Hell is Spelled B-R-A S-H-O-P-P-I-N-G
First, you need some background.
Last week I had not one, not two, but THREE people tell me that my chest was sagging. The first was my mom. She is always telling me true things about myself that I would rather not know so I blew her off. The second person was my very open with her opinions sister in law. I started to blow her off too. But then my other sister in law nodded in polite agreement.
It was official. My grayish, old, oops I put it in the dryer that eats clothes, yucky bra was no longer functional. Three loved ones had not so politely informed me that it wasn't working for me and I kind of looked like I wasn't even wearing a bra at all.
So, this morning, after dropping the son off at school, I head to Kohl's. Did you know that Kohl's is open at 8am? They must like the mom crowd.
Of course I go with all three of my girls, ages 1, 3, and 5 (almost). I get a cart. I put the two year old in the cart. I was dumb enough to not bring the carrier for the baby. (I thought this would be a "quick" trip.) So I am carrying baby on my hip.
I discover that some very smart marketing guru somewhere knows what is on my mind.
These words jump out and me:
"Gravity defying!"
"Age defying!"
"Lifting"
"WONDER Bra"
"Supportive"
"Shaping"
"High-beams are for cars" (That is just funny. Mostly I am just worried that IF I have high beams that they are both facing forward.)
AHA! This is good! I must not be the only lady with banana boobs who would like to roll them into a silky cup and make them touch my chin! Things are looking up!!!! All these pregnancies won't get me down!
I throw a dozen colorful picks into the cart. SOMETHING will work! I can FEEL IT!
The dressing room calls.
(I am going to leave out the part where the three year old crawls under the door, the baby crawls after her, and the 5 year old keeps trying to open the door ALL while I am topless. I wouldn't want you to think I am whining.)
One after another I try them on.
"Mommy, does that fit?" innocently asks my daughter.
No. No. And no. No. No. No.
Nothing fits.
I, a 32 year old woman who recently had an unassisted birth in her bedroom and has spent over five years of her life breastfeeding and has taught literally DOZENS of people the basics of natural birth, DOES NOT EVEN KNOW HER OWN BODY WELL ENOUGH TO PICK A BRA THAT FITS.
I actually have no idea what size I am.
Either that or NO bra fits and bra designs are simply a ploy by the plastic surgery industry to make me feel bad about myself and get a surgical lift.
Once it has been decided that I am getting the wrong SIZE (how can I be two cup sizes bigger than I thought I was? How does that happen?) it is everlastingly too late.
Chaos has erupted with the children. The teenage personnel at Kohl's is wondering why these kids are running free. I must leave. No more time to pick another dozen and hope for the best.
My spirits are dampened. I will return to fight another day. Next time I will go by myself.
The upside is I have been able to feed four babies. Plus, I can hide a gun without a holster.
Last week I had not one, not two, but THREE people tell me that my chest was sagging. The first was my mom. She is always telling me true things about myself that I would rather not know so I blew her off. The second person was my very open with her opinions sister in law. I started to blow her off too. But then my other sister in law nodded in polite agreement.
It was official. My grayish, old, oops I put it in the dryer that eats clothes, yucky bra was no longer functional. Three loved ones had not so politely informed me that it wasn't working for me and I kind of looked like I wasn't even wearing a bra at all.
So, this morning, after dropping the son off at school, I head to Kohl's. Did you know that Kohl's is open at 8am? They must like the mom crowd.
Of course I go with all three of my girls, ages 1, 3, and 5 (almost). I get a cart. I put the two year old in the cart. I was dumb enough to not bring the carrier for the baby. (I thought this would be a "quick" trip.) So I am carrying baby on my hip.
I discover that some very smart marketing guru somewhere knows what is on my mind.
These words jump out and me:
"Gravity defying!"
"Age defying!"
"Lifting"
"WONDER Bra"
"Supportive"
"Shaping"
"High-beams are for cars" (That is just funny. Mostly I am just worried that IF I have high beams that they are both facing forward.)
AHA! This is good! I must not be the only lady with banana boobs who would like to roll them into a silky cup and make them touch my chin! Things are looking up!!!! All these pregnancies won't get me down!
I throw a dozen colorful picks into the cart. SOMETHING will work! I can FEEL IT!
The dressing room calls.
(I am going to leave out the part where the three year old crawls under the door, the baby crawls after her, and the 5 year old keeps trying to open the door ALL while I am topless. I wouldn't want you to think I am whining.)
One after another I try them on.
"Mommy, does that fit?" innocently asks my daughter.
No. No. And no. No. No. No.
Nothing fits.
I, a 32 year old woman who recently had an unassisted birth in her bedroom and has spent over five years of her life breastfeeding and has taught literally DOZENS of people the basics of natural birth, DOES NOT EVEN KNOW HER OWN BODY WELL ENOUGH TO PICK A BRA THAT FITS.
I actually have no idea what size I am.
Either that or NO bra fits and bra designs are simply a ploy by the plastic surgery industry to make me feel bad about myself and get a surgical lift.
Once it has been decided that I am getting the wrong SIZE (how can I be two cup sizes bigger than I thought I was? How does that happen?) it is everlastingly too late.
Chaos has erupted with the children. The teenage personnel at Kohl's is wondering why these kids are running free. I must leave. No more time to pick another dozen and hope for the best.
My spirits are dampened. I will return to fight another day. Next time I will go by myself.
The upside is I have been able to feed four babies. Plus, I can hide a gun without a holster.
Comments
They measured me, and THEN when I didn't' fit into any of the bras they sell. (because nobody sells bras that have huge cups and small bands in mainstream stores) they tried to convince me that I could go up 2-4 inches in band size and down a cup size.
I believe my response was "i'm sorry what? you cannot stuff 10 lbs of shit in a 5 lb bag. No"
Clothes shopping with kids--bra shopping with kids! You truly are a brave, brave woman.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2152329/The-scientific-way-perfect-bra-size-New-formula-promises-away-measuring-tape.html
And swimsuit shopping is also hell. But at least finding the right top is easier than a bra. My thoughts on swimsuit shopping...http://doublethink.us.com/paala/2012/05/29/tips-for-new-moms-swimsuit-shopping/
Also, I suggest The Avenue. They have very comfy unwired bras.
I experienced a growth spurt cup-size-wise, and couldn't figure out how to get a bra that fit. I'd been wearing a 34B, so I got a 36B. Idiot. When I got married, a sizing at VS put me in a 34C/D. When my first was about a year old, I met a woman who had worked in one of those specialty stores, and she said she'd put me at a 32F. I guess I grew some more after my second baby...we'll see what happens in the future!
Good luck finding a bra that fits.
Hope i can help you in some way!
Fiona
www.brayola.com
I've been sized a few times, and victoria's secret was always wrong, wrong, wrong, and the private shops always found me a bra that fit, and felt comfortable. It's doable with kids, and since they measure, and you're not just guessing, you can usually find something that fits pretty quickly. Just be prepared for the band size to feel tighter than you might be used to. It took me a week or two, but the snug band did wonders for keeping my bra straps in place and the girls tamed, too!