I am finally back with another blog post for you all

As many of us know, it's often a struggle finding a store that carries well fitting and beautiful bras. In the US, the first place that many young girls and women first go to in the quest for nice bras is Victoria's Secret. However, as many of us also know, Victoria's Secret (VS) really is not the place to go for a proper fitting. I was sent in to test just how good or bad their fitters are. Here is how it went:

Typically upon walking into a VS store, they offer you a free fitting. It was their semi-annual sale this week, so I had to flag down an associate and ask her for a fitting. Right in front of the 5 for $26.00 panties, she asked me what size I was wearing (for these purposes, it was a DD) and what I was looking for in a bra (not too much padding, demi or full coverage). She noted all of this down on a notecard that they call the bra card; I would later hand this off to asociate #2.

While I'm still standing in the middle of the aisle, she takes out a tape measurer to get my measurements. She pulls the measuring tape tightly to measure my overbust as a 36 and around the fullest part as a 42. She then announces that I should be a 36DD. Please note that my actual overbust measurement is a 39 and fullest part of the bust is 41, and I wear a 34G.

I then walk back into the fitting area and hand my bra card to associate #2. She says that I was measured at a 36DD and that she wants to make sure that this is correct, so she'll bring me one to try on.

Obviously, this bra didn't fit like it was supposed to and associate #2 went back out to bring me 36DDD in the same bra and here’s how that looked.

Another associate, associate #3 then came back in to see how the bra looked. Now, to the average person it would look fine, but I since I knew it was the wrong size, I was anticipating her reaction. She said it fit “pretty good”. In my opinion, a bra shouldn’t just fit pretty good. It should fit properly and do something for your breasts.

Associate #3 said that hat she wore the same size and that it was one of her favorite bras. As she is saying this, I’m looking down at her ample bosom, that is clearly not a 36DDD, spilling out of her bra. I found it ironic that she was advising me (and other women) on how a bra should fit when she clearly doesn’t know herself. It was then that I started asking her how it should fit. She readily offered that the middle should fit a little more flatly against my chest. Associate #3 had me turn around and said that the back looked good and that it shouldn’t be any tighter. My actual back measures a 35, so I would have given her the benefit of the doubt if they had bothered to take my back measurement. However, I was able to fit my hand underneath the bra’s band.

Then, she had me raise my arms to see if I had lifting. When the cups lifted, she did mention that I could probably go up a cup size and that size would be either an “E or an F, depending on the brand.” I was then left to try on a few more bras:

All in all, I wasn’t terribly impressed with my fitting at Victoria’s Secret. No one actually bothered to measure me underneath my clothes, or even to see how my current bra and size were fitting. Although, I think it’s great that they’re now carrying DDD cups in certain bra styles. All in all, I wouldn’t go to VS for a bra fitting if you are a hard to fit or find size. If you fall within the average range of bra sizes, it might be worth it just to check out the range of styles and absolutely gorgeous bras (who doesn’t want a bra with rhinestones on it?). For now, I think I’ll be sticking with their panties and sleep wear.

Pros:

• No one can deny that the overall vibe that VS gives off is flirty, sexy and fun.
• Little details in the dressing room to make you feel sexy and more comfortable
• There is a thin t-shirt on the back of the door for you "to see the difference the right bra makes"
• Discrete notification to associates that you need assistance.

Cons:

• The dim lighting... it looks like a boudoir, not a dressing room
• Lack of knowledge by associates
• Fitting technique
• Impersonal