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[ Thursday, March 24, 2005 ]

Wear 'em and love 'em

Collegian Staff Writer

Bra shopping can end in one of many things -- money spent, normal post-shopping joy, tears of frustration, satisfaction, or the most common: loathing of Gisele.

Much of the trouble with shopping for bras comes from the fact that there are so many different types of bras and so many types of breasts that it can get beyond frustrating.

So to help you all out, I tried to make a sort of bra guide to help set you in the right direction. It's not entirely exhaustive, but it's a start.

Here's what I did: I took five of my hottest girls -- an A-cup, B-cup, C-cup, C/D-cup, and D-cup -- and we went bra shopping to try and find the good, the bad, and the sexy.

They started by trying on some department-store bras and finished up at Victoria's Secret.

The ladies:

A-Cup, 34A: Miss A is a 5 feet tall petite mama weighing in at 105 pounds.

B-Cup, 34B: Chica B weighs in at 120 pounds and stands a good height of 5 feet 6 inches.

Suggestions
  1. Don't squeeze in shopping for bras with general clothing shopping, take your time.
  2. Splurge a little — not all your bras have to be $50 or $100 bras, but have at least a few really good ones. After all, what else in your closet can say that it literally holds you up?
  3. Always be on the look out for a good bra and switch-up your bras every one or two years. Bras are just like jeans, wear ’em down and they won’t be as effective.

C-Cup, 36C: Sista C, an athlete all her life, has a 5-foot 6-inch muscle-toned frame of 150 pounds.

C 1/2-Cup, 36-8C/36D: My girl C 1/2 has an asymmetric bust -- more common than assumed -- and weighs in at 165 lbs. and is 5 feet 7 inches tall.

D-Cup, 36D: Straight from dirrrty Jersey, lady D is 5 feet 3 inches tall and 140 pounds.

Lily of France, Soft Stretch -- $14.99, available at most large department stores in all sizes.

A: "This bra has a cup, and I am always skeptical of bras with cups because they can look too fake-looking but the cup isn't too hard, it's soft enough."

B: "It makes me feel flat and droopy. It's uncomfortable."

D: "I feel like my boobs would fall out of it. The straps are digging into me."

Calvin Klein -- $34

A thought this satin bra, available with matching underwear and primarily in smaller sizes, was a perfect weekend bra; comfortable, but a little sexy: "Calvin Klein bras always fit me, this fits perfect. It's comfortable, I like the feel of it."

Barely There, full coverage -- $29

C: "There isn't enough material. This bra sucks, it doesn't hold s---."

C 1/2: "One of the more comfortable bras I've worn, though it's not a sexy bra, just for everyday use. There's a lot of material and so it covers a lot."

WonderBra

Wonderboost Strapless Push-up -- $29

Not a popular pick with any size, this bra was more of a blunder than a wonder.

A: "I wouldn't buy it, it's too weighted at the bottom."

C 1/2: "It's way too small everywhere."

D: "I hate strapless bras sooo much! It's cutting off my boobs halfway. Ewww!"

Wonder of Gel -- $29

This bra filled with gel padding definitely lifts, but as B found, that's not always a good thing.

B: "I want to pop them, there is so much padding. I feel like my boobs are floating."

The Wonder of Stretch -- $29

D was satisfied with the comfort but, again, was disappointed in how plain all the Wonderbras were in her size while C 1/2 was uncomfortable with the big, defined, built-in cups.

D: "It hugs me well, I feel like I can move around. There's good lift."

C: "This is one of the most uncomfortable underwires I have ever tried on. It's a very defined cup and if your chest isn't that exact shape then it doesn't work."

Victoria's Secret

PINK -- $22.50

A: "This bra is very comfortable. I love PINK; the bras -- amazing, the underwear --amazing. Hmm ... I wonder if I need a new bra."

B: "It's comfortable to run around in, but it's pulling me down. Boo."

C & D: A limited number of PINK bras were sold out for C cups. PINK bras are only available with a special online order for D cups.

Angels -- $36 Uplift

A: "A lot more comfortable than department store push-ups, but I just don't like the big padding."

C: "I like this because it makes my boobs bigger ... a little pointy, but still good."

D: "Lace on it looks so funny [under my shirt]. Sexy but, again, it's cutting my boobs off halfway. I feel like I need more coverage and the underwire is pinching in between my boobs."

Angels Satin and Lace Balconet Bra -- $48 to $50

C 1/2: "I've never felt more stupid in my life. This is like a shelf for my chest."

Very Sexy Seamless Push-Up -- $47

A: "My side-boobage comes out of it. It's just a lot to get used to, I mean, if you're used to a big rack then this wouldn't feel so big but [if you don't naturally have one] then it's like 'why?' "

C: "I love the material. And it actually holds!"

Very Sexy Lace Demi Balconet, push-up without padding -- $47

B: "Oh my god! I love it! This is the most comfortable bra ever." (Proceeds to check out.)

D: "This bra is pretty comfortable; I like how it doesn't have padding. I feel like if I really move, my boobs wouldn't fall out."

Body by Victoria Striped Mesh Demi bra -- $34

A: "It's a little see-through, sexy. I would buy it because it's sexy but still wearable day-to-day."

Body by Victoria Shaping Demi -- $39.50 to $44

B: "This is the most comfortable bra I have ever tried on. I feel like I am not even wearing a bra, it doesn't dig in at all."

D "Oh yes, this is a good one. You know [a good bra] right away when you try it on."

Body by Victoria Lingerie Racerback Bra -- $38

C: "This is shaped really well and holds really, really good."

Body by Victoria IPEX -- $45 to $49

I finished my survey with the ladies before the new IPEX bra was released, so they were not able to sample it. However, I went and tried on the bra and found that like most Body by Victoria bras, it was made out of a very soft, lightweight material, which made me feel like I wasn't wearing anything while still providing a fabulous hold.

Very Sexy Lace Demi Balconet, push-up without padding -- $47

B: "Oh my god! I love it! This is the most comfortable bra ever." (Proceeds to check out.)

D: "This bra is pretty comfortable; I like how it doesn't have padding. I feel like if I really move, my boobs wouldn't fall out."

Body by Victoria Striped Mesh Demi bra -- $34

A: "It's a little see-through, sexy. I would buy it because it's sexy but still wearable day-to-day."

Body by Victoria Shaping Demi -- $39.50 to $44

B: "This is the most comfortable bra I have ever tried on. I feel like I am not even wearing a bra, it doesn't dig in at all."

D "Oh yes, this is a good one. You know [a good bra] right away when you try it on."

Body by Victoria Lingerie Racerback Bra -- $38

C: "This is shaped really well and holds really, really good."

Body by Victoria IPEX -- $45 to $49

I finished my survey with the ladies before the new IPEX bra was released, so they were not able to sample it. However, I went and tried on the bra and found that like most Body by Victoria bras, it was made out of a very soft, lightweight material, which made me feel like I wasn't wearing anything while still providing a fabulous hold.


 

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Updated: Thursday, March 24, 2005  3:52:50 PM  -4
Requested: Friday, July 25, 2008  6:22:00 PM  -4
Created: Wednesday, May 07, 2008  6:52:49 PM  -4