in greater Boston area and I have been hearing about Lady Grace for years....and you know I think bra buying needs to involve someone who is "in the know" about bra buying. It takes people who have apprenticed in the field, know the product lines and understand breasts....little old ladies who have been selling bras for a lifetime are perfect sales people.

Shoes used to be sold that way too...now for the most part someone does the "go-get" and might talk with you about fit...but they don't get out the measurer and do the whole nine yards anymore.

Reading this makes me think I need a trip to Brookline for a true fitting. The bras are starting to look a little ill fitting with my weight loss.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 11:07 AM

I'm a 36DD and prefer support to showing off. I wear a Bali minimizer with padded, shaped "comfort straps". I think they make both wireless and underwired versions. It doesn't look old-ladyish, no fake lacy trim, just nice satin. It's not good for v-necks or boat-necks though.

Link

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 2:07 PM

A couple of years ago I found a bra at Lane Bryant of all places. I hadn't been there in years but had lost a lot of weight and needed new everything. I have never ever had a comforable bra that moved with me. I am considerably larger than most and when I found this bra it is all I will ever wear. They better never discontinue it.
The item number is Item 5358239
There are no seams in the cup and it is a fabric that gives a bit. And yet you feel supported . I don't know how to post a link but if you go to lanebryant.com and enter the item number it will take you there and they are 30% off right now.
The brand name is Cacique.
Happy hunting.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 2:52 PM

Lane Bryant not only has larger cup size, but they look great, too!

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 3:03 PM

Chicago

There are a couple of the fancy stores where you can be fitted in Chicago. I think one is called Intimacy, or something like that. There's one in the 900 North Michigan building.

I've been there, but never bought anything. My *true* size, now that I've lost the weight, is a 32E - ridiculous sounding! And, when I've been in, they haven't had anything pretty in my size, and for the price, it had better look good!

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 3:17 PM

Any good places for smaller sizes? Victoria Secret tried to tell me I am a C cup but I barely fit a B. I want to find a good bra.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 7:11 PM

to 7:11 pm

Other than the Lane Bryant, check out the stores that the other posters recommended. These specialty stores work with all sizes.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 7:28 PM

I have also been to those 'old lady' shops were they fit you and i loved it! But right now i am loving my Bali bras!! I am a 42 DD. Love them!!! I just bought 4 more because i loved them so much & I was afraid they would stop making them.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 11:30 PM

To 7:11pm -

When I was younger, and less well-endowed, I loved shopping at Victoria's Secret, because in their bras I WAS a C, even though I was an A or B elsewhere. They have a great selection for smaller boobs, and they're pretty. I find them expensive though; when I was smaller, I could go with cheaper bras. If you're a normal size (34-36, A-D), go to any department store; they have tons of styles, and people can help you and measure you, and they have good sales.

Thursday, August 30, 2007, 11:08 AM

You can get a proper fitting bra!

I just found this thread and wanted to extoll the importance of the right size bra. Almost everyone wears the wrong size bra and most shops will sell you the sizes that they have, not the size that you are. I have reasonably large boobs and a small back. When I was at university ten years ago my friend who is the same (small back, massive boobs) introduced me to Bravissimo (link below). I know they are in the UK but they might mail out and, although I HAVE NO CONNECTION TO THE COMPANY, I have to say they are brilliant!. I thought I was a 36D, but 36 is a wide back fitting (a British size 18-20), and upon being measured at one of their stores, it turns out that I am a 28HH - 30GG depending on the style. What's more, they have loads of bras (and swimwear and clothes, even) in proper sizes and they are all REALLY pretty. And they tell you how to measure yourself properly if you aren't near a store.

I took a friend there who always wore terribly badly fitted bras. She insisted that she was a 34B, but she had a tiny back - a British size 8, which is a US 6, I think (possibly a 4), and it turned out that she was a 28 or smaller in the back and an F-FF in the cup.

A bra should sit just below the shoulder blades, be properly snug around the rib cage, touch the skin beneath the breasts and between them, and not dig in to the breasts. Since I went to Bravissimo, I have never had a poorly fitting bra. And they do excellent sports bras too.

Link

Thursday, September 06, 2007, 8:31 AM

My favorite bras ever

I'm a huge fan of a store in Westerly, RI called Zoë & Co. When I was first professionally fit there 6 years ago I found that I'd been wearing the wrong size bra for years! Since then I've brought my mom, all my friends, and all of my friends' moms in and they were ALL in the wrong size. Apparently something like 85% of women are in the wrong size! Most stores only carry a few sizes of bras which is why they NEVER FIT. Zoë & Co. carries over 170 sizes AA to JJ cups and 28" to 54" bands so they can actually get you in the right size. And the girls who help you out are so knowledgeable and sweet. I've learned more about bras from them than I ever thought was humanly possible.

And they have cute bras, not just old lady bras! I'm a 32C (I was wearing a 36A!!), I have a friend who's a 34FF, another one who's a 30H, and another friend in a 40G and we ALL can find cute bras because Zoë & Co. has so many different styles and colors. Plus they have sport bras and strapless bras that actually work. And Bathing Suits! My 34FF friend hated shopping for swimwear until we went to Zoë & Co. together and she found the most adorable bikini that was cute and supportive.

Definitely check them out. I think they've opened another one in Concord, NH too if that's closer. But it's so worth the trip to find something that actually works!

Link

Monday, March 23, 2009, 4:50 PM

Maybe these

Victoria's Secret has been disappointing me lately, but I tried some of the new ones last week. I got the new Perfect One- full coverage and not push up. Also, there was a soft shaping one that fit very well- I only got the Perfect One, because it came in a pretty shiny color. They have a box with one of each bra you can try to see what you like. Also, they gave me $5 off just for trying on the Perfect One bra- even if you bought a different one.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009, 2:08 AM

Oprah featured fit people from Nordstrom's and I have found them to be better than anywhere else around here (Seattle area). Still, I found Nordstrom's bra selection in my size and with my needs to be lacking, still focusing on smaller ladies. Would love to find one of those "old lady" lingerie shops but haven't seen one around here.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009, 5:19 AM

I just bought a Wacoal minimizer bra...I usually wear a 36 C, but took a 36 D in this bra....I love it...and my husband even commented on it Now I can wear button up shirts that aren't a size larger than what I need ( I've found that the fashion industry thinks if you are over a B cup, you must be overweight...I'm not at all!) without having to wear 2 bras!

Interesting that Vict. Sec. sizes their bras up! In clothing stores, I've gotten down to a size 2! Last year I was 4, and I haven't lost weight! I suppose if you think your boobs are bigger, you'll buy their bras just like you'll buy J Crew's pants if you think your a size 2!!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009, 9:30 AM

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