Undercover

How can you feel great about your body when you dress it in not so great underwear?  I went from a D cup to a G cup so quickly at first I was in denial.  Even though I knew, it took my sister in law (with big boobs) to point out my bras weren’t fitting and it wasn’t doing me any favours.  So I went out  and bought a few practical bras to get me through.  Then when I was getting married I thought I should have some sexy underwear but it was difficult to find in my size and I gave up.  The drama of stores not carrying sizes, or what was in my size was dowdy was enough to put me off.

Do you have an experience that just gets in the way of buying lingerie?  Is it the time your mum dragged you down to farmers for your first bra fitting with the most matronly assistant in the store?  Is it you just can’t find underwear that makes your boobs look their best? Or the thought of having your top off in front of a stranger is too much.

This experience makes it that bit harder to get yourself into good looking lingerie that gives you the body you deserve and the confidence you need.

I have just had a visit to Bravista on Jervois Road, Herne Bay.  I walked in knowing my bra needed replacing and walked out with perkier boobs, a smaller waist and improved posture.  Seriously that is what the correct fitting bra did for me. Not bad for a $100 purchase.  Ok so the bras are a little on the expensive side but this is good investment for me.  You wear your bras every day and they are the foundation your clothes are on.  So if they don’t make you boobs look their best, no top or dress is going to help.  

                                          BEFORE 

                                                                                       

                                           AFTER

My bra was more worn out than I realised. I asked what was wrong with my bra and the answer was,  my boobs were about 4 inches lower than they should be, the back was riding up therefore not giving any support, it was gaping under the arm and the underwire was just on the edge of my breast tissue (which causes damage).

Bravista was opened about a month ago by Inger Kite.  She found a large gap in the New Zealand lingerie market.  80% of women are wearing the wrong size bra, now I can tell you more than 20% of people get a professional bra fitting when they buy a new bra, so this is a worrying statistic.  Did you also know the average cup size in NZ is D?  So why is it if you’re an F cup the styles lack sex appeal and if you’re a B cup they just don’t give you the cleavage you want?

Inger only stocks European brands at the moment because all of the brands wear test on about 2,000 people before they reach her store.  Also because the European market is so much larger, they happily cater for different sizes and shapes.  So you are a safe in the knowledge you will be wearing top quality and the bra will be doing everything it claims to.

·         First of all she will size you up.  As she is very experienced she can size you by sight, but if you prefer she will use her tape measure.  This gives you a starting point with size.

·         It’s important to know what the bra is for, every day wear, a special outfit e.g. strapless, plunging neckline. 

·         After a walk round the store there are several options to try on.  I have never had this many options to try on since I was a D cup

·         Once the bra is on the fit and style needs to be checked to ensure it is perfect for you.  Although this can be nerve racking, I was confident that Inger’s only focus was in my getting into the correct bra that looked and felt great. 

                                              THE OPTIONS

While I was in the changing rooms another customer came in for a look.  I heard her tell Inger she had just bought the bra she was wearing a week ago and it didn’t feel right on her.  She was wearing a 16C but she wore size 10 clothing.  So beware of shop assistants that try to but you in a bra that fits your cup size but not you back size.  They are not looking after your best interests they are looking after their bottom line.  Not all people working in lingerie stores are like this so know your body and don’t let them sell you something that doesn’t make sense, so to a different store if you are unhappy

A professional bra fitter will check all of these areas when you are trying on a bra, and offer a different size or style if there are any problems.

·         You should have the bra on the outside hooks.  This is because bras stretch overtime and it offers 2 more options as this happens.

·         The underwire must not sit on your breast tissue as this digs in, but also does damage, and we girls have to look after ourselves.  This is a different spot for everyone depending on the shape of your boobs.

·         You should be able to fit 3 fingers behind the back of the bra. Anymore and it’s too loose and won’t support you, any less and it’s too going to dig in.  It’s the back of the bra that gives the support.

·         If you lift your arms up the underwire should stay in place

·         Make sure there is no spillage outside of the cup, or your boobs are filling up the cup.

·         Check how you feel in the bra and if it is doing the job you want it to.  Comfort is so important.

Next there is the underwear.  I love to have matching sets and always buy the briefs in the same style.  I also love the comfort of cotton and make sure I buy some in the same colour as my bra so I can mix and match.

Then there is the magic underwear that sucks you in flattens you out.  I have a pair of Trinny and Susannah briefs that come right up under my bust. For $155 they are definitely an investment piece but they are very comfortable and take a few inches off my belly, perfect for any form fitting outfits.  I initially bought these to wear under my wedding dress but now wear them on a regular basis because I love the effect. Before this I had a pair of Nancy Gantz that had a wide elastic band across the tummy region.  Although it did the job I didn’t like how tight it was and after a few hours wanted rid of them, so I was always finding an excuse not to wear them.  You need to find the style and brand that feels comfortable for you.  So make sure you try before you buy.  You don’t want the fat lifting and causing the muffin top, you want to be held firmly in place.  The popularity in body shaping underwear means more brands are offering it so there should be an option in your budget.

LOOKING AFTER YOUR UNDERWEAR

Lingerie is expensive so follow these tips to get the best out of your top drawer

·         As with all clothes in your wardrobe, follow the care instructions.

·         Use a lingerie laundry bag.  This protects your bras from rubbing against the other clothes in your washing machine, wearing out and picking up lint.

·         Do up the hook and eyes on your bras, this stops them snagging and causing holes.

·         Use a mild or natural detergent, harsh chemicals breakdown the elastane in your underwear quicker.

·         Dry out of direct sunlight as this also breaks down the fibres and fades colours.

·         Hang over the line through the middle of the cups and don’t peg from one end as this can stretch it out of shape.

Remember like clothes your underwear ages, looses shape and wears out.  Don’t make the mistake because you can’t see it, it doesn’t matter.  As I mentioned if boobs aren’t supported correctly they will droop, if underwear is saggy you look saggy.  If your body is the foundation your underwear is the support that holds everything in place so get into that top drawer and throw out anything that is worn out and replace it with some sexy underwear.  If the new underwear isn’t sexy it should make your body sexy under the clothes.  If you own anything that is not in these 2 categories it has to go.