Soft Cup Bras

While I wait to find time to tell you about my wonderful shopping trip and the gorgeous bras I bought, I need to rant a moment.

Why can't I find the cute, sexy soft cup bras (like the ones I know Freya makes) available for sale in the US? I've looked in stores and online, but only ever see the Nursing Bra versions. Yeah. Don't need that.

Best example - Freya's Dotty style. The Freya site shows it as a nursing bra and a regular soft cup. I would love to own just the regular soft cup. Yet when I ask about it or look for it, I only find the nursing bra. UGH! I swear, they only make ugly soft cups in my size! Or they expect me to wear a sports bra. Uh uh. No thank you.

I am happy with my purchases, though, and I know at least 1 person will be happy to know I bought 2 bras from American manufacturers. However, I don't usually see these lines in my size in chain stores. Hmmmmmmm. I will do reviews of each bra after I've worn them a couple times, with real pictures. I think some people would appreciate seeing how a bra fits on a real person instead of a photoshopped model. I'm not perfect, and I'm sometimes hard to fit (with my super short torso), so I think I'm a good model for real life.

Closing tip - if you are taking your husband bra shopping with you, remember to bring a book or something to keep him entertained while you try stuff on!

Bras and Odd Sizing Policies

I am highly anticipating my upcoming bra shopping! I have been looking at collections online to see what I want. The list is long.

Sites I've been to today:
Fantasie
Freya
Panache Brands

Anyone who follows this blog knows that I ADORE Freya and Fantasie bras. I saw a few soft cup styles that I would truly love for those days when my ribs are bugging me. They are cute and wire-free! How can you go wrong?

Then I checked out Panache and saw some of their brand lines. I fell in love with the gorgeous Masquerade line. It's fancy and exotic! Band sizes down to a 28 (not that I will ever be that skinny)! I also saw a new line of theirs for smaller cups, offering lots of lift and cleavage styles, called Atlantis.

Here is where the confusion set in. The Atlantis bras didn't seem to offer many in a band smaller than 32. Yet Masquerade starts at a D cup and has size 28 bands. HUH? My experience shows that girls with small breasts often have a small band measurements as well. Not always, but it is NOT uncommon. So why in the world would your line of AA cups start at a 32?!?

It just doesn't make sense to me. They had some super cute styles, too. It's a shame, really. They offer so many large cup bras with small bands, but can't offer those small bands to girls with small cup sizes. *sigh*

I've had a hit and miss relationship with Panache. I do love their cami top with the built in bra, but I like the shape I get from my other bras better. I feel like the Panache molded cups flatten me somewhat. I love being able to wear a strappy tank without bra straps showing, though. It is ideal for layering!

I will be sure to let you know what purchases I do make, with full reviews to follow!

A friend asked me a bra question. I decided this would make a great blog post. Reposted with her permission!

Question: OK, so new issue in my still bigger than pre baby chest, and I figure by 6 months, without breastfeeding I'm stuck like chuck.
If I don't wear a bra for too long, my back hurts like heck, if I wear one for too long, my ribs hurt. I got measured, the chick said this is the proper fit, does that just happen with larger chests?

(answer behind the jump)

The Death of a Bra

One of my bras has kicked the bucket. Sadly, I say goodbye to Lydia. She has served me well over the past year or so.

Last week, her underwire on the right breast popped out in the middle. I was able to perform emergency surgery and keep her alive for a whole week. But, alas, it did not last. The wire made another appearance. I considered surgery again, but remember that her body is not what it once was. While Lydia is the same cut as Deco, the material did not hold up nearly as well. It stretched out much faster and faded where it didn't have protection from the molding material.

*sigh*

Fortunately, I am headed to KS this month and will be making a much needed stop at the Lee's Summit location of Intimate Designs.

I would also like to point out at this time that my black Fantasie 4510 Tshirt bra has seriously lasted me something like 3 years now without stretching out or falling apart. I had the same bra in a fashion color and it died much earlier (much like the Lydia situation). I wear the basics much more often, and thus they get washed more often, but yet they survive forever when the pretties die young.

Here's to you. Lydia. I enjoyed our time together.

A Post for the A's of the World

I discovered a website that flat-chested, skinny girls will like. Lula Lu specializes in small cup bras and goes as low as a 30 band. While I would prefer to see a 28 or lower, they do have cup sizes from AAA to B. That's right, AAA, AA, A, and B. This includes some pushup bras, lace bras, tshirt bras, and even a few corsets!

I would NOT recommend following their fit guide. They do an overbust measurement for the band size. *head smack* No, No, No! Please ladies, measure your ribcage. If you can't seem to find a difference between the bust and band measurements, you might try their AA or even AAA styles. If you find A cups gapping on you, try their smaller sizes. I do know some women who could greatly benefit from this site.

So there we have it! My first post for small boobs!

Check out this bra, a sexy bra that comes in a AAA cup!

2 things I would recommend for this site are to include smaller bands, and make sure those smaller bands come in the smaller cups! Oh make it 3 and change their sizing.

A Clothes Post

I've spent my morning checking out hourglassy, another blog for us big chested women. She has some awesome info and links, including this one: AJ Rumina. AJ Rumina makes tops and 1 dress for busty women. Sure other places do this, too, but their button up shirt is only $34.99!! ZOMG that is amazing!

I told my husband about it (he's used to me ranting about boobs), and that I thought I would get one. He said, "ok." Real enthusiastic, I know. He really does get it, though.

And since I'm talking about clothes, I bought a new formal last week. It has some lacing on the back, making it more adjustable for large busts like mine. I highly recommend lacing for large chested women on formal dresses. It allowed me to get a dress that hugs my curves on the rest of me but fits very well over my girls. It is strapless, but I'm ok with that. With my tiny torso, straps are always too long, so I've learned to love the strapless dress. Of course, I have an amazing strapless bra from Fantasie to keep the girls up where they belong.

So check out the links and enjoy!

Being Athletic With Big Boobs

So this is more of a rant, I guess.

If you read this, you know I have big boobs. I was lucky enough to find the Enell sports bra for my running, and the Freya Active for lower impact activities.

Now my husband and I are wanting to try a triathlon. Currently, I have different bras for bicycling and running, and a one-piece speedo for swimming that barely fit my boobs into it. I've been looking around online for ideas of what triathletes with big boobs wear. Turns out they usually just do the swim in a sports bra.

Then my head goes nuts thinking of the damage that the chlorine would do to my expensive Enell bra. And how impossibly long it would take for that double layered bra to dry out. But what is the chance that I will find another sports bra I can run in as comfortably as my Enell?

I did see a recommendation for a swim/bra top from Shock Absorber, a UK brand that can be ordered in the US through Figleaves. However, a top made for swimming is likely not going to offer the support for running. And changing bras takes longer when the girls are big like mine.

I am interested in trying a shock absorber sports bra. They make one specifically for running. Thing is, with as crazy as my body is, I want to try it on first. But I don't think anyone stocks it state-side yet. I might have to make an inquiry with my favorite bra shop back in Missouri.

There are some other sports bras out there for a G cup, but they have underwires, and I just don't believe in underwires in my sports bras. Not for me, anyway! I love a wire in my everyday bras, but prefer to keep them out of my sports bras.

So, at this point, I supposed I should just consider another Enell. I could have one for triathlons and one for runs. Although that one for running will need replaced eventually. Maybe 2 for runs?

It's times like these when I get jealous of those girls with little boobs that can actually use the built-in-shelf-bra tank tops.