Thoughts & Tips on Selling Bras

             We've all been there--you buy a bra, it's not the best, but you miss the return date. So you wear it occasionally, or maybe it just sits and gathers dust. Or maybe you have a ton of bras in your size and suddenly your size changes. Investing so much money into bras you can't wear can put a serious dent in your budget. The best way to deal with this is to re-sell your old unworn or unwearable bras! In the past  year or so, I've made a solid effort to sell off all the bras I don't wear often enough or don't love enough to keep. I just mailed off the last one today and now I'm full of wisdom on the process, so I thought I'd share it with my readers. Selling bras gets much easier over time, even though it can be daunting at first. You can sell through eBay, Bratabase, or forums. I spent the first 90% of my selling spree using forums to sell bras, and then recently began listing through Bratabase. In my experience, listing through Bratabase leads to much faster sales, but you can use whatever medium you are comfortable with to sell, as long as you make sure to protect yourself (which I'll discuss at the end of this post). Here are my tips for successful bra selling. 

        1. Know the market value of the bra you are aiming to sell. Check ebay and websites that have sales (Figleaves, Brastop). If you’re selling a bra that is very widely available at bargain prices, you are not going to get the original full retail price for it even if it’s new. Used bras are, of course, worth less than bras that are new with tags, but if a used bra is in great condition, you can still get a good price for it, especially if it's a hard to find model. I just sold my gently used Freya Antoinettes for $12 each. That bra is generally available new for about $20 on eBay, so that dictated my lower price. I also just sold my gently used Thea for $25. That bra isn’t available anywhere—the color was never sold online, and the yellow is being sold for £24 on Bravissimo’s website now—so I was able to fairly ask for a higher price because it’s a harder bra to find. Bras that are no longer available might get you a higher price than ones that can be found easily on eBay, but think more in terms of a mid-range price. 

              Used bras vary in value depending on their condition. Barring any damage from use, you can determine the bra's quality (how heavily used it is) from the tag. If the tag is gray or faded, frayed with loads of threads coming off, or the text is blurred and illegible, you have a heavily used bra on your hands and you should ask for a lower price ($5-$15 range). If the tag looks as clean and neat as when you bought the bra, you have a gently used bra and can ask for more ($15-$25 or possibly more for high-demand bras like Ewa Michalak). If a bra is brand new with tags, you can ask for more ($30-$45), but keep in mind that you still need to ask for less than a retailer would ask. In general, people will still prefer to buy from a trusted retailer over a random internet stranger, so you have to offer a lower price (or at least lower shipping) to convince people to buy from you.

      2. Apart from its market value, understand the value of the bra TO YOU. Think about what it is worth to you to own the bra. Would you happily part with it for $20? Would you happily part with it for $10? Do you just want to get rid of it? Does it have enough sentimental value that you’d need to get $25 or more to even consider selling? Compare the bra’s value TO YOU to the market value. If its value to you is much higher than the market value, then it’s not worth it to sell. Keep the bra—you’ll just feel disappointed by what you get for selling it. If the value to you is lower than the market value—ask the market value! Don’t sell yourself short just because you’re not attached to a bra—sell it for what it is properly worth. And don’t expect that if you put a bra on eBay with a starting bid of $0.99, that it will magically reach the exact value you want it to. I wouldn’t recommend letting people bid unless you don’t care about the price you get. I’d recommend Buy It Now or a starting bid of just under the bra’s market price.

       3. Be careful with bargaining. If you are selling on Bratabase or in a forum, you may find that people will try to bargain you down to get a lower price. To a certain extent, this is perfectly reasonably. For instance, I recently gave someone a few dollars off on a bra because that made the difference between her buying it and not buying it. I still got a good value and the buyer was very polite about it. However, sometimes people will offer you prices that are downright insulting. These people do not respect you and are just trying to take advantage of your kindness to get a price far below what the item is worth. You do NOT have any obligation to bargain with people. If you know the accurate market value of the bra and its value to you, and you are asking a fair price based on that, you are perfectly within your rights to say “Sorry, I am asking a fair price and I don’t bargain.” I once sold a basque that I had bought for $75 new for $15 because a rude buyer pressured me and I was too shy to say no. It was worth $35 lightly used and the incident still haunts me.

      

       4. Name a price—don’t just ask for offers. If you post items for sale with no asking price and just tell people to give you their best offer, then you will lose a LOT of potential buyers. I personally will NEVER make an offer on an item that doesn’t have a starting price because I don’t want to risk being rude by accidentally offering too little, and I don’t want to feel embarrassed if I get turned down; I also won’t know if I am offering much too much for what they were hoping for. Shy buyers like me won’t touch your items if you don’t name a price because we just don’t want to open that can of worms. On the other hand, people who do make offers will often make offers far below what you were hoping to get, and you will be forced to ask for more or simply turn them down. Do a little research, find out the market value of your item, and make it clear what price you would like to get. You will nearly never lose potential buyers by doing this.

        5.     Make sure you wash the item before you list it for sale. By doing this, you will be able to see the true quality of an item. Sometimes there will be marks and stains on a bra that go away with a simple wash and the condition will be much improved. Other times, marks will not go away and you will NEED to know this before listing it so you can ask for the true (in this case, lower) value.

   

       6.     Do a little basic maintenance on the bra beyond just washing it. Many bras will pick up pills from sweaters or tops they come in contact with. These can easily be trimmed off. Just gently pull the pill away from the bra and snip it off with scissors. You’ll often find these pills on the straps of Freya bras or the bands of Panache bras. Freya bras sometimes grow a bit of fluff on the lining underneath the band. This, too, can be carefully trimmed off to make the bra look nicer. If you’ve altered the bra at all, it can usually be taken out without damaging the bra. Carefully snip the stitches out and make sure there are no marks left. There is a lot you can do to improve the quality of a bra to make sure that potential buyers will find it up to par. That being said, though…

      7.     Always be honest about the condition of a bra. If there are any stains, marks, tiny holes, snags, etc, describe them in detail and photograph them. Most buyers will not be upset or put off by such issues as long as they KNOW ABOUT THEM before they commit to a purchase. 

     8. Charge for shipping, too, unless you're shipping through Bratabase. If you use Bratabase, you will just charge the buyer the cost of the bra and pay the shipping yourself. Then Bratabase will pay back your shipping up to $10 per bra if you transfer the bra to the buyer and fill out a feedback form containing the shipping amount and your Paypal address. But if you're not using Bratabase, it's a good idea to know what the shipping will be before you deal with payment so you can do it all at once. In my experience shipping from the Eastern USA, shipping a bra typically costs $3 to elsewhere in the US ($5 for multiple bras or a larger molded bra) and $7 to the UK or Europe. Canada once cost me $8.50 for two bras, and Australia is usually about $7, but sometimes up to $9 for padded/molded. So I typically charge those prices if I'm selling on a forum, because I used recycled packaging. If you need to buy new packaging, you'll need to charge about $1-$2 more. 

      So what if you sell a bra? You will now need to deal with payment and shipping. 

      Always use Paypal to protect yourself. The whole point of Paypal is that strangers on the internet can safely exchange payments without revealing their private financial information. Paypal also includes many protections for both seller and buyer. 

     Before I began selling bras, I had no idea how to use Paypal outside of eBay, but it is actually very easy. There are two options: either the seller sends the buyer an invoice, or the buyer sends the seller a payment. There are some minimal fees (usually like $0.30, at most a few dollars) for receiving payments, but keep in mind that these small fees buy you all the protections that Paypal offers. 

    To send an invoice to your buyer, find out their email address. They do NOT need to have a Paypal account for this to work--all they need is a credit card. Log into your own Paypal account and click "Request money." Enter their email address and the amount. Boom--easy. The buyer will receive an email that will tell them how to pay either through their Paypal account or with a credit/debit card.

    If they want to send a payment to you, give them the email address associated with your Paypal account (if you don't have one, make one). They will have to send this through their own Paypal account, so if the buyer doesn't have a Paypal account, you'll be better off sending them an invoice through your own account.

    Once the payment is complete, the next step is mailing off the bra. I usually send unpadded bras in one of those soft "tough sac" mailers--the same thing bras get mailed to me in. You can also use a padded envelope or a small box, but the bag-type mailers tend to weigh a little less and be cheaper. I mostly use whatever packaging I have around at home. If you're re-using packaging, make sure to gently remove or carefully cover up (by taping paper onto them) any old labels and barcodes. Make sure the address and return address are clearly legible. I think it's generally a good idea to protect the address, either by covering it fully in postal tape, or by covering it with a piece cut from a clear zip-lock bag and taping around that. The post office doesn't require that you do this, though. If you're mailing a molded bra, make sure to add some padding (tissue paper is nice, but old grocery bags work just as well as long as they are clean and dry). This will help it keep its shape and avoid any damage during mailing. 

    Once you're ready to mail the package, it's time to deal with the post office! If you're anything like me, going to the post office can be a bit of a harrowing experience until you're used to it. It helps to go in with plenty of time before they close and be prepared to potentially wait in line for a bit. 

     If you are mailing something internationally, you will have to fill out a customs form. Don't despair--it is easier than it sounds. If you're totally lost, just ask the people working there for assistance. But the customs forms are all available at the tables that you can write on before getting in line, and it speeds things up to fill them out before you get to the front of the line. For those in the US, you will need to fill out the form PS 2976--it will say "USPS Customs Declaration CN-22" or "Sender's Declaration" on the top. You'll need to fill out your own address, the address you are mailing to, and what you are mailing. Check off "merchandise" or "gift", then list the item ("lingerie" or "clothing" both work) and its value (what the seller paid you for it). There are instructions for doing this on the first page of the form. You will also want to check off the "exception" for your package being under a certain very high value, as instructed. (The form only includes two options for exceptions and you will check off the first one). You don't need to write down the item's weight--the post office will weigh it and do that for you. Then sign and date the form. When you get to the front desk, you can ask them if everything is correct if you are nervous about it. Don't over-think it--like most bureaucratic forms, the customs declaration looks a lot more complicated than it is. They will tell you if you need to add something else to it.

     What about insurance and tracking? It is up to you and your buyer to decide whether it's worth paying more for tracking. If you have tracking and/or insurance, you will be protected against both postal error and the buyer potentially claiming to have never received the package even if they did. But it can also be very expensive. I personally find that it is worth it to get tracking for an order within the US (it costs only $0.90 extra) but not so much for something you're shipping overseas. I personally trust the postal service not to lose my items, and I only ship to buyers that seem trustworthy, but I also accept that this philosophy might occasionally lead to me losing some money. For me, that's okay, but if you're not okay with that, then you should definitely only ship with insurance and tracking for peace of mind. Just let your buyer know upfront that you only ship that way so they will be prepared to pay more. 

     Well--that's all the tips I have for re-selling and mailing bras! Any questions, or tips I missed? Let me know in the comments! And many thanks to all those who have bought my bras through Bratabase in the past few weeks :)

Clarifying Breast Shape: Full-on-top VS Full-on-bottom

This post is a follow-up to my most popular post of all time, How To Figure Out The Shape of Your Boobs.  I want to clear up a few common misconceptions and provide a few more hands-on methods for determining one's own shape.

This is the image I used in my original post. It shows what full on top versus full on bottom boobs tend to look like without a bra.

However, I did not talk about breast volume/elasticity in that post, nor did I talk about nipple placement. So let's fill in the gaps.

First off, here's a helpful method to determine your own shape. Take off your bra, stand in front of a mirror, and bend over at a 90 degree angle so that the top of your back is straight. Your breast will hang down and assume its natural shape without gravity confusing things. Wherever your nipple falls is the tip or apex of your breast (even if it doesn't lie where you might think the apex would be). In this position, you will be able to tell more easily if you have more tissue above the apex/nipple (towards your head) or below the apex/nipple (towards your stomach).

Full-on-top boobs will look something like this:

Full-on-the-bottom boobs will look more like this:

Note that not everyone has one shape or the other. If you have a balanced amount of tissue on either side, then you do not have either of these shapes, but rather you have breasts that are balanced--either full all over, or less full all over.

Another confusing factor I would like to address is breast volume or "perkiness"/"sagginess", which are factors that tend to change over a woman's lifetime. Most of us have more overall volume in the breast and are more "perky" when we are young, and as we age, we lose volume and skin elasticity and become more "saggy" (which is a horrible word, hence why I'm putting it in quotes). The relative perkiness of one's breasts, or lack thereof, does NOT alter the shape you have. I've seen a lot of people confusing "full on top" with "perky, young boobs." In fact, full-on-top boobs can be either perky or not-perky, and full-on-the-bottom boobs can likewise be either perky or not-perky. Your breasts will look different as you age, but the basic shape itself will typically not change.

Here is what breasts with upper fullness (full on top) versus lower fullness (full on the bottom) look like after loss of elasticity has occurred.

Note that I used the same breast shape in this drawing for both breast types. It is only the nipple placement--the natural apex--that is different. And that placement of the apex will affect what sort of bras suit each breast type.

So let's revisit my original image. Here are the two types with the nipple placement I had imagined:

 BUT, if the nipple placements were changed, then these shapes would represent the opposite types. Stay with me here. Here is the original "lower fullness" image with the nipple placement changed--now it shows a shape with UPPER fullness:

The reverse also holds true. When using the original "upper fullness" image, a simple change in nipple placement alters it to depict a breast with LOWER fullness. This is why the image in my original post was really not much use to dispel confusion.

Finally, I want to clarify that these two different breast shapes do not necessarily look different when they are in a well-fitting bra. When you are wearing a bra that gives support, uplift, and shape, your boobs should be supported all over regardless of where the tissue is in relation to the apex.

Here is what the two different types might look like in a well-fitted bra. I've chosen a round shape at random, but this will likely be the case with most shapes you can get in a bra. I've marked where the apex/nipple lies in relation to the center of the breast on the body.

Full on the bottom:

Full on top:

Again, note that I've shown these two different shapes on the same breast image--only the apex is different. However, it's also important to note that the different breast types cannot always wear the same kinds of bras. Some bras will work for both shapes, but others will not.

For example, bras that have a tight upper section (like Bravissimo's Alana and similar balconettes, or Freya's Arabella) do not work for full-on-top boobs. They will fit like this:

These bras are built for full-on-the-bottom boobs. Therefore, they have a longer arc in the bottom to the place where the apex of that breast type would fall, so breasts without lower fullness will not fill this area. Then the top section curves in too steeply to accommodate upper fullness. Sizing up will not fix these issues--it is the construction that is incompatible.

On the other hand, bras that are very loose in the top section (like the Cleo Chloe, Marcie, or Alexa) will gape on full-on-the-bottom boobs.

These bras have space to allow for a lot of upper fullness, so boobs that don't have volume there won't be able to full it. Sizing down can help, but it's not a perfect solution because then you will lose the room and space that you need at the bottom of the cup.

That's all for now, folks. I hope this has helped clear up some of the confusion regarding different breast types. It can definitely be complicated to figure out, but there are a lot of clues that can help along the way.

A Love Letter To Empreinte, The Brand That Changed My Life (Guest Post)

(This post is written by a very special guest writer, my sister! I hope you enjoy it.)

I'm picky about bras. Back before I knew about proper bra sizing, I refused to wear anything besides intense pushup bras in black or hot pink. So when I first got properly fitted, I tried on all the bras in my size and I hated them all passionately. Don't even get me STARTED on 582 variations I tried of the Tango, a bra that looks utterly horrendous on me. 

I hated all the bras, that is, except for one. The only problem was that the one I liked? It cost $279. It was an Empreinte.

Empreinte is a brand that I haven't seen talked about much on bra blogs. The heart attack-inducing price tag is probably the reason for that. (Believe me, I could not afford it either; I split the price with my mom and didn't buy another bra for almost two years.) The other reason is that in the US, Empreinte can only be sold by a handful of "certified retailers," so they're hard to find and nearly impossible to get for cheaper than retail. While some websites (like Figleaves) sell them, once you enter a US shipping address, it won't let you buy them. I've found a few on Ebay (around $40, much more reasonable), but I felt slightly guilty when doing so because it's not entirely "legit."

But despite the difficulty of getting ahold of them and the absurd prices, I love Empreinte bras. In fact, they're really the only bras I wear regularly. For me, Empreinte is just that good.

My boobs are full on the bottom and not at all on on the top, and they're pretty wide set. With my shape, I'm most comfortable in an unpadded, molded cup. I'm a 30E, and because I'm lazy (or live an exciting life? ha), I also prefer a versatile bra that can fit situations from everyday workwear to sexy scenarios. I've owned three Empreinte styles, which all fit the description above. From Ebay I know Empreinte also makes non-molded bras, but I've never owned or seen them in a store, so this is by no means a comprehensive brand overview; it's more like a love letter to the bra brand that changed my life. 

Since Empreinte is shrouded in mystery, I'm not sure about their size range. The bras I've seen on Ebay generally start around a C cup and go up as high as an F or FF, and range from a 30 back to a 38 or so. That's not definitive, though. I also don't know, because none of the bras I own have appeared on their bizarrely un-navigable website, what the model/style names for any of my bras are. I own (and occasionally wear!) a couple of Freya Decos, which is a fairly well-known style, so I will use the Deco as a point of comparison to my molded Empreinte bras.

The main reason I like Empreintes as an everyday bra is they give a well-supported shape that is at the same time very natural. Compared to a Deco, my Empreinte molded bras are made of a thinner foam and lack push-up properties. In a Deco, my boobs are held in close to my chest, and they're pushed up and together, giving me a TON of cleavage from the front, but making my boobs appear smaller from the side--the "purple shape".

By contrast, my cleavage in the Empreinte is subtle, and from the side my boobs look more like the size they actually are, but still have a rounded shape. Overall, it closely matches the natural state of my boobs while providing support--more like the "green shape", which I prefer. In the following photo, the left shows an Empreinte bra, while the right shows a Deco, both in a 30E. You can see the Deco gives much less projection.

I wear the same size in the Empreinte as I do in the Deco, and I don't quite fill out the top of the Empreinte cups, which means there is room for people with fuller-on-top boobs. But if you're between band sizes in the Deco and wear the tighter of two possible bands, I would go up one band size (and down one cup size) in the Empreinte.

I also think Empreinte bras are really beautiful and sexy. I've had three different designs: one that was black with a subtle pattern of black glitter; a second that was white with a pattern of black pansies:

... and a third, which I own in both black and white, is a solid colored bra with a flower detail attached to the left strap and the center gore:

I love the subtle design details that keep all three of these styles interesting and beautiful even though they are overall basic. I particularly like the straps on the third model; they are thinner than the Deco's and look delicate, but they aren't too delicate to provide support.

The place where Empreinte bras really stand out, though, is their incredibly high quality and long-lasting construction. Remember the bra I bought for $279 and couldn't afford another for two years? I wore that bra every single day for that almost-two-year period. Not only did it hold up for 600+ wears but it continued to support me surprisingly well even when I shrank a band size. What that means is the band is high enough quality to not stretch out over a period of many wears. That, or the Empreinte manufacturers made a deal with the devil to produce magical always-supportive bras.

I cringe to recommend to others a bra that costs $279 retail. That's just plain expensive, and I was incredibly lucky to be able to afford it. But if you are able to put together the cash upfront, I do think the Empreinte comes out to be a solidly cost-effective purchase, given how long it lasts. It's also versatile, going from office wear to lounging at home to a date to even low-impact exercise (yoga or low-impact dance), so it allowed me to get away with owning only one bra. Then there are the hidden costs, like back pain and low self esteem, that for me still come with other bras that aren't as well constructed. So while I've had flirtations with other bras (Freya, Panache, an ill-considered fling with a Masquerade), I always come back to the Empreinte. If you see one on Ebay in your size or if you have some cash to spare at one of the "certified retailers," definitely consider giving it a try.

Pepperberry Has Problems, Part 2

Time for some good old-fashioned hating on the biggest full-bust clothing brand! Now, Pepperberry, you know I love you and what you do, but sometimes you just frustrate me so much…

Why are there no buttons on the bottom part of this cardigan?

Cable Knit Cardigan

Really, for £39 (on sale from £49) I daresay you could at least slap some on there, even if you leave them unbuttoned for the product photo.

Is it just me or does the decoration on this top look like a line of people with very small heads holding hands? I just can’t get over it.

Slub Jersey Tunic 

And Pepperberry, why so much BLING????

Beaded Flapper Dress

Embellished Check Top

Beaded Detail Tunic

Jewel Neck Top

Deco Beaded Silk Dress

Embellished Tie Back Dress

Bling layered on other bling:

Beaded Knit Shrug

Petal Trim Dress

Lurex Swing Dress

The Border Print Cotton Dress, otherwise demure, features sneaky surprise sequins woven into the skirt:

Border Print Cotton Dress

Quoted from reviews of the Stripe Sun Top: "There's too much bling on the front and it's just big and fluffy!" "Also not a huge fan of all the spanglies around the collar, but that's just my personal taste."

Stripe Sun Top

Now, I like a little sparkle as much as the next girl, but the vast proportion of blinged-out Pepperberry clothing continues to alarm me. I’m surprised they haven’t yet started to weave sequins into their collared shirts. But somehow, still no sequined bras from sister company Bravissimo! This is just reversed and wrong and I would like a sequined bra, please. Bras are sequins’ natural home.

Finally, Pepperberry, WHY this print? Why?

Abstract Print Kimono Dress

And make sure to notice that this top features a fake cami to make up for the too-low-cut construction!

Related: Pepperberry Has Problems, Part 1

Ewa Michalak "HM Gold" Review

You might remember my review of Ewa Michalak’s HM Granatowy Motyl. That was my first Ewa bra, and I was impressed with the uplift of the vertical seam structure, which suits my shape well, and the technical brilliance of the band. But the 30GG I tried was too small in the cup, not surprising considering that’s a cup size smaller than I normally wear. I also felt the band was very firm even though the bra had been heavily used by its first owner, so I figured a 32GG (70GG) would be the best fit for me in the HM style from Ewa.

I didn’t order the HM Gold directly from Poland, but rather secondhand from an acquaintance, so I can’t report on the direct ordering process. I was excited to be able to get this bra for a reduced price and, in fact, to be able to get it at all, because the HM styles are fairly few and far between.

The fit of the cups is great. I also like the shape from the side. It's a classic half-cup bra shape, the same shape I get in the Cleo Juna-style bras (like the Rihanna, reviewed here and the Sadie, reviewed here) as well as the Curvy Kate Showgirl bras (reviewed here). It's very rounded, with not much forward projection. This shape tends to look like it is pointing down a bit on boobs that have a lot of upper fullness and not much lower fullness. I don't mind this very much because this mirrors the actual shape of my breasts.

As a vertical-seamed half-cup bra, it does tend to enhance center heaviness, uplifting the boobs so dramatically that they end up pushed to the middle with a very bulky cleavage. You can see that happening in the front view, but the effect is not nearly as dramatic here as with the Curvy Kate Showgirl bras, so I feel more comfortable using this one as an everyday bra. I believe the reason for the diminished center-heaviness is the triangular panel that connects the straps to the cup. 

Widening the strap at the point where it connects to the cup allows the strap to provide some lift that pulls outwards, away from the center and toward the shoulders. It helps to balance the shape of the cups.

As someone who can’t stand to wear padded bras, the sheer lace cups are really nice. I imagine I would feel very overexposed if I was used to a greater level of coverage, but I really like the fact that it feels very light and insignificant in the cups, like I’m barely wearing anything. And because the fabric is very lightweight and has the slightest stretch, it forms to my shape rather than cutting in.

On to the negatives… unfortunately, the band on the HM Gold has utterly lost all the technical genius that the band on the HM Granatowy Motyl has. The Motyl’s band sits at a lower angle, wonderfully eliminating discomfort and bulges:

It is also thick (3 hooks) and made of a heavy, extremely stretchy material. It’s the best bra band I’ve ever experienced.

I was really disappointed that the HM Gold (a later bra) no longer features this glorious band. Instead, it has a band that’s basically the equivalent of a Cleo band—2 hooks, too thin, and sitting at too high of an angle. It’s made of a scratchy mesh instead of the wonderful soft material of the Motyl’s band.

The HM Gold’s band also runs very tight. The 70 band (theoretically the equivalent of a UK 32 band) measures 25 inches unstretched, and stretches to 32.5 inches. For comparison, a Cleo Lucy with a 30 band (one size 'smaller') measures 25.5 inches unstretched and 34 inches stretched.  So the HM Gold is both tighter (even though it’s a 32) and less stretchy than my usual bras. Running small isn’t a huge issue because I could always just try a larger size, but I hate bra bands with so little stretch. Whether they are too big, too small, or just right, they never feel good, and they always cut in and cause unattractive bulging. So far, I haven’t made a final decision on whether this (and the narrowness and bad angle of the band) ruin the bra for me. I wore it a few days in a row before Christmas and ended up in such pain and frustration that I started to hate my boobs again. When I stopped wearing it, everything felt better. I am going to try it with an extender and see if that helps; otherwise it may be best to avoid wearing it two days in a row.

The HM Gold is definitely a great bra cups-wise, but the band is a serious drawback, and I’m not ultimately sure whether I feel positive or negative about it. Of course, bras tend to be a situation where a draw is the same as a loss. I personally wouldn’t buy another HM bra unless I was sure it had the nice, thick, stretchy kind of band that the HM Motyl has, and not the thin, rigid kind that the HM Gold has. If readers are looking to buy it, I would definitely recommend sizing up in the band unless you like a really tight, firm band without much stretch, in which case this bra may be your dream come true. Cups-wise, I wear the equivalent of the same cup size in the HM bras by Ewa Michalak that I wear in Cleo (32GG for Ewa, 30H for Cleo; I wear a cup size bigger than that in Curvy Kate and Bravissimo bras). The HM style is very open on top and so it's well suited to those who struggle to find bras that don't cut in on the top edge. 

What's on BrasiHate's Holiday Wishlist? Something For All Of Us...

Sometimes it really strikes me how far the G+ lingerie industry has come in the past few years. When I first got fitted into a 30GG from a 34DD in 2007, Cleo by Panache and Curvy Kate were not on the map yet. Bravissimo hadn’t started making their own brand bras, and even if they had I didn’t know they existed. The only options available to me then were Freya, Fantasie and Panache. So sometimes when I consider how far we’ve come, I’m just staggered by the massive number of options that are available to me now in a 30H. There are even department store brands (Debenhams) and brands I haven’t even heard of (Gorteks, anyone?) or know next to nothing about (Kris Line) that make bras in my size and are sold on accessible websites at low prices.

But at the same time, there’s something missing for me: the science. Even as the options increase, and as new companies add their offerings, I find the D+ and G+ lingerie scene isn’t really changing that much. It seems like everyone wants to make cute, frilly bras in fashion colors, but I don’t see much innovation in the actual structure of these bras. I have been really glad to see lots of companies starting to regularly add side support panels to their full cup bras, because those panels are necessary for a full-cup bra to give a fully uplifted shape. For instance, Panache’s Emily, Andorra, and Jasmine have side support panels; most of Fantasie’s full coverage bras now have them; Elomi uses them in most bras; and Bravissimo’s new full-cup Melrose and Linear Rose bras have side-support panels too. So I can finally update my bra seam structure graphic to reflect this:

But on the other hand, I also haven’t seen any brand make true advances in the quality or design of their bands or underwire. Instead, everyone is just bringing out fashion color after fashion color, floral print after floral print, without making any real changes. It’s great to have those options, but I’m really hoping for more this year. So I present Bras I Hate’s rather unconventional holiday wish-list—it’s not things I only want for myself, as I have so many bras already, but things I’d like to challenge the lingerie industry to create!

1.      A babydoll that isn’t sheer in the body and is long enough to cover the butt.

 Even if I didn’t mind a sheer babydoll, there’s nothing right now that comes in my size! My closest bets would be the Parfait by Affinitas Honey, which goes up to a G cup but runs small, or something from Figleaves, again in a G. Cleo is going to be coming out with a babydoll version of the Marcie in black, and I expect that to come in my size—but even when that comes out, it will still be sheer and short and that’s not what I want from my nightwear. What I’m really looking for is a nightgown that is attached to a well-fitting bra with proper underwires. Here is my mock-up of what that might look like:

Curvy Kate Tease Me babydoll, featuring the lovely Lizzie

Babydoll with Curvy Kate Elegance, featuring the beautiful Emma

       In the spirit of experimentation, in the new year I’m going to try my hand at making one of these. It shouldn’t really be too hard; all it would require is some fabric sewn to the bottom of a bra band and finished off nicely. I’m planning to use one of the Curvy Kate Showgirl half-cups, which is what I sleep in, or maybe the Curvy Kate Elegance that fascinated me so much last year for a sexier effect. Expect updates as I figure this out!

2.    A bra with an included camisole in “ahh-bra” material, that zips up the front. 

To explain this one, I am essentially looking for something like a very practical, everyday basque with no boning in crazy-stretchy material. I’m of the firm belief that the stretchier a bra band is, the better—cut it really small, but let it stretch a lot! I hate bands that are too big but simultaneously un-stretchy—those lead to back pain AND bulges.

The camisole material would ideally be somewhere between shapewear and the kind of material you get in a seamless camisole. I like the idea of having a super-super-longline cut because there are days when I really would love to be able to spread out the support over my whole torso, rather than just focusing on a small area of my back. Big boobs get heavy sometimes!

Finally, I’d like this comfy everyday contraption to be easy to do up oneself. So I’m going to suggest something that may cause gasps—a front closure. And because it would need to have the proper strength in this closure, I’m going to put my vote forward for a thin zipper that would go all the way up the front.

Here’s a mock-up!

My idea for a bra/camisole--featuring the Freya Deco

       3.   My third wish-list item is simpler. I’d like to see more practical options—more beige, brown, black, and light pink bras that are simple, but still pretty. I’m not looking for a twenty-way convertible, and I’m not looking for anything plunging or molded or seamless—I just wish there were more well-fitting options in colors that blend in under clothing. The brands that make the best unpadded bras continue to focus HEAVILY on fashion colors and prints. I wish there were a better balance. And I think there is also a gap in the market when it comes to CUTE practical options. It seems like the majority of bras in beige-y colors are also a bit boulder-holder-looking, or very plain with no decoration at all. I’d like a few little bows and maybe a lace texture—that wouldn’t effect the practicality of a beige, light pink, brown, or black bra, but it would make it a better ego boost!

      4.      Bras with bands that have a higher stretch content and are positioned lower on the back, to eliminate bulges. 

          I've talked about this before. I wish bands were wider, made of thicker material, and more 'seamless' to prevent awkward bulges. I also feel quite strongly that bra bands should be positioned at a slightly different angle than is common to give the best support and comfort, and to eliminate those bulges. Most British brands have their bands angled like so:

Bra with band angled too high creates bulges even when it fits

Whereas the ideal bra band should be positioned at a slightly lower angle:

Ideal lower angle for a bra band eliminates back bulges

In my few experiences trying Ewa Michalak, I’ve noticed their bands do sit lower, as in the second image. The difference in comfort and appearance is really revolutionary.

5.    Bras with cushioned underwire… seriously, G+ companies, get on this!!! Victoria’s Secret has been making bras with underwires encased entirely in a foam channel for YEARS. If a company that doesn’t even admit G cups EXIST can manage this technical innovation, I’d really expect the more enlightened companies to start working hard on it. Whoever introduces this first is bound to see a BIG bump in business because everyone will flock to them.

Well, there you have it--that's what I'm hoping to see from D+ and G+ lingerie companies in the coming year and beyond. Let me know in the comments if you have any other bright ideas for innovative bra design!