To those who wonder how I can be wearing bras that are so old, let me just say, my itty bitty titty committee don't need much support.
(Compare and contrast visual: To my right is Vegas Showgirl, Shannon O'Keefe from the defunct Harrah's Show, Skintight.)And since my dating life is either non-existent or disastrous, I've stopped buying fancy-shmancy lacy bras to entice men. You know the ones I'm talking about:
$55 - $214/bra? Are you kidding me? I wouldn't pay that kind of price unless I knew I was hooking up with:
Jon Hamm of Mad Menor,
Matt Bomer of White Collar. Meeeeeowwwwww!I prefer my bras plain and seamless.
And when I need to fill out my blouse, I also need my boulder-holders to be sturdy enough to support silicone inserts that look like raw chicken breasts. (In case you didn't know, these stuffers are pretty darn heavy.)
Anyhoo, I went back to Costco and was disappointed that the Maidenform 3-packs I used to buy now only come 2-in-a-pack. If that wasn't bad enough, they've stopped selling A-cups. The smallest size offered is now a 34-B. Where's the love for mosquito-bite girls, Costco?Dejected, I decided to shop at Macy's One-Day Sale last week where they had a Buy-2-Get-2-Free Deal on Warner and Maidenform bras. I also had a 20% off coupon. *Score!* I mentally calculated that I could get four (4) bras for about $34.80 = $20/bra x 2 x 80% x 1.0875 (tax).
But b-o-o-o-y, was I off on the price. Regularly priced bras now cost $31??? Are you freakin' kidding me? Anyhoo, my four bras cost me $53.94 = $31/bar x 2 x 80% x 1.0875 (tax), or $13.49/bra.
I realize I could get cheaper bras from Wal-mart or even Target, but I hate shopping for underwear there. I have to dig through disorganized racks only to discover they don't have my size. I'm also afraid to come face-to-face with back-boobs that are bigger than most breasts:
Credit (or Dis-credit?): People of WalmartNo thanks. I'll pay a premium for better service and neater displays.
My itty-bitty-titty-committee wants to know: How often do you replace your bras? And how much do you spend?
17 comments:
The bra people say you should replace your bras every year, but I sooo do not do that! I've had mine for a few years. I usually go to Nordstrom because they are superhelpful and have a good range of sizes. I'll pay anywhere from $40-$80 for a good bra, but my chest is a little bigger than yours. 32C to be exact. That's kind of a strange size, so it's harder to find... another reason why I go to Nordstrom!
I'm in the itty bitty category, too, so I know exactly what you're talking about. I don't know if you have a Kohl's where you live, but I really like their selection and quality. I've found a lot of bras that are somewhere between crappy Wal Mart and fancy La Perla, and there's usually some kind of sale going on, too.
I used to work at the lingerie section of a major dept. store and learned that on average, the American women spends $60 a year on underwear (bra, panties, slips, etc.).
Being small chested myself, I found a lot of success with cheap t-shirt bras in the kid's dept. They start at like 30AA, goes up to 34B, and are usually half the price of the adult version for the same quality.
Marshalls, TJMaxx, and Nordstrom Rack are also great places to find good, cheap bras.
Not very often; I'd say every year or so I buy about three. I try to hit the sales at the department store (the 2-for-1 or buy one, the other is 50% off) and still wind up paying $35 each, it seems.
I have to choose from only TWO racks in the huge sea of nylon and foam rubber and water-implants and minimizers and whatever else they offer; the only two racks that are not meant to fluff up the merchandise and/or cover it with a hard shell, and also have wire (I require it) and also come in my size. You see, I also hail from the IBTC club. It seems that 98% of the merchandise is designed for women with 2x, 3x, or more the garment-filling I have.
I have a whole drawer full of Victoria's Secret bras, but I realized last year that they really didn't fit me that well... so I now only buy Wacoal (from barenecessities.com or Nordstrom). I'm also on the committee (barely a B really, but the wacoal 34B fits me perfectly).
Wacoal is ~$50, but it's a REALLY good bra, comfy, not fancy (I just buy plain nude), but still attractive (honestly my bf could care less about my bras... I'm the one who hates it when they're ugly :p) and lasts for awhile.
I would definitely try out barenecessities.com! They have coupons all the time, and tons of bras for us smaller girls. :)
I haven't bought new bras in over 2 years...which means I probably should buy new ones soon. I'll probably wait until another sale at the Gap (that's where I got them last time), or maybe head to Kohls or Macys...I really hate bra shopping, so it would probably have to be a daylong thing where I try on lots of them...
I also don't have any sexy bras :(
About every two years I go to the Victoria's Secret Semi-Annual sale and buy around 3 or 4 bras. Since I'm rocking a 34 C (sometimes D if I've been underutilized my gym membership)I'd rather pay more money and have comfortable, well constructed bras.
With the sale, they generally end up being about $15 - $20 each. Something I will not skimp on though, is a nice strapless bra. A quality one will last me 2 - 3 years and is worth its' weight in gold.
If you're careful with bras (don't wear them 2 days in a row, wash very gently, etc.), I think they can last a couple years.
I have to spend a lot of money on bras. I wear a 35DDDD, which no company makes. 34 bands are too small, 36's are too big. Usually I wind up buying the 36DDD, but even then, DDD isn't a size any of the cheaper companies bother making.
In closing, all I wear are nude, white, or black old lady bras that can cost as much as $80 each. So comparatively, you're lucky!
I probably buy a couple a year and can get away with fairly good deals - I rarely spend more than 10-15 each. I wouldn't say I've ever found the perfect fit, but close enough... to be honest I don't know what a perfect fit feels like, I should probably get a proper consult sometime huh?
I wish I had your problem. Mine are larger (not crazy large) but I need more support. I wish I could get the smaller super cute ones but they don't fit me right.
I bought a few bras at a local shop two years ago where they know their stock and help you get the proper fit - and for the first time I had not only bras that fit, but ones that lasted. I went back this summer to purchase another and the person helping me couldn't believe mine were two years old, they still look new.
I've decided to add another one or two a year on my birthday when they send me a coupon since I hate going and would put it off otherwise. I usually spend between $30 & $60 per bra, post discount.
that is totally hilarious!!!!!
I normally pay around $50 at kohls... i don't fit into the fancy ones at victorias secret... :(
I wear mine longer than I should - until they break usually. (I have some new, and some from highschool still... yea...)
(also in the itty bitty category)
Try them on - I have $10 bras that fit great, and a few $40 ones that do. I Don't recommend Target - they never fit well.
I used to pay the usual $30ish for a bra, but on a whim one day when I was in a Kmart (which is a rare occurrence, as I don't really like the store), I checked out the bra section and tried one on. Turns out, I found the best-fitting bra I had ever worn--and it was on sale for $8. I kept the tag so I can match up the product number again for future Kmart visits, which I now make once or twice a year solely for the purpose of picking up new bras. I still try them on, in case I happened to lose or gain a little weight (or rearrange weight, as happens sometimes), but it's the one way I can bra shop without wanting to run out of a store screaming (I don't like shopping, haha).
I'm bad about buying bras and should be fitted. I usually buy 3-4per year, cost depending on where I shop and how I'm feeling financially.
One thing I do every year is throwout 10 pairs of undies and buy 10 new ones. Gap panties are surpisingly well made and comfy.
I have a whole box full of fancy bra and panty sets, but since putting on 50 pounds, none fit, and yet I can't donate them b/c I so loved them and think I will fit into them again some day...
Okay, that last photo is Ewwww!
Ya, I wear the plane Jane bras too. But I have a full drawer of really nice ones that my husband wishes and pleads that I would wear. They only get worn when we go out. lol.
I need to replace mine and I keep telling myself week after week. I am on the other end of the scale so I get to pay about $35 - $40. And I heard your suppose to replace them every 6 months.
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