Finally got some new bras! (and a store review) » All bra adventures

Finally got some new bras! (and a store review)

My family went to Ft Wayne this weekend and I convinced my parents to go to Barbara's New Beginning's. They were having a special event w/ a local radio station, so a lot of the floor stock was covered or blocked. It was mostly swimwear anyways. I also had a hard time telling who was a store employee. They were giving away designer purses, so it was a circus in there. On the bright side, they did have free food.

I grabbed a swimsuit I liked in a couple sizes (Panache Swimwear Britt Halter Swimsuit (SW0820) 34 &36 G) and headed to the fitting rooms. There, an employee approched me and gave me a room. The fitting rooms have curtains rather than doors, which might bother some people. She introduced herself, and left me to it.

I started w/ the 34G and found out that it's very hard to pull a one piece over a my rear without stabbing my pelvic region or stomach with the wires. It was also very hard to get it hooked. It wasn't too small once I got it situated, but I would have never known that if I hadn't stubbornly persisted. The cups were too small, but I was happy at how closed on top they were. It wasn't tight across the butt as I had feared, but it was across the stomach. So it would be OK for a pear shaped figure, but apple types and those with bloating issues like me might stay away. The 36G might been OK, but I didn't try it on for sake of time. I couldn't afford it anyway.

I handed the suits to the fitter and asked if I could have some bras to try on. She came back with a scrap of paper and took down my name and current size. She also asked what type of bras I was interested in. She then measured my underbust. I was still undressed from trying on the suits, so unfortunately I can't tell you what their policy on measuring clothed is. She wrote down 34½ on the paper and left to get bras. I know that wasn't my measurement, so Idk what that was. She brought back 3 bras in 36FF, a 36FF - Freya » Rapture Side Support Plunge Bra (1671) ,Freya Ignite, and another bra. The Rapture was very neon orange, it was riding up on the tightest hook and was too small in the cup.

She then took all three bras and came back with a 36FF - Masquerade » Orla Non Padded Balconnet Bra (7031) and two 34FF Fanstasie models that I can't identify. The Masquerade was fine in the band (They do run a full band size small like people say) and the cup was borderline. It wasn't cutting in, but I had a lot of mounding. She saw my indecision and started the "it's supposed to fit like that" sales pitch. Since I was suported, there was no cutting in, I looked amazing in it, it was on sale, and it was PURPLE! I went for it.

Both of the 34FF Fantasie bras were too loose in band and too small in cup. She came back with a Panache Clara Balconnet (7255) in (I think) 34G, a Wacoal I can't identify in 34G (Ignorance of size translations?) and a Panache Jasmine Balconnet Bra (6951) in 32GG. The Clara was tighter in the band than the Fantasies but the cups didn't fit. Strangely, I got FOT fit issues (empty @ bottom, quad @ top), the Wacoal was obviously too small in the cup, and the Jasmine was too tight in the band, but not by much. I told her how much I liked it, and she brought me a 34GG. Idk if she is ignorant of sistersizing or thought it was tight in the cup too, but the GG wasn't too big. She pointed out that since I found many several 34s too loose, and the 32 was too small, I'm might have to settle for using extenders. I was suprised she knew of that practice. I did like the fit of 34GG. (which was my size estimate. Woot!) In the future, I'd like something w/ a little more immediate projection, so if anybody knows what that would be, lemme know.

After that, I got dressed, and got my dad to agree to split the bill since it was out of both of our budgets. I got the Masquerade and the Jasmine.

They took an unusual amount of personal info at the register. Idk why they needed my address, but she mentioned that they ship bras to customers for an $8 fee. I'm not sure how that would work if a customer didn't already know what they wanted, they have no inventory on their site. Hopefully I don't get a bunch of junk mail. I got the impression that they use an account system to keep track of customers and purchases (like online retailers do).

I'm pretty excited about my new bras, and I'm sure I would have gotten better service had the store not been so busy. I'd give the fitter a B-. Unlike some fitters, she let me put the bras on myself, respected personal space and trusted my assessment of how the bras fit me. She also brought me mostly discounted models, respecting that I was on a budget.

Filed under Bras ups and downs

Shared on Mar 22, 2015 Flag this