Because of my size-D chest, I enjoy bra shopping about as much as I enjoy my annual PAP or swimsuit shopping. It's a tie.
And because I hate spending a lot of money on bras - same with sleepwear - I wear my current bras until they are stretched out or old and I'm forced to replace them.
That is the situation I'm currently in. I went bra shopping not because I wanted to, but because I had to. And, the style bra I am replacing was discontinued (that's how long it's been) so I was starting from scratch.
So Saturday afternoon, I grabbed my coupon, gave the boobs a pep talk and walked into Victoria's Secret, aimed to come out with a new bra and maybe lower self-esteem.
A sales associate was nice enough to fit me (fortunately I am still the bra size I was before), ask me a few questions (while staring at my chest) and then disappeared, leaving me to my own devices. So like a lost puppy, I wandered around, groped some bras and grabbed five styles in my size, a nice mix between demi, padded, pull coverage and natural.
After a short fitting room wait, it was time for the main event, trying bras on. Praying my boobs would behave, I started trying them on and quickly found out a few things:
- With a size-D chest, push up bras make your boobs lethal weapons
- It's important to do a little "jump" to make sure your boobs have enough support
- Do not assume the strap has been adjusted before trying it on (nearly snapped one)
- If the boobs spill over the bra, that style is not for you
I won't lie, I was tempted to get a padded, push up one so I wouldn't have to pay for drinks...ever again, but considering my chest was flapping around like a fish, I opted to go with the following bra:
And with a nice sale, I got two for $49, regular price, $45/each. So it was successful and I hope I'm set for a little bit.
Now I just need to work on looking that good in the bra while lounging around (with a pout of course). Yeah, I don't know why I'm talking about my boobs so much. Really.
What is the one clothing item you hate shopping for? Bras, swimsuits, pants? I'm curious.
55 comments:
I hate shopping for bras, and I find it to be particularly problematic at VS (yet I keep going there). Every time I find a bra that I like, it's discontinued by the time I go back. So, then I have to wander the store looking for the bras that don't come with boobs already in them. I've got plenty, I don't really want any more boob!
Ditto on everything you said about bra shopping. I also hate pants, because I have short legs and I go in at the waist. Both are problematic.
I feel you on the bra shopping!! VS has very limited options for D boobs, but I'm a huge fan of their VS cotton demi bra. I stock up on a bunch at once, cause I too wear mine until they wear out.
I also hate shopping for jeans. I find it so depressing!!
Hmm, bra shopping is pretty problematic, I can never find something at VS. I also absolutely despise anything with a wire, and I prefer bras that are padded or push up but alas, those typically don't go hand in hand.
Pants are a whole nother issue, even with petite sizes I still have to wear 2-3 inch platform shoes. :P
PANTS! Oh my gosh, I've been wearing the same pair of khakis to work for the past 8 months because, for the life of me, I cannot find another pair to fit. Ditto for the 2 pairs of jeans I have. For some reason my body just does not cooperate in that area. No fun! Good for you for finding bra deals though- always nice!
Also with a size-D chest, it's a struggle to buy bras and not break the bank. That's why I only shop VS during the semi-annual sale. But it sucks because there are about 100 more cute bras in a size 32A (which my friend wears and has a million adorable bras) than a 34D (I get stuck with the plain ones).
Um, just wait until you have to go shopping for nursing bras. That is an awesome time.
Bra shopping is always so hard, but I love to do it anyway. I just love shopping. Even though bras don't usually come in super-wicked-extra-small. I guess it can be horrifying both ways.
Life sucks when your bra doesn't fit. ]:
I'm rocking the D with you, so that sucks. But not as much as shoe shopping. I wear a 10.5. Ever tried looking for that size? You'd have more luck with unicorns, no one makes it except in a few sneakers...which is the shoe that I can get away with 11s.
Fail.
I'm not a fan of bra shopping either. But what I really hate is swimsuit shopping. But I found a solution to my hatred for trying on swinsuits. I buy online the triangle bikini from VS. There is no need to try it on because with the tie sides you can make the suit tighter or looser if needed. That is the only style of suit I will wear now. Plus at VS they sell them for only $20. Not going to lie I have almost every color they sell. Where i used to live there was a pool so all those suits got used.
I loveee vs and la perla. I figure I only hate bra shopping when my mom is with me, yes despite I'm 21 she'd still like being there. I have pretty small boobs and somehow she always wants me to wear padded push up bras to make my boobs way bigger.. This might be good for some girls but I just feel uncomfortable..I like my au naturale state lmao
I have huge boobs and by huge I mean I don't think a single D is big at all. I don't mind bra shopping though. Its nice not having to ever buy a drink out. =) (And yeah, bra shopping at VS isnt even a possibility for me.)
I hate jeans shopping!
PANTS! I hate shopping for pants! Seriously, the only place I buy pants anymore is The Limited because I know their Drew style will always fit me. But sometimes I don't like the fabric and then I'm stuck. Also, jeans shopping is bad only because I've discovered I have to spend at least $150 to find jeans that fit. I have to save up for months in order to buy another pair of jeans. I'm only 5'4" but I'm all legs. Seriously, I have no torso. If low rise pants ever go out of style I'm screwed. Everything else looks like mom-jeans on me.
"If the boobs spill over the bra, that style is not for you" = Best quote ever. In fact, Victoria Secret's should do a campaign about this because it happens to a lot of women! Eeks!
haha I'm mostly ok with bra shopping only because mine are pretty small (aka I was ELATED when I realized I was a B instead of an A) so it's not as much of an ordeal.
Jeans shopping however is. 1) I'm 5'9". 90% of jeans are too short on me.
2)Even though I'm tall, I'm definitely no super model. Thus I need jeans in a size larger than a 24" waist.
3) I am not ALL leg. Thus, most low rise jeans are 1 -too short and 2- show huge amounts of crack because I actually have a waist in the normal place. And like hips. Yaknow....
So, if for some reason I can find a pair of jeans that are 1-long enough, 2- big enough to fit over my booty 3- low enough to not look like Mom jeans, but high enough to not look like plumbers jeans
they're inevitably either too big in the waist and gap in the back, a terrible colour with heaps of fading, a HUGE flare leg (bellbottoms aren't cool anymore people!) or $150,000. Needless to say, I really only ever have one, maybe two pairs of wearable jeans in my closet by the time I find something that fits my criteria.
JEANS! im short and well, not thin. its hell.
I can't fit my Ds in the Ipex demi. They ALWAYS spill out. I just got the Biofit demi, though, and it's not bad so far.
As someone else with huge cans (D's as well), I am ALL about the VS Biofit.
And when I work at the bar - PUSH UP. Those puppies are gonna be RIGHT on my collarbone, baby!
VS is my fav place to bra shop and I also have size D boobs so I hate bra shopping too. I think a good bend over and hop jump to see how well a bra holds you in place is absolutely necessary!
I'm also at a D and I wear my bras much longer than I should but I hate trying to find new ones. I gave up on VS and now buy expensive ones that last me many years (I think I'm at five years with the current set). I consider it an investment so I don't have to bra shop more than necessary.
I probably hate swimsuit shopping more though...
Bra shopping. And swimsuit shopping.
Ugh.
Bra shopping is absolutely horrible for me, especially since I don't fit in the ones at Victoria's Secret, though every time I go in there a sales associate swears I will. Also, I really hate shopping for jeans just because it's soo difficult to find a pair that I'm in love with. And every time I do, they get discontinued!
Hands down, I hate shopping for pants. If they fit around the waist, they're always too long. And as a person who loves instant gratification, I despise having to buy them only to have them shortened. And every time I've done it, they don't look they're supposed to.
Sigh.
Bras and Jeans.
Bras because every place I go in measures me different..and through my own deduction and a rather good online store...turns out I might be a 32E...which is going to be even MORE horrendous than the previously thought 34D. Joyful.
Jeans because i'm short and have a big bum!
Well, I never shop for bras in the Netherlands anymore, because they seem to think everyone is large chested and that you should sacrifice comfort for prettiness. So I buy my underwear in bulk from Etam Lingerie in France (I have a set almost exactly like this one: http://www.etam.com/products/amourette-magic-up which is my favourite). But what I most detest buying are pants. They never fit, or they're in a style that doesn't suit me at all and it always takes me ages (like several shopping trips) to find a pair that suits me and I usually end up buying them in every single colour available.
Bras and pants. It's not that I hate shopping for bras so much as I don't go shopping for them all that often. So, like you, I find myself desperately needing bras. It's feast or famine. I hate shopping for pants because, even during my skinny days, I always had athletic thighs. Finding any pants that fit through the thighs is very difficult and very frustrating. Which reminds me, I need both bras and pants. Sigh.
I gave up on VS years ago- they never fit me.
I hate shopping for pants- jeans more than anything.
But not nearly as much as the PAP. I don't think I hate anything as much as the PAP.
Yeah, I can't shop at VS either. Their bras always have a weird little gappy bit near the cleavage. Really annoying! I've been having pretty good luck with Vanity Fair bras from Macy's... and they're not that expensive either, especially if you can find them on sale. They tend to wear out pretty quickly though.
I also hate shopping for jeans. I have a pooch on my lower stomach, which means I can find jeans to fit in my legs, but then I can't close them, unless I get bigger pants (then they're baggy...)
Just found your blog it's fabulous!
Also being a D girl it's nearly impossible to find a good bra at VS where you don't spill over the top, or choke yourself with your own cleavage. But I found the biofit and perfect fit are working quite well! I hate shopping for pants, since I'm tall and never find ones that long enough.
swimsuits are by far the worst! but did you know that old navy started carrying bras? maybe they're just online but they have D and DD sizes and they're always in stock and quite comfortable...not to mention CHEAP! I haven't had one for very long yet so I can' speak to their durability but i'm happy so far.
Haha. Count yourself lucky. I'm rocking the G cup.
Do you have something similar to Bravissimo in the US - seriously THE best shop for big boobed women. Plus it gives you tips on how to fit your bra correctly. Go have a look and see what you think.
I hate shopping for swimsuits. I have to try on a million until I find one that looks good and fits the way I want it to!
Bra shopping is quite annoying. Its one of those things I never want to spend money on. So then I get cheapo with it and buy a craptastic bra that snaps in the middle of dinner. Sadness.
Totally with you on push-up bras. Even my full C doesn't enjoy those monstrosities!
I actually hate shopping for clothes in general, really. I have to be in the mood to try things on and then fork over the cash to buy them. But in particular, swim suits are my nightmare. It's not that I hate how I look in them, but it's that there are too many styles and too many options and for someone who doesn't like shopping all that much, it's just a little overwhelming :-). Therefore, I buy one suit and wear it until it dies. Which typically takes years given the fact that I wear them about twice a year.
I don't mind shopping for bras, but shopping for swimsuits generally makes me want to kill myself. Even when I am at my ideal weight, there is something about those harsh lights and three-way mirrors that manage to make EVERYONE look horrifying in a bikini. My general solution has been to find one bathing suit that looks okay, buy it in four colors and call it good for the next four years.
I believe your undergarments should be an investment, it helps you feel better and helps your clothes looks much better. Go to a macy's, get fitted, and try on a bra that costs more than $60, you'll notice the difference. You won't fidget, it'll support you, and your clothes will look so much better. I know it's expensive, but I finally had to make the investment after I tried on some amazing bras and was shocked by how good I felt.
Oh man, I have the same issues w/bra shopping. It is SUCH a pain. All the cute ones only come in small sizes. For whatever reason it's assumed that if you're a D or above you must be old and boring and only inclined to wear white, nude, or black and have 1" straps--no good!
i can't shop at VS for bras because i feel as though they only cater to sizes B & above.
i'm a fairly small A (and proud!)and when i have tried their version of a size-A bra, the cups don't fit properly.
so i stick to department stores, for my bras, that is when i feel like shopping for some.
I badly need new bras. I haven't bought a new bra in a few years, at least... but I keep putting it off. Why is bra shopping such a chore?!
I'll do it tomorrow. Heheh.
I just hate shopping period. It all sucks. But yes, bra shopping has to be one of the worst. For me it's just mundane.
seriously i totally feel your pain in bra shopping and swimsuit shopping. having a big chest makes it miserable. i always tell my bf and my mom that they're lucky i'm not a ho, because it's really easy to want to do it, haha.
This entire post makes me laugh because I am also a D-cup, and I have had similar shopping experiences. I always want to try the pushup bras because they're cute, but it always ends badly. And have you noticed that the pretty, girly bras don't come in a size bigger than a C-cup?
I feel your pain because I'm a D-cup too. They always seem to discontinue the style of bra I love, and it takes me forever to find one I really like again.
Swim suit shopping is annoying for me. I need a large on top and a medium on the bottom. I HATE when you can't buy the tops and bottoms separately.
Totally with you on the underwear and sleepwear shopping. I wear things till they literally fall apart rather than spend money on something I don't see as such an investment as a lovely new bag or coat. Only the Colonel has to see my baggy underpants and he doesn't seem to care!
i hate bras so i wear sports bras.
i am envious of your d i have c
jeans - i can't find jeans ever. right now i need minimally two new pairs and i can't find them for the life of me.
Pants. Hate, hate shopping for pants. I don't shop enough to know my size, and all the brands fit differently anyway. I always either end up with a pair that fits so awkwardly I can't tell if the size is off or if they're just a style that hates me, or I end up with a size that the saleslady assures me fits perfectly, but feels about four sizes too small and makes me feel like like a small, stubby whale with legs and a muffin-top.
Bras, on the other hand, I'm fairly good about. I have tiny boobs, so I've given up on finding a bra that gives that amazing "free-drink cleavage." I just go for something smallish that keeps them in, and usually it turns out to be somewhere around a generic 34-A. Go me and my generic-sized boobs!
Hahaha!! I go to Vicki's for all my bras. And if I'm feelin spunky I'll look at LaPerla. ;)
PS my BFF is a size D and hates VS. I hear ya. It's gotta be rough. And yet, people never understand how she could possibly complain about having a fantastic sized chest.
Wow ok never thought I'd write so much in random blog comments. ;D
I have that bra!! And it's actually one of the best bras I've had. I should go buy another one now so it doesn't disappear like you said.
I don't mind buying bras... except when I look at their price tag, but I HATE pants shopping. I can't wait until I learn how to sew so I can do my own tailoring...
Jeans. As a short but not itty bitty person, it's a huge drag. I can't go into a place like Forever 21 and buy a cheap ass pair of jeans on sale, because they are too long. I go into a jeans specialty store, and they have three styles in the ENTIRE store that will fit me, because I'm a 30 inch inseam that is *gasp* a Size 6, rather than a f-ing Size 0 they assume all short people are.
Oh good lord. You know I feel you on the bras. My pet peeve is that when you first walk up to a rack of bras, that itsy-bitzy little size AA in the front looks adorable, sexy, cute. Then you thumb back to the BIG MAMA sizes and no matter how adorable it was before, your size suddenly looks like something your grandmother would wear. So heartbreaking.
Jeans or trousers. Trying to find a 37" inside leg is impossible.
I've always wondered why bra shopping has to be so difficult. No associate at any lingerie store can ever seem to figure out my correct size. And I hate, hate, hate how expensive a good bra is!
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