Bra Styles :)

Haven't written here in a while, figured it was time for another one :).

Now we have established bra sizes, and the rough ways in which they work, lets have a look at styles.

So many women will wear a style that they like, without it actually working well with the way they look. There are several basic styles to choose from, each suiting different types of.....well boobs. One is known as a contouring bra. This bra has what is called contouring, it is not padding, but a small layer that adds smoothness to the bra, so if you are wearing a tshirt, there will be no visible lines. One thing that drives me nuts about this bra is that so many women assume that it is padding! No, it is not padding, it is only to make you more smooth! If it is too thin, you will see nipples.

The next is a bra with no contouring, which is usually going to be balconette style. The bra with no contouring is basically a lace or fabric cup with no shape to it, but this can still be extremely good in terms of support, depending on the brand and the fit (go and get fitted if you haven't already, and trust the person fitting you, we do it so much, we know what we are doing....most of the time ;), sometimes it's good to get a second opinion). So the bra with no contouring is great, particularly if you are a bit bigger as it will be more flattering, and the stretch in some will mean if you are a bit fuller in the bust, you will still fit it.

There are two main ways a bra is made, the first is the wire in the middle is very low, the second (balconette) is when the wire comes up higher. If you are a smaller cup (A-C) you can generally wear either, though again it's best to be fitted to be sure :). Balconette is better for those who are a bit bigger as it will give you more support, and for older women it pulls things together when they start to go....um.....south lol. As an F cup, I prefer a balconette, but I do have one triumph bra in the other style that actually works for me, which is great because ya gotta show off the assets! This is again why it is good to get a second opinion on the bras you are buying.

There are two less popular styles which are worth mentioning, and they are the soft cup bra and the maternity bra. One thing that makes me laugh at work is the look on a woman's face when she is actually looking at a maternity bra, not a normal one. But it is easy to confuse them. A couple of handy tips, to save embarrassment if you aren't pregnant. A maternity bra will have no underwire for starters. There are also clips where the strap meets the cup, this is so part of the bra can fold down for feeding. If you look out for these you will figure out that this is a maternity bra, and probably not what you are looking for. When I learn more about maternity bras, I will do a blog on them :). Soft cup bras are similar to the maternity bra in that they don't have wire. However, they are not made for feeding, so will have a solid attached cup. These are less popular, as they generally don't give as much support as an underwire bra. However, some people feel more comfortable in these, and some have to wear them for various reasons, and they are still a good bra. I am just partial to the underwire.

I won't put piccies up for now, cos I'm a bit unsure on copyright stuff, but if you want more info just ask and I can show you in the right direction. If you google image the terms you will get a good idea of what I am talking about.

Next blog I'll talk a bit about brands, which ones are generally right for what sort of body type ;)

xo

Bra Sizes!

So bra sizing is one of those things that really boggles the mind sometimes. Each country does it differently, with different numbers, however the cup sizes tend to be the same. However, then you get really confused when different brands design their cup sizes differently, meaning no two bras are equal, unless the same or similar style, and preferably the same brand. This means ideally, if you are going bra shopping, you must try them on!!!!!!! Make some time to do it, because an ill fitting bra is so insanely uncomfortable!!

So in New Zealand, we generally go by 10/12/14/16 a/b/c/d/e etc etc. These are pretty straight forward. However, some bras have 32/34/36 etc, which can get extremely confusing, particularly if you are having problems with sizing in general :).

so here are what they equal in NZ sizing, the sizing you are most used to
32 = 10
34 = 12
36 = 14
38 = 16
40 = 18
42 = 20
and so forth :)

So what do these numbers all mean?

Basically, the 10/12/14 etc, is the size around the back of the bra. So for example, I am a size 12 E, so the 12 is the size of my back, and the E is the cup size.

Pretty basic right?

Now things get trickier...

If my back gets broader, one would assume I go to a 14 E right? NOPE! I will go for a 14 DD. Reason being that when the size around the back goes up, so does the cup size. So say you are a 14 D, and you get smaller around the back, but your boobs stay the same size, you will go for a........12 DD!

Confusing yes? Basically, cup size and back size correspond to each other. Scary!

So all these sizes will have the same cup size, but a different sized back strap

14DD = 12 E = 10 F
14A = 12 B = 10 C

etc etc etc

Leave a message if you don't understand that, I'll see if I can draw a diagram, but I think that is pretty straightforward :)

More later on

xo

First Blog - Introductionish thing

Ok, so like it says in the description, I have been working in a lingerie department, as a sales assistant and bra fitter, and trust me, even after that long you feel like you have seen it all.
Big boobs, small boobs, wide boobs, skinny boobs, old boobs, young boobs........quite frankly too many boobs for my liking lol, but you get used to it.
Anyway, one lasting impression I have gotten from working here is that women know crap all about their underwear!!
Would you be amazed if I told you that a 14A is the same in the cup as a 12B, a wee bit wider, but the main difference is in the back strap....
I wouldn't be surprised if you were, bra sizing is bloody confusing! But I believe it is something that all women should know about.

And that is why I have started this blog, to educate you ladies about your bras, underwear, shapewear, and anything else like that that I think of later on :).

So here we go, enjoy!