Bra Shop Directory is LIVE

 It's been live for many months but, a few weeks ago, it finally looks like a real website.

Check it out when you can!

Bra Shop Directory

Bare Essentials--A Wilmington, Delaware Store Review

I was quite sad when Buttercups closed last year.  They were fairly convenient to where I lived and, pretty much, on the way to my part-time job at Christiana Mall.  They closed at a time that wasn't a big time of bra need for me, though, so I didn't really feel the loss until some months later.  They closed just before Valentine's Day 2016 and it wasn't until I returned from my post-military retirement road trip(s) in June that I was really wishing they were still open.

See, those trips were a total of 2.5 months and 12,500 miles of traveling.  Sitting, really.  And often.  Even when I wasn't driving, I wasn't super active.  As a result, I gained a good 20-25 pounds (on top of the ten that I gained in late 2015 but I digress) and could no longer "make do" with the 36FF bras that I'd been sporting for the better part of a year.  Come June/July of 2016 I HAD to get new bras.  I was measuring close to a 40 band.  BUT, I hadn't yet ventured to Bare Essentials yet so I just got some "make do" bras at the local (overpriced) department store.

Come September, though, I was tired.  Tired of being tired and tired of being the (overall body) size that I was so I hit the gym.  But not after ordering a few different size sports bras from online.  I kept the two that fit and then ventured to Bare Essentials to get some more of the same style.  And, three months later, there was no denying that I needed new bras...again.  I had lost about 20 pounds and the 38FF Elomis were swimming on me.  Even the sports bras, which I purposely bought a little snug, were a bit too big.

Now it was time for some REAL shopping at Bare Essentials.  I was helped by Victoria.  The woman knows her bras.  Even more important, she knows there's more to bra fitting than just band and cup sizes.  I think it helps that her own quest is as "fun" as the rest of us--we, of the sizes that they just don't carry in midrange department stores like Macy's, JCPenney, or the like.

Anyhow, she brought me everything.  Well, except for Elomi Cates and Caitlyns because I was just tired of wearing those styles.  They'd been my "make do" bras for the past six months.  I actually found five or six styles that I really liked and left with a pretty full bra wardrobe.

But, let me tell you about the store.  Bras everywhere.  From floor to ceiling and all along the walls.  Beautifully arranged and in a huge variety of sizes.  They may not have ALL the colors on hand but ordering is easy and they ship right to your house.  LOVE!!  They also carry Spanx and bra-sized swimwear.  The fitting rooms are spacious; though the lighting isn't the best.  It's kind of well-lit but the way the fixtures are positioned, they cause shadows and that can skew how you view the fit of a bra in the mirror. They also have a bathroom that is located conveniently near the fitting rooms, on the main floor, and it feels much like a home bathroom vs the "industrial" feel of many store bathrooms.

The store is easy to get to from Interstate 95, via Hwy 202 N--just make sure you're in the outside lane of either road so that you can turn into their parking lot, as it's right on the southeast corner of Hwy 202/Concord Pike and Silverside Rd.

Most importantly, the prices are comparable and the owner has implemented a reward program that is based upon $$ spent.  You can also Like them on facebook.

So, if you're in the region of Wilmington, Delaware, take advantage of our states complete tax free-ness and pick up some new pretties at Bare Essentials.

Bras Plus--A Reno, Nevada store review

I've become spoiled by the boutiques that I've already been in and I really had to take a step back before I wrote this review.  Other stores that I've been in have been brightly painted and/or have very snazzy shelves and/or other furniture.  Bras Plus is decorated in a very spartan manner: very few and just simple pictures around the showroom--which isn't very large but isn't tiny either; one wall is all face-out displays and there are three or four racks of bras, nightgowns, and robes along the center of that side of the store--you can see what I'm talking about on their current cover photo of their facebook page.  The other side of the showroom has some clearance racks but is dominated by the sales desk.  The walls are painted a pale, pale blue (or they're white and just look that way from the light coming through the front windows.

They carry a few select brands--Fantasie, Elomi and Goddess--which is perfect for the wide-rooted customer--and have between two and five styles for each brand.  Their size range appears to be between 30B (and C) and 46H; though that H might be in the Goddess brand and, therefore, a U.S. H and not a UK H.  I did see a few Elomi bras in JJ cups.  They also carry some cup-sized swimwear, mastectomy camis, and longline corsets/bustiers.

The owner was very nice.  She wasn't knowledgable on many aspects of fit but she knew her stuff when it came to sister sizes and what-not.  We discussed the selection in the store and how long they'd been in business--almost 60 years; as well as the opportunity for such a store in Reno.  Reno has a population of more than 200,000 with its surrounding county having more than 400,000 so there is quite the pool of available customers and very few places, in general, to buy bras.  The city has the standard presence of department stores and stores for bras in the mall but Bras Plus is the only one with any selection of extended (read: non-matrix) sizes.

So, even though the store isn't all that fancy and isn't decorated in bright colors or with snazzy furniture, they do offer quite the selection for ladies who size out of matrix-sized bras.

bra te da--An Abilene, Texas store review.

I've been traveling across the southern part of the United States and was able to stop into a bra boutique in Abilene, Texas during my visit to the town. The store is called bra te da.

I hadn't realized just how large the city was but, after some research, I learned that it has more than 120,000 people in it.  Surprisingly, the county in which it sits has just under 130,000 so Abilene is the lion's share of the population; however, this store serves the whole county and also has customers that have moved away from the area.  The reason that this bit of information is important is that I've found that boutique stores don't do well if they serve a population smaller than 50,000.

My visit to the store was totally legit.  Having gained a bit of weight in the past few months, I needed new garments.  The woman at the register asked if she could help me and I was happy to take her up on her offer.  She lead me back to the fitting room and asked me to doff my shirt.  She proceeded to measure me with my bra on (not unexpected since most stores won't measure you braless, a more accurate method), measuring me over the band of my current bra and over the fullest part of my breasts and sized me at a 38E/F-ish.  She pulled some Elomi styles and I tried them on--too small in the cup.  Elomi does tend to differ from what most calculators will put me at so I knew this was going to be a trial and error endeavor.  We bumped up to a 38FF.

After getting the bras picked out and paid for, I chatted with the owner for a bit.  We traded chuckles about customers who've only ever been sized at Victoria's Secret and are amazed when they get fitted into something that really, truly fits because they're really a 30C, trying to fit into a 32 band with little success.  We also talked about the customers who refuse (REFUSE!) to believe that they wear a cup size larger than a DDD and they end up walking out of the store.  Very sad but I, personally, take heart in the fact that just introducing the idea into their head will start them on a path towards a bra that fits.

All in all, it was a great shopping experience and I would recommend bra te da to those who live in or near Abilene or anyone traveling through the town.

The Pink Corset--A New Jersey Store Review by a Guest Blogger

A friend of mine went to a New Jersey bra and lingerie store a few weeks back.  Because of her (not so great) experience, I asked her if I could share her story on my blog.  She had no problem with doing so.  Here is her review for The Pink Corset in Absecon, NJ (with only a couple typos edited, all else is direct copy/paste i.e. I didn't alter this story to make it better or worse):

As a lingerie lover, I love to stop and support local boutique even though I manage a small boutique. I went with a friend to get her wedding dress in New Jersey and checked if there were boutiques around where she was and found The Pink Corset. I walked into the shop and it was in a cute little town and parking was easy to find. The shop main color was red with all the bras were color coded hanging on the wall. Bras were everywhere and then a huge red set of drawers and drapes in the middle which held all the underwear. I was looking for a particular bra the Freya Hero in pomegranate. A saleswoman approached me and asked if I needed anything. I said I was looking for a 30HH and just looking. It was a very tight space so the owner asked me if I needed anything and I said I was just looking. She cut me off and told me they measure you and then pull bras. I said that I am pretty sure I know my size and she like how? I said I worked at a bra shop in Delaware and know my size. She preceded to tell me that I was not a 30HH and that I had no idea what I was talking about. I keep looking even though I was irritated that someone would tell me how my breast and knowledge was wrong. Curious, I asked the younger girl what size am I if I am not a 30HH. She said we would have to be in the fitting room to understand that. She pulled a panache sports bra in a 32H which she said was a sister size and I said I have that bra. I told her I was looking for something with a plunge because I found my perfect bra. Then I said why not get fitted, who knows I might be off by a little bit. So the fitter was waiting at the desk and I said I like to be fitted. The third women, the fitter, said she can not judge my size until I was in the fitting room and there was a women finishing. I was like ok, this bra I have on does not fit well but I found my perfect bra but there are some downsides because it is full coverage. The fitter said that the is  not the perfect bra then. So overly annoyed with the service, I waited. The women was done in the dressing room the fitter told me that I should go in the dressing room and take everything off except my bra. Being in the bra business, I was a little embarrassed by my bra because I gained weight so it was a little small. The fitter came in leaving the door open which made me feel uncomfortable. The fitter said this is a good bra but it does not fit which I had already told her. The younger saleswoman came in giving her a bra and the fitter shooed her and told her it would not fit. The fitter turns around and went into the Elomi bijous, which is a molded plunge that starts at 34 and I am a 30, interesting pick. The fitter unhooked my bra and gave me the Elomi Bijou and said it was altered for a 32. The fitter, without asking, decided to maneuver my boobs in the bra which made me feel uncomfortable. Once the bra was on she asked what I thought. The middle gore was an inch off my chest, I took my hand and pulled it from my body saying it was to loose. I asked if they had anything in my size, she yelled at me telling me they had up to a K cup but not in smaller bands. I asked if she had anything close to my size, she told me “No, we do not” and then just walked away. I would like to add that she left me in a bra with the door open. This experience made me feel like a was weird and violated.  

My takeaway: Not a great place to shop. However, if you would like to check them out, they are about halfway between E Moss Mill Rd and Atlantic 610 on the southbound side of Hwy 9. Their address is 3 N New York Rd Shoppe #36, Absecon, New Jersey 08205

Buttercups, A Local Lingerie Store With A Convenient Location in Delaware

I had the best visit to this local Delaware lingerie store.  I really couldn’t wait to visit Buttercups when I heard that there was a store that carried band sizes 28-50 and cup sizes A-K.  And they don’t just stock the smaller cups with the smaller band sizes or the larger cups with the larger band sizes.  If you’re a 28G or a 44B, you’re more than likely going to find something.  If they don’t have it in stock, they’ll order it so that it’s available in the store for you to try on.  They’ll order anything for any of the brands that they carry.  On with my experience…

Lemme just say: the first great part is that it’s right near a Starbucks.  J  But, when I got to the store, the “great” continued.  The two sales ladies—Victoria and Stephanie—greeted me immediately upon entering (always a plus) and asked if I’ve even been in the store before and what they could help with.  I really just wanted to browse to see what they had.  I did ask what fitting method they use.   I think I threw them a bit when I asked if they used a two-, three-, or five-point measuring system—they use the same as where I work, a two-point system: underbust and fullest part.

The store decor is painted in a bright, sunny yellow on three walls and one wall painted in a royal blue and white pattern—very regal.  It has a good layout with most stuff on the walls and a few racks on the floor.  Some of the wall racks are front facing, some are side facing, so the variety is good.  It doesn’t look like a department store but is set up in a way that makes you want to browse.

Read about their impending opening in an article from a year ago, spring:

 Lace up, buttercup! New boutique's fresh take on undergarments

They carry most of the high end, well known brands: Panache, Elomi, Cleo by Panache, Freya; and the owner, Christy said that she’s looking to add other brands such as Chantelle and the like once they see what is available at the trade show this weekend.

I told them what I had already tried and they suggested a few others, which I tried—didn’t love them, though, so I didn’t buy anything.  However, my plan is to find what fits through various online retailers but purchase at THIS store.  I’m such a huge advocate for shopping small business that I don’t mind driving the distance to get there, especially since they’re willing to order anything that I’d like to get just so that I *can* buy from them. 

They have a facebook page as well as the website that I linked above.  They’re very easy to get to.  From Route 1 in Delaware, you take the Middletown/Odessa exit and head west towards Middletown.  You need drive just over a mile (passed the High School) and turn left when you see Saladworks at the corner of E Main St and Silver Lake Rd.  If you miss that turn, you can take the very next left (Dickerson Blvd) and then double back through the shopping center parking lot.  The storefront faces Acme grocery store and shares a very large parking lot with it.

From Dover Air Force Base, it’s less than 30 minutes via Route 1 and less than an hour to take Hwy 13 if you wish to avoid tolls. 

Well worth the drive if you’re looking for a bra that fits.  Tell ‘em you read about them on “If The Bra Fits.”  :D

The Body by Victoria bra line Revamp and Relaunch

The Body by Victoria bra line has had quite a few relaunches.  During my tenure, the first relaunch prompted me to stop loving the unlined demi bra.  During the late 90s and early to mid 2000s, it was my “go to” bra.  It fit great and provided a great shape.  With the relaunch that occurred just a few years after I started working for the company, the Body by Victoria Perfect Coverage became my new favorite.  The revamped unlined Body dug into the top of my breast in a way that was not flattering.  It gave me a lumpy look that wasn’t there to begin with.  The Perfect Coverage came up high enough that this was not an issue.  The shaped Demi bra did the same thing as the unlined version so I stuck with the Perfect Coverage option.  When I lost weight, though, I found that there was too much gapping in the cup of my beloved Perfect Coverage and switched to the Demi. 

That relaunch introduced us to “memory fit”, a super soft, conforms to your shape, material from heaven.  But it also came with controversy--the “Perfect Body” campaign.    The other downside was that the bras had less material at the front of the bra, along the band line.  It was mostly just underwire.

Not many notable changes in 2013

2014 brought about another revamp.  This one involved adding a “keyhole” feature to the center gore and more material along the band--much relief for those who felt that the previous version was digging into their ribs.

And here we are with the latest revamp/relaunch.  

I was able to try on a few styles yesterday and ended up buying the Unlined Lace.  I tried on the largest cup available in a 36-band.  Some were DDD, a couple were DD.

My thoughts on the new styles:
Pefect Coverage—it fits the same as the last Perfect Coverage and is great if you want to camouflage any shape issues.  The cup is narrow and shallow so I was not able to fit my 36H size into the largest offered—36DDD.

Demi—same as the Perfect Coverage: little difference from the previous version.

Lace Demi—while I didn’t try this one on, it was passed around at our store meeting the other day.  The lining is one of a fine mesh material.  There is no memory fit in this cup.  It would dent easily if stored with one cup inside the other as most customers are wont to do.  I wouldn’t wear it on a hot day either.  I think the “itch” factor would be too noticeable.

***One difference between new and old though: they swapped 3% of the elastane for 3% more nylon.  Before it was 74% elastance and 26% nylon; now it’s 71% and 29%, respectively.  It's still a "memory fit" though***

Perfect Shape—really don’t like this shape at all.  I felt like I had grapefruit sitting on my chest.  The shape of the bra was that round in silhouette.

Pushup—another dislike.  This bra pushes your breasts together rather than up.  I had serious “quad cleavage” when I swooped and scooped.  Very shallow cups too—the bra was pushed down by my breasts since they were gravitating towards the deepest part of the cup hence the “quad cleavage” because that meant out of the cup almost completely.  Another “didn’t like” feature: the underwire definitely digs in though that might be more noticeable because the bra was being pushed down my ribcage.

Wireless—not bad just didn’t like the lack of separation that underwires traditionally provide.  I’ve never been a fan of wireless bras so this was not unexpected.  A great option for those who like compression-type sports bras but also want some cleavage because this bra has a bit of a plunge front.  **Not available in DDD

Unlined Lace—this is the option that I ended up getting for my gratis.  The cup seems to be less shallow than the others; probably because it’s the only option that is made from three pieces of fabric rather than one continuous one.  The underwire was a little too wide to truly sit in my intramammary fold but that allowed for more room in the cup as well.  I swooped and scooped and experienced very little “muffin top” above the cup.

The new Lounge bra—VERY comfortable.  Unfortunately too short on the sides.  I felt like I had back fat just hanging out.  Very soft; very smooth.  The straps are not adjustable.  They’re reminiscent of the original Incredible bra.  They’re also in a halter/racerback configuration.  The band is “longline” and I can easily see someone wearing it as a short tank all its own.  It would even work as a yoga bra.  **Not available in DDD
I'm looking forward to trying on the other styles as they come in, especially the Lounge Bralette--it looks like it may be super comfy.  **Sizes are XS, S, M, L, XL

This relaunch happens July 28th.  The current versions will be discounted and pulled from the floor and will probably be available again during the various Semi-Annual Sales that happen twice a year.

A Soma Experience... Still No Luck Though

Went into Soma at The Summit in Reno, NV first thing in the morning on July 4th.  I've only been in a Soma store maybe twice before and purchased loungewear; never shopping for bras.  I asked the saleswoman--who introduced herself as Crystal--what their largest cup was.  She told me 44G and asked what size I was.  I told her that my 36DD wasn't fitting--I was wearing a Fabulous Unlined Demi by Victoria's Secret, which is no longer available--and I don't remember if I told her that I was a 36H.  She offered me a bra fitting to which I responded, "Sure."

Crystal measured me at a 36DDD (the same as a 36E (UK), two sizes smaller than my size).  She brought me three bras in that size--a Vanishing Back Full Coverage, an Enhancing Shape Full Coverage bra, and one other that I don't recall the name.  I still had "quad boob" in all of them.  Sadly, Crystal didn't ask to see how any of them fit--something that I expected so that she could better assess any fit issues.  

She just took my word that they didn't fit and then brought me some styles that I had originally asked about--unlined--in a 36G.  Those were the Embraceable No Show Minimizer and the Sensuous Lace Unlined.  The minimizer gave me the most awful shape that I've ever seen.  My breasts are pretty easy to get along with for most bras.  They just go with the flow.  In this bra, they were damn near flat, I had absolutely no fullness on top, and my cleavage was squished together like two pancakes trying to meet on a plate.  Terrible all around.  

I then tried on the lace bra.  It's one of those that is seamed diagonally, from the underwire up to where the nipple *should* go; which, from what I remember, provides a better fit for breasts with projection.  It did fit much better than the minimizer but had issues of its own: the underwire didn't sit in my intramammary fold, for one thing.  What the heck is that, you may ask?  In a nutshell, it's the crease of your boob, from your sternum (center of your chest) to your armpit--where the bottom of your breast meets your torso.  More on that later.

So, back to the bra...it didn't follow my IMF and the wire poked well into my armpit.  It would be bothering me in no time if I wore it for any length of time.  Crystal suggested I size down to a 36DDD to see if the wire would be shorter.  It was; however, there was serious "quad boob" again.  It was also still too wide in the cup.  My breast roots don't fall into the wide category.  They start in a position that is more forward of my armpit rather than *in* my armpit so any underwire that ends super close to my armpit will be too wide for me.  More on breast roots later.

At this point, it was apparent that I wasn't going to find a bra at Soma.  Crystal then proceeded to refer me to the Cacique store--Lane Bryant's bra line in a stand-alone store--that was a few doors down (mind you, they rarely carry 36 bands in store) and Sealed With A Kiss, a boutique in South Lake Tahoe.  Their bras must be sold only in store because I found none online.

All in all, my trip to Soma didn't end in success but it wasn't too terrible.  Crystal did her best to help me find something that fit and she was quite knowledgeable about fit.  If I was willing to compromise on finding the perfect fit, I would have bought the unlined lace bra.  I'm looking for "awesome" though and am not willing to compromise just yet.

The journey continues...