I’m just back from my ‘research’ trip to Tunbridge Wells where I have spent much of the day in Marks and Spencer lingerie fitting room!
I’m sitting down with a cup of tea but think a large Gin might be more what is needed.
I’ve learned that Bra shopping is not for the faint hearted. Especially, if like me, you were at the front of the queue when breasts were being given out!! Having a breast reduction would probably be more cost effective in the long run except that I am totally against any kind of surgery AND the very foundation of my business and personal belief is that you have to make the best of what you were given with the tools and the budget available to you.
I spent over an hour in the changing room with the lovely Corinne at Marks and Spencer, she was amazing and what she doesn’t know about Bra’s quite simply isn’t worth knowing! If you’re going to go and get measured please book an appointment in advance, that’s the first tip. I was lucky in that I rocked up this morning and they managed to ‘squeeze’ me in. Pardon the pun!
I have tried on what seems like the entire underwear range at M&S until Eureka! we find one that fits, is comfortable and doesn’t make me look like Madonna in vogue with pointed cone breasts!
Having big boobs certainly does come at a price - a £27.50 a bra price at that. However, once you find the right one you will realise how bloomin awful the bras you are wearing actually are.
Then comes the matching pants which at £12.50 a pair is rather steep even if they are on 3 for 2.
I have learned an awful lot this morning. A second assistant advised me to get yourself measured every 6 months! I think I may need to take out a mortgage just to keep me in well fitting bras!
This is also an important point though as if your weight fluctuates up and down, so will your bra size. As we are just post Christmas where I have been eating Christmas cake and mince pies for breakfast, I like most, am carrying a few extra pounds.
After decluttering the underwear drawer I realised I am in desperate need of good fitting bras but I don’t want to shell out a fortune if I then lose weight and have to buy more again in 6 months time.
With bras as I have learned this morning though, you get what you pay for.
I would say that Marks and Spencer is middle of the road for underwear in terms of price. I am not at the Rigby & Peller affordability level yet although I’m told, these are the creme de la creme of bras especially if you are a larger busted lady.
It really is a rather eye opening and potentially even traumatic experience, much like going to the doctors it can make you feel quite vulnerable baring your half naked body to a stranger!
What is worse still is that while the very kind and knowledgeable assistant goes in and out of the changing room umpteen times, you are left there half naked surrounded by unflattering mirrors where there is no other choice but to look at yourself and your post-Christmas-mince-pies -for-breakfast-body with absolute disgust! If it wasn’t funny it would really be quite depressing! Best to just embrace the moment and soldier on.
The highlight of this experience for me was when Corrine told me to shut my eyes and just put on a bra she had selected for me for ultimate ‘comfort’! Now let me tell you it WAS comfortable, but when you open your eyes and are greeted with an image staring back at you that can only be described as the ‘Mrs Doubtfire’ look, ultimate comfort goes out the window, along with my hopes of ever getting a boyfriend. Corinne realises the Mrs Doubtfire bra is probably going a bit too far into the “comfort zone” and the pair of us fall about laughing!
So after much thought and deliberation and realising that I don’t have the budget to replace all of my underwear in one hit, I have come away with 1 new bra, yes 1 and I didn’t even get the matching pants!
As Corinne advised me this morning if you go for price i.e the 2 for £20 pack I’m about to order on-line (as they didn’t have my size) you will have to fore-go comfort and fit slightly. Finding the perfect fitting bra is much like finding the perfect man, do they really exist or can you put up with a few flaws?
The cheaper ones are not as pretty as the one I’ve brought home but they are good enough for now, within budget and I can’t survive for 6 months with only 1 bra. So they will be purchased along with some matching pants and I won’t look anything like Mrs Doubtfire in them!
Happy bra shopping!!
Elisa x
Comments