Bra-fitting - now even simpler!

I wrote some time ago about an online tool that calculates the bra size that should be good for you. If you find digging into Polish website difficult, here goes something simpler for you.

Bra sizes table – with two tabs, one for calculating the size used by British producers, one for the so called “EUR size”.

The measurement rules are the same:

1. Measure yourself below the bust, very tightly, without the air in your lungs. Find your size in the top row.
2. Measure yourself rather loosely in the bust in the widest place – without a bra or with a soft (not padded) – and take the bigger number. Find your size in the left-most column.
3. You’ll find your size in the intersection of “your” column and “your” row.
4. Cross rule (+):
1. If the band seems too loose, but the cups are ok: try left cell size.
2. If the bra is too tight, try the right cell (or bigger cup – lower cell. Sometimes we think the band is too tight, but actually it's cups that are too small).
3. If the band is ok, but cups are too small – try lower cell.
4. If the band is ok, but cups are too big – try the upper cell (be sure to check if you put all the breast into the cups).

Example:

Let’s say your size below bust is 72cm, and in bust 86cm. Here is the cell with your size:

And here are the cells where you can look for alternative sizes, if the one you are trying is not good (or if you know that the bra you are interested in is especially tight or loose):

Heidi goes shopping: La Senza in MANOR

Eventually some (quite) good news for women that need 65 band (but have not too big bust).

Summary: (what does this mean?)

Bands: ***
Cups: *
Prices: $$

La Senza is a British company that is famous for having rather tight bands in their bras. They have a corner in a MANOR lingerie department in Zurich (Banhofstrasse), the place that will definitely go to the blacklist– a list of places that you should never go for the sake of your sanity if you know anything about bra sizes. However, they happen to have some shelves with La Senza bras. Strange, very strange. My personal guess is that it’s only because La Senza uses UK sizes, so MANORA simply did not realize, that 32 means actually 70 (the band that is hard or even impossible to find on any other shelves on the whole floor). And probably they think, that DD means “big D”, even if it is simply something like european E.

They sell bras with bands starting with 70 (32) – but actually those 32 bands are very tight. They are really produced for people with 70 cm under bust, so if all other bras in Zurich were too loose for you (and you are not willing to go for online shopping yet) – try La Senza. But before you get too excited: the cups go only up to DD (european E) and most of the bras are padded (although I’ve seen some soft ones). The producer have a rather good reputation among slim girls with really small bust.

And maybe, maybe, if more and more clients start asking about 30D/30DD they will order it one day, still not aware that it’s something that does not fit their “conservative” image... 

P.S. La Senza has their "corners" in MANOR shopping centers in many Swiss cities - check the list on their web page. But please, if you visit their page, close your eyes and quickly skip the intro. The girls on the first page is, well, a perfect example of a terribly too small bra. I have a feeling that it desires a speciall entry in this blog... Coming soon.

Heidi goes shopping: Triumph

Triumph is probably the most famous lingerie company (and they say its repute is mostly exaggerated). Anyway, if you want to buy any underwear from this producer, I recommend going to any of their own shops (full list on their web pages) instead of simply visiting a lingerie department in a shopping center like Manor, Globus or Jelmoli, as they tend to treat D as a biggest cup (and even sometimes 75 as a smallest band).

Summary: (what does this mean?)

Bands: *
Cups: **
Prices: $$

It may come as a surprise, but Triumph recently started producing some of its collections up to G cups (the bands still start with 70). The choice of D+ cuts is not impressive, but you may be able to find something for you. All the “bigger cups” bras are rather simple, aimed for everyday use. They usually are “fuller” and less tempting in those sizes.

What surprises me is that all bras offered in bigger sizes have different style/cut. I was able to find only one model that looked good on me. On one hand it probably means, that everyone lucky enough to fit into Triumph’s sizes table will find something for her. On the other hand – that may be the only fitting bra for you.

Heidi goes shopping: Aubade

Zürich, Strehlgasse 1 See on map

Aubade (www.aubade.com) is a French lingerie company producing luxurious underwear. Apparently it was bought by Calida some time ago, but we must hope that the style of the company will be preserved

Summary: (what does this mean?)

Bands: **
Cups: *
Prices: $$$

If you look at the scores above it may not be impressive (even if it is very good for Switzerland), but the visit to this shop was such a good experience, that I believe it is worth a note.

Aubade has a nice, small boutique in the Zurich Old Town. They sell there all the sizes produced by the company – this means that if you wear a size produced by them (70 and up bands, cups up to E or F – depending on the model) you will definitely have a lot of models to try.

The other reason why this shop is worth mentioning is that this lingerie is amazingly beautiful. Plenty of colorful patterns, effective embroidery, they are really sweet. Most of the models have horizontal seam in the cups that gives a very good effect on some small/medium bust.

Heidi goes shopping: Introduction

I’d like to write a series of articles about lingerie shops in Switzerland. If you agree or disagree with my opinion or if you have your own experience with the brand: please leave a comment below the article.

I check the choice of non-padded, underwired bras. As a principle, I’m not interested in padded bras: they might be useful for some special occasions, but for everyday non-padded ones are much more preferred.

To make it easier for you, I’ll try to classify shops in these categories:

Bands:

* some choice of 70 (32) bands (with cups at least up to E)

** good choice of 70 (32) bands (with cups at least up to E)

*** some 65 (30) and/or 60 (28) bands

Cups:

* up to E/F (DD/E) cup

** up to G (F) cup

*** more than G (F)

Prices:

$ less than 50 CHF

$$ up to 100 CHF

$$$ 100-150 CHF

$$$$ more than 150 CHF

If not in Switzerland...

I’m far from saying that you cannot buy bras with 60 or 65 band in Zurich. But I havn’t seen them so far. If you know any shop that has them on stock, please let me know. 

Buying underwear online is quite popular. All shops accept returns as long as all the tags are untouched and the bra was not used. However, if ordering from Switzerland you may have to pay the customs, that may make an unsuccessful try more expensive.

Below there is a list of some shops in UK that sell lingerie in a wide range of sizes:

BraStop.com Sales shop with last season offers.

Bravissimo Has traditional shops in: Aberdeen, Brighton, Cambridge, Chester, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford and Solihul.

Curves & Lace Has traditonal shop in Glasgow.

FigLeaves

LawtonsLingerie

UnderCoverExperience Sales shop with last season offers.

Remember, that if you are looking for underwear in UK shops, you need to use UK sizes (30DD etc.)

 

What is pushup for?

One could think, that the pushup is supposed to make your bust bigger. Well, it will work this way only, if this is the pushup in the right size. If it’s not... Take a look.

 

In the first (left) picture we can see our model in an 80B pushup with 2cm thick “silicone” pads. Believe me, I’ve chosen the best of all the photos. In the second one (right) – our model is wearing a mist thin half-cup (Chantelle Africa), 70E, no padding at all. One thing is sure – the pushup is not visually enlarging breasts. Even, if it is 2cm thicker than the other bra.

 (The idea of comparing the look in different size bras was taken from Stanikomania).