Adventures in Bra Fitting

I've been in a bra rut for the past six months. After being re-sized by a Lane Bryant bra fit expert last February, I discovered that I was wearing the wrong bra size. My band was too big and my cups were too small - a common fit issue among lots of women.

I could tell that my bras weren't doing me any favors by the way I looked in my clothes. My shape wasn't as defined as it could be. And I just felt a little...off. So I've made two trips to Lane Bryant over the past few months in order to buy new bras. And every time, I came out of the store empty handed.

My experience went a little like this:

• Breeze into the Cacique department, smile and nicely refuse help from a Sales Associate.
• Please.  I know what I'm doing here.
• Confidently grab the first bra in front of me.
• Start to feel unsure of myself.
• Do I need a Balconette?  Plunge?  Full coverage?
• Go into dressing room and try on bras.
• Start to feel warm.  Hair begins to frizz.
• Examine myself from every angle.
• Are my breasts in the right spot?  Is that how they're supposed to look? Why are the straps so short?  Why are they so long?  What length should they be?
• Break out into full-on sweat
• Hastily put on my own (poorly fitting) bra and exit the store. Empty handed.

After repeating this scenario more times that I want to admit, I decided to do it right.  So I headed to the Lane Bryant store at Mall of America, with a new attitude.  This time, I would enlist help.

Diana Healms is one of the store managers, and she spent time guiding me through a bra fitting and all the different bra types within the Cacique line. 



Diana and I got to know each other pretty well over the course of my shopping experience, since I stood around in my underwear and boots while she checked the fit for each bra that I tried on.  I usually have to know someone for longer than 20 minutes before I'll take my pants off, but Diana made me feel so comfortable.  (She's a pro at maintaining eye contact!) 

After what felt like a transformative bra fit experience, Diana kindly pointed out that this is something she and her team do every single day.  What feels like a big deal to me and lots of other women is, in fact, simply their jobs.  Which made me realize...why the heck had I made such a big deal out of bra shopping?  If I'd just asked for help from the get-go, I could have been strutting around in bras that fit and feel great several months ago.  Lesson learned.

Diana's Top Bra Fit Tips:

• Bras last about 12 months- unless you have a collection of 10 or more and aren't wearing the same 5 bras every single day. 
• Not every style will fit you in the size that you're measured.  Just like I have to size up in skinny jeans, I might have size up in a skimpier bra.
• If you size up in band size, you will probably need to size up in cup size, too.
• Oftentimes if a bra is not fitting, the cup size is the problem - not the band size.
• If your straps are falling down, try a bra style with convertible straps- you can criss- cross them in the back.
• If your straps dig into your shoulders, have your band re-sized to ensure it's as supportive as it should be.  Or, place a bra pad under the straps for more support.
• Try a bra without underwire for lounging around at home.  It's like a pajama bra!  (I tried it and can vouch for this one...so comfortable!)
• Ask for help.  Be honest with your sales associate - tell her what you like and don't like.  Bras are not supposed to be uncomfortable. 

* After I contacted Lane Bryant, asking if I could get some bra fitting help and record the experience to share with you, they offered me two free bras.  I will be purchasing the other bras that I fell in love with during the Cacique Buy 2, Get 1 free sale that starts on October 3rd.   Available in store and online 10/3 through 10/16.