I Need Lingerie That Fits!

December 28, 2007 5:18 PM

Mrs. Irontom here - I need a professional bra fitting in the DC metro area...

I've never had one, and it's time. I want some comfortable, attractive lingerie, but I have no idea where to go to get a good fitting. I'm not a skinny girl, and I don't want to be sneered at in order to find some bras that fit properly. Hivemind, please hope me!

posted by Irontom to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (9 answers total)

what's your favourite shop for bras?

i went in to La Senza (here in Canada) and asked to be fitted. it was free, and the lady who helped me was very professional. she measured under my ribs for the band size, and showed me how to measure the cup size (which involves some touching so she just explained how i could do it myself). the fitting was over clothes, so once we determined my approximate size, i tried on a bunch of bras to be sure. of course, your bra size will vary slightly depending on the bra, the brand, the style, etc.

perhaps your favourite shop will be able to provide similar assistance. i'm not sure large department stores will be as helpful as stores that specialize in underwear, but most shops do this for free. my advice is to just go to the store you frequent most. as for being a skinny girl - that i am not, and the lady didn't sneer or anything. perhaps someone with more location-specific advice can help you with this, though.

also, you're probably aware of how important being fitted is since you asked this, but i cannot stress enough how great it feels to finally wear the right bra. really. Oprah didn't lie about that. my roommate and i went together, and both of us were stunned. we were both wearing two sizes too small, and we would not shut up about how wonderful we felt for weeks after. good on you for going!
posted by gursky at 5:47 PM on December 28, 2007

I'd have a look at this place, Sylene's.

Here's an interview with one of the owners, all about bra fitting.

I was properly fitted for the first time a few months ago. I went into the store (Rigby & Peller in London) wearing what I thought was my 'right' size - 38C. I came out wearing a 32E. The difference in comfort and fit is incredible.

The bra I bought was a Prima Donna brand. Expensive but beautifully made and extremely comfortable. Be prepared to pay up to $100 for a really well-fitting bra, if you buy in a specialist lingerie store. And always, always try on. Bras I've bought from a chain store (Marks & Spencer, so good quality) are 34E as the 32E was a little too skimpy on the fabric and didn't fit right.
posted by essexjan at 5:48 PM on December 28, 2007

Lady Grace does bra fittings, hopefully there is one in your area. I have an extremely wide back and some extra fluff, plus a relatively small cup size, and although they were expensive, I spent an hour with a "specialist" and the bras are the most comfortable I've ever worn.
posted by WaterSprite at 6:01 PM on December 28, 2007

I went to Sylene years ago, and they were admirably non-sneery. (I would have noticed sneery, because I went immediately after the evil lady at Lord & Taylor informed me that there were no bras in my size anywhere in existence and that I should consider reductions because breasts my size were "a medical problem." I'm not exactly sure what kind of torment I should wish on a grown woman who said that to a fifteen-year-old.) What they weren't, however, was especially young and cute and trendy. Personally, I tend to look for bra stores that cater to the middle-aged, because they tend to have bras that work on my enormo-boobs. If you're looking for wacky colors or things like that, though, than Sylene is probably not the place for you. I think they'll do a good fitting, though.

If you're going to go to a department store, I'd try Nordstroms. I've always had pretty good luck there. I've been to the one in Montgomery Mall, but in general Nordstroms is known for their good bra department.
posted by craichead at 6:40 PM on December 28, 2007

Department stores often have company reps come in and do fittings. For some reason, these events usually happen in January and February. When the Wacoal or Chantelle rep is at the store, there is generally a discount of 10-15%. That's a big help if you need to replace a bunch. My advice is to buy a brand that's available where you'll generally shop. It's super fun to go splurge at Coup de Foudre, but if you end up buying a style/brand that you can't purchase regularly, the fitting isn't nearly as helpful.

BTW, you shouldn't feel guilty about spending extra on a brassiere that fits well. Brassieres that really fit don't disintegrate quickly. Even a very expensive and well-made brassiere will deteriorate if it's constantly stretching or gapping because it doesn't really fit you correctly.
posted by 26.2 at 6:52 PM on December 28, 2007

There's a place on Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring, just beyond the place where you drive under the train tracks overpass ... I'm blocking on the name right this minute, and I'm not in town to look it up. It's on the left as you are going away from town, and it's next to a martial arts academy and also near a day care center.

Damn I can't believe I can't remember the name ... I can see it plain as day in my head. It's run by several "international" women (Eastern European, I think) and they will fit you and sell you what you need. They're not cheap, but they'll do right by you.

Wait!! It's DOR NE Corset Shop. I'm almost positive...
posted by mccxxiii at 7:19 PM on December 28, 2007

mccxxiii, I believe DOR NE is correct, I drive by that store every day on the way to work. :)
posted by sarahsynonymous at 7:27 PM on December 28, 2007

Yay! Validation from sarahsynonymous!

The ladies there were very helpful to me. I highly recommend.
posted by mccxxiii at 8:06 PM on December 28, 2007

Trousseau in Vienna. They are fantastic and helpful. They will work with you until you have a good fit and a comfortable bra. They will also do alterations if needed. Or any Neiman Marcus, but I would recommend Trousseau over Neiman's any day.
posted by wildeepdotorg at 6:50 AM on December 30, 2007