A PSA for WOMEN ONLY: The Bra Blog

This one is for the ladies, so guys, bugger off! :)

I feel a little like Oprah, here, but...Let's talk about bras!!! My last blog involving lingerie was a comparison of how my so-called granny panties were reflecting my lack of adventure and confidence in life, and an overall lack of living with reckless abandon. Really, I think I kinda had a great point. This blog, however, is dealing with the facts: Bras, according to most of my girlfriends, suck. The women in the 60's and 70's had a great idea when they decided to burn the darn things, truthfully, and I'm thinking I was born in the wrong era....Or at least, that's how I felt up until a couple of years ago.

I've had some interesting conversations with a number of women lately, some of whom were my friends, and some were mere acquaintances. Women are surprisingly open about bras, given our general hatred of the things; also, in recent years, breasts have gained a lot of public discussion due to the increase of breast cancer awareness, so this isn't your mother's conversation about your girls. (Or grandmother's...my mom has no problem whatsoever discussing bras or anything affiliated with them, LOL!). We have nothing to be ashamed of or to hide, in today's world, when amongst our peers, when discussing bras.

I've been teased about my breasts since I was a teenager. College was a nightmare; most of the basketball team in my Bible college (yes, BIBLE COLLEGE) referred to me as "Hoots," and I seriously doubt they knew my real name. I've had more people converse with my chest than my face, and in the springtime of 2006, I had a breast reduction that removed almost 7 pounds of breast tissue. The surgery was painful, the scars are not pretty, and I don't regret it for an instant! The back pain and rib pain I had, from ill-fitting bras, was ridiculous, and it's never come back. I could shop in normal stores; I could buy a bra from Wal-Mart if I wanted to, and finally wear shirts that buttoned in the front. It was glorious...still is, frankly.

I hear women gripe about their bras all the time, and I understand. I mean, walk into Victoria's Secret! Those things are designed to dig in, push up, pull together, and make you think you look like one of those stick-figures-with-silicone that they plaster on their walls. They're pretty bras, granted, and I certainly have my fair share...and honestly, there are a few occasions where we all need to be pushed up and pulled together...HOWEVER:

Every woman should see a certified bra-fitting specialist, probably once a year or more. If you are still wearing the same bras you wore 2 years ago, you might be in the wrong-fitting bra. And when I say "certified," please know there is an actual certification process for fitting a bra--it's not just, slap a tape measure here, and keep trying them on until you find one that kinda fits, I can promise you that. Macy's and JCPenney will often have a bra specialist come in, and occasionally have one on staff. Betty Will-Bower of Body Graphics in Crestwood is the best I know of, and had I met her before my reduction, I may not have had the surgery. No one else that I've seen for a fitting has been as gentle, professional, and as accurate in getting my actual size (Oh, she operates out of small, comfortable office--314-849-5009--she's the sweetest lady you will ever meet!) (You will notice that I'm NOT mentioning the over-hyped Ann's Bra Shop. I had a really bad experience there, so they're not on my list). Betty has taught me a few things about bras that every woman should know:
1. If you notice your bra during the day, it's not fitting you correctly. WHAT? Seriously? Yep...I have always been the one who's adjusting a strap, pulling the band out from my rib cage, etc...My bra is the first thing to go when I get home. After getting properly fit, my first sign that there was a change was that I left the thing on until I got to bed that night. I was impressed!
2. Unless you're sleeping, those girls need to be supported. The pulling and strain on your tissues are what cause the sagging we see in younger and younger women.
3. This was a big one for me: There are comfortable underwires!!! I've always been an underwire girl, but have never liked them; I never felt like a softcup could give me adequate support. Betty helped me to find comfortable, supportive underwires that didn't make me feel like I was wearing a cage and...
4. There are comfortable, supportive softcup bras!!! I have friends who won't wear underwires, and yet their softcups always make them look like they have uniboob (you KNOW what I'm talking about!). I'm now the proud owner of several softcup bras, and am impressed at their engineering!
5. Bra sizes change throughout your menstrual cycle. You're not imagining it. We can go up to or even past, a full cup-size difference throughout the month. We need bras to prepare for that.
6. No one has naturally symmetrical breasts. In fact, Fruit-of-the-Loom is now coming out with a bra that you purchase by the half, i.e, you buy one side with one cup, and then buy the other, clip them together in the front and the back and BOOM! You have a perfectly customized bra. Time will tell if they actually make these for women who are bigger than a C-cup (Don't you hate that? They come out with awesome bras, and then you can't find your size!!! Argh!).
7. Speaking of size, someone out there has your bra size. Betty actually has bras she can order that are an LL and bigger. I didn't know that existed. I know before my reduction, I purchased my bras online from England; it seems they have a lot of bigger-cup bras that come from there. But don't be discouraged--your size exists.

I seem completely unable to write a top-10 list lately, so 7 is all I've got. But honestly, how many women do you know, complain about their bras? Having a bra that fits you properly is important to back health and to breast health. Our breasts are made of soft tissue that requires support; we, as busy women, require comfort. It is possible! I have seen women who have survived breast cancer...women who's breasts are scarred...women who are well-endowed to the point of embarrassment (never be embarrassed!), and women who are under-endowed to the point of embarrassment (again, NEVER be embarrassed!). The one thing we all have in common is not only do we have our "lovely lady lumps;" we all need to take care of them, and of ourselves.

This blog is my PSA, again, based on my many recent conversations with women who complain about their bras. It doesn't have to be that way...Here are 21 more facts that women need to know, before buying a bra:

21 Things To Know Before Buying A Bra

1. Get fitted by a certified bra specialist.
2. To make sure that the bra fits properly, take note of the band size.

* You want the band to fit snug and secure around the body and to be anchored low.

3. The center tab of the bra should lie flush against the chest wall.
4. Make sure that the straps are adjusted for additional support.
5. The breast tissue needs to be contained inside the bra cup. No spillage, no double bubbling and no puckering (which means that the cup is too big).
6. Most women wear their bands too big and their cups too small! That is why the ride up in the back and cause some women to have back problems.

*Also, it is important to get fitted twice a year.

* Remember: many factors affect our bra measurement such as pregnancy, child birth, menopause and weight fluctuation.

7. Pay attention to the shirt silhouette with the bra straps. There are different bras that should be worn with different shirts and clothing articles.
8. Showing your bra straps is NOT acceptable!
9. If you are wearing a tank top, then you should wear a racerback bra.
10. If you are wearing a halter top or a top that criss crosses in the back, then you would wear a convertible bra.
11. With a t-shirt or tighter fitting top, wear a contour bra, and it should be seamless.
12. Always wear a nude bra with a white shirt not a white bra.
13. If you find a bra brand that fits and it's comfortable, chances are their other styles will fit you as well. Look to that brand first before venturing to others.
14. If you are wearing a strapless dress or top, always wear a strapless bra. A good strapless bra that fits correctly will stay up.
15. If you are looking to streamline or reduce the appearance of your bustline, then a minimizer is the bra for you.
16. If you need to enhance your bustline, a push-up bra will give you a naturally fuller look.
17. If you are wearing a blouse, this is when you can wear a seamed pretty lacey bra.
18. A properly fitted bra will make a world of difference in how your outerwear lays on your body.
19. Bras have many different functions. Whether you want to lift, shape, minimize or maximize- there is a bra for you.
20. The most important part of your outfit is what you put under it!
21. Most importantly of all, a bra needs to be comfortable!

-- Information provided by Megan's Lifestyle Boutique