I ordered a 36J US Jasmine one time, after I was assured three times it would be a 36G UK, only for it to be a 36FF. So now I have a 38K US Ellis on the way, and I'm hoping and praying I converted it right and it's really a 38G UK. Why do they use US sizes for UK bras?
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Does anybody really live their life thinking, "According to mass marketing, I am average,"? I really don't think so. I think many of us, particularly women in my age group, have merely worked around our lack of average-ness. I've been pondering the stories so many of us share here, and I've got to say, we are a bunch ... of tough, resilient people!! Admittedly, I'm probably going to sound like a clueless geezer, but I'm 47, and so many things have changed since I was "young". I feel so much better because of all of you...this is the truth.
I moved here to AZ from Southern CA about a year and a half ago. Before that, I'd lived in Orange County (Southern CA) for most of my life. Moving to a new state is fun in so many ways, but one thing I've loved is having the ability to try new things without being overly self-conscious. I heard about the "Curly Girl" hair care method around the time I moved, and I've been implementing it for my hair ever since. Before that, for my whole life, I struggled and battled with my curly hair. I always knew my hair was "naturally curly", but because my hair had always been treated as though it was "abnormal", I figured it was. I wore short and/or straightened hair, and I avoided water. Now, I have long curly hair. And I really like the way it looks!
Today I found yet another box that hasn't been unpacked, and guess what was in it? Old bras. Really old...not even the bras I wore before Bratabase; but bras from before I got pregnant with my daughter 5.5 years ago. Chills. I picked up a couple of them and I thought, "How could you not have KNOWN these things couldn't possibly fit you?" All I knew was 32 was the smallest band I'd ever heard of, and B was the largest cup size that came with the 32" bands I could hardly ever find. Any band size smaller than 34 was directed to the "Juniors" sections, while cup sizes D and up were directed to "Plus size" department. It's illogical and ludicrous. Who came up with these titles in the first place? "Junior" or "Plus size" according to what "standard"?
When I look around me, I rarely see tall, thin, size 4 porcelain-pale 22 year old women wearing size 34C bras with their fair, straight hair blowing on the breeze. In fact, I don't know when is the last time I saw someone who had all those particular characteristics. Who has been buying all this stuff in all these mediocre sizes and colors, all of these years? I realize that my generation of women more often than not has modified our bodies through surgery, bleached our hair, and starved ourselves in order to hide or compensate for how "not average" we all are. It's truly a shame.
Is it safe to hope that people are finally learning there are infinite sizes and colors and knowledge beyond what were "dreamt of in our philosophy"? When I read the world news, I don't think it is. When I come here to Bratabase, I think the media operates under one big delusion.
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honestly really and truly i avoid mass media. Helps to be illiterate. Women here want higher noses whiter skin and double eyelids. Im gorgeous simply for being a foreigner. Nothing special back home.
I think that wearing those almost fitting but not quite-clothes seems to have affected the way I see my own body. I'm fairly standard in size but my measurements don't correspond to a standard size, if that makes sense, and of course I choose clothes to fit my largest measurements. So store bought clothes make me feel like I'm the deviations from that size - fat and thin all at the same time and it's just confusing. It's really hard for me to see my body for what it really is; I either over- or underestimate it. Isn't that weird? It's been a revelation to realise this, because I know many, if not most, women have more severe issues with their bodies than I do. I will eat when I'm hungry and I don't dress to appeal to anyone. But my body is still so sensitive that it's hard to really see it.
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Miss Underpinning's Freya's Deco: What Would You Like to See Next ?
http://www.missunderpinnings.com/2013/09/freyas-deco-what-would-you-like-to-s...
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This was posted a couple days ago and most of us have probably seen it anyway because Miss Underpinning's is pretty prominent in the internet bra community. Just so you know.
There's no harm in showing it anyway, is it? Not all of us have seen it because not all of us follow blogs. Also, keep in mind that Vicki is probably a newbie here (low reputation score). I know I'd be a little offended if I were new and got that response, I'd find it really snappy, in a bad way.
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Miss Underpinning's Tell Freya what you would like to see
http://www.missunderpinnings.com/2013/09/tell-freya-what-you-would-like-to-se...
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Psst: I posted this this weekend and there are tons of good comments :)
http://www.bratabase.com/profile/j/adventures/2496/
I just received the two bras I ordered from Figleaves. Once again, nothing fit properly. The fits and description will be on my bras. SO LONG Panache Andorra Full Cup and Curvey Kate Rosie Balcony Bra
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The Andorra Full cup didn't work for me either.What
There are a few Cleo by Panache bras I am looking into,though,that are padded.
SparkleDarkles well usually i dont use padded bras. they're just moulded cups so i get the right shape
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If you live in the UK, Republic of Ireland, or Channel Islands you MUST check this out. Crazy cheap Curvy Kate!!
Love designer clothes and accessories but don't like designer prices? BrandAlley Private Sales can save you up to 70% off your favourite fashion designers - Curvy Kate, Chloe, Kenzo, Roberto Cavalli, CK, D&G, Diesel and many more.
http://www.brandalley.co.uk/FSMarque/Id-22117-Produit-0
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:( Jealous.. they obviously don't post to Australia!
So, it's been a little over a year since I discovered the bragosphere, joined Bratabase, and started buying lots of bras online. Here a self-indulgent roundup of the hits and misses:
Bras I love so much I can't bear to part with them despite not fitting properly anymore (or possibly ever, but I was once in denial): Piper Longline and PL ... Perelka.
Best plunge: Freya West End Plunge bikini.
Best Nudes: Fantasie Smoothing 4520 and SM Bezyk.
Best overall fit: S Fresh.
Sexiest bras: Parfait Charlotte (red) and HM Gold.
Biggest disappointment: CH Lato (I knew the size that was available shouldn't fit me, but I wanted in so badly I tried anyway). Runner up: Panache Sports Bra (after all the rave reviews I thought it couldn't miss, but it just wasn't meant to be for me).
Best "I can't believe these are my boobs!" bra: CH Onyx.
Best vintage feel: PL Perelka. Runner up: SM Bezyk.
Best Sports Bra: Freya Active Underwire.
Best "whoa, I nearly missed out!" bra: I lusted after the HM Gold for months, and they removed it from the site just days after I ordered.
Cutest bra: Cleo Meg (swallow print).
Worst quality control: Ewa Michalak. My 30H CH Onyx could close on the tightest hook from day one, while my 30GG HM Gold still requires two(!) extenders after 6 months of constant wear.
Best set: Parfait Charlotte (red, with the high-waisted panties).
Best bra overall: SM Bezyk. First runner up: HM Gold (relegated to silver by its ridiculously short band). Second runner up: S. Fresh (lost out because it's padded and I prefer unpadded, and also as a green bra it's less practical).
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I was able to get a bra that I wanted for a super cheap price, plus swapping my incredibly tight freya deco strapless for a larger bandsize! All from the same user, I got sooo lucky!!!
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Thats fantastic! Bratabase is great.
Thought a few of us would be interested in this from Miss Underpinnings. She will be talking to Eveden again and letting them know what her readers want from Freya.
http://www.missunderpinnings.com/2013/09/tell-freya-what-you-would-like-to-se...
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I can't comment on there because I don't have any of the accounts they welcome, but I second the person who suggested true to size bands. I wear a 28 so I'm basically sized out of Freya. I also find most of their styles quite dull. Perhaps I'm just not a fan of the youthful market, but even so, I'd much prefer a Tutti Rouge if I was buying on youthful style alone. The deco is fantastic, but wouldn't it be so much nicer if it looked like Tutti Rouge's Beatrice, or really, any of their AW13 designs? I, for one, am over Freya's cotton/polyester/whatever-they-are prints and would love to see some variance across their designs. I am not a fan of their lookbooks either, in comparison to say Ewa Michalak or Sunday Intimates, but that is not as much of a problem to me as everything else.
I also agree with the band issues. More hooks would be nice as well. And more than two columns of hooks on the longlines.
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So I've been loving my new Double Drama bra since I know have 2 bras that fit. But really need more. So while talking to hubby about bills and such he goes "Oh yeah and you can get two more bras".
Happy Girl!!!!!!! Now to find some that I want. Looking at a Cleo Darcie and Jude. I need to break the Pushup dependence I'm in so for you Shallow woman what is your favorite bra???
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What kind of shallow boobs do you have? Wide roots? Narrow roots? Full on top? Middle? Bottom? What shape are you looking for? Round ? Pointy? Cleavage?
Shallow with narrow root, Full bottom, looking for Round and Cleavage.
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So I was bored and started to Google for Polish bras, and then I stumbled upon this lingerie from Poland website which is a directory for A LOT of Polish lingerie brands. I started to peruse one by one, and oh.my.god Poland is another world when it comes to their bra designs!
I have to say I very much prefer their ... designs over British ones, because Poland uses many sheer lace and whatnots to their bras. And.I.love.sheer.things.
The sizes are a bit hit and miss. Some only starts at 70-band and only up to EU F-cup, some starts at 60-band and up to EU H-cup (http://www.sawren.com/kolekcja.php?IDkol=nowa). Not sure about international shipping, but I found one website which offers it (and it's in English!). As for payment methods, I haven't really looked through it but this website (http://www.tiffanie.pl/) accepts Paypal and can ship internationally! The price of the bras are not as expensive as their British counterpart, either. So yeah.
That's it. I'm moving to Poland after graduating.
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http://www.lingeriefrompoland.eu/lingerie-producers
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Thanks for the link. Looks like theyll give Ewa Michalak a run for their money! EM isnt even listed.
I do think it would have been cheaper to just travel to Poland and visit the places where they sell those brands, instead of ordering and returning all the time. Maybe next year I will :P
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I need to rant a little bit.
Do you ever suspect that you are deluding yourself? Occasionally I do, and I have to re-ground myself in order to keep myself from drowning in media bias.
I wore 32B bras for many more years than I will mention. Today I am wearing a 30E bra, which I intend to alter following a tutorial ... sent to me by Jillsas . No, I have not had surgery, gained weight, or noticed an increase in my boob volume. I do not hallucinate that I am "full-busted" (I think more along the lines of "barely-busted"), and no matter how much I wished for them, I gave up on dreams of having voluptuous curves long, long ago.
But...when you read the size of "30E"...your brain gets an image, doesn't it? (And that image sure as hell doesn't look anything like me!) I know it doesn't. Don't lie.I'm not saying this is "bad" or "good"; it is social programming. It's Jay Leno "DD" jokes, National Enquirer's scandals about "Double Ds", Victoria's Secret's endless array of padded bras, etc.
Certainly Americans have been programmed to think of Mae West as a "DD". When Sofia Vergara appeared on the cover of a magazine whose headline gushed about her "32F" boobs, three quarters of the American population went, "WTF is a 32F?" "Isn't '32' for B cups?"
Having the kind of brain that doesn't allow me simply to complete a task by starting and finishing it, while perusing the above-mentioned bra alteration tutorial, I found myself clicking on innumerable links about bra fitting. (No one here understands, right? lol)
One blog I came across was a rant written by a woman claiming her small-boobed friend has fallen victim to a preposterous marketing scheme, because the "B cup" friend says that after getting a professional fitting she now wears "D" cups. The blogger complained that her friend was clearly suffering from delusions of grandeur, and that giving in to this deceptive mid-set was was unhealthy.
Tell that to Sofia Vergara. If, she'd been subjected to the same bra fitters as I was (in my memories they always appears as combos of Grandma Moses and Golda Meir), Sofia would be sporting a Playtex 18 Hour in size 36D and looking like her boobs sprang from her armpits.
I feel that I am being absolutely honest when I say I do not care, at all, what "letter" is used to symbolize the cups on my bra. If this was the kind of thing that influenced my view of myself, it's highly likely I wouldn't have waited until I was 47 years old, and my Barely There Flex Fit bras were literally disintegrating, before I took a measuring tape to my own bosom.
So if you're feeling and looking good while wearing a bra band that's six sizes "larger" or "smaller" than some random person on the street would guess it to be, Yay!!!!
Thank you for allowing me to rant.
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ShaniSunAZ rant accepted! I agree wholeheartedly with every word you said. In the UK the biggest problem we have is definitely the perception that a 32 band is for tiny tiny people and that a 36/38 is the 'average' size for a woman of average weight. There's also a large amount of young British women who have never ever had a fitting because they're too embarrassed, which is really sad, because it either means that fitters are badly trained and don't know how to put women at ease, or we have a generation of women who are terrified of being fitted by someone whose profession it is to fit bras. Which is so sad (even though a lot of fittings are bad, we all know that a good fitting can be revolutionary).
Loved the rant! As an American, I can relate to this 100%. I've been told more times than I can count that I can't possibly be a G cup, because "your boobs just aren't big enough!!" And I agree--my boobs aren't big, but clearly somewhere there's a disconnect if a woman who is MUCH more "blessed" than I am somehow squeezes herself into a something DD. In fact, there's a lot of the +0 crowd who would tell me that I'm still in a too big band and too small cup, but I guess my 31" rib cage has enjoyed too many years of a 38 band for me to go smaller than a 34 on all but the stretchiest of bands. ;-)
I really do wish that more celebs would come out and admit to their proper bra size though. I think it would really help those people who are blindly following the DD cult because they know that they aren't anywhere near as well endowed as Sofia Vergara or Christina Hendricks.
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Curve NY: Fauve Spring/Summer 2014
http://www.missunderpinnings.com/2013/09/curve-ny-fauve-springsummer-2014.html
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Ugh, I am so completely in love with Fauve, I wish they made 28 bands :(
Thus far, I like the Chloe and the sapphire Delphine, and the Isla in the ivory.
The Neve I'm interested in trying
This line has the most beautiful bras, and unique style, they are all different.
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Miss Underpinning's Announcement
The Ewa Michalak & Miss Underpinnings Partnership for Autumn/Winter 2013!
http://www.missunderpinnings.com/2013/09/annoucement-ewa-michalak-miss.html
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Big sales going on at barenecessities and herroom... says the girl who ordered twenty bras from there four days ago before the sales started. Frustrating. I don't know if it's because they're trying to clear out spring/summer stock to make room for autumn/winter, but I guess that will teach me not to order anything until there really is a sale. The only good news I have is that I don't like the way many of them fit so they're being returned anyway.
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Wow splish , 20 bras at one time?! How fun. You'll have 20 new bras to add to Bratabase!
DarianaWheeland That will be a lot of work :P
@splish Hope some of them do fit!
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I wish I could figure out how in hell Panache decides what size to put on their bras! I have 2 Panache bras that fit so well (in 30DD). The cups are slightly on the tight side, but if they were larger I think they would no longer mould to my shape.
I've been experimenting with Tango ... balconnettes, because I would like to find some unlined bras that fit me well. I'm not really a fan of moulded bras, and seamed cups very often have wires that are too narrow for me and sides that are way too short. The "base" of the Tango bra, cups aside, is so comfortable on me, and it fits so well, I keep collecting and wearing the damn things even though they aren't right for my shape.
I took Jillsas 's advice and ordered a Panache Tango balconette in 30E. By no stretch of the imagination would I fit an E cups, but I intend to try a tutorial suggested to me by Jillsas, to make the cups less "deep".
My 30E bra arrived today, and wore it for about an hour before I sent it to soak. It actually fits me much better than my 30DD when it comes to the underwires, the bottoms and sides of the cups, and the height of the wings. In fact, it's PERFECT, except for the cups. I expected to virtually swim in this size, but my problem with the bra is actually from the cups shapes and not the size. The cups are wrinkled at the nipples, where they wrinkle in every other Tango I've tried, but the E cups are also have creasing in the top half of the cups. Even with the creasing, the tops of the cups still "dig in" to my upper tissue! What a frustrating bra. The creasing I get is just above the area where my breasts "slope" (I'm shallow and FOB). It would be a breeze to alter these cups to make them rounded and less deep, if not for the digging. The digging isn't bad enough to stop me from attempting an alteration, though, because that same cup shape that frustrates me to no end, also lifts my breasts like no other bra ever.
I never thought my "shape" was unusual, (but clearly bras for what the industry considers "typical" small breasts have yet to fit me); so I'm beginning to get nearly neurotic wondering why finding a comfortable, flattering, properly sized bra is such a challenge for me.
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That sounds so frustrating :( Is the volume right-ish now?
Don't know if this will help, but I just got 2 Panache tango bras (one balconette, one plunge) and when I first tried them on, they seemed ridiculously big on me. I figured that I should have gotten the 34GGs instead of the 34Hs that I got.
I washed them and wore them again this week (wearing the balconette right now) and they seem to fit me like gloves the 2nd time around, other than the straps being too wideset.
I don't know.
I'm just confused now.
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As it didn't fit me, I decided to host a giveaway on my blog. Good luck in entering, hopefully it'll reach a happy new owner!
http://petiteplentiful.blogspot.nl/2013/09/review-parfait-by-affinitas-charlo...
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Before I was bra-enlightened, most of the bras I wore were 34As, 36As, 32Bs, 34Bs, 36Bs, and 34Cs. When wearing them, I never noticed any soreness (aside from near/during my period).
Is slight soreness normal when you start wearing the proper-fitting bras?
Recently, I began wearing bras that are/close to the correct size (a 30DD Adore Me and a 30E Alegro ... Innocent Lily). I love them so much! However, I notice that my boobs are slightly sore on the outer-bottoms -- not horribly sore -- but very, very slight.
With what I read about breast tissue migration and proper-fitting bras allowing the tissue to get back where the tissue is supposed to be, could this be the reason why my breasts are slightly sore... because they are actually being supported rather than being squished? I'm just very curious.
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I'll start with the fact I had a significant reduction, so full sensation may be lacking.
What I found is my nipples are far more comfortably sensitive. They aren't reacting to everything, but they do respond more. Me likely :D. Me likely lots :D
But, during Shark Week, my breasts are evil. Way sensitive, noticeable enlargement. So I go up a few cup sizes. A 32JJ Freya would fit, a 34JJ is a smidge big - possibly a cup size - but it's crazy comfy and I don't care. I want to stuff my face with Mexican food and cheesecake, I don't care how blah my boobs look. The band is far more comfy too big - versus normal, I worship a tight band. The cups don't rub at all. So, I am not ready to massacre someone. Which I figure is probably a benefit.
You might be wearing something that's too tight and irritating? Or like me, when I first started wearing a bra somewhere near the correct size, I bruised myself trying too hard to scoop some back fat into the cups.
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I was not sure what category to put this in so I apologize ahead of time if I put this adventure in the wrong category...
Up until a couple of weeks ago I wore the wrong sizes (34As, 34Bs, 34Cs...). One day, my boyfriend was curious about how bra sizing works and found a bra-size calculator online. He measured me and ... the calculator said I was something like a 30E. I seriously thought the calculator was broken or my boyfriend was measuring me wrong -- I mean, I'm at least a 34B, right?
After searching online about bra sizing, we found the reddit ABraThatFits sizing guide. Sure enough, I found out that everything I thought I knew about my bra size and bras in general was incorrect. Long story short, my size is a 30E (according to the ABTF guide) and Bratabase has me ranging between a 28F and 30FF depending on brand and model.
I'm now on a quest to rebuild my collection of bras. Wow, it is quite time-consuming! My boyfriend wants me to find bras that are <$20 for now in order to test out the girls in the new sizes (also because I currently don't have a job on campus.. boo). As far as my too-small bras go, I have bras that are great for wearing under T-shirts, bras great for giving me push-up, bras great for giving me the "cakes-on-a-platter" effect... and now I have to start all over again!
The process is fun but it's taking so long to find bras in the proper size that achieve the same things as my old bras because I need to factor in the difference in brand/model sizings and my ideal price range for the moment.
Another note: It's just so weird because I have all of these bras -- most of them bras I've grown to love dearly -- that I now know are too small/give me quad-boobies. What should I do with those bras?
Should I send them to my niece (and inform her and her mom about how to determine if my bras fit her properly)? Should I sell them?
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If they're in good shape you could always donate them to a women's shelter or homeless shelter.
It's really hard to sell common bra sizes on here on through reddit. I would personally donate them, like I did all my 34Cs and 32Ds.
As for finding stuff sub 20 dollars? That hard in normal bra sizes, but near impossible in "abnormal" sizing. Nordstrom Rack and the Eveden Outlet (if you're near it) is really the best shot you have of getting really really cheap bras in that size. Personally, I would just get one or two good reliable starter bras (like the Cleo Juna, Cleo Lucy, Panache Andorra/Jasmine/Clara, Freya Soft Cup Deco, Lepel Fiore plunge, etc...) and then wait. I'm a college student on a budget, and I made the mistake of trying to acquire bras based on quantity rather than reliability or quality in the beginning. I think higher prices bras are worth it, because I haven't had a bra break on me since I went to the right size in "more expensive" (read $40 - $60 per bra, not actual expensive) with the exception of my Panache Harmony, which was used by two people before me.
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I see a lot of posts here about how a well-fitting bra can prevent sagging, even make your boobs bigger (if any tissue has migrated) and improve posture. But I also saw an article about how bras are pointless and actually make you saggier (i can only imagine the participants in that study were not meant to wear a ... 26G).
Anyway, because I have a bony ribcage and I can never find 28s (they are so pricey), I wear mostly 30DD/30E bras and for the most part they fit nicely, albeit not perfectly. I even wear 32DDs sometimes. But will I regret this later on? Are a few 28FF bras really worth the $50 per bra? I would definitely love to have nice boobies in my middle age too...
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Oooh, I'm interested in whatever feedback the bratabase community has regarding this topic, too. According to the bratabase statistics, I range between a 28F to 30FF (depending on the brand and model) but some bras are less expensive at the 30E, 30F sizes compared to the 28 bands.
Okay, the study that came out that said that, first of all, had a limited sample, that is mostly Caucasian women. Secondly, there was no indication that any of them were wearing the correct size. I've found that wearing a correct sized unpadded bra regularly has made my breasts firmer. There are others who can attest to this, but the evidence we have for our argument is really just anecdotal.
I think $50 a bra is well worth it if that factors in the shipping. Especially if it's a good bra. Once you've acquired a collection that mostly fits you well, you'll likely only have to replace a bra around once a year, or whenever you have a craving for a new model or colorway of something.
That being said, I'm sure you notice, but having firm breasts in the middle age can depend on whether you decide to breast feed or not. Breast feeding definitely makes your tissue softer. As for gravity, wearing at least a correct sized band (that is the loosest you can go without loosing support), I'm certain can help counteract the effects of gravity better than a way too loose band. If your boobs do in fact sag when your older, at least you can have a bra that can handle it.
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Because it's super fucked up. I ordered from them expecting a 30GG and got a 30H.
They have the lowest prices, so I can't stay away. And I'm pretty sure you won't find a K cup in the US anyway. The tag said 36FF US, so why was it a 36J on the website? It doesn't make any sense.
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