donut? do not!
There's nothing quite like the mirrors in a fitting room to make you rethink that donut you were planning for afternoon tea.
And also to immediately regret every other donut you've ever eaten.
In your life.
Along with assorted desserts, chocolates and last summer's truck load of icecream.
Last Saturday, after many years of putting it off, I finally went bra shopping.
Well, why not? There was a sale, I could get more than one for a reasonable cost.
In the intimate apparel department, there is a handy little touch screen thingy where you can enter your measurements to see what size you should be buying.
I ignored that. Pfft!! I knew what size I was!
I discovered very quickly that the style I've worn for the last century or so, simply doesn't exist anymore. There were similar ones, in the same brand, but not a damn thing in plain white.
Okay, there were plenty of bras in plain white, but they weren't what I was looking for.
I was buying sports bras. I like my girls held firmly, I don't like to jiggle when I walk.
I especially don't like them whacking me under the chin when I'm running for a bus.
I chose a few in the same size as before and headed to the fitting rooms.
I know I'm overweight, I know I eat too much, but by wearing loose clothing I've been able to tell myself it isn't too bad.
But the fitting room mirrors brought home to me just how many extra kilos I was carrying in the form of rolls of back fat.
We won't mention the "are you pregnant" belly, because I can see that damn thing every day.
The size of it isn't news to me.
Anyway, the bras I'd chosen to try on didn't fit.
Because they were new. And firm.
Without the horrendously (comfortably) stretched elastic of the old bra.
I re-dressed and headed out to the little touch screen to find my correct size.
Holy heck!!
Alrighty....let's find some in that size and try them on.
Now there was a new problem.
Because of the sale, some sizes had only limited stock available.
I found the only three in the size I needed and tried them on, all was good.
But the colours?
Nothing plain here: white with pink and grey trim; black with neon pink and fluoro green trim; navy with white trim and red straps.
Good thing no one will see them but me.
And I came home without the donut I'd been planning to buy.
And also to immediately regret every other donut you've ever eaten.
In your life.
Along with assorted desserts, chocolates and last summer's truck load of icecream.
Last Saturday, after many years of putting it off, I finally went bra shopping.
Well, why not? There was a sale, I could get more than one for a reasonable cost.
In the intimate apparel department, there is a handy little touch screen thingy where you can enter your measurements to see what size you should be buying.
I ignored that. Pfft!! I knew what size I was!
I discovered very quickly that the style I've worn for the last century or so, simply doesn't exist anymore. There were similar ones, in the same brand, but not a damn thing in plain white.
Okay, there were plenty of bras in plain white, but they weren't what I was looking for.
I was buying sports bras. I like my girls held firmly, I don't like to jiggle when I walk.
I especially don't like them whacking me under the chin when I'm running for a bus.
I chose a few in the same size as before and headed to the fitting rooms.
I know I'm overweight, I know I eat too much, but by wearing loose clothing I've been able to tell myself it isn't too bad.
But the fitting room mirrors brought home to me just how many extra kilos I was carrying in the form of rolls of back fat.
We won't mention the "are you pregnant" belly, because I can see that damn thing every day.
The size of it isn't news to me.
Anyway, the bras I'd chosen to try on didn't fit.
Because they were new. And firm.
Without the horrendously (comfortably) stretched elastic of the old bra.
I re-dressed and headed out to the little touch screen to find my correct size.
Holy heck!!
Alrighty....let's find some in that size and try them on.
Now there was a new problem.
Because of the sale, some sizes had only limited stock available.
I found the only three in the size I needed and tried them on, all was good.
But the colours?
Nothing plain here: white with pink and grey trim; black with neon pink and fluoro green trim; navy with white trim and red straps.
Good thing no one will see them but me.
And I came home without the donut I'd been planning to buy.
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There's a downside to everything isn't there?????
ReplyDeleteWhen I began my confrontations with ladies underwear in the 1970s there was a thing called the Body Bra and boy it sure let 'em BOUNCE!
ReplyDeleteBring it back.
I think a pink and fluoro green bra is exactly the opposite of the white you were hoping for:)
ReplyDeleteAck. I need to go on precisely this shopping trip - and I sadly fear that my findings will be just like yours. And white or skin tone are my preferences.
ReplyDeleteDelores; there certainly is a downside.
ReplyDeleteR.H. Bounce is uncomfortable for some of us, including me.
Sarah, I fear I may never see a plain white sports bra again. Not in my preferred brand anyway.
EC; bite the bullet and get it over with. Depending on your style and brand there may be plenty in the colours you prefer.
Every woman I've ever known has had drawers full of bras that didnt fit. It seems like one of those things people have a great deal of trouble with..
ReplyDeletelol, I can totally feel your pain River, myself and the wife went on such a trip recently, the good news for me was I was a whole cup smaller than I thought I would be, and the wife was as well, only her size had one, I repeat ONE bra in the whole department that would fit her, she doesn't do the measuring, I'm quite intrigued that yours has a machine to help you out...
ReplyDeleteAs for a drawer full of ill fitting or non fitting bras, I am guilty, they were all so pretty when I bought them, and there's a part of my brain that thinks 'sure I'll get back to that size' I'm fighting it, and determined that once I get back from Salem, that I'm clearing that drawer and the knicker one...lol. thanks for the giggle.
Tempo; this is because most women (according to TV ads) fool themselves into thinking they're size 10 and buy pretty little scraps of lace in that size, when clearly they're more than several sizes larger. Or they just don't bother to get properly fitted.
ReplyDeleteThere's a problem with standard sizings too. These differ from brand to brand and often enough women aren't standard sizings.
The Wicked Writer; the machine was very handy. You enter your measurements and it tells you what size and what cup size will be best for you. Years ago this was done by women with tape measures. I've never owned a drawer full of bras though, I only buy three or four and wear them to death. When the elastic mesh sides look more like a fishing net, it's time to go shopping!
River, you want SHOCK, then while putting a new battery in the scales accidentally move the pointer to lbs instead of kgs. It was bad enough in kgs but the other was truly heart attack time.
ReplyDeleteSomewhere along the long road of life, I was told that most women wear bras that are the wrong size and that, whenever possible, they should go to the professionals (I am fairly sure David Jones was put forward as having the paragon of lingerie fitting angels. Does David Jones even still exist?)every few years and be re-fitted. So, being the "renaissance man" that I am/was i have dutifully trotted off to various lingerie specialists with the Major Loves Of My Life and all of them were found to be wearing the wrong bra.
ReplyDeleteOne of them still tells me that this trip marked a turning point in our relationship.
I just don't know if she means that in a positive way or not.
And now I'm off to have a donut. Mirrors lie!
Ack! Those dreaded changing room mirrors. They may be the sole reason I don't shop anymore. Well, if I had money to burn, I mean. And bra shopping... barf! I end up wearing the same old plain comfy ones all the time. They are getting rather hole-y. Oh no...
ReplyDeleteGreat writing, River!
I am yet to find a correctly fitted bra for me because when I go shopping the lady in charge is always missing so I end up buying something which may or may not be the right size for me which I have to eventually wear for years.
ReplyDeleteJahTeh; my scales have pounds and kilos on the same dial, so when the needle rolls around to "holy heck!" kilos, I can straight away see how many stones and pounds I weigh.
ReplyDeleteHeptaparaparshinokh; yes, David Jones still exists and I shop there very occasionally, but it's more often too expensive there. The lingerie ladies are lovely though, very helpful. I don't bother much with being fitted these days, I just measure myself at home and match the figures to the bra sizes.
CarrieBoo; holey bras aren't very supportive. Time for you to go shopping.
Joni Ibarra; measure yourself at home, then use one of those touch screens in the Myer lingerie department. Type in your sizes and the screen will tell you the best bra size for you. You need to measure around the biggest part of your bust, and around the rib cage immediately under the bust, where the band would go. Both measurements are essential for correct fitting.
The only problem with colours and decorations on bras is that I then feel compelled to get matching undies!!!
ReplyDeleteI actually hate clothes shopping and am the same as you where my intimate apparel is concerned... I only go when all my other stuff has fallen apart (sad but true). Last time I needed new bras I bought those Genie Bras you see on TV and they are so comfortable! Maybe you could try those? You don't need your bra size you only need your dress size and they come in lovely plain, sensible colours like white, black, skin colour as well as other more colourful ones if you want to go down that path... just a thought.
ReplyDelete