Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Over the Shoulder Boulder Holder

A month back, Jeni at Ponderings of a Pastor’s Wife  wrote about how she feels like a new woman because she has finally been properly fitted for a new bra!  After reading her post, I thought about my own personal experience being properly fitted for a bra for the first time in my life at the age of 30!  Why did I never share my experience?  If I can help just one woman to treat herself to a bra that fits the way it should, it is worth sharing my experience (in my opinion).

I will start out by stating that I’ve had a large chest for as long as I can remember.  I have always wanted to be part of the itty bitty…well, you know what committee I’m referring to, but that’s just not going to happen unless I have surgery (and that’s not ever going to happen).  I’m not sure how my mom determined my bra size growing up, but I know that in high school after losing some weight I was wearing a 38C.  I am not sure if this was the correct size for me, but I refused to believe my chest was any bigger than that. 

Fast forward 10 years, and I was still attempting to wear 38C’s…unsuccessfully.  I had gained weight in that time but I refused to believe my bust got any bigger.  My bras dug into my shoulders to the point that it left scars, I had a constant muffin top, the clasps rode up my back so high it was uncomfortable and I was always tugging it back down into place where it should have been.  After years of promising my mother I’d get properly fitted, I was invited to a bra party at my step-mom’s workplace.  The company is called Essential Body Wear and I absolutely love their product line!  It is perfect for big-busted women like me.  A consultant takes you into a room and fits you, gets you the size bra you need to try on, and you can either walk out the door with the proper bra size or they can be ordered for you!  The consultant was so happy with my results (I actually DO have a waist! Who knew?), she let me keep the bra I had tried on.  I was amazed at how good I felt with this bra on!  When I looked down, I could only see my cleavage because I had such boost!  Was that where my breasts were supposed to be when I wore a bra? 

Here are a few tips that I learned from the bra lady (as she liked to be called):

The Magic Number: 3
You should be fitted and purchase 3 new bras each and every year (and dispose of the old, worn out, ill-fitting bras you had been wearing).

Alternate Bras
You should never wear the same bra two days in a row.  The bra needs at least 24 hours to return back to its normal shape and elasticity.  If you wear the bra two days in a row, it will become stretched out much quicker than if you were to give it time to re-shape itself. 

Wear the Bra 2-3 Times between Washes
You should wear your bra 2-3 times between washes.  Because 3 is the magic number, this means you only need to wash your bras every week to week and a half.

When Washing: Put in a Garment Bag
I went out and purchased an inexpensive garment bag at the dollar store.  This keeps the bras in a small space which helps to prevent them from stretching.  I generally put the garment bag in the wash when I have a load of work clothes or a small load of towels to be washed.

Never Put Bras in the Dryer
When you wash your bras, hang them to dry.  This is where the 3rd bra can save the day while waiting for the others to dry.

In Jeni’s experience, she went to Dillard’s and was able to obtain the same results with a professional bra-fitter.  I’m not sure how expensive the bras are at Dillard’s compared to Essential Body Wear, but whatever the cost, it’s worth it!  And only having to purchase 3 a year won’t break the bank!  Even me, the cheapest  most frugal person in the world, can dole out $120 for bras each year.  Especially when they make me feel so good about myself in my own clothes!  It has been a couple of years since I purchased my Essential Body Wear bras (I purchased 8 of them); however, it’s time for me to go get re-fitted.  My bras have become stretched out, one of them has a large rip, and most of them have clasps that are misshapen and hard to hook. 

When was the last time you purchased a new bra?
How do they fit?
Do you get fitted every year?


2 comments:

  1. Dillards does a good job and have a large selection of sizes. I choose to wear the T-Shirt-type full coverage bras to work . They are formed, so not soft and bendable. I have a very large walk in closet and have a place where I hang them up, nesting in each other so they don't bend. I also very carefully hand wash them. I will do a cheaper at home bra that is thinner and bendable but those too I always hand wash and never put in the dryer.

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    1. Great points about housing them in one another so they dont bend. I left that out. I still havent gone to Dillards to get fitted and to get my 3 new bras for the year. It's on the "to do" list to get done by the end of the year! :-)

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