Please help me find a strapless bra for my wedding in two weeks before I give myself an ulcer

April 26, 2012 11:25 PM

Please please PLEASE help me find a place where I can buy a wonderbra/any strapless bra that won't squash my chest flat in time for my wedding in two weeks!

Hello brafilter!

So I was initially supposed to be getting married in eight months but in excitement, we decided to move it forward to during our upcoming short tour of the US. Now it's in two weeks at Voodoo Doughnuts in Portland, woohoo! Anyway, I've managed to sort the dress and shoes, but damn I CANNOT find a decent strapless bra. I'm in Vancouver BC, which as far as high street shopping goes, is er... limited (like, 3 bra shops).

I was looking for the Wonderbra Strapless Bra but Sears, the Bay, and the other smaller bra shops here don't seem to carry it. The ones I've tried have squashed my boobs so flat it's depressing - I have a fair sized rack (34DD) and a little waist and would like something to accentuate these positives on pictures I might be looking at for the next 40 years. Can anyone help? I need something that doesn't bind but can support, and don't know where to look! Should I wait until we get to Seattle (we have 3 days there?) or Portland? Does anyone know of anywhere in Van that sells Wonderbras? (Metrotown?)

AAAAARGH!!!
(Thank you so much for any advice)

posted by everydayanewday to clothing, beauty, & fashion (13 answers total)

If you can get to a Nordstroms in Seattle, they should be able to find something for you and tailor it. You could even call them, and see if they can have your size stocked in the store, so that you can try it on there. When I had a surprise wedding, they were actually able to reduce the turn around time from 5 days to 2.

Alternatively, you could try calling some bridal shops in Seattle to see what they suggest/have in stock. Or seeing if you can order your bra via Figleaves (quickass transit time) and see if a friend of yours can be the mailing address.

Finally, if you can go to other places in BC, there are some certified custom bra-makers there.

The livejournal comm thirtytwo_d will also have some good advice, but you have to email the mod (...me) to join. It's pretty likely the strapless bra you mention in your post will work -- I just saw a review in the comm talking about what a good/true to size fit it offered.
posted by spunweb at 12:18 AM on April 27, 2012

Seattle has a Nordstroms where they sell this Wacoal strapless bra that I can personally recommend as doing the job for a 32DD, along with a number of other good options that may work for you.

Seattle also has a pretty good-sized Macys, and Macys generally sells Wonderbras, though the selection at individual stores is sometimes hit or miss.
posted by psycheslamp at 12:22 AM on April 27, 2012

If you can afford the express shipping, try figleaves.com or bare necessities. If I recall correctly, they both have pretty liberal return policies, so if you can put out the money initially until a return is processed, you could order a few options and just keep the one that works best. Both sites have a wide variety of bra types & sizes. They also have frequent sales. Good luck & congratulations!
posted by katemcd at 12:29 AM on April 27, 2012

If you haven't had luck by the time you get to Seattle, skip the department stores and go straight to Zovo, which is in University Village. You can also give them a call ahead of time and you'll get someone really informed who will be able to tell you if they can help you out ahead of time and where else you could look. I love them, they have wonderful stock and a great store, and I've actually paid lower prices for the same bras as I would get at Nordstrom's. I've gone to Zovo with some weird requests, and as a 34FF, I've found something every time. (They also have lots of really beautiful, high quality lingerie if you want something extra special for the after-wedding that won't fall apart after one night.)
posted by Mizu at 3:25 AM on April 27, 2012

What you probably want is a bustier. It's way better for boobage than a strapless bra.
posted by the young rope-rider at 4:24 AM on April 27, 2012 [6 favorites]

I'm sorry I can't help with specific retailers, but you might want to throw this term into the mix: longline strapless bra. It's not quite a strapless bra, not quite a bustier. It provides support from below without squashing the goods.
posted by rachaelfaith at 5:17 AM on April 27, 2012 [3 favorites]

I wore a Fantasie strapless bra for my wedding; I was pleased with the fit.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 6:11 AM on April 27, 2012

Nthing Nordstroms. My friend with a similar bra size buys all her bras there, and I know she has a strapless one she's happy with.
posted by MadamM at 6:26 AM on April 27, 2012

Nordstroms.
posted by valannc at 9:08 AM on April 27, 2012

Seconding Fantasie strapless bras. You can get 'em at Nordstrom. I assume Seattle has a Nordstrom, since little ole Baltimore has one. If for some reason they're out of your size in the Fantasie strapless line, they'll have something else. Nordstrom's lingerie department is a godsend to the ample-chested woman.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 1:49 PM on April 27, 2012

You should go to The Pencil Test in Portland before your wedding! They specialize in D+ cups.
posted by vespabelle at 2:06 PM on April 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

Can you get to Langley? Forever Yours Lingerie in Langley Village has a pretty fabulous selection and does lots of unusual sizing. I know for sure they carry Fantasie, Wacoal, and my beloved Chantelle among other lovely brands.
posted by sillymama at 3:39 PM on April 27, 2012

The best undergarment I found for my own DDs at my own wedding, surprisingly, was this strapless Spanx slip: http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/spanx-convertible-strapless-slip-shaper/3197418?origin=PredictiveSearch .

I was unable to find a strapless bra, longline or regular, that did its job and looked ok under clothing. If you're going to be in Nordstrom anyway, give the Spanx a try - I wore it pulled down to create a sort of "balconette" effect, and my cleavage was glorious. It didn't slip off or do anything weird all night.
posted by hyperfascinated at 4:08 PM on April 27, 2012