The Witzend bra story, or "the middle age spread"...

witzend

Well-Known Member
I have always been a Skinny Minnie. Even when I was a size 14 I was skinny, because I was tall. Or so people told me...

I was always as flat-chested as could be, and poor as could be as a kid. It was the 1970's and no one wore a bra. Luckily, having been flat chested, my hoo-haws aren't hanging down to my navel right now.

A few weeks after L was born, the local big department store had a segment on a morning show about their lingerie department having a bra fitter, and that there were much more flattering bras and that even under-endowed women could look good. I was nursing and had a little something and I thought, "Cool! I can fit into a bra now!" So, I went down to Meier & Frank and stood there in the Lingerie Department waiting for this woman to fit me for a bra.

This old broad comes over with her tape measure, and wraps it around my rib cage. That was it. She says in this horrible loud nasal voice "Oh Honey! You ain't got nothin'! You go over to the little girl's department and get yourself a training bra!" Needless to say, Meier & Frank didn't make a bra sale to me that day. Or ever.

Over the years, I have endeared myself to the Wonderbra and the Miraclebra. But lately - ten years or so - I have been having problems because of my crooked shoulders with one bra strap always falling down. I've gotten to the point that I only wore strapless bras. Except then the entire bra falls to my belly button and I'm stooping over trying to keep it where it counts. So today I grin and bear it for my annual trek to whatever place has a decent bra. I'm hoping that a 34 B isn't too optimistic and I don't have to get that training bra. I figure I'm going to treat myself to Victoria's Secret. They'll take care of me!

I go in and try on a bra that the girl recommends. It's awful. Rolls of blubber hanging out of my armpits. She gives me a little pink piece of paper and literally sends me out of the door. I stop and grab two more and try again. It's just as bad. So I grin and bear it and head out the door to my car which is parked outside the Nordstrom Lingerie Department. I figure, "What the heck? If they don't have anything I won't buy it."

I try on this little bandaid thing that is supposed to work out great with "those problem tops that never look good" - all of them. More blubber. Finally the girl says "have you had a fitting lately?" Nope. So, we do the tape measure. She says I need a 32. Ok... I have lost weight lately. In fact I weigh only 13 pounds more than I did 30 years ago. Eventually I end up with this older lady bringing me bras, and I'm trying them on right and left. She's telling me to "bend over and shake your breasts so they will fit in." We find one that fits, and it's a 32 D! OMG! WT Heck? I chuckled all the way to the cash register, and had to tell them the story of the fitter in Meier & Frank. And I have a beautiful bra (that cost an arm and a leg but at least I know my size now) and makes me look wonderful!

So, if you feel rotten in your bra, go to the fancy schmancy department store and have a fitting. I'd been sour-pussing it all week because of M, and the day started out badly with the Victoria's Secret deal. (They're all little girls who don't know how to fit a bra, by the way.) But now, I'm a beautiful, happy, grown up woman with a D cup! Woo - hoo!

And I came home and made brownies...
 

ThreeShadows

Quid me anxia?
I'm so jealous! Every time I have to rush across the street, it's a seismic event. I don't think Victoria's even makes them in my size...I guess the grass is always greener on the other side of the cup.
 

Marguerite

Active Member
I'm so glad you finally got something good. I'm going to have to go back and get fitted for another bra - the surgeon didn't take all that much, maybe golf ball sized or so, but I now have a hollow in the top of my right boob plus I'm still sore there and in my armpit, so most of my bras now dig in where it's sore. I may have to either go up a cup size (to take the pressure off) or down one, so it's not stretching out so far and pressing on things.

The problem is with us girls - we go for bra fittings and we don't always understand how it works. The number, is how big you are UNDER your boobs, how far around your torso is. The cup size is how spread out your boobs are. You can still be flat-chested with a large cup size, if they spread out a long way (like a puddle of wax from a melted candle).

It's not all cantaloupes! And you can still go braless even if you're a D cup, if there's not too much weight in them to make them saggy. Unfortunately, even after losing a golf ball chunk, I'm still too heavy and even saggier now.

Marg
 

AnnieO

Shooting from the Hip
...And here I am looking forward to being bigger than a B for at least a little while... Perhaps this is why I buy 36-B's... And then hook them on the tightest one, creating a small roll, but the 34 B cups overflow... HMMMM.

Wish we had a Nordstrom's. Macy's isn't even fancy-schmancy here. Sigh.
 

klmno

Active Member
Way To Go!! The only time I fit into a D was when I was nursing difficult child. LOL! I'm glad you had a great day- and that you relayed this story to us!
 

DaisyFace

Love me...Love me not
Witz--

I, too, have been "hollered at" for trying to buy a bra without any chest. It's humiliating...

I'm glad to hear you got somebody to treat you right and take care of your girlish figure! You go, you sexy girl!
 

sunxstone

New Member
Yay on your new bra and size! :grins: I rarely buy bras because they are never comfortable..and I gained 40 pounds this year and I hate trying them on. lol
I went to Victoria's Secret once a few years ago, and they just took me to a room with all size bras in it and told me to try them on til I found one that fit, and that would be my size. :/

Now I know what I'm looking for when I need one. Thanks Marguerite! :D
 

witzend

Well-Known Member
Hey, Marge! Even if they are a melted pool of wax from a candle, at least there was a candle to melt! LOL! Do they have Nordstrom down under?

Heather, definitely give a fitting a try. I hate paying Nordstrom prices, but they give great service. Once you find one that fits, you can order more online.
 

LittleDudesMom

Well-Known Member
Witz, I've been getting my bras at Nordstrom for years now. Whenever they have a big lingerie sale, they give me a call! And those of you who are well, well-endowed, don't be put off. They have a larger selection in "the back room". And, if you find something you really like and want to buy more than one color that they don't have in stock, Nordstrom is one of the few department stores left that will find it for you and mail it to your home at no charge!

Sharon
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
I was fortunate, my mother has what we used to call "fried eggs". But she learned young (don't know from who) how to make her basically flat chest look like she had something. And bending over to shake the breast into the cup was one of the tricks. So when we girls started wearing bras (we didn't take after our mother thankfully) she just taught us how to do that because by then it was natural for her. Believe me, it can make a huge difference in how a bra fits.

Congrats on your new pretty bra, and your new bra size.:D
 

timer lady

Queen of Hearts
I used Norstrom for fittings when I lived in Seattle. Our local Nordstrom's have left town ~ closet one now is Chicago. Saying that I have used the closest JC Penney for my fittings - the lady there is phenomenal. She not only can measure you correctly, she knows the merchandise for any kind of issues (i.e. mastectomies, disfiguring body type, etc).

I'm on the lookout this year for a built in bra camisole - they are wonderful for the summer months.
 

DDD

Well-Known Member
I got fitted a couple of years ago at Macy's. The woman was experienced and made it comfortable as possible.
I bought four bras and two months ago Ace pulled two out of a dresser drawer and knawed them to oblivian. I have to go out of town to buy replacements...darn dog! They have daughter's in stock. Thank God I'm not DDD! ;)
 

witzend

Well-Known Member
I have to go out of town to buy replacements...darn dog! They have daughter's in stock. Thank God I'm not DDD! ;)

If you know what brand and style bras you had, try online. You might get a good price, and they will probably give you free delivery. Nextag is a good place to start. They'll give you the best price from the most reliable source.
 
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