Wacoal Petite Bra Sizing Guide, Part Two

Lingerie, Size AA, Wacoal Petites 3 Responses »
Apr 042012

Wacoal petite contour push-up bra in nude.So, I felt the need to update my Wacoal Petites bra size and fit tips since I discovered that I and one of my recent small-busted clients can both wear a larger cup in these bras than we usually take.

I came to this realization after my client, Karen, measured at a 32B but felt that this size might fit too large in the cups on her. I sent her two styles from the Wacoal Petites line: one 32A and one 32B. It was a pleasant surprise for me to hear Karen was happy with the fit of both bras.

I couldn’t help noticing that Karen’s measurements and my own are quite similar, give or take half an inch. I had been wearing a 32A in one of my favorite Wacoal Petite bras, but it was feeling a little tight even without the removable push-up pads. I decided to go ahead and plunge into a B cup… and I’m glad I did.

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Posted by Amanda at 6:45 pm Tagged with: , , , , , , ,

Is Small the Next Big Thing? Should It Matter?

Petite Style, Size AA 6 Responses »
Jan 212012
Rooney Mara - W Magazine - Feb., 2011

Is Rooney Mara making small sexy again? - Photo via Wmagazine.com

In a recent Slate Magazine column, Simon Doonan cites Rooney Mara’s Dragon Tattoo nude scenes as evidence suggesting the wispy waif look of ’60s “cool girls like Twiggy, Ali McGraw, [and] Mia Farrow” could make a comeback soon. And even though he additionally cites European health scares caused by leaky implants, he fails to definitively predict the answer to his own sub-headline “Could small breasts make a comeback?”

Jacqueline Burt, blogger for Café Mom’s “The Stir”, also looks to Ms. Mara, but points out her off-screen glamour as she walked the red carpet of the Golden Globe awards along with other small-busted celebs Claire Danes, Charlize Theron, and Evan Rachel Wood. Burt suggests the rejection of cosmetic surgery by more and more movie stars is indicative of a return to the glamorous flapper style of the jazz age. Continue reading »

Posted by Brendan at 12:45 pm Tagged with: , , , , , ,

Erica of SophisticatedPair.com: "No Comparisons Needed"

Getting Intimate 13 Responses »
Nov 152011

In her lingerie store for curvy ladies, online at SophisticatedPair.com

Do we think the 32AA woman has it any easier?

by Erica Windle, copyright November 2011. All rights reserved.

A gust of chilly fall air whipped through my lingerie store as the familiar sound of the doorbell announced the arrival of a customer.  Smoothing her hair quickly, a tall and curvy brunette around thirty walked briskly toward me with a slender woman in her late fifties close behind.  Before I could introduce myself, the curvy brunette proclaimed, “I have big boobs, and I need to be fitted into the right size.”

“Perfect!”  I answered cheerfully. One of the many lessons I have learned since opening my business four months ago is that a proper fitting session at the start alleviates the guesswork of pulling bra after bra from the rack in search of a good fit.

As I escorted her into the fitting room, the brunette casually passed off her bag to the woman I soon learned was her mother.  ”Were you interested in being fitted too?”  I asked.

“Her?” the brunette scoffed.  ”She doesn’t have any boobs!  What does she need a bra for?”

Regretfully, this wasn’t the first or last time I’ve heard such questioning if not outright disdain toward the mere mention of fitting a small-busted woman.  At some point, the reigning opinion became that only bigger-busted women deserve a properly fitting bra.  The rest, it seems, can make do without.  But from where does this belief—this marginalization and assignment of significance to cup size—originate?

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Posted by Amanda at 2:13 pm Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , ,

Bra Fitting: Sizing Up the Reality

Everyday Bras, Getting Intimate 8 Responses »
Jul 312011

As many of you know, I work individually with women who are sick to death of feeling confused and overwhelmed by the tricky task of bra shopping. For each woman seeking help, my main goals are:

  1. Get her questions answered.
  2. Take the pressure off by offering reassurance, respect and encouragement.
  3. Provide her with at least one bra that fits well, is comfortable enough to wear regularly, and makes her feel beautiful.

By the time I connect with my clients, many have already spent quite a bit of time and effort searching for the right bra. These are smart, savvy women who have done enough research that they end up teaching me new things about bras and lingerie, even as they reach out for my assistance. I am gradually building a substantial knowledge base that continues to grow every time I take on a new client.

That’s why I don’t consider myself a bra expert. I think I’m more of an enthusiast. It feels wonderful to me when I am able to help other size AA/A/B women like myself discover lingerie that truly fits and flatters the small-breasted figure, whether petite or average. Once you feel comfortable in your own skin and start to really see how beautiful you are in your skivvies, I feel like I’ve done my job right.

The Oprah Phenomenon

Thanks to Oprah, it is now widely understood that a professional bra fitting is usually required in order to get the correct size. I certainly appreciate Oprah’s efforts to educate America about bras, and I share her belief in the value of expert assistance. However, the fitting process doesn’t always work the way it is supposed to.

What follows is an example, used with the client’s permission, of how and why professional bra fittings can fail.

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Posted by Amanda at 8:58 am Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,

Women Talk Bras: Undercover Lingerista

Getting Intimate 3 Responses »
Jun 162011
Undercover LingeristaWhen I met Kitty (aka Undercover Lingerista), I thought: here is someone who isn’t afraid to show herself to the world. Kitty is vivacious and warm, but never self-compromising. She never lacks for ideas or opinions, and is eager to share them in conversation with others in the lingerie community. That’s why I thought she’d make a great choice for our “Getting Intimate” series. Visit Kitty on the web at Undercover Lingerista. –Amanda, site admin

In a world obsessed with body image, it comes as no surprise that women are extremely self-critical when it comes to the way that they look. Breast size is one of the recurrent themes that we are confronted with on a daily basis. When Kate Moss is held up as an icon and replaced in a moment by Kelly Brook, women are left confused and unable to appreciate their own figures.

When Amanda first contacted me about guest blogging, she suggested I discuss my thoughts and feelings about my own bra size. As a lingerie blogger with a bust size of 28FF, I jumped at the chance to portray a different perspective towards bra size.

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Posted by Amanda at 9:48 pm Tagged with: , , , , , , ,

Itty Bitty Signature Bra Review

Itty Bitty Bra, Size AA No Responses »
Mar 252011

Available in white, nude, black and pink.

And voila! You're an A cup.

One thing about the Itty Bitty Bra I can certainly vouch for–the name is very appropriate! This is one seriously small bra.

Most bra size calculators tell me that I am a size 34AA. This seems about right. Whenever I try size 34A “grownup” bras (sized for women, not teens), I always have some space left over in the cups. The band is usually about right.

When I tried to figure out my size using the Itty Bitty Bra fit instructions, I got a bit confused.

  1. First, they have you add six inches to the band measurement. OK, so that’s 36 for me.
  2. Then, take the full bust measurement, which is 34 inches for me.
  3. The final step is to take the difference between the two measurements

    4. –BUT they don’t say which number to subract from which.

Usually, you subtract the band measurement from the full bust measurement. In which case, I measure a negative two! If it’s the other way–the full bust from the band–then I am a two, which means in their fit guidelines, I am an A cup.

Quick aside — why can’t we agree on a fitting method for bras? Wouldn’t it be a dream to walk into a store, buy any bra that’s your size, and know that it will fit without having to try it on? Why is that so hard? Why can’t we size women’s clothing like men’s? Guys never have to try on underwear.

OK, meanwhile, back at the review…

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Posted by Jackie at 12:32 pm Tagged with: , , , ,

Bra Expert Tomima: Controversial and Funny

Lingerie 1 Response »
Jul 212010

Designer Lingerie AdviceTomima Edmark is the bra fitting consultant for HerRoom. I got curious after seeing her sizing tips on the Timpa Duet bra, and found my way over to her blog.

This savvy lingerie expert has some strong opinions and isn’t afraid to share them. I don’t always agree with her, but she’s a great source of information on intimates: trends, sexy designer lingerie brands, sizing, styles… if it exists, Tomima probably knows about it.

The best thing: she’s got a sense of humor. Her latest post about men’s underwear had me in stitches.

I’ve been doing my best to represent the petite size AA perspective in my comments on her blog, as the itty bitty committee is not going to get much attention from prominent people in the lingerie market unless we make some noise!

Posted by Amanda at 5:39 pm Tagged with: , , ,