The list of Online Bra Shopping

I've been thinking about putting together a list for awhile, because so many people ask me about it. So this is my first attempt. If this ends up being useful, I'll keep updating it with new, different, trusted sources for online bra shopping. Where do you shop online that you love? Comment with your favorites and I'll add them to the list!

The three part bra cup & Bra Fittings!

Just a note that this Saturday March 25, I will be doing bra fittings at Amour in the East Village, from 2 to 5. Stop in, get fitted, ask questions, and check out the great inventory. It will be so much fun!

(This is just an icon, not an actual 3 part cup bra)

If you have not yet tried a bra with a three part cup construction, let me be the first to introduce you. They are amazing. I don't care what brand, I think it's a key component to a good cup fit. It's a simple enough idea - the more parts to your cup, the more easily the material can be shaped. I also think that a 3 part cup provides extra support that seamless soft cup bras just do not have. I love a good molded cup bra, but the biggest draw back (or perk?) is that your boobs are poured into whatever shape that cup was molded into. A 3 part soft cup bra will enhance your natural shape instead of making your  boobs fit a mold. The top part of a 3 part bra is more forgiving and I think less likely to give you the quadra boob - at least less so than a molded cup bra. If you are a soft cup person, a three part cup will give you the shape you want. No more sad, saggy boobs. Trust me when I say that trying one of these on will change your life. I cried tears of joy when I tried one on for the first time and squealed "I'm so pretty!" in the dressing room.

The bras every woman should own

I have spent the last few weeks researching types of bras. There is a ton of helpful information out there already. Instead of rehashing what's already out there, I'm going to give you some helpful, educational links. Then I'll tell you which ones I think everyone should have in their bra wardrobe.

Basic lingerie care

We've talked about bra fit, let's talk about bra, or really any intimate apparel, care. Ok, you've invested in some great fitting bras. And maybe it cost you a pretty penny. You want those things to hold up for awhile, right? How you wash and dry your undergarments can affect the fit and how long they'll hold up.
TL; DR version - hand wash, hang dry.
Too much time and effort? I include my favorite short cuts below.

Hand wash

For your really nice stuff, hand washing and air drying is best. Use wash like The Laundress Delicate wash, Caldera's delicate wash, or Soak. Yes knitters, you can use soak on your undergarments! Woolite is fine too but I don't like the smell and I feel like you have to use so much more of it than the other products.
Basically, follow the directions on whatever product you're using. Cold water is always best. Don't mix lights and darks, even in the sink.
When rinsing, don't wring it or twist it! First off that's a hassle. Second, it's better to drain the sink and refill with clean, cold water, and gently swish. Keep doing that until you feel the garment is thoroughly rinsed. I know, it feels like a waste of water. But do a few together and you're still probably using less water than a machine load.
Get yourself a good drying rack. I know the wood ones are cheapest but they also have a tendency to mold. Go for something that is a coated metal or plastic that won't rust easily. I put mine in the tub so dripping water from the bras doesn't flood my floors. Also, it keeps it out of the way. Drying bras flat is ideal, but not always practical. I hang them by the gore on my drying rack and they do just fine.

Washing machine

Like most women, you're probably busy. Or lazy. Or both. I'm both. If this is you, invest in a couple of mesh lingerie bags. Stuff your bras in those. Make sure the bras are hooked - you don't want snags. Wash on delicate cycle, cold water. Do not put them in the dryer!! Let them air dry on your drying rack. Poof, you're done. If your home is as dry as mine, then they'll be dry by morning. If you take nothing else away from this post let it be to air dry your bras. It keeps the elastic from degrading faster than it should.

Other garments

All of the above applies to swimsuits, nylons, tights, leggings, and, yes, even underwear. Yeah, seriously, underwear. (Note, I hate the word panties. With a passion. I don't know why, I just do. This is my blog and on here were calling them underwear or undies.) Most of the time I'm not going to hand wash my every day boring cotton underwear. But I do always put them in a mesh bag in the washing machine and dryer. They just last longer. It keeps the elastic from fraying and they just don't wear out as fast.
My nicer, pretty undies I do hand wash every single time. I feel pretty when I wear them so taking care of them is like I'm returning the favor.
Please wash your nylons and tights. So many women don't or don't do it often enough. If you are wearing anything that close to your body, you need to wash it regularly. Seriously.
Swimsuits do great in the machine in a mesh bag if you don't want to hand wash. I hand wash my bikinis but my trusty one piece goes in the machine.

Hopefully this helps you all get a little longer life span out of your undergarments. They say you should only expect to keep a bra for about a year. But I find that with proper care, they'll hold up much longer.

Let's talk bras

I was reminded by a friend yesterday that I know way too much about bras and bra fitting. Being busty means you learn a lot about such things. Sometimes you learn the hard way. Please don't learn the hard way. I'm going to share what I've learned and hopefully you benefit from it as well. I'll also do some reviews occasionally of my favorite bras. Most of my info is going to be geared toward you extra busty ladies, but that doesn't mean my advice only applies to them. A good bra is a good bra, no matter your size and shape.

Why a good fitting bra matters

It boils down to two things: how you look and how you feel. How you look is subjective - everyone has a different taste or style they are after. Sometimes you want to contain or minimize, sometimes you want major sexy cleavage. Whatever look you're feeling, make sure it fits correctly. More on fit in a minute. When I talk about how a bra makes you feel, I mean is it physically supporting you the way that it should. A good fitting bra won't hurt. A bad fitting bra probably will. I also notice a huge difference in my posture when I'm wearing a bra that fits. My back hurts less and I can sit up straighter. A good fitting bra is going to make you feel confident, and that matters too.

Finding a good fit

Knowing how to measure yourself is the first step, but it's not the only thing you need to look at. It doesn't matter a whole lot if you measure with a bra on or off, or even if it fits. Unless you're wearing something that's massively compressive - that would skew things. You'll get a more accurate measurement if you have someone else help you. But most salespeople in stores don't know how to do it properly, especially that one big chain store everyone goes to.
Measure around where your band will sit. Then measure around your breasts at the widest point. Subtract your band size from your bust size. Don't add anything to either measurement!!! Each inch difference is one cup size. Yes, seriously, one cup per inch. You're bigger than you thought, aren't you? Yeahhh. That happens a lot. It's ok, deep breath, we're gonna get through this.
Armed with the knowledge of your size, you now have to try on. Find a few styles you like - again, doesn't matter if it's full coverage, demi, push-up, whatever. My suggestion is go to a store with a large variety of brands and sizes and try stuff on until you find something you like.
You want to be able to wear the bra on the middle set of hooks. If you're on the tightest set of hooks, go down a band size. If you're on the largest, go up a band size. It's not worth buying that size if you can't leave room for weight gain or loss. When you look in the mirror, is the band riding up in back? If it is, it's too big. All of the support you get from a bra comes from the band - not the straps or the cups. The gore of the bra - the part where the underwires meet in the front- should lay flat against your sternum. It should be just loose enough to stick one or two fingers between you and the bra, but not any looser. If it's not laying flat, you need bigger band size or the cup style isn't compatible with your breasts. Move on.
Did you know that cup size is not a measure of volume? They aren't consistent either. Your cup size doesn't mean a damn thing without the band size. They're a team, just like your boobs. On top of that, there are just a ton of different cup styles. Maybe we'll go into more detail on those in a later post. You want a cup that holds you in and doesn't cut you off. The underwire should encompass all your breast tissue and not cut into it near your armpits or cleavage. If it does either of those things, move along. The fabric part of the cup can cut into you too, giving you what I refer to as quadra boob. As much as your partner may be thrilled that you suddenly appear to have four breasts, this isn't a good look. I went through most of my 20s rocking this look, thinking it made me look like I had overflowing cleavage ala busty tavern wench. In reality I just looked horrible. If you want cleavage, get a bra that pushes up and lifts. You'll be able to spot the difference.
Straps are the thing I have the hardest time with. My torso is kind of short between my band and shoulders. I find that I need straps that are fully adjustable. So many bras only let you adjust the straps a couple of inches. Figure out what you need and look for that.
Raise your arms and see if the bra slides around. If it does, it's too big. Jump up and down. Are you jiggling like jello in those cups? It's either a bad cup style for you or it's too big. Straps falling off your shoulders and you can't adjust them any tighter? Consider a Y/racerback bra, a convertible bra, or a bra with a J hook. Bras with J hooks are my absolute all time favorite and they are so hard to find.

Ok, that ended up being a lot longer than what I thought it would be. And I still have more to say. I think this may have to be a recurring topic. I love talking about bras so seriously, send me questions! If you're local to Des Moines, let me know if you want help getting fitted! ( I mean that in a very helpful, non-creepy way.)